Choosing the Right Resouces - Part 3

    Electronic resources are found on the computer and are categorized by subject areas. Most are usually accessible on the web both  on site ( school or public library) and most times at home. Many districts provide log in and passwords for in home use.
    
   The most common electronic resources are data bases, directories, and  catalogs. Use of theses resources help students obtain skills using topics/ subtopics, keywords/ phrases local arrangements ,, indexes and maps.
  
  The information in electronic resource's is instant . The formats of the data bases are both easy to use and provide challenging complexity. Information of course is provided by experts in their field.

  Most high schools and public libraries provide electronic resources on their website. Even many elementary schools are instructing  students to use these databases as a quick way to access needed information.  Student use of these  resources provides quick information  that is accurate .

More Primary Resources

   Check  out different library webpages to find links to Primary Sources. Many university's have great links to sites and databases that have primary resources.  Also large city  and state libraries have links to their states resources.

http://nyu.libguides.com/

http://www.library.virginia.edu/research/

http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/tm/


http://www.nypl.org/collections


  http://www.heritage-images.com/

3rdgradereading.net

http://3rdgradereading.net/


   This fun site leads you to other sites  which have reviews for other grade levels. I am not sure if  this is an expansion of the 2nd grade reading site with reviews that I explored  in an earlier post.  But the site has lots of ideas for books . You may want to check this out for ideas for book purchases or  show to your teachers if they ask for books on a grade level.

   This would also be great for public libraries to have linked to their website if you get a lot of questions about good books for a certain grade / age level.

   There is also Common Core news and tips .  You can search by categories .  A monthly newsletter is offered . Most importantly is the side bar where you can sign up to see other grade level book recommendations!
  

Choosing the Right Resources - Part 2

     The librarian in a school is key to developing instructional units that expose students to all media in different context areas. The goal is to provide students with a variety and wide range of information and types of media,

   So lets not forget that there are exceptional print resources  that many times are overlooked in our digital society.  Students still to  think of Atlases, newspapers, periodicals, textbooks and nonfiction books in their quest for needed information.

  As the librarian , you can introduce theses to students. Provide opportunities for students to uses theses to help o then complete teacher required tasks.  Remember to highlight complex features of these print resources  as their skills in use of these resources increase,( table of contents, index, headings/ subheadings, summaries and abstract's).

  Remind students that print resources provide facts and figures, are easy to use and portable.

Some Digital Primary Resources

     Primary sources are original records created at the time historical events happened, or well after they happened in form of memoirs or oral history,  Primary sources can include letters, diaries, journals, newspapers, speeches, interviews , and documents.
     Doing a quick check for some primary resources on the web and you will probably come up with ALA and their recommendations.
  Here are a few sites that you can check out for use by your staff and students. You might want to offer lessons  on these or perhaps have them available on your library website,

 American History

American Memory

 http://memory.loc.gov/

Avalon Project

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/

 Making of America

http://moa.umdl.umich.edu/

http://moa.cit.cornell.edu/moa/



World History

http://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/

http://vlib.iue.it/history/index.html










 

Liebster Blog Award

Thank you Stacy @ Library Gals for nominating me for the Liebster  Blog Award!!   Your information and questions are very interesting!!




My Eleven Facts
1.  I love being a librarian!
2.  I love reading both kids books , historical fiction, cookbooks, and biography!
3.  I have been a librarian for 32 years.( until my position was cut)
4.  Learning about the new technology is fun and challenging.
5.  My library blog keeps me current about library issues.
6.   I am always looking for new ways to stay organized and be more efficient.
7.  I  like updating lessons and finding new books to read and recommend to students and teachers.
8.   I like writing  , cooking, and sewing in my spare time!
9.   My Favorite  Picture Book is Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe/ Williams
10.  My Favorite Illustrator is Lindsay Barrett George
11.  My Favorite Ya author is Clara Gillow Clark! ( She is also a distant relative!)


Answers to the questions:
What is the best piece of advice given to you as a librarian?
 Learn how to ask for help!

What is a favorite lesson you have taught?
 I have a great lesson using Daniel Kirks,  The Library Mouse and having the students make a mini book after that story.

What is your favorite read aloud for primary and intermediate?
For primary grades it would be Book, Book, Book. by Deborah Bruss
For intermediate it would be  The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
These may not be the newest but I find that the students just love to listen to them!

What grade levels do you teach?
 In my last position I  taught classes to  grades 4-6 and pre-k.

What are 3 must have books for all libraries?
 The Chronicles of Narnia /Lewis
 Charlotte's Web/ White
The Little Engine that could/Piper
 Or  A good dictionary, an encyclopedia, and a book of quotes!


Have you ever been a classroom teacher?
 I taught in a Catholic school for two years and did a 4/5 and a 1/2.
What was your favorite book as a child?
  The Little  House by  Virginia Lee Burton

What is the one book you think everyone should read? 
  The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

What is your favorite thing about being a librarian?

 Three things: reading great books to kids, showing students how to find answers  to their questions, opening the boxes of new books and sharing them with the kids!

Have you ever had an author/ illustrator visit your school ? If yes, who?
Jan Cheripko, Clara Gillow Clark, Lindsay Barrett George, Vera Williams

How many computers do you have in your library?
  Eleven


My 11 questions.
 1. What advice would you give a new librarian?

2. Do you have a fixed or flex schedule?

3. What do you enjoy most about being a librarian?

4. What is your favorite lesson to teach?

5. Do you have a favorite author? If so how do you share that with students?

6. What are your greatest challenges about being a librarian?

7.  What is your favorite part of being a librarian?

8.  How do you add technology into your lessons?

9. Do you have any other technology ( besides computers) in your library?

10. What was your favorite book as a child?

11. What is your favorite genre?


My Nominees

1. A to Z Library

2. Kid tested , Librarian Approved

3.Library Media Specialist Help Desk

4. The Book Bug

5.The Busy Librarian

6.VanMeter Library Voice

7.The Mad River Librarian

8. The Librarians Quest

The rules for this award are as follows:

Thank the Liebster-winning blogger who nominated you and link back to

 their blog.

Post eleven facts about yourself.

Answer the eleven questions your nominator asked.

Create eleven questions for your nominees.

Nominate 5 to 11 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserves to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen.

Display the Liebster Award logo.

 

 

Visual Literacy and Primary Resources

        As librarians and teachers , engage students with pure content and show them how to be more visually aware. You can do this by using primary resources to add to and support  text book resources. 

         Find in your data bases and other online sources  photography, letters,  documents and possible recordings  . Use these images to engage and inspire students to learn  more about the topic at hand.

        Have students make observations about the images , allow them to interpret what they see and also  have them draw conclusions about what is happening .( Critical thinking skills come alive!)  Use primary sources as writing prompts,0r research prompts.  Highlight  scientists, inventors,   and other famous persons. Each subject area has famous people: artists, mathematicians, and writers, use the primary sources to have students learn about them.
        Each subject area teacher ( not just history)  can find using primary sources  helpful in inspiring students to become visual learners,