May District Library Newsletter -Digital Literacy, Primary Sources, CCC Media

Menasha Joint School District Library News

May 2013

 If you have suggestions for future topics please feel free to email me!

Everfi - Ignition Digital Literacy and Responsibility Instruction Digital literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet. Our district now has Everfi's Ignition to help teach digital literacy and responsibility.  It is appropriate for grades 6 -12 (maybe 5th).  Students navigate through 7 different modules: Choosing a Computer, Wireless Communication, The Viral World, Internet Resources and Credibility, Creating Multimedia Products, Digital Responsibility and Respect, and the Future of Technology and You.  Each module offers a pre and post test.  At the end students use all the skills they learned in the 7 modules to throw a rock concert for their school.  If they are successful they earn a certificate. If interested in using this in your classroom, contact me and I will send you the website and code to get started.  Everfi also offers Financial Literacy programs for elementary and middle school, Civics program for high school/middle school, and others if interested.

Another digital literacy source: http://www.digitalliteracy.gov/

Primary Sources from Badgerlink

Badgerlink offers a great video explaining what and how to find primary sources.  It could easily be shown to students to explain primary sources.

New Content Coming to CCC! Media for Next School Year

200 New Programs Coming This August Short Preview K-3 See Video   Short Preview 4-8 See Video                   Short Preview See Video Great Human Achievements   New for Fall 2013!    CCC! Streaming Media Now  in...    LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT: 650,000 STUDENTS    IOWA: 495,000 STUDENTS    KENTUCKY: 660,000 STUDENTS      MICHIGAN: 1,600,000 STUDENTS    MINNESOTA: 840,000 STUDENTS          NDM Welcomes... Arizona & New Mexico Representative Stuart Williams 602.318.7939 stuwillimar@gmail.com    New York Jerry Reynell 716.689.6613 jreynell@curriculumsolutions.org     Joe Capogreco 585.872.4841 jcapogreco@curriculumsolutions.org    Beth Ann Walck 585.831.0760 bawalck@curriculumsolutions.org    California & Nevada David McGlocklin 530.757.1244 mcglockinedu@sbcglobal.net    Wisconsin Bob Casper 866.824.8129 bobc@mhtc.net      Contact Your Local Representative or Melissa Moreland at 312.397.2151 mmoreland@cccstreaming.com       Classroom Content from Europe, Asia & Australia for Lower Grades Now your primary grade students can watch what other students are viewing from around the world. Programs from the UK, France, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, and Australia enrich your students' cultural experience. From cutting-edge animation and storytelling to unique language and terminology, content created overseas provides insight on how other cultures view the world. This global perspective helps prepare students for the interrelated world we live in. Check out programs from BBC Motion Gallery & Espresso Learning (UK), Raitalia (Italy), AWOL Animation & Marathon (France), VEA (New Zealand), and Sol90 & Cin TV (Spain), and more on your CCC! system. Storytelling from a Global Perspective Anna Shirina Regional Education Director FL & GA ashirina@cccstreaming.com 813-716-8676 Stories often pass down through generations and across cultures. Elementary aged students can easily understand different areas of the world using Moko, The Young Explorer series from AWOL Animation. Created in France, students follow Moko as he journeys from his home to discover the edge of the world. He travels through Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, making friends and discovering natural phenomena along the way. Difficult scientific concepts and natural phenomena are explained through animated origin stories so that younger students can understand the principles. Through these programs, elementary students are able to discuss how the cultural background of the story and the geographic location affect how it is told. Teachers As Navigators of Students' Learning Jennifer Parisi Regional Education Director jparisi@cccstreaming.com 224-634-0459 A panel of experts stated that, "teacher preparation must focus on making today's education system a learner-centered instructional model, supported by proven digital learning technology that gives students a more individualized and rigorous learning experience." CCC! Streaming Media is thrilled to be able to help teachers at any grade level meet this need. For example, at the elementary level, teachers can begin to instruct students on how to use CCC!'s Digital Director to make a bookmark. To challenge students, teachers can ask those that are more advanced to connect concepts by creating a playlist.  By becoming producers of media at a young age, students can begin to create a project that reflects their understandings, perceptions, questions, and ideas about the classroom content. As young as elementary school, teachers can use CCC!'s library of content as a tool to individualize a student's learning experience and encourage him or her to create a final product that reflects their understandings.    To access the full eSchoolNews article, Click Here .

Meet the Library Staff                                      Debbie Adams Position: Library Paraprofessional Buildings: Gegan Hometown: Waupun, WI    Education:  B.S. Social Work UW-Oshkosh Favorite Book: Too many to write down  Hobbies: Reading, Golf, Fishing Family:   My husband Ben and I have been married 21 years.   Children:  Abby who is a senior, and Rachel a sophomore at MHS Fun Fact: I love being back at Gegan. I used to volunteer here when my children attended. I have also volunteered at Maplewood and subbed at MHS. It has been fun seeing familiar faces and getting to know those who I have just met this year.

