Library News

This morning, Mrs. Finnerty’s 6th grade class came down to return any overdue library books and to check out new books for the holiday break. Hope everyone enjoys their breaks and that they read lots of good books!

This week, Mrs. Ciccoricco’s science classes will be in the library to study the planets. They reviewed with Mr. Dutcher how to use the library catalog and how to use online encyclopeadias like World Book Student. Later this week he met with theses students to talk about web page evaluation.

This morning, Mrs. White’s 6th grade ELA class came down to check out fantasy and science fiction books for in-class reading.

This morning, Mrs. Finnerty brought her 6th grade class down to the library for book selection.

Today after school, the students of the film production class, taught by Mrs. Grace and Mrs. Rechtin, will present their short-subject films they created in class. Popcorn will be served.

Today, Mrs. Snow’s 11th grade ELA classes will be taking the TRAILS library skills assessment in the HS computer lab with Mr. Dutcher.

Today Mrs. Bruno brought her Business and Computer Applications students back down to the library to learn about RSS feeds. Together with the students, we did a role-play to illustrate how people access information and identified the limitations of print delivery sysetms. I then introduced them to the idea of RSS feeds and how these could be used to automatically deliver digital information.

We looked at the characteristics of RSS feeds, discussed how different feed-reading programs handle feeds differently, contrasted them to podcasting, and discussed how RSS feeds could be used in business or in colleges and universities. Later the students will be subscribing to the USAToday’s Money feed to follow events in business and industry.

Today, Ms. Williams, Ms. Cassely, and Ms. Cutia, Williams, the teachers form 6th grade team 2, brought all of their students down for a library orientation. I gave them a tour of the library, described what we do and how we do it, showed them how to check out and return books, and showed them how to sign into the library when they arrive. We also introduced other individuals who happened to be in the library at that time. The students then had an opportunity to check out books.

Later today, Mrs. Bruno brought in the Invest class and the Business and Computer Applications classes to learn about podcasting. I gave them a working definition of podcasts, described the general characteristics of podcasts, and how to find podcasts on the Internet. Their homework was to listen to a podcast and to write up a report on their experience.

These students will return to review what they learned and then to record their learnings as an audio podcast. We also talked with them about how podcasting could be used in business as well as in colleges and universities.

Today, Mrs. Bruno’s business students (college and career prep) came into the library to learn about wiki. I defined what wiki means, contrasted wiki with *.html web pages, and then showed them what a wiki looks like ‘behind the sceens.’ We also talked about how wiki could be used in business as well as in higher education. Later with Mrs. Bruno’s assistance, a wiki was set up and the students were invited to create the wiki pages about the department’s educational program.

Today, Mrs. Grace’s other seminar class, the English 9th grade, visited the library to learn about using the interactive white boards. Mr. Dutcher demonstrated how it works and then he turned the students loose in teams on both boards with an online magnetic poetry web site. He also demonstrated how to use a wireless slate with one of the boards.

Mr. Dutcher told the students that they are able to use these boards, and any other digital instructional technologies, anytime they want to as long as they are available.

This afternoon, Mrs. Grace’s English 10 seminar students will visit the library to learn about using the interactive whiteboard in the library. Mr. Dutcher will show them how it works and will turn them loose to explore how they could use it in school.

Today, Ms. Welsh’s economics students will visit the library to find out about the resources that are available to them for their research. Mr. Dutcher will show them SIRS Researcher and Issues & Controversies, One Search, and NBC News Archives through Media Connect.

Today, Ms. Wittman’s classes came down to the library to select books for in-class reading. Books by Laurie Halse Anderson and others went flying off of the shelves.

This morning HS teachers around the building will be giving the 9th grade classes a chance to reset their passwords. In addition, students will learn about using school email, accessing their grades online, and accessing the school network from home.

Hope everyone had a great summer.

Conference day for faculty and staff.

We will miss you. Good luck in the future. Study hard, do well, and remember to read good books.

Today, Mrs. During’s English 11 classes visited the library to learn about resources for finding information about American authors for their research projects.  Mrs. Brecht’s English classes came down later this week to begin their research projects on current events and topics of interest. Mr. Dutcher introduced the students to Twane’s Author Series, Contemporary Literary Criticism, SIRS Issues Researcher, federated searching through the library catalog, and streaming media resources through Media Connect.

In later class visits, the teachers worked with the students on their theses statements.

Today, Ms. Wilcox AP European History students meet with Mr. Dutcher to learn about researching controversial issues. He introduced them to SIRS Researcher, Issues & Controversies, One Search (federated searching through the new library catalog), as well as streaming media resources like NBC News Archives and Discovery Education.