Boot Camp Reflection

Well, now that all is said and done, I truly believe that I learned a lot in the 4 days of Boot Camp. I think that there were a lot of valuable ideas and lessons that I will be able to apply to the library this year. I am excited to set up n EyeSpy area in the library. I am also hoping to start a Makerspace as well. I have a few projects in mind that I would like to coordinate with the teachers. I am also excited to share what I learned with the teachers in my school and I will definitely encourage them to sign up for the Boot Camp next year along with me!

School LIbrary Boot Camp - School LIbrary Summit

This session seemed to have a lot of information and moved very fast and it was difficult for me to keep up, but I tried.

Basically we discussed the goals from last year and the learning commons. We broke away and came up with goals that we want the SDLA to address for the coming year.

School LIbrary Boot Camp - STEM & Reading

I really enjoyed this session hosted by Dr. Kathleen Matthew and Dr. Faye LaDuke-Peister.

The emphasized that learning is based in reading and that it is important to integrate STEM and reading. It is essential for students to be able to read, write, and use language effectively.

It is always nice to be read to, and this was the first time I've heard The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacio. Then we discussed the book and came up with questions and answers about the story.

We then headed outside for a scientific fact gathering mission involving trees. We had to gather data then when we got back, we had to put that information into a poem.

Our Tree
By Melinda Cherry and Jennifer Anderson

Our slender, smooth tree spreads its 10 foot crown.
The whiteish trunk supports its 7,000 rustling, green leaves that reach 27 feet into the blue sky.
Its hard, earthy branches lift chirping birds off the ground.
The clean smelling, smooth leaves tremble as a branch snaps in the wind.


We discussed different reading strategies that we could use with our students including; Questioning the author, Reciprocal teaching (My favorite), and Shades of meaning.

We closed with The Giving Tree by Shel Silversein.

School LIbrary Boot Camp - STEM Resources & Projects

I do, You do, We do

This session had some great ideas for student research.

One of the tools that I hope to use and share this year is ABC Graffiti. I thought that this was a great way to brainstorm and come up with ideas that you already know. Once you start the list, you can research and add onto the list to find ideas to focus on or include in a research project.

I did like the W.I.S.E model for developing ideas and sorting information. This was the first time that I have seen this model and I think that it could really take off in our whole school.

Essential questions were something that I have never heard of before, but it makes total sense. The PowerPoint describes how to come up with an essential question.

(1) The question should be interesting and compelling to your students right now! (2) It should invite them into the ongoing disciplinary debates and conversations that create knowledge in the first place. (3) It should require students to learn—and to use—the same understandings and strategies as the real experts in the field.

I realized how important it is to let students discover what they are interested in. I think that this year, instead of having the students do an animal research project, maybe I'll have them choose whatever topic is interesting to them.

I was also inspired to investigate Makerspaces more. I think that they would be a great addition to our library.

School Library Boot Camp - Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF)

This is the session that I was most looking forward to. Although we didn't get to go down into the tunnels, like everyone wanted, I think that this was an amazing experience.

We learned from our presenter, Julie Dahl, that most of the science experiments being performed at SURF are at the 4850' level and that there are only 76 people allowed under ground at any given time for evacuation purposes. The LUX (Large Underground Xenon Detector) and the Majorana Detector are the two major experiments happening right now at the SURF, although there are over a dozen other, less publicized experiments going on too. The Earth Movement Detector (geologists detected movement caused by earthquakes thousands of miles away), Life Underground (NASA driven experiment for life on Mars), and the upcoming Neutrino Experiment (partnering with Fermilab to study neutrinos as they travel through the earth).

One of their missions at the SURF is to promote STEM education and student participation, engagement, and performance in STEM fields. She discussed teaching writing and literacy across the curriculum and working on research projects. I thought her examples of where to find ideas for a research project (Popular Science, TED Talks, Scientific American, and Mythbusters!) were g
reat!

I thought that she had great information that anyone could understand and that I learned quite a bit from this session.

The wonderful Peggy Norris led our tour of the SURF Yates Cage and Hoist Room. You could tell that she was passionate about engineering and education.

I definitely came away with some great ideas for collaborating with my teachers and possibly the SURF.

And remember, there are unicorns underground!

School LIbrary Boot Camp - Digital Resources Exploration

This session was full of a lit of great information about technology that is available to you and your students not only online, but also through the South Dakota State Library.

Jane and Danielle showed a YouTube video on STEM. The main idea that I got from the video is that STEM Education = solving problems.

The discussed the scientific method, which I'll admit, I haven't seen or thought about in a very long time. Also introduced was the "Essential Question". This is something that I had never heard of before, or at least I'd never heard it put this way. I thought that it was a great idea because it is relevant to students, open ended, and fostered discussion. It might be hard making sure that my questions are open ended and are relevant to students, but I look forward to the challenge.

I think that the TPE charts are great. I really enjoyed the exercise that we did and collaborating with others in my group to come up with information and questions. I think that their ideas and point of view challenged me to think about the topic in a way that I never considered.

Jane and Danielle covered information on a variety of online resources available on the SDSL website. I am relatively familiar with these resources as I had just completed the SDSL Online Database Challenge. I thought it was a good refresher and I did learn a few new tricks with a few of theses databases.

