[LM_NET] HIT: 9th Grade Orientation

[Sari <imabluestocking@YAHOO.COM>]

I had many requests for a HIT on my question about interactive ideas for 9th grade 
orientation.  Here are the responses that I received.  My library media center is 
grades 9-12 and the ninth graders come in during the early part of the school year 
with their English classes. The 9th graders do come in during the year for small 
research projects such as a poetry unit, various social studies units, etc.  But 
they do not do their first research paper until 10th grade and then they do another 
one in 11th grade.  So I do not teach research process really until 10th grade.  
Orientation is just to familiarize them with what is available.  Thanks for the 
responses.  Some of these would not work for me but some ideas I think I can 
incorporate.
 
Sari Grandstaff
Saugerties Senior High School
Library Media Specialist
imabluestocking@yahoo.com
 
I started my job as high school library media specialist on Oct. 1 last year so I 
missed the month of Sept.  I'm looking for ideas for 9th grade orientation.  I'll 
have all the English classes coming at the beginning of the school year for that.  
It will be a new space.  I'd like to do something interactive.  I'd love to hear 
what other high school librarians do.  Thank you.

Sari Grandstaff
Saugerties Senior High School
Library Media Specialist
Saugerties, NY
imabluestocking@yahoo.com
 
I do a sort of scavenger hunt with a drawing of the LMC and they have to fill in 
the blanks by answering the questions like...you pay your fines at the ________ 
desk, fines are 5 cents a day per book.  Find the place where you would pay for 
overdue fines and fill it in on the map.  That tells them they need to find the 
circulation desk (which is labeled in real life with a sign) and it also has a sign 
that says books that are due will have a 5 cents per day fine.  Another question 
would be...Where would you look up to find a book about divorce?  Label the map 
where you would find the information about where to find the book AND the actual 
spot where you would find the actual book.  Title of the book you looked up: 
______________________________.  (That way I'd know if they happened to find the 
book in nonfiction or fiction.
etc.
 
Mitchell, Lynette" <MitchellL@citrus.k12.fl.us
 
*****
 
Last year I came up with a great idea to help the 9th graders "learn the lay of the 
land" in the media center. It took some time but it was a great hit. After I had 
done a powerpoint presentation about the services we offer, the rules, quicky Dewey 
system, and where to find materials, and how to use the opec system, and how to 
borrow from other schools. 
I made a book scavenger hunt. I made up 6 "game" cards. (this is because the 
comptative nature of the kids would be to move the books - they still do, 
unfortuneately)I went around the room and picked books that I thought would not be 
checked out in the near future from all the different collections, ie fiction, 
reference, non-fiction, paperback books. The students needed to find the books by 
call number. Their sheets called for sighting the color of the spine or the number 
of books in a series ie reference collections. For prizes I went to the dollar 
store and bought pencils. The students all need pencils at some time and that is a 
cheap "prize". I gave all the student pencils. The first groups get first choice. 
It started out as a way to challenge the AP classes (who ablsoluely loved it) and 
spread to all the other classes. The lower level classes had some trouble, but they 
eventually got the hang of it. I had to really help some groups, but they all 
eventually got it. 

Carole Walkden
Media Specialist
Fort Lauderdale High
Fort Lauderdale
carole.walkden@browardschools.com
 
*****
 
Sari,
 
I always cover the boring stuff like checkout policies and study hall procedures, 
log in to the computer, visit the library website, hand out passwords and 
usernames, etc. most of this is done in the lab area of the library. We also take a 
library field trip to visit the areas that students will use such as reference, 
leisure reading, the courtyard (on nice days), video areas, etc. I have done a 
scavenger hunt in the past and have considered doing that again this year, simply 
because it requires students to get out of their chairs. They still believe that 
it's all on the computers and this proves to them that it isn't.
 
If you get any really great ideas, please let me know!
 
Shirley LeClerc
Bayard Rustin High School
West Chester, PA
*****
 
Hi --
For students new to the library, I always make a map of the library and list the 
different sections (fiction, nonfiction, magazines, reference, circulation, OPAC, 
biography, short story, etc.).  Students have to go around and find the sections 
themselves and mark them on their maps.  I also ask them to mark with a start where 
they find their favorite kinds of reading (this may be where a particular author 
may be found or where the sports section is).  They don't even need to keep the 
maps afteri they're done.  The idea is that the maps get them out into the physical 
space of the library without me marching them from section to section.  
 
--Jackie
 
Jackie Richardson
Library Media Specialist
Main Street School
Irvington, NY 10530
jacqueline.richardson@irvingtonschools.org
914.591.1961
*****
 
I have a game called "Fact or Crap" modeled after a real game. I have 10 statements 
and students must decide if they are fact or crap. In other words, it's true or 
false, but kids like the change in wording if you don't meet with any opposition in 
your school for using the word, crap. To get the correct answers, students must use 
the online catalog systems, look through the reference collection, use an atlas, 
etc. It works the best if a language arts teacher brings a class in and makes it an 
assignment.


Marsha ReddLibrarian, Kelloggsville High School Grand Rapids, MI 
marsharedd@hotmail.comEducation is not a goal; it is a life-long process. Everyone 
is a student. Everyone is a teacher.
 


      

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
  You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
  by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET  2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
 3) SET LM_NET MAIL  4) SET LM_NET DIGEST  * Allow for confirmation.
 * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
 * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
 * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/
 * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
 * LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------