Thanks so much to everyone who sent suggestions. They were great! Susan
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I see the 5's once in a six day cycle. I teach Dewey classification at the
same time they are learning scientific classification, and I teach reading
ordered decimals after learning about ordered decimals in Math. During the
weather unit in Science they learn how to use the weather data in the
almanac; during the unit on microbiology in Science we sharpen encyclopedia
skills as they look for answers to a scavenger hunt about microbes in our
lives. One thing that has really worked for us is deciding which resources I
really want the kids to be familiar with, and which skills need developing.
I've had only limited success drawing the classroom teachers in. So I do
booktalks, and have lots of activities which expose them to different
resources.
By spring they have used enough to work with Sharron Cohen's Mysteries of
Research (I use the 2nd ed.). This is a great (and fun for the kids)
cumulative activity requiring them to use their research skills with
different basic resources (dictionary, encyclopedia, almanac, specialized
encyclopedias) to solve a mystery. They love it, and it really helps them
sharpen their reading and problem solving skills, and shows them that these
skills are relevant. They were introduced to these tools with projects done
with their science class primarily, but occasionally Soc. Studies or
English.
My main goal is making sure they understand that the library has all sorts
of resources that can help them find all kinds of answers. Later we move
onto the idea of doing more comprehensive research in the 6th grade, when
they are immersed in the middle ages, take on the persona of someone living
at the time, and write article, diary entries, letters, and newspapers about
he middle ages. By that time they are experts in using the indexes, tables
of content, and recognizing that one book or set of books may not have the
answers they need, but others will. Hope this helps.
Any book you have not read is a new book ;-)
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One of the successful things I do is a booktalk over the PA system during
announcements every Monday. I group them in "themes" such as "South
Carolina Book Award Nominees" for the year- featuring one nominee a week; or
"Awesome authors"- again featuring one author a week, booktalking about 2
books by the author, and then making a display of all the books I have by
that author. The students and the teachers really love it.
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Just wanted to share with you two things I have done to encourage students
to enjoy reading. We had a school-wide reading incentive program one year
called "Get Caught Reading", based on the national campaign by a group of
publishers. I got permission to use the phrase, and the group sent me
permission to use their logo along with bookmarks and posters (Rosie
O'Donnell and Whoopi Goldberg getting "caught" reading). When a student was
"caught" reading of his/her own volition (assigned work did not count) for
the first time, he/she was given a form (see attached). Each time after
that, teachers would initial whenever the student read for pleasure (when
assignments were done, after tests, after lunch, in homeroom, etc.). When
students had all five spaces initialed, they turned the form in to the Media
Center; we had a drawing once a month for a $10 gift certificate to Borders.
I did this the whole year, and by the end of the year it was mostly sixth
graders participating. I think I will do it again this year, but just for
the winter months.
I also have invited classes in for reward visits where I have done book
talks based on themes (books made into movies, my favorite books "then" and
"now", fiction books with animal characters, etc.). And last year I went
into an eighth grade literacy class, gave them a book talk, then we
discussed our favorites. The students then paired up and selected faculty
members to interview about their favorite books. The students wrote up
their interviews and put them together and made a newsletter for eighth
grade students for summer reading ideas.
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I use Georgia Book Awards. I order all of the books for the intermediate
level in duplicate. Our system media specialists started a Quiz Bowl for
our Middle Schools a few years ago. We also have AR in our school but it is
strictly voluntary, not "Book Nazi" style.
I hold two book fairs a year. This year I plan to have a Science Fair
Workshop for parents and kids in the evening.
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Hi, I am only in my 3rd year as a ms librarian and have the same concerns.
The things I have to remind myself about are a) I am here to teach
information literacy skills b) I have to listen to students reading
interests and ACT on them c) I have to get out into the classrooms and
booktalk d) I have to be accessible and approachable. I am going to develop
an advisory group this year to help me create better programs.
Susan S. Nabors, Media Specialist
Buford Middle School, Buford, GA
notpclibrarian@hotmail.com
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