School Library Boot Camp - Learning and Teaching

The Learning and Teaching session seemed to focus on the different types of classrooms and teachers; how to shift the focus from the teacher or standards to the student. It also gave great examples of using tools to spark innovation and imagination.

I found that the Learning and Teaching session was an opportunity to be more introspective. It really made me think about what kind of classroom I have (traditional vs. standards-based vs, innovative classrooms) and/or what kind of teacher I am. I would hope that I run a student focused library, however I feel that more often than not, I am focused on meeting standards a the expense of what the students want to learn about. Although, in our library, we have noticed a correlation between what we are teaching and the books that are
being checked out. When I did a biography lesson, our biography section saw a spike in circulation.

The Student Learning Triangle was a great visual that put the ideas of Objectives, Activities, & Assessment into perspective.

I really enjoyed the Private Eye activity and can't wait to implement this activity in our library. I think that student would really get into it. Each month, week, whenever, we could rotate items and activities. One month could be fall items (a leaf, a pumpkin, a pumpkin seed, etc) and they could write adjectives about the items or make a picture of them close up.

School Library Boot Camp 2015 - Pure Genius

Well, this is my first journal entry for the School Library Boot Camp. Hopefully I am on the right track...

The first session was on the book Pure Genius by Don Wettrick. The book focuses on the idea of innovation in the classroom and 20% time. Honestly, this was the first time that I have ever heard of these ideas. I'm sure they have been out there for a while, but I have never come across them.

I truly did enjoy the book and found a lot of great ideas in there that I would like to implement in our library. Trying to sort through them to find ones that will be feasible in our schedule, with our time constraints, and getting our director and administration on board will be our hurdles. They should be minor hurdles, at least I hope...

I enjoyed discussing the ideas in the book with other librarians and teachers in the boot camp. There were a lot of ideas and angles that I wouldn't have noticed had they not brought them up.

The chapter that I enjoyed the most was the most was Chapter 2: Creating a Culture of Innovation and Leadership. I took a lot out of this chapter. The ideas on leadership could transfer to any job, and I really liked that.

I think that one of the biggest struggles that I will have implementing this idea in my library classes is technology integration. Teaching 4th and 5th graders, who might not be ready to tackle Twitter and other social media sites, puts restraints on integrating technology. I will have to coordinate with our new Computer teacher/integration specialist on some ideas that might work. Also, I think that I will struggle with time constraints. Only seeing students once per week for 40 minutes makes it difficult to cram everything in that needs to be covered. I'll have to get creative with my time management in the classroom.

Lesson 10 - Wrap Up

Basic, Advanced & Common Core Correlations Discovery Exercise

1.  What was your biggest discovery?
Well, I think that all of the resources were pretty great. Not all of them translate well into lower grades, but there are quite a few that I would definitely like to share with the teachers in my school. I didn't realize ,until it was too late that I wouldn't be able to access these resources from home.

 2. How will you promote or use the resources with your patrons, colleagues or students?

I have already talked to my director about presenting this information to our teachers at the beginning of next school year.

Lesson 9 -- History and Genealogy Resources—Ancestry Library, Heritage Quest and Sanborn Maps

Basic Challenge

1. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be dead to be listed in AncestryLibrary and can frequently find useful information in the U.S. Phone and Address Directories, 1993-2002. You may even find your marriage license. Search for your own name in AncestryLibrary and report the results.

Well, I tried a few different ways of searching for my name, but every time I clicked on the "Search" button, nothing happened. This has happened to me on multiple occasions with this database, and I have no clue why. I tried it on a few different computers and no luck. 

2.  In AncestryLibrary, search for a grandparent or great-grandparent and see if you can locate them in the census.  Report your findings.

I tried searching my own name, husband, parents, etc and there seems to be a problem with the database, because it wouldn't search anything. This is a database I would love to use more, so this bummed me out. 

3.  In AncestryLibrary, type "South Dakota" in the location box and click Search. On the left side of the next screen is a link for Pictures.  Click Pictures, see what's there, and look at one or more. Report your findings. 

I wasn't able to type anything in to search, I was thwarted again, however, after much maneuvering I was able to find some documents on the USS South Dakota, on which my grandfather served. I was able to find the Muster Roll from 1943 and finally found his name listed: Jones, Harold "H"

I thought that even though I had a hard time using Ancestry, this was a win, because it connects me a little more with my family. 

4. In HeritageQuest, there are over 28,000 family and local histories in their online historical books.  Search for a place or browse the publications.  Report back on something that interested you.

I tried to do a little research on my father's side of the family. I did find some interesting information on the history of Montana, where his family hails from. The books were presented in a kind of microfiche style, which I thought was very neat. 

5. In Sanborn Maps, select South Dakota. Then select your town or a town with which you are familiar. Choose a date. Look at the first page containing the Index. Then navigate around the pages and see what you discover. Try to find a building on the map that is still in use today. Report your findings.