New on Overdrive If you have not tried it yet, Overdrive is our district site where you can download eBooks and Audiobooks for free. Overdrive has recently upgraded it's format.  You now need to enter your library card number to enter the site.  Students can use their student ID number to login, and all staff uses their library number (which you can get from any library paraprofessional).  You can read many of the books without a download! Mango Passport Programs Learn a new language. Muck City by Bryan Mealer Rabbit Ears Audio Collections Tall Tales, Multicultural Tales, etc Poetry Books The Cupcake Club by Sheryl Berk About the Author Books Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson I Am Number Four: The Lost Files by Pittacus Lore Mr Putter & Tabby and Henry & Mudge Books The Complete Guide to the Green Bay Packers Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick Biographies at Every Level

April District Library Newsletter

Menasha Joint School District Library News
April 2013

 If you have suggestions please for future newsletters feel free to email me!

Free Science Videos from The National Science Foundation Science360 Knowledge Network immerses visitors in the latest wonders of science, engineering, technology and math. We gather the latest science videos provided by scientists, colleges and universities, science and engineering centers, the National Science Foundation and more. Each video is embeddable to put on your own personal websites, blogs and social networking pages. Science360 engages the general public, science junkies and students alike in the cutting-edge discoveries and big science stories of the day.  To visit this site click here. Teaching Books - A Free Resource for Teachers in Wisconsin TeachingBooks.net is an easy-to-use website that adds a multimedia dimension to the reading experiences of children's and young adult books.  It is provided for free to all Wisconsin residents through Badgerlink.  It includes lessons plans, author interviews, reader's theatre, booklists, and lots more.  Check out this video on how Teaching Books can help with Common Core Instruction.

Poetry Everywhere  Poetry seems to be everywhere in the common core standards.  PBS offers are free site called Poetry Everywhere.  It offers videos with short biographies of poets along with a reading of one of their poems.  The website can be found here. Poets.org also offers biographies and poetry from American poets.

Links  The Write Source: Models of Student Writing Papers for Grades 1-12 http://www.thewritesource.com/studentmodels/ Live Binders: Create E-Portfolios, Online Sub Folder, Organize your Links, etc http://www.livebinders.com/welcome/education?showsubtab=education ECB Surf Report: Great Web Sites and Links for Teachers and Students updated monthly http://wimedialab.org/surf/

Meet the Staff               Cheryl Leonard Position: Library Paraprofessional  Building: Butte des Morts, Banta, and Nicolet Hometown: Oostburg, WI    Education: A little of this, a little of that Favorite Book: PJ Funny Bunny Camps Out Hobbies: 80's Rock Band Concerts, Camping, Kids Crafts, Swimming Family: Married to husband, Jamie, for 16 years.  Jamie works for the Neenah/Menasha Fire department.  Daughters: Rachel -23, Rylee-11, and Reese-9 Fun Facts: I am not a little person, I am an only child, I love to bake, I hate to cook, and I never take things to seriously. Life should be fun and I try to enjoy every moment.

Infographic Provided by TeachingDegree.org

March District Library Newsletter - The New Overdrive, Library Money, Research Guide, Newbery & Caldecott Winners

Menasha Joint School District Library News
March 2013

 If you have suggestions please for future newsletters feel free to email me!

BIG NEWS from OverDRIVE Overdrive has done a major overhaul in the way eBooks can be accessed from it's site.  There are now many eBooks that can be accessed instantly!  You can start reading from any device with internet access without having to download a thing!  All students need is their student id number, and all staff members need is their library number, which they can receive from any of the school library paraprofessionals or myself. Here are step-by-step instructions for how to use Overdrive: http://goo.gl/Z35mk Here is a video from Digital Learning Day showing how to access Overdrive books instantly: If you would like help using Overdrive I will be available on April 4th from 3:30-4:00pm in the Clovis Library.  Or feel free to call me!

Where does the library money come from? Did you ever wonder how the school libraries receive money to make purchases?  Well wonder no more!  Public school libraries (as well as Public Libraries) receive their money from the state of Wisconsin.  Wisconsin Statute 43.70(3) provides money to school libraries in what is referred to as Common School Fund Money.  The money comes from interest earned on state land & forest sales, fees, fines (like speeding tickets), and forfeitures.  Since the money comes from the state, they do have rules on how the money can be spent.  The items purchased must be library books, instructional materials (such as DVDs and magazines), and computers and software for the library only.  The items purchased must be housed in the library, listed in the school library catalog, accessible to staff and students, and circulated through the library software.  The school library does not receive money from our school district for purchases.  If you wish to find out more about Common School Funds here is a link to the DPI explaining the fund.

Research Guide                                                                                          Baderlink (www.badgerlink.net), a free educational site provided by the DPI, has a great research guide available at: http://www.badgerlink.net/researchguide/explore.html The guide goes through each step of the research process, and provides both Word or Google Doc guides for students or staff to download.

Bags Needed!   If you have a stockpile of reusable fabric bags we would love to have them for the library!  Not only do we use them when staff asks for multiple materials, but we also give them to students to use for our summer reading program. Send any extra bags you have to the Maplewood Library.

Meet the Staff              Pat White Position: Library Long Term Sub for 2012/2013  Building: Menasha High School Hometown:  New Orleans, Louisiana  Education: Master's Degree Favorite Book:  Jack Reacher series by Lee Child Hobbies: Photography Family: Wife, Claire, who is a library media specialist in Rosendale-Brandon, daughters, Adelle & Casey, and son, Jake. Fun Fact:  Had college weightlifting class with Karl Malone, and went to high school with Patricia Clarkson, Mayor Ray Nagin (corrupt mayor of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina now being charged with embezzlement and/or theft), David Steiner (President of Waste Management), Senator Gilbert Baker (Arkansas), and former Representative of New York, Eric Massa.

Great Infographic from Langwitches Caldecott and Newbery Winners for 2012 Caldecott: Newbery: One and Only Ivan   Splendors and        Bomb          Three Times                                      Glooms                                         Lucky

February District Library Newsletter - Learning Express, "What If?" History, Searching Our Libraries, Britannica Online

Menasha Joint School District Library News
February 2013

 If you have suggestions please for future newsletters feel free to email me!

Test Prep, Skills Improvement, Job Skills, and More... Learning Express offers eBooks, 770 practice exams (SAT, ACT, 4th grade skills, etc), test prep, courses, math and ELA skill improvement, guides, workplace skill improvement, and more.  Have you ever wanted to try the US Citizenship or GED test?  Well, they are on Learning Express.  You can access Learning Express Library through www.badgerlink.net.  Once on Learning Express you will need to create a free personal account.  Then you are free to use any of the resources on this page.

"What If?" or Alternative History  I was reading the book History Makers: A Questioning Approach to Reading and Writing Biographies by Myra Zarnowski (on order for most school libraries), and I can across the idea of "What If" or Alternative History.   It's asking yourself how things might be different if certain events never happened in history.  An example would be to use a biography on Rosa Parks.  What if Rosa Parks had not refused to give up her seat on the bus in 1955?  Asking the "what if" can make students question and think deeper about history. The author poses two questions when using "what if" history with biographies: 1. What are the turning points?  The times when important decisions are made. 2. What if a different decision had been made? This technique can also be applied to fiction books.  Questioning turning points in the book and asking "what if?".

Searching the School Libraries and Ordering Books From Other Schools Within the District The district library catalogs can be accessed from any device, anywhere, with internet capability.  The video below shows how use the library catalog.            Staff can request materials from other schools by simply emailing or calling the library paraprofessionals. Here is a list of staff, phone extensions, and hours of the various libraries throughout the district. All of the information and more can also be found on the District Library Resource Page.  (Can only open if logged into district email.)

Encyclopedia Britannica Online   Through the state of Wisconsin we have free access to the Encyclopedia Britannica Online.  You can access it from www.badgerlink.net or from these links: High School Edition Middle School Edition Elementary School Edition Enciclopedia Juvenil (Espanol) Enciclopedia Universal en Español Learning Zone

Meet the Staff              Toni Franke Position: Library Paraprofessional Building: Maplewood Lunch, Menasha High School Hometown: Menasha, WI    Education: Current Education Student at UW-Superior Favorite Book: Too Many to List! Hobbies: Working Out, Listening to Music, and Spending Time at Our Cottage. Family: Married for 12 years to my husband, Rick.  We have two children.  Chelsea who is 11 years old, and Elliot who is 8 years old.  Our Dog Chewie turns 13 in February. Fun Fact:  I used to bow hunt, gun hunt, and ice fish with my husband.  This was all before kids :)

Great Civil Rights Resources Available in Our Libraries

Miles to Go for Freedom by Linda Osbourne Grades 6-10	Rosa’s Bus by Jo Kittinger Grades 1-4	They Called Themselves the K.K.K. by Susan Bartoletti Grades 7+	Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Shelton Grades K-3
My Uncle Martin’s Words for America by Eric Vasquez Grades K-4	The Watson’s go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis Grades 4-8	The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine Grades 5-8	We’ve Got a Job: the 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinson Grades 7+
A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson Grades 8+	Voices of Freedom by Henry Hampton Grades 9+	Race: A History Beyond Black and White by Marc Arnonson Grades 10+	We March by Shane Evans Grades PreK-3
Rosa’s Bus by Jo Kittinger Grades 1-4	The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon Grades 7+	Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men who Changed History by Andrea Davis Pinkney Grades 4+	Claudette Clovin: Twice Towards Justice by Phillip Hoose Grade 6+