Animal Research

One of my favorite projects of the year is when first graders get to choose an animal they are interested in and research that animal. I love how the kids get so involved in their research, and they cannot read enough about their chosen animal.

The first grade teachers and I discussed the timeline for the project, and we came up with a notetaking page to teach the students how to organize their notes. I am so blessed to have teachers on my campus that collaborate with me and allow me to be a part of the students learning.

The students used PebbleGo to begin with since we had used it numerous times throughout the school year to read and research about other topics. To go further in their research, we used the online encyclopedia in the library last week. I put the link in their Google Classroom so they could easily get to the website.

These first graders use the link in Google Classroom to access the online encyclopedia. 

Next, we reviewed the headings in our Britannica encyclopedia, which really helps the younger students not be overwhelmed with text. After they had taken notes, they then searched through the images and videos to get even more information about their animal. While reading and viewing, they took notes on their notetaking organizer.

On the back of the organizer was the bibliography. While they found information, students kept up with the sources they used. Yes, even the youngest readers need to know how to cite their sources. 

In the past, when younger students have done research, I have the books pulled out on the tables. However, this time, I decided to let the students use the Dewey markers in the library to find the books about their chosen animal. The best thing in the world is to see their eyes light up with excitement when they have found the book they need. 

They were so excited and are having so much fun, I've had several first graders come into the library this week before school to research more. They have asked me for index cards to take more notes! AND YES, they are accessing Google Classroom all on their own and utilizing the links I've added for them. 

Ban This Book

Gratz, Alan. Ban This Book. Starscape Books, 2017. 

Amy Anne Ollinger is shocked when she rushes to the library to check out her favorite book, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, only to find it not on the shelf. Mrs. Jones, the school librarian, gives Amy Anne the bad news: the book has been banned from the school library! All because a fellow student's mom thinks the book is inappropriate for elementary students.

You cannot help but fall in love with Amy Anne. Gratz does an incredible job of establishing the character in order for middle grade readers to relate. Amy Anne is very shy and soft spoken, but throughout the book gains confidence to speak up for what she believes in. Amy Anne does not back down from the banning of her favorite book, and in turn establishes a secret Banned Book Locker Library.

Amy Anne begins to realize that many more students are backing her up on her war against the banned books. Their antics to fight the school board and principal on their decision will make you cheer along through the whole book!

Book lovers and librarians will adore this book that defends the right to read. I applaud the approach that Gratz has for this subject. He successfully disputes this issue on a students level, and is able to add humor to the situation.

I cannot wait to get this book into my students' hands! I have a feeling that the challenged/banned books mentioned in Ban This Book will be flying off my shelf soon as well.

STAAR Review Stations

Our State Assessments are coming up this week for 5th grade, and what better way to help teachers on your campus then to help with a STAAR review.  I met with the 5th grade teachers to see which skills needed to be reviewed before the test. While meeting and looking over the data, it seemed as though the students needed making inferences, theme, main idea, summary, and genre. We had noticed that one of the classes also needed a reminder to look at charts, tables, captions, etc... in order to find answers as well.

Stations 

I had these super cute green baskets, and I've been waiting to use them! After finding the materials for the different stations, I put everything needed inside the baskets. Each table was labeled with a number, and students had a recording sheet. Everything was set up when the class came in.

At this station, students sorted stories by genre. 

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This was my favorite station. Students had to tell the difference
between main idea and the theme of a story.

At this station, students had to first sort nonfiction text features
by their name and definition. Then they had to use the pictures to
answer the questions. This will hopefully remind them to look at charts,
tables, and captions to find answers as well as the text.

Students moved through the stations while the teacher and I helped out and monitored. They really needed a second day to finish up, but I was leaving for TLA conference the next day. Next year, we plan on having this two days in a row so students can stay at each station longer.

Creating Citations and a Bibliography

Last week, 4th grade practiced notetaking skills with the Social Studies teacher and me. The classes came down to the library so the teacher and I could go over the skills and have them practice. You can find that lesson on my blog.

This week, the students are continuing their research over an event from the Civil Rights Movement. Students have already chosen an event, so it is now time to choose our sources and start taking notes. I created a Destiny Collections with sources I had already viewed that students could use during their research. Students could use outside sources as well, however, the SS teacher wanted them to use the online encyclopedia and the sources I curated before using an outside source. We threw in a mini-lesson over reliable sources. SNEAKY :) 

Student looking through the Destiny Collections to find a good source. 

Citations 

One of my favorite features of our Britannica online encyclopedia is the citation is provided for the students. So, the students know how to copy and paste this citation onto their bibliography. Well, the websites that we had students using as their second source did not provide this citation. So, the teacher and I decided to use Citation Machine with the students to create the citations. We practiced this using the website, then the book they are using in class. 

In order for the students to easily find this, and not accidently type in citationmachine.com, which takes you to a different website all together 😲, I added the actual website into Google Classroom. To check for understanding, students had an assignment to paste one of their citations into a Google Form. 

S.S. teacher helps groups of students create their citations.

Students paste their citaiton into a Google Form so that the
teacher can check for understanding.

Bibliography

The following day.... YES, the classes came two days in a row to finish the lesson!! That is the BEAUTY of a flexible schedule. 

Classes can come two days in a row, and more, with a flexible schedule!! 

Anyway, the following day the classes came back to finish up their bibliography. They created a Google Doc, and titled it so that they would easily find it again. Then, they copied their citations for all 3 sources into their bibliography.  After this was complete, students were free to begin taking notes on their notecards. The second day went much smoother, since students had used Citation Machine the day before. 

My favorite part of the day was when the classroom teacher told them that this didn't exist when we were in school. We had to know the exact format each time we cited our sources. This was the look on their faces!