I had a lot more luck with this. I found some maps of Rapid City. I thought that these were very interesting because they showed how the city grew beginning with a map from 1885. I found a map from 1915, sheet 2, that showed a building that I work in now. It is now a restaurant with a bar downstairs and offices upstairs. From 1915, it showed that it was a: Garage, Heat: steam, Lights: electric,  cement floor 1st, 2 rows wood posts 1st, Rooming HO 2nd. There was a boarding house originally on the second floor of the building, so I thought that was very interesting, and the owners have pictures of the building when it was originally an auto garage. 
Common Core

In Lesson 9, spend some time exploring AncestryLibrary, HeritageQuest, and Sanborn Maps. Consider how you would use each resource to meet a Common Core standard. 

In your blog post, name the standards and briefly and specifically describe the lesson(s) you will teach using the genealogy databases to help meet the standard. Either describe a lesson that uses all three of these resources or three separate lessons using one resource each.


 5.RI.3 Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or  concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.


 5.R.I.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

I think that I could come up with a project using these standards. I think that it would be very interesting to have the students make and present their own family tree. They could start by interviewing one of their parents about their family history. Then, they could use Ancestry and HeritageQuest to delve further and confirm facts. I think that if they were able to incorporate a map image from Sanborn Maps it would help them to relate to their town more. Also, hopefully Ancestry would work. :-)



Please let me know if you have any ideas on how to get Ancestry to work for me. I would really love to use this database. 

Lesson 8—WorldCat, CAMIO and More

Basic Challenge
Part 1
1. We recommend using the Advanced Search screen for best search results. Click the “Advanced” tab on the toolbar 2nd to the top. In WorldCat, the right set of search boxes say “Keyword.” Click on the drop down menu to see other ways you can search. 

2. Choose Title Phrase search, and click on the limiter (below the search boxes) “Books.” In the search box, type a book title. Note the number of results. How many libraries worldwide have item #1? Click the link. What is the top library? 

I looked up a book that is very popular right now in our library The One and Only Ivan. This Newberry Medal winner has become very popular after it was featured in our book fair. There are 345 records. The first record is for the book. There are 3285 libraries that have the book. The Alexander Mitchell Library is the top result. 

3. Click into result #1 and look at the full record. What is the call number (class descriptor)? To see what else the author of your chosen book has written, click on the author's name. To see what else is available on that subject, click on a subject. What other information do you see? 


The call number is LC: pZ7.A6483; Dewey:[Fic]. I clicked on the author's name, Katherine Applegate, and the site listed 1,628 results. I'm not sure if that is how many books she has written or just everything that might fit the search criteria for Katherine or Applegate. I clicked on "Animal Welfare - Juvenile Fiction" and there were 2,232 results. This came up with quite a few fiction and nonfiction books on this topic.

Part 2
The OAIster (pronounced “oyster”) database is one of the few mostly full text databases in WorldCat. Choose OAIster from the dropdown menu next to “Search in database.” In the “Keyword” search box, type South Dakota. Select one of your results. Click on the link next to “Access.” Add to your Lesson 8 blog posting by writing about your findings and your impressions of this tool. 

I selected Highmore - Taft Day at Train Depot to look at. The link pulled up a picture from the SD State Historical Society archives. It was an interesting image and a unique glimpse into SD history. The information under the picture includes a description, archivists notes, contributor, source, etc. 

I like this tool, I think that for other topics there might be  bigger variety of materials available. 

Part 3
1. In the search box, type “Sioux.” Click on an image and notice what information is given and how you can manipulate the image. Blog about your results. 

I clicked on "Scalp Shirt" not knowing what I would get. I found that it is not actually made of scalps, but that the locks of hair were usually donated by family members and they represented a war exploit performed by the shirt's owner. 

2. How would you and your community use this resource? What other observations can you make? 

I think that this would be a good resource to show students examples of artwork and artifacts in conjunction with other lessons. I would definitely recommend this to our art teachers as a great tool for them to use. I'm not quite sure how 4th and 5th graders would use this resource, but  I think that it would be very beneficial to middle and high school students, especially in art class. 

3. CAMIO has a lot of potential for personalizing and presenting research. Do a search on a subject of your choice. Choose 3 or 4 favorites by checking the box to the left of the image number. Click "Save to Favorites"on the toolbar at the top of the results next to "Relevance" and "Display Options." Then click "Favorites" in the gray bar in the upper right of the screen. On the left sidebar, click to export to PowerPoint or Zip Archive File. This allows you to manipulate and use the images in a variety of ways. Try out these features and report your findings.

I found that the hardest part of this section was going through all of the options (thousands of them) and picking only a few. I think that this feature would be great for a middle or high school student doing reports on an era or artist. I think that this could also be used by teachers in elementary grades for examples from an era or time period.

Common Core

In Lesson 8 in WorldCat, choose “Advanced Search,” type “common core state standards” in the search box, with quotation marks around the phrase. Farther down on the screen, find “Limit Type to:” and click the box next to “Books.” Click “Search” and look through the results. Click on a few titles to see if one is of interest. Then click “Libraries that own this item worldwide” to see where the item is held. On your blog, report your experiences with this resource and how it may be useful to you in meeting Common Core standards.

There were 1,685 selections that came up. I looked at Embracing new paