tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63422705479798923662024-03-03T16:25:46.493-08:00Noisy LibraryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-62851216834265178032017-06-08T17:13:00.000-07:002017-06-08T17:13:57.483-07:00We Are Better Than ThatIt happened. The sun finally appeared yesterday after too many days of rain. "Summeritis" hit the school like a tidal wave, and kids began to taste vacation like an ice cream cone on a hot day. They became stir-crazy. However, we have 2 more weeks of school and every educator's nightmare turned into a Tim Burton movie.<br />
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Yesterday my students caught the urge and the rules that had firmly been in place all year, suddenly disappeared like a sand castle at high tide. I found myself becoming "the teacher I didn't want to be." Although I had pulled out my entire bag of tricks, more movement less lecture, fun and engaging lesson plans, enthusiasm and the can do attitude, I found myself sternly speaking to my kids all day. By 1:30, my last class which was 6-8th grade, I was worn, exhausted, and impatient. I was not my best. Despite verbal cues and warnings, the kids didn't get it and it happened; the draconian lecture. Once again, I became the educator I didn't want to be.<br />
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I always tell kids, you create the teacher I am. We can work together and have fun and learn, or we can be polar opposites and I become cranky. Yesterday, I was cranky. ALL. DAY. LONG. This almost never happens as boundaries, expectations, and values are set from day one. I came home feeling defeated. In other occupations, having a bad day is acceptable; when you work with kids, it leaves an impact. My bad days are far and few between and I work hard for that to be the norm.<br />
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2:00am I sat in bed wondering what had gone wrong. Not only did I reflect on student actions, I reflected on my own and came to the conclusion that I am better than that and so are they. I walked into school today saying this to myself and proceeded to sit down and have an honest and open conversation with my students. This included my 2nd grade as well as my 7th and 8th. I explained we are better than yesterday and shared my feelings and thoughts. I was met with. "But we deserved it, you were right, we were messing around and we are sorry."<br />
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We talked; that was it. They heard that, I too, struggle with the end of the year. I, too, can't wait for vacation but have obligations I need to meet before they go. I, too, want to end on a happy note and miss them and not dread coming back. We shared some commonalities and that made all the difference. Today was a good day and tomorrow will be better because together we are better than that!<br />
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Keep reading,<br />
The Noisy LibrarianUnknownnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-74856425845602538152017-05-14T07:03:00.000-07:002017-05-14T07:03:07.940-07:00The Great Fidget DebateI have thought a lot about the fidget craze, and I am going to take an unpopular viewpoint as an educator. First and foremost, I teach kids from Kindergarten to 8th grade so there is a varied age span to work with. There are numerous students, of all ages, who bring fidgets into my class. I immediately set the boundaries and if they play with them within the limits, fine. The clear boundary is if they are too distracting, they disappear for a while. I have yet to meet resistance to this from the students. It was pointed out that they are "status toys." Got it, we made our own out of paper so that everyone could have one. This lead to a lot of creativity, collaboration, following step by step directions, and try and try again until your fidget worked correctly. I felt these were good life-skills that we all need to sharpen.<br />
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In all honesty, I have had "fidgets" in my LLC since I became the librarian. However they were in the form of a box of beanie babies. Students of all ages have grabbed a fidget as they came into class when needed. Have they been a distraction, sometimes, and then they are taken away. Frankly, anything can be a distraction, velcro shoes, bracelets, hair twirling, bands on the bottoms of chairs, balls to sit on and various other items if you want to look hard enough. I, myself, cannot sit in a workshop or lectured class without doodling. That does not mean I am not paying attention, it means I need more stimuli TO pay attention. Instead of looking at kids with fidgets as a distraction, I look at it as a kid who needs something more from me. The fidget is a visual reminder for me to check in with the student more often to make sure s/he is understanding what I am saying or doing.<br />
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I think in this great debate of fidgets in or out of schools we are missing the point of WHY do kids need them? In the age of technology, are our children sitting too much? When I see a ton of fidgets being taken out in my class, I wonder if my teaching techniques need to change. I think, have my kids been sitting too long? As an educator, I am ok with the fidget craze as it gives me the opportunity to question my techniques, ask my students why they think they need them, and follow through with those that otherwise may be lost in the crowd. Probably not a popular perspective, but one that works for me.<br />
Keep reading,<br />
The Noisy Librarian<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-11951767797356968182017-04-30T06:50:00.001-07:002017-04-30T06:50:44.472-07:00Value of VideoKids, teens, and adults alike spend numerous hours watching videos. Random conversations surround the various topics from fun loving pets to tutorials on drones. There isn't a topic that isn't covered via video these days. When I give students a video assignment their priorities are: attracting an audience first and then displaying the learning. I found that kids would just create a video to get it done while possibly providing a smidgeon of entertainment. They knew this wasn't going beyond classroom walls so the entertainment value was decreased as was the personal effort. I wanted to change that. I want my students to see the value in videos and understand the importance of this visual art that is comprised of much more than just shooting a scene and regurgitating information.<br />
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Enter the Movie Critic Elective for grades 6-8. I have 15 students taking this elective which is turning out to teach me much more than I thought! My plan was to have students examine and critique short clips to recognize the elements that make a good movie or short video. I wanted the kids to understand the job of a video is to evoke emotion on some level. Thanks to Jesse Sherman, and his inspiring visit last year, my students are being exposed to the following video components.<br />
~Angle ( How do you show fear, happiness, power, intimidation, conflict, resolution?)<br />
~Story ( Can you create a short movie with depth, meaningful characters, a message?)<br />
~Lighting ( How does different lighting effect the shot?)<br />
~Music ( Why background music is important and how it plays a part in feelings)<br />
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Below is a clip playing with angles.<br />
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We watch clips, discuss what we see, play around with video ourselves, and then gather together to critique the creations. This is visual art at its best. Through conversations, the students are beginning to see the importance of video and realize the pieces that make them such valuable resources. This is an art that has tremendous potential for the classroom. Outside of class, kids share their discoveries with me such as, "I watched a movie where the background music was off, it just wasn't as good as it should be." "I saw a shot reverse shot in the video I watched last night." They are learning to look for the components, share them, apply the knowledge to this task, and create something better. This is higher order thinking that is relevant and meaningful to the student.<br />
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So the next time your children sit down for a YouTube marathon, why not ask them "How could this have been done better?'<br />
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Let's meet kids where they are...<br />
Noisy Librarian<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-85113666811356600972017-04-17T11:19:00.000-07:002017-04-17T11:20:24.706-07:00Old thoughts and new trends in assessmentThere is a new trend in town that can be found on Twitter as hashtag #ttog meaning, "teachers throw out grades". While new on Twitter, this is not a new concept to me. As an educator, I have never really liked giving grades ( nor homework but that is for another blogpost). Luckily as a librarian, that battle has crossed my path only a few times, and it has been a battle I have won.<br />
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Ironically as a student, both as a child and an adult, I defined my worth through grades. I lamented if I received 95% rather than a 100%. That is true to this day. However the thought that this would make me work harder is disproved due to the fact I was already giving all I had. That may not hold true to other students but it impacted me to think beyond the number with my students.<br />
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Several years ago, in my classes, I decided to implement something called a t-rubric. My students are asked to prove growth and understanding of skills and concepts through presentations and projects like many other classes. Assessment can and does define growth and was utilized, however, the traditional "grades" never went beyond the class, and students just wanted to know if they were getting a 1 (unsatisfactory) or a 4 (proficient). They did not ask for more than the number even if comments were provided. How could they grow or learn if the focus remained on the grade? T-rubrics provide the same high standard as the regular rubric. I have included a link to mine below. You can organize them how you would like and each can be personalized to every student. I create them with the center being the proficiency standards. On either side I can provide rough commentary or notes individual to my student. The beauty is that if s/he does something well or concerning but is not specifically on the rubric, I can choose the domain and write my thoughts. Using these rubrics helps me focus on where each student needs to grow. Students appear to like them as well and actually spend time reading them.<br />
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<a href="http://bit.ly/t-rubricspeaking">bit.ly/t-rubricspeaking</a><br />
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Another change in how I assess students came when I implemented a blended learning station rotation unit for grades 5-8. I chose the units I found boring to teach but are imperative for the kids to learn. I created 3 modules within Blendspace. The modules, in order, were: Copyright, Plagiarism, Creative Commons. Each module had a Blendspace with videos, documents, links, and a short quiz that I had created. The other stations included, printed documents to read, worksheets, games, or discussions with each other or myself. Students were given a checklist of questions for each module. They were encouraged to work at any or all stations and could collaborate as much as they liked. They could even collaborate on the quizzes if they wanted. They only way to pass the module and continue to the next was take the online quiz and then individually meet with me to discuss the check-list questions. They were given a loose time-line to complete the modules but that was always up for discussion if need be. The students were completely shocked when I told them there was no way to cheat. I even kept it written on my whiteboard. I was looking for comprehension of concepts and skills and the more they collaborated, even with the quiz, they more they grasped this dry, yet necessary, material. When everyone finally completed all the modules, we met as a class and overwhelmingly, students chose this way of learning. While the majority of the students accomplished my goals, several did not so I will continue to work with them using this process.<br />
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At the end of the modules, I asked each student to anonymously fill out a Google survey garnering feedback on this process. One of the questions I asked was:<br />
Check the top 3 things you found most beneficial to help you learn the concepts.<br />
<b>RESULTS:</b><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>I could talk w friends and/or Jill when needed 71.6%</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Work at my own pace 65.7%</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>There is no cheating 59.7%</b></span><br />
Choose your own station 38.8%<br />
Lots of choices 31.3%<br />
I could test out 22.4%<br />
Immediate feedback on quizzes 22.4%<br />
No lecture 20.9%<br />
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The techniques that rose to the top all had life-skills embedded in them. Collaboration, self-pacing, and a deeper understanding of skills and concepts are all abilities needed outside of the academic setting. Students freely chatted with one another. This also led to students choosing to mentor each other rather than rely solely on me for information. Some students were uncomfortable with this type of learning, BUT most of them completed the modules being able to do something other than regurgitate the concepts. It had meaning that applied to them. The online quiz was a measurement to let him/her know what still needed to be understood. Meeting one on one with me gave me a good assessment of where each student was; we could discuss thoughts and misunderstandings. The utter beauty of this is that, with further implementation, my students will enhance life skills that are necessary and learning becomes individualized. A disclaimer: my school values small class size so this is doable. While I had 82 students working through the modules, my largest class was 19 kids. There is room for lots of improvement in my methodology, but I know the most of my kids left with much more than a focus number.<br />
Keep reading,<br />
Noisy LibrarianUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-41295734973693250312017-04-14T11:41:00.000-07:002017-04-14T11:41:31.218-07:00Small Community and a Library Learning CommonsOne of the benefits of working in a small school is that everyone is acquainted with each other; Kindergarteners wave to 8th graders when passing in the hallways. Before holiday breaks, the LLC opens its doors and invites teachers to bring students in to participate in various activities. This year the day before Thanksgiving break, we had numerous classes come in and work together. Activities include many curricular areas such as reading, writing, and math. Students created thank you cards for veterans, read stories aloud to each other, solved computer generated puzzles, played board games, watched fairy tale skits put on by 8th grade, made videos of what they are thankful for and other activities. Staff had the opportunity to interact with students they do not normally see. It was nice to see kids settle into an activity of choice and collaborate with another student they may rarely see. We also had the entire 3/4 grade using teamwork to problem solve the game Breakout Edu.They did not open the box this time, but learned some valuable lessons to try the game again in the future. <br />
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Our school has a lot to be thankful for and the mood of the students demonstrated this. Enjoy the photos.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SsRWg2VC1hY/WDhLISwnMGI/AAAAAAAACww/kXEKp5KtxZMmLEaiyNLrHzoVjqeBDfFrwCK4B/s1600/IMG_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SsRWg2VC1hY/WDhLISwnMGI/AAAAAAAACww/kXEKp5KtxZMmLEaiyNLrHzoVjqeBDfFrwCK4B/s320/IMG_0231.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coloring math pages</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nEAhWXtPAZo/WDhQIec94EI/AAAAAAAACxE/cZ3UXVk2maoWhrLOp37P3C5Q4WIc39-rwCK4B/s1600/IMG_0230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nEAhWXtPAZo/WDhQIec94EI/AAAAAAAACxE/cZ3UXVk2maoWhrLOp37P3C5Q4WIc39-rwCK4B/s320/IMG_0230.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making cards for veterans</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PlDP7b6d50w/WDhPal21T7I/AAAAAAAACw8/9Spos4Sh0uANddaIRT5WIkgpY7uLAT7AgCK4B/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PlDP7b6d50w/WDhPal21T7I/AAAAAAAACw8/9Spos4Sh0uANddaIRT5WIkgpY7uLAT7AgCK4B/s320/IMG_0236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working together on an online puzzle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y1sLSc-BLDo/WDhQxApnyaI/AAAAAAAACxU/vyHdPE8bmjwE0vMqh6Yc_yQjzECHUoFxQCK4B/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y1sLSc-BLDo/WDhQxApnyaI/AAAAAAAACxU/vyHdPE8bmjwE0vMqh6Yc_yQjzECHUoFxQCK4B/s320/IMG_0183.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakout EDU</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AJg6DYpP0Og/WDhQhdLPKFI/AAAAAAAACxM/Sm665n33fO4Tajz9BAZOO_mroYuN6QC0wCK4B/s1600/IMG_0228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AJg6DYpP0Og/WDhQhdLPKFI/AAAAAAAACxM/Sm665n33fO4Tajz9BAZOO_mroYuN6QC0wCK4B/s320/IMG_0228.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenga with alumni</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-26410757690488907352016-11-03T10:38:00.000-07:002016-11-03T10:38:05.407-07:00Capture the Flag Challenge<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5P Genius Hour teamed up with Positive Tracks and is issuing a global Capture the Flag challenge. They are trying to raise money for Circus Zambia to build a circus school in Lusaka, Zambia. Check out the challenge and feel free to donate, share the information, or create your own team on the Positive Tracks site to participate. These kids have worked extremely hard on this project and spent many of their lunch and recess times researching, writing, and promoting their cause, we would love to see kids from all around the world join us!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is a link for more information:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">bit.ly/CTFPES</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Check out the video:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://youtu.be/SvfrRYlknTA">https://youtu.be/SvfrRYlknTA</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-90063515105755030732016-10-10T05:45:00.001-07:002016-10-10T05:45:33.007-07:00Project Based Learning all the way<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Currently every class in grades 5 and up are working on some sort of Project Based Learning task. Most of the project ideas came from the students themselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5P is working on a project to help Circus Zambia build a circus school in Africa. Students have been diligent and oftentimes sacrifice their lunch and recess to complete the first stage of the project. So far they have researched, shared information with younger grades, written, organized and recorded a Shadowpuppet and practiced their pitch to the Principal and supporting organization. All of this involved, collaboration, writing, editing, and researching skills. These students are making a Global impact and once they have the go-ahead to share, will astound you with their accomplishments. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5S has begun a project about NH. We will begin Mysteryskyping soon and they wanted to create a video about NH to share with other students. Again, collaboration, researching and writing is taking precedence here. They are also organizing and prioritizing their list of desired places to showcase.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6th grade played Breakout edu a week or so ago and challenged themselves to create a game. This will take a few months to complete as these games can be quite complex. The chosen topic for the game is genres. Once completed we will move our game, for the rest of the school and others to try, into the sandbox section of Breakout edu. We look forward to the challenge!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7th grade is doing some real-life skill research on their 8th grade class trip. The class of 2016 accomplished this and felt a sense of ownership over their choice. Students will look at locations and take into consideration: travel time, activities, overnight accommodations, food, and cost. Once they complete their slide shows, they will share with their class advisers and choose the trip. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8th graders are researching and gathering data on the usage of social media. Each team has chosen a specific social media to investigate and create a presentation of their choosing displaying the data gathered. This should be interesting and I hope to share some of the results here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Through my observations, students are excited to work on these projects that have meaning to them. This makes teaching valid resources, collaboration, organization, reflection, writing, editing, presenting, and the introduction of new tech tools easy. My curriculum has not changed, but the way I am teaching it has and I believe it may be for the better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Watch what we do and how we grow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Keep reading,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Noisy Librarian</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-22543303106354722492016-09-25T16:19:00.000-07:002016-09-25T16:19:49.853-07:00Feet on the ground, now let's dance!The first few weeks of school give me time to get into routines, establish ground rules, welcome back the kids and begin to get to know the class dynamics. Since I only have each class once a week, this takes more time than a classroom teacher. I am finally beginning to feel we are grounded in routine and expectations and it is time for real learning to being; let's dance!<br />
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On the docket for the next few weeks, we will continue with Genius Hour in grades 2 ( see motivatedkids.blogspot.com for specifics) 5P, and 6-8. Several classes will play BreakoutEdu. This is an amazing game I purchased last year that can focus on a specific curriculum content or be used for team building skills. The game we will be playing focuses on team building, problem solving, and paying attention to detail. The kids will have 40 minutes to solve the clues and "break into" the box. I will also be setting up appointments with other schools to Mysteryskype. This is a wonderful tool that utilizes mapping skills in addition to Common Core speaking and listening standards. Students love playing and learning about schools around the world. Lastly, the 7th and 8th grades will begin research projects that will take a few weeks to complete. 7th grade will begin researching trip options for their class trip next year and 8th grade will be investigating statistics related to social media. Both grades will create final projects to share.<br />
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All in all we will be incorporating various standards and life-skill sets in the work we will be doing. Once the iPod, that the class of 2016 purchased for the LLC, arrives I hope to revive the LLC Twitter account and show the students how to post appropriately on the LLC's Instagram which I use to promote new books. I hope to be transparent in my teaching so listed below are the social media sites I currently use to showcase the amazing accomplishments our students are doing. I welcome thoughts, comments, or questions. Please follow us!<br />
Twitter: @jillcd- this is my professional one<br />
@PlainfieldGH- this is for Genius Hour posts<br />
Instagram: @noisy_librarian<br />
Youtube: PESedchannel<br />
FaceBook Plainfield School Library Learning Commons<br />
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Keep reading,<br />
The Noisy LibrarianUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-13427124945273160322016-09-10T04:06:00.000-07:002016-09-10T04:06:06.803-07:00When the Circus Came to Town<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Drop a pebble in a pond and watch the ripples spread and grow. That is what happened when the circus came to town this summer. Circus Zambia came to the USA to assist with the local circus camp that many of the students attend during the summer. They left a sizable impression upon our community. <br />
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Upon greeting one of my 5th grade classes last week, the students eagerly inquired when they would be starting Genius Hour. It was with great trepidation that I explained I would not be able to mentor them this year as my teaching schedule was full. My confession was met with disappointed faces. Students rallied and began to share their summer experiences. Circus Zambia came up several times. I informed them that schooling in Zambia is very different than at Plainfield School. We discussed that in Zambia education is a luxury for many students. The kids were literally horrified that children may not be able to attend school or even have access to books or supplies. They were passionate and involved in this discussion. <b>Every single one of them</b>. I could not let this go, so I suggested we turn our LLC ( Library Learning Commons) class into a big Genius Hour Project with the focus on, "How do we help Circus Zambia build a circus school and provide education for the children in Lusaka and surrounding areas?" The kids were ecstatic.<br />
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Question: Why is helping Circus Zambia important to you?<br />
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We decided that our kick-off point would be International Literacy Day ( September 8th). Students researched Zambia and created posters sharing the various statistics they discovered. They did this on their own time and often gave up their lunch and recess to come research and collaborate. They pulled library books on Africa and displayed them throughout the LLC. They collaborated and wrote an announcement to read over the loud-speaker on September 8th encouraging staff and students to look at the bulletin board and read the books to learn about Africa. <span id="goog_683247703"></span><span id="goog_683247704"></span><br />
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During their class this week, they came in ready to work. I barely got my greeting out before there was a barrage of ideas and questions. We organized and pulled a focus question to harness the excitement in a productive and positive direction. "What do we do next?"A lively discussion ensued about fundraising. They came to a point where further organization was needed for progress to happen. A list of jobs was created. They suggested:<br />
Writers Speakers Readers Video/ Camera Editors Researchers Leader<br />
Printers Time-keeper Secretary Artists.<br />
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Students raised their hands for the jobs they felt they would be successful at doing. A team leader was unanimously selected to run meetings and, with the time-keeper, create agendas for further meetings. This was accomplished in 45 minutes by 5th graders. However, they felt that was not enough time and asked to come back during their lunch.<br />
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When they arrived, a short agenda had been created and they had already decided that the next step in the process would be reading books about Zambia to the children in grades K-2. The team leader took the head of the table, the secretaries had pencil and paper and computer and the time-keeper had a watch to keep everyone abreast of the time. I stood back and watched the magic happen. It was decided that the writers would need to create a proposal to the teachers and the speakers would go to the K-2 teachers to inquire whether or not reading to the students could occur. I offered to order specific books about Zambia to read aloud, and they decided to use the next class to practice reading for fluency. I felt like I was in a corporate board meeting. Students were respectful of each other, listened, focused, and offered logical ideas. Several kids were so engaged they chose to stay in during recess and gather more information about Zambia.<br />
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I am in awe of my students. Circus Zambia lit a passion that promotes empathy and so many life-skills that will make these kids a force to be reckoned with. I have hash-tagged my students #worldchangers and they are. For more information on the achievements of Circus Zambia, check out their Face Book page. If you want to watch us learn, laugh, and grow, follow the blog or our Instagram account noisy_librarian.<br />
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Keep reading,<br />
The Noisy Librarian<br />
"We are going Global this year. What will YOU do to make a positive impact?"- LLC theme<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-22538756326972422302016-07-19T05:04:00.001-07:002016-07-19T05:04:30.577-07:00Genius Hour data<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Collecting data has never been my strong point, and this year I wanted to track attendance since GH is voluntary and I wanted to improve my mentoring strategies. That being said, there are some variables in the following statistics that should be noted:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Information was taken from sign-in sheets the students used. Although students were constantly reminded to sign-in to GH, I am well aware this did not always occur. Therefore, I am posting the statistics based on those sheets although, in reality, they are probably higher.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. The following information is from days the GH was actually offered, vacations and days off were not included, however there were days that a grade may have been absent due to a fieldtrip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. GH for grades 6-8 occurs during their lunch and recess time. Students are asked to attend at least ONCE a week for the duration of their project. They may FAIL at any time or complete a project and leave GH. They may also start a new one once finished with one; the choice is left to the individual.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am a firm believer that GH is a student based inquiry platform where I mentor and guide students. Since this is held during their lunch and recess, students have control over project duration and may come and go as they so choose. While this method has proved successful for my school, it may not for other schools as there is no right or wrong way to conduct GH if you follow the three main principles: 1. Choose a question that cannot be answered by a simple Google search 2. Research 3. Share.</span><br />
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The data has been divided into two groupings: 7 & 8 th grade- who may have chosen to participate last year, and 6th grade who generally starts later in the year as this is their first year.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Data grades 7 & 8</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">~ Out of 55 students, 32 chose to participate in GH at some point during the school year. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">~ GH lasted for 28 weeks</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">~<b>25 </b>students finished at least one project and continued to work on another.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">~ 8 Fizzles ( student interest but they showed up sporadically)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">~ <b>5</b> FAILS</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">~ 3 students attended every week at least twice a week</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">~<b>30</b> students showed up at least more than once a week during their project.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u> <b style="background-color: white;">8th grade</b></u></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~<b>20</b> were returning students from the prior year</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~2 were new GH students</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">~<b>66% </b>of 8th grade participated</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u>7th grade</u></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>~ 8 returning students</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>~ 2 were new GH students</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>~45% of 7th grade participated</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Data for 6th graders</u></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">~ 17 students out of 25 participated</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">~ GH ran for 21 weeks</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">~3 Fizzles</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">~ 2 FAILS</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">~12 students showed up at least twice a week</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">~ <b>68% </b>of the 6th grade participated</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">A total voluntary participation rate of 61% in grades 6-8. </span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-31018088878231836002016-05-22T14:52:00.001-07:002016-05-22T14:52:10.760-07:00Cracking the case of embryology<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week we completed our embryo unit in the Library Learning Commons. All students were part of the process whether through investigating, researching, candling eggs, watching a hatch, thinking about hatch ratio, observing the babies, and always asking more and more questions. Our results were fairly good for such a very large batch of eggs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Ducks:</b> we were given 12 eggs, 11 were fertile, all hatched, 1 died several days after hatching due to what we think were neurological issues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Bantam Chickens</b>: we were given 8 eggs, 7 were fertile, all hatched.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Guinea</b>: we were given 2 eggs, 1 was fertile, 1 hatched.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Chickens</b>: we were given 12 eggs, 7 were fertile, 5 hatched, 1 is blind ( and currently living in my house and doing well).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Goose:</b> we were given 2 eggs, 1 was fertile, none hatched. Something went wrong towards the end of this hatch. The egg was moving in the last stages of development but never pipped.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All in all it was very successful hatch. We had tubs of babies in the LLC for at least a week and students would come in to work near them. Their observations, in comparing and contrasting the fowl, were interesting and lead to more and more questions. We talked a lot about the embryo development, and what went wrong with some of our eggs. We discussed failure to thrive and what that meant as well as addressed the duck that was born "crooked." Children were shown how to handle chicks and respect animals. There was A LOT of discussion all week long in the LLC that made me realize how powerful this unit was. We will certainly do it again in a few years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the most important achievements was documenting this process. When we candled eggs, students saw the embryo at 7 days and again around 14. They heard eggs pip and break the inner lining and then the outer shell. We videoed various stages of the process and I have compiled it in a YouTube video to keep and share. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Enjoy and keep reading,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Noisy Librarian</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Be assured all birds had good homes to go to <i><u>before</u></i> we set the eggs. </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-37790847011946923642016-05-11T05:40:00.001-07:002016-05-11T05:40:27.966-07:00Gamification<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last week I received a long awaited package in the mail. It is a game called Breakout. While on Twitter, I saw that numerous educators were beginning to use this game, so I investigated and decided to purchase it for my students. The premise of the game is a story line with the focus on a locked box that has something inside that you must “break” into to get. However the box has up to 4 different locks on it and clues for the unlocking it are hidden all around the room. There is also a smaller hidden locked box that contains a needed clue. You are timed and have approximately 45 minutes to find and solve all the clues, as a class, and unlock the box. </span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-7ea811c5-92d4-9cc5-4ef8-62a6f699276d" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The best part is not only are problem solving skills required, the games are set to certain curriculum content and spread across the various grade levels so any age can play. I had 7th grade and 6th grade each play a game called Alien Kidnaps the Principal. There is a storyline to follow and clues and puzzles are both on paper and the computer. Students needed to solve cryptic messages, learn about space, do some math, and <i>think </i>to solve the overall larger puzzle.This game centered on teamwork and all the kids worked hard to "breakout" of the box. Both grades removed 3 of the 4 locks from the box but did not solve the last puzzle in time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everyone had a lot of fun and I am excited to try it with other grades over the next few weeks. There are various stories that lend to curriculum content: math, history, LA, science and even teamwork. This week we will reflect on what we did right and what we can do better. I hope next year our students can create some of the games to play. If you are an educator, I encourage you to try this game in your classroom.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Noisy Librarian</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-51850979656297172442016-04-20T06:53:00.002-07:002016-04-20T06:53:59.871-07:00Researching and eggs<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spring is a time of growth and, in school, the beginning of the end of the year count down. Students eagerly peer outside to gauge weather conditions and see if they can persuade me to let them outside early. Keeping them interested and engaged can be a challenging task. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the things I like to do to keep kids motivated and learning is to hatch eggs in the Library Learning Commons every few years. This time we will have 2 incubators to hatch out barnyard fowl and waterfowl. Next week students in K-8 will research the bird of their choice and organize the information we will need to hatch and take care of these birds. They all have good homes to go to so students will not be vying for them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first incubator will hold guinea fowl, banty chickens, and barnyard mix chickens. I have tried to time the collection and incubation of the eggs so all birds will hatch around the same time. As we all know, you cannot dictate what Mother Nature does so we will watch, document, and see if my calculations are correct. The guinea eggs were placed this week since they were available and guineas are tricky egg layers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The photo below shows the three types of eggs we currently have incubating. The first is a Pilgrim goose egg, the second a Ancona duck egg, and lastly a guinea egg. The kids loved examining the goose egg and comparing it to the tiny guinea egg. Next week we will add the bantam and regular chicken eggs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the second incubator that currently holds 2 goose eggs and 12 duck eggs. We have been informed that both have had a high hatching rate. We will keep our fingers crossed and hope that happens in this case. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next week in class, we will arm ourselves with videos, books, computers, and perhaps skype interviews to learn more about this process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep following for updates,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Noisy Librarian</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-54687109763923911462016-04-12T10:50:00.000-07:002016-04-12T10:50:07.666-07:00Vacation is a time to catch up!Genius Hour projects have been flowing in like water over a dam. During this vacation week, I want to take the opportunity to share some of the projects students in grades 6-8 have been working on.<br />
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The following reflection was written by 8th grader, Alex. She wanted to investigate what it would be like to be blind for a day. She thought a lot about the different aspects of this particular project. Here are some of her findings and thoughts.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />I had a very successful day wearing a blindfold from the early morning all the way to when school ended. Many of my predictions were correct, and other aspects surprised me. My goal was to get as good of an idea as possible of what a blind person goes through every day. I am so happy with the way it turned out because it made me grateful for the gift of sight, intrigued by how certain things were different and others stayed the same, and eager to continue to do everyday things but without the benefit of seeing. One thing that surprised me was how much I adapted to the new feeling of not being able to use my eyes at all. Although it was definitely difficult at times, I adjusted to the foreign sensation of being guided everywhere and relying on someone to help me with almost everything. In the beginning I walked very slowly, scared of bumping into something or tripping, even though I knew very well that my guides wouldn’t purposely cause me to fall. This I expected because we use our eyes so much when transitioning, but after a while I walked at a normal pace especially when I knew I was in a hallway. I was taken aback by how quickly I was able to walk with ease. I was also surprised at how I didn’t have an extremely difficult time keeping the blindfold on. I predicted that I would have a lot of trouble wearing it the whole day, but there weren’t many moments where I longed to take it off. I developed more trust in my peers and my surroundings as the day went on. As I predicted, I used a lot of my hearing as I went through the day. I can tell everyone’s voice from being with them for so long, so I never really had to ask who was talking to me, and I could get an almost precise location of my peers if they continued to talk as I walked towards them. Lastly, something interesting I discovered is as I look back on my day, I can picture everything that happened. This is ironic because obviously I couldn’t actually see anything. I figure this is because I know everyone and everything at school so well, there was a picture going through my imagination even though I didn’t witness it with my eyes.<br /><br />I found it hardest to wear the blindfold when I was in classes where I had to do work like reading or writing. I felt slightly inept at times, for example, when I lost the task of writing for my group in science class. Even though I had no trouble writing without seeing the paper, it wasn’t neat enough for that particular project. I was unable to write, unable to read information to the person writing, and unable to work on the poster. At first I couldn’t wrap my brain around the fact that I wouldn’t be able to participate as I normally do, but then I worked on my individual project instead, listening to information offered by the website instead of reading it. Something that was difficult was listening and thinking in math class. Sometimes I struggle slightly in math as it is, and I have to be completely focused in order to understand the lesson or concept to full capacity. In this subject especially, I’m a very visual learner; I found it very challenging having to listen to the equation over and over instead of just glancing down at my paper. My guide in math would read my equation to me a couple times and every time I did the next step in solving it, I would have to hear the new equation. Since it was my own work, I was able to do the writing, but I would have to ask where to put the pencil every time I wanted to do something as simple as writing a subtraction symbol beneath a number. In addition, when I was writing things I had a strong desire to look at what I was creating; this was especially hard when I was drawing because I wanted very badly to see the end result. Lastly, it was very hard to come into the building after I’d been outside. Personally, I think the transition from indoors to outdoors and vice versa is pretty dramatic for the eyes even when you’re not wearing a blindfold. Although it was bright when I first entered the sunshine at recess, I had the most trouble coming back inside. When I first went outside the change in lighting was certainly dramatic but it was nothing compared to going back inside. I would actually describe it as scary because the sudden darkness made my vision go completely blank and it was like entering a pitch black cave. I imagine this more closely resembles really being blind.<br /><br />Something else that was altered was my sense of direction and sense of environment. Even though I know every area of the school extremely well, without seeing I had trouble keeping an idea of where objects were, like the door or a whiteboard, and sometimes I even felt slightly dizzy. I had to trust that no one would intentionally get in my way or put something in my way, which was difficult because I did get hit by pencils, poked, and scared numerous times. I expected this to happen: for people to take advantage of the fact that I couldn’t see them and therefore had no way of stopping them from doing anything. In a way I don’t think this is a completely accurate representation of being blind. I’m sure people with this disability get taken advantage of often, but I feel like if I was truly blind, people would be more respectful, knowing it’s not just an experiment for one day. Otherwise, most of my classmates were very accommodating. I imagine even if someone has been blind for a very long time and is accustomed to performing everyday tasks without their eyes, they still need a great deal of help from another person. Before carrying out my experiment, I was mostly focused on the sensation of using just my hearing, but I also got a good idea of just how much assistance is required when you can’t see. Almost everywhere I walked, whether it was down the hallway, or just across the room, someone was hooked on my arm. It felt odd, but I wouldn’t have been able to function without someone at all times. I am so grateful to all the people who helped me get through the day, because I most definitely could not have done it by myself.<br /><br />In conclusion, this was a great experience for me for many reasons. I experienced the strong desire to use my sight to perceive what was happening, like my friends having fun or to look at someone while they were talking to me, or to watch videos on smartboards or observe the environment in the room. I wanted to use sight to establish my surroundings and look at facial expressions and respond with my eyes. Today I was able to utilize hearing to locate the speaker, to determine the mood of my peers or the atmosphere, and to understand an assignment or designated task. I used touch to establish what was around me in close proximity, and to make my way around. A few times I even used my sense of smell where I could detect someone was near me by their perfume or even hand lotion. Also, after spending eight years with this grade, I had an easy time identifying my peers without seeing them. I struggled at times with this experiment, but for the most part found it bearable, probably because I knew at the end of the day I could simply take off my blindfold and see again. I have a huge amount of respect for people who are blind because it’s not as simple as waiting until a school day is over and regaining their vision. Regardless of the wonders that may lie before them, they have no way of removing a blindfold or opening their eyes to see. This I could never imagine, and I feel so lucky to be able to see the world in front of me every day with my own eyes.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Moments of the end of the day....</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-76268833123818385552016-03-29T15:50:00.003-07:002016-03-29T15:50:59.512-07:00Movie Making with Jesse R ShermanOne of the best things about living in a small community is that you are closely connected to those that live there. I am fortunate to know a talented young man named Jesse R. Sherman. He was in school with my son and has acted with both my children. Jesse grew-up and moved away but has stayed tied to his passion of the arts. He works a full-time job but makes music videos as a side job.<br />
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When I discovered Jesse was following his passion, I contacted him to see if he wanted to come to our school to chat with our students. Many of the kids in grades 5 and up are into making movies using iMovie, I am not well versed in this tool and it was my goal to continue to get students to stretch their learning skills. I wanted more from them then the typical quick video trailer. I emailed Jesse for assistance.<br />
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Jesse came with cameras in hand and set up in the LLC to demonstrate the requirements of good movie making. He talked about storyline, camera angle, and lighting and why all these components are important in developing an engaging story. He asked for volunteers and actually used students' suggestions to shoot a short scene. Clearly, I am not a director as the following iMovie was put together with clips taken from various people attending Jesse's seminar, so the storyline is not as polished as I would like. However, the energy in the wake of his presentation was phenomenal. Students were engaged and inquisitive. They understood what he was conveying and wanted to try his techniques themselves. This also showed the kids that with hard work, you can follow your dreams. Hopefully, I will be able to post some student made movies in the near future.<br />
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If you are interested in having Jesse come to your school, do not hesitate to contact me for information.<br />
Keep reading,<br />
The Noisy Librarian<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-54937972521191749142016-03-21T04:59:00.000-07:002016-03-21T04:59:36.234-07:00Author VisitThere are many benefits of having an author come to the school to chat with students. This year we were extremely fortunate to have author/illustrator Matt Tavares give two presentations at PES. Matt hails from Ogunquit ME and writes and illustrates picture books. Many of his books focus on popular baseball stars which requires good research skills to find and organize the information appropriate for the chosen audience. His books are beautifully illustrated and well written as well as popular with our kids.<br />
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Matt spoke to the research and editing process needed for his books, and students were engaged during his slideshow. However, the climax of his presentations was when he invited a volunteer to the forefront and quickly sketched him/her in baseball stance. Students were amazed at how quickly he accomplished such a polished drawing. The feedback I received from students and staff was appreciative and positive. Kids loved the topics of his books, while staff appreciated the discussion regarding the research process.<br />
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It is personal visits like this that are part of the process to keep our kids motivated to read. </div>
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The Noisy Librarian</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-17399279421357863372016-03-14T13:50:00.001-07:002016-03-14T13:50:36.757-07:00What happens when you convert a library into.....a Library Learning Commons. This is a video that was made by two 8th grade students as a Genius Hour Project. It shows the progression of what was once a Library and a Lab into a Library Learning Commons (LLC). The video played at the school district meeting as a thank you from the students to the tax payers for supporting this endeavor. It truly has been a gift to our school and changed the way students are collaborating.<br />
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Thank you for supporting our kids and helping them grow.<br />
The Noisy Librarian<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-1099342203999784522016-03-04T12:10:00.001-08:002016-03-04T12:10:54.083-08:00Mystery SkypeThis is our second grade mysteryskyping with a class in Canada. We were not aware that a TV crew was filming during the skype and were delighted when they sent us the youtube link. Mme. deVries does a wonderful job of explaining why this tech game is important. Enjoy!<br /><br />
Keep reading,<br /><br />
The Noisy Librarian<br /><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MH3Aq0fOiww" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-4562187299213493972016-02-17T13:02:00.000-08:002016-02-17T13:02:41.113-08:00Comic ConScenes from Comic Con 2016<br />
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The Noisy LibrarianUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-65879012102906249382016-02-05T12:32:00.001-08:002016-02-05T12:56:23.785-08:00Global Play DayThis week several grades at PES participated in Global Play Day. The premise is to supply toys, games, craft supplies, etc or have students bring in things from home and to let them play without adult direction. Adults may participate and obviously monitor for safety, but they are encouraged to let kids figure out activities for themselves. The rule? No technology or electronics are allowed. We are talking good old board games, cards, legos, coloring, crafts, forts, and many other "old fashioned" toys. There were two rules I reminded the students:<br />
1. Be safe<br />
2. Be kind<br />
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Throughout the afternoon, we had over 75 students come in and out of the Library Learning Commons to play. Students (and staff) in grades 8, 6, 5, 3/4, 2, and Kindergarten came to play in our amazing space. Collaboration, creativity, curiosity and laughter were highlighted during this time. Several moments stick in my mind:<br />
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Tea party with friends, combining Global Play Day with Color Your Collection week, Chutes and Ladders ( popular at ANY age)<br />
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Board games, chess, cards, legos</div>
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Fort building-my favorite! It was heart-warming to watch ALL age groups connect, help, and construct a fort worth playing in. </div>
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Even the adults wanted a turn and the kids eagerly shared their cool space. </div>
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We will certainly participate in this again.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-62704916963764740082016-01-22T11:27:00.001-08:002016-01-22T11:27:48.734-08:00Genius Hour updatesWe have had so much activity in Genius Hour, it is definitely time to share some projects the students have been working on.<br />
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The boys learn they need to go back to the drawing board......<br />
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Andrew chose to research drones. Here he is learning how to fly so he can add a camera and take aerial pictures of the school grounds. </div>
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Sam working on the sneaker painting project.</div>
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We'll keep sharing our successes and first attempts in learning, so stay tuned!<br />
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Keep reading,<br />
The Noisy Librarian<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-61459937156008964012015-12-28T11:28:00.000-08:002015-12-28T11:28:26.785-08:00We can fly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">While Genius Hour has a number of interesting projects, this one seems to grab everyone's attention. A group of 8th grade boys are working on creating a hot air balloon. The original idea was to make a simple balloon and place a Go-Pro inside to video the flight and landing. The idea has morphed into creating a larger balloon from scratch. The process has been interesting and changed directions several times, but I am confident that we will see a balloon flying high in the near future. </span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-70184523167595124632015-12-07T15:22:00.000-08:002015-12-07T15:22:06.132-08:00#Skypeathon what we learnedDecember 3rd & 4th were global skypeathon days. Our school participated by joining in 4 mysteryskypes throughout the day on December 3rd. We logged in a total of 11,657.6 virtual miles reaching classrooms in Illinois, Arkansas, Massachusetts, and New Zealand. Students in grades 5-8 conversed with students in grades 4 through High School making global connections by learning, laughing, questioning, and observing.<br />
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The point is to beat the other class by discovering their location first, however, everyone had a good time and the end goal transpired from winning to fun. Students not only learned geography but how to ask defining questions that narrowed down the location of the other class. Terms like "near" and "big or large city" were relevant to location so we tried to avoid those words and substituted "North of" and "population bigger than" this was difficult to transition too, but students quickly caught on and rephrased questions. Mapping skills were utilized to narrow down where the other class might be. Another group of students would look, listen, and converse to come up with questions to relay to our speakers and yet two more students back-channeled both questions and answers so we could refresh our memories. All in all it was a huge collaborative effort where our kids worked amazingly well together. At the end, we were serenaded by the New Zealand kids and discussed differences in time zones. It was 4:00pm here and 10:00 am there-the next day. </div>
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One of the biggest take-aways that surprised me, was that students learned more about OUR state. That was not my prediction. Directional questions about Rochester, Laconia, Springfield, Newbury, I89 and I93, and specific bodies of water had our NH mappers scrambling to provide answers. Some places, we hadn't even heard of. We laughed at mispronunciations and they laughed at ours. </div>
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The day concluded with all students asking, "When can we mysteryskype again?" All in all it flattened the globe for us and provided everyone with a different way to view the world.<br />
Keep reading,<br />
The Noisy Librarian<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-17547456673193255892015-11-29T11:28:00.000-08:002015-11-29T11:32:10.102-08:00Patience and perseveranceHolidays tend to force us to reflect upon life and Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for all that we have. My students never fail to teach me something new, make me smile, and show me the good in the world; this happens on a daily basis. I am thankful to be surrounded by such interesting, innovative, caring, and funny kids.<br />
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In this post, I decided to share a couple of student projects that are occurring during Genius Hour that exemplify desired traits that are not formally measured in education. Seventh grader, Emma opted to learn how to draw mandalas. She spent time researching and then began attempting some of her own. Below are some examples of her incredible work. Not only did Emma learn this technique, she will CC license her work, and she has shared the mandalas throughout the school. She has placed copies of them in classrooms so when a student is feeling stressed or anxious, s/he may grab a mandala and color. Patience, caring, and attention to detail are valued traits that Emma has demonstrated during the process of this project that will serve her well beyond school boundaries.<br />
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Another interesting Genius Hour project has a group of boys attempting to build a small hot air balloon. Originally they wanted to purchase one and place a Go-Pro camera inside of it to see what they could capture on film. In researching all the components they would need, they decided to try and build their own small hot air balloon. One of the many things they have found challenging is working with the wood to build a frame. Below is a picture of the boys holding the current frame they are have built. Perseverance has been the key word for this group. Like the MineCraft server group we had last year, these boys need to learn to work together, communicate, and compromise-all skills they will need later in life. In addition to those traits, their sense of humor to work through the road-blocks they encounter, provides me with a bit of laughter to lighten my day. </div>
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Students-the reason I am in education!</div>
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Keep reading,</div>
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The Noisy Librarian</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6342270547979892366.post-43448957490522299772015-11-14T12:13:00.000-08:002015-11-14T12:14:07.953-08:00Mysteryskype a whole new world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While at the ISTE 2015 conference, I learned about and participated in a Mysteryskype. I was hooked and was determined to bring this back to my small rural school. This month I am kicking off a bunch of Mysteryskypes with numerous classrooms and grade levels. You may be asking yourself, "Why is the librarian doing this? Shouldn't she be encouraging our kids to read?" Of course, after all we are a "bunchareaders," but as the librarian I take my job as resource person, cultivator of information, trouble-shooter, tech geek, book recommender, and education innovator seriously. My goal is to introduce the concept to the students and staff in hopes that they will continue with the process.<br />
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What is Mysteryskyping? You skype with another class somewhere in the world but only the teachers know where each class is located- the kids need to figure that out. It is similar to the game 20 questions where yes-no questions are asked to determine the location. Students can have jobs such as greeter, information finder, questioner, videographer, map checker and so on. The process cultivates organization, quick-thinking skills, map reading, collaboration, public speaking, and furthers our understanding of the world. Almost any curriculum topic can be incorporated into Mysteryskyping: math-time difference, science-biomes, LA-writing, Social Studies-geography and may even further empathy through the exposure to different cultures.<br />
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I know, you are still asking, "Where's the reading?" One of my personal goals is to showcase books, both fiction and non, that are about the place we have skyped with and create a list of books about our state for those interested. In reading some of these books, students may gain an understanding of setting, cultural values, and history among other things. So as we set out to "flatten the world," so to speak, think about how you can be innovative and introduce your kids to a whole new world!<br />
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Keep reading,<br />
The Noisy LibrarianUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0