Saturday, September 30, 2017

September update!

September has been a busy month in STEAM and Library.  The first big change was that my educational aide, Sally, was swapped with a full-time librarian.  So I will primarily be posting STEAM and Makerspace ideas for the rest of the school year.

In STEAM, students are finally able to log in and almost every student finally has an account in first through fourth grade.  Next, students in second, third, and fourth played the "WEBONAUTS" through PBS KIDS.  The focus is on Internet Safety.  Here is the link - WEBONAUTS


First grade is learning to type capital letters to actually sign into the computer.   The students then re-visited PBS KIDS. 

Kindergarten, students are working on learning what STEAM stands for (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math).  Students completed an engineering project similar to this one from last fall -  Aluminum Foil Boats.

In addition, we read Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  Following this activity, the students used the LakeShore Learning Kits to engineer "chairs" for the bears. 



Today was the PUMPKIN RUN.  It was our school's 8th annual pumpkin run.  The idea was inspired by the book entitled "The Pumpkin Runner".  Students are encouraged to run 1 lap without stopping. 






Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Book handling, Dewey Decimal System, Digital Citizenship, and Engineering

Week 2 of the school year has to a close!


In Library here is a summary of what has been accomplished:

First, students read a required book based on a PBS show as a requirement for the WQLN reading challenge.  So, Ms. Sally read DW's Library Card to the younger students and Arthur's Teacher Trouble to the older students!













Additionally the students in grade K and 1 talked about book handling skills.  I used a worksheet that I found on Teachers Pay Teachers from ATBOT The Book Bug!

Second did another fun activity that I found on Teachers Pay Teachers a fun activity entitled "A _________ should not borrow a library book because he would ___________________"
Check out her blog post on this activity - Library Learners Blog.

Grade 3 and 4 worked collaboratively to create signage for the library.  Students were either assigned a range from the Dewey Decimal System OR a genre from the genrified fiction area.  The students had to find topics, themes, and more from the assigned area and design, draw, and hang a related poster!  Here are a few of the completed posters:








Students on Day 3 started to be able to check out library books with our working scanner and Follett Destiny System!

________________________________________________________________________________

STEAM:

The first and main goal of this week was to meet CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) requirements - especially step 2:

Schools subject to CIPA have two additional certification requirements: 1) their Internet safety policies must include monitoring the online activities of minors; and 2) as required by the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, they must provide for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response.

More information can be found at CIPA document and Federal Communications Commission.

Students in first through fourth grade watched videos from Brain Pop and Brain Pop Junior based on grade level.  Next the class went through the corresponding quiz online together.
Internet Safety - Brain POP and Brain POP Junior.

Finally, students were given time to be engineers.  This activity meant students had 10 minutes of time to build, create, imagine with KEVA planks and LEGOS.  Using the ISTE standards, I felt that this was a vital skill toward developing "Innovative Designers" as well as "Creative Communicator".

Students worked hard this week and here are a few pictures of some of the engineering results from STEAM as well as the pictures from the Book Care activity!




Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Back to School

The first week of library and STEAM lessons are complete!  Here are some of the stories that were read and the activities completed.  The goal is to meet as much of the Model Library Curriculum for Pennsylvania as well as the ISTE standards.


Model Library Curriculum LINK



In Library, students in Kindergarten, First, and Second read "You're Finally Here" by Melanie Watt.
Then completed a variety of "bug" related projects to go with our entrance bulletin board entitled "Buggy For Books".  Here are pictures of the tree full of BUGS!  In addition, routines, procedures, assigned seats, and more were discussed.  NO BOOK CHECK OUT YET!


In third and fourth grade library, I pulled out a long time favorite entitled "Library Lil" by Suzanne Williams.  Then the rest of the library time was similar to the other grades.



In STEAM, the students in 1st through 4th grade discussed what STEAM is.  Students were inspired to be engineers and inventors when we read the book entitled "WHOOSH" from the Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice awards list.  The students also took a tour of the computer lab and courtyard.  Finally, grades 3 and 4 did an activity called "PASS IT ON" about digital citizenship as well as Internet Safety.  Grade 2 shared a picture or what they new about these topics and grade 1 just drew a picture of computer.

Pennsylvania Young Reader Choice Award books


Here is a link to an actual interview with Lonnie Johnson from August on CBS Sunday Morning.
Lonnie Johnson interview


Grade K is a Franklin video about taking care of a library book, taking a tour, and trying out some of the engineering and math centers such as DUPLO blocks, KEVA planks, and color/pattern sorting!

Franklin's Library Book - video link!




PICTURES OF THE TREE
Grade K - paper bugs on the trunk
Grade 1 - paper creations hanging
Grade 2 - egg carton bug creations










Sunday, September 3, 2017

New School Year

Welcome back to the 2017-2018 school year!

I am excited by new decorations, new lesson ideas, and year 2 with the same schedule/set-up.

I have new bulletin boards and new decorations.

Look for week 1 wrap up on Wednesday since I do not want to spoil any surprises for my Tuesday students.

I hope that my fellow educators have a great school year.