Using Non-Fiction Books/ articles with students

I am searching four ways to use and help teachers use non-fiction selections with students. Here are just two easy ideas.

1.       Teach students how to summarize, paraphrase and pull out main ideas. This shows students how to put ideas into their own words. Also this will reduce the amount of plagiarism. It will also determine if the student is understanding the material given. Start with a small amount of text.

2.       Give them choices- Use some different articles, books, selections on a unit of studies. Students choose what they want to read. Give them a variety of items on different levels-

This is where the library comes in- we can help getting together books on your topics.

Fiction Arrangement by Genres

  I was trying to figure out if I had written about this before . I even did a search but did not come up with anything so I am not sure if I am repeating or not. Maybe someone will let me know if I did??

  In both our Middle and High school, the fiction books are arranged my genres and then in alphabetical order.  When I first got there , I said to myself  that It would never work and I would have to change it back to regular  arrangement.
  But now I am sort of glad that we did not. Each genre  has a different color label that goes over the call number , signifying the genre. (example purple for Historical fiction) What this does is that when a student knows he  or she prefers  science fiction, fantasy , or sports books, they can go right to that section to look for another book to read. They don't have to go the card catalog ( on line) to get books in the same genre, This also makes it easy for the library staff to recommend  other titles  in say the same genre or series
  What we did also was assign another prefix to the call letters. So for a Historical fiction book, the call letters look like this in the on line catalog   HF_Fic And.  So if students find it on the catalog , they know where to look.

Free online conference for Teen Librarians

  On Thursday, August 13th, School Library Journal will have a free full day online conference for Teen Librarians.  Topics  will include  programming, and collection development.

  There will be author talks about their current and new titles, and will include a question and answers time for participants.  Focus will also on teen issues and trends, selecting non-fiction , and romance for Ya's/  Also  other topics will be gaming in the library,  and setting up volunteer groups  .  There will be a virtual exhibit hall where you can see publishers newest items.  For more information  and to register visit  Summer Teen Web site.

Whichbook

     Whichbook.com  is a UK based site, but still can be used by anyone who is looking for something different and new to read.   The interesting thing is when you find a book, it will give tabs  to buy ( links to Amazon and helps them support the site ) or  to borrow( links to local UK libraries) which is fun  and great for those in UK.

      Now back to the site: if you like to browse around different books  this is for you.  You can find similar books that match your choices.  WhichBooks offers choices  a bit different from regular genres  such as  mood, plot shape, emotion, types of main characters.
 
     There is a team of 70 people who create the entries about the books.  Theses people are real readers who love to read. They concentrate on books that most will not find by themselves. The books on the site are fiction and they are not Best Sellers.  They are lesser known but intriguing  titles.

    Use the MY lists tab to store books you come across that you want to keep track of.  You can also note on this Want to read/ Have read.  Also browse the author list and the guest lists/
    

Mysteries in October!

       Mystery books and stories are a good theme for the month of October.  In my new position of Branch Manger of a branch library in a small town, we have a WHOLE room filled with mysteries!!
I am amazed at our collection  of mysteries. This room is adult mysteries , but in a school you could pull the mysteries to display them or shelve them in section or on some shelves if you have the room.

     How can you promote mysteries?   In a school situation you could make a brief slide show to highlight some  your best- add a short description ( oral or written) . Show it on a ongoing monitor or attach it to your website or blog . 

    Have a contest- have patrons write reviews, make a pod cast review, draw an illustration from the book, make a book poster or vote for their favorite mystery.  I think most of these would work with both adults or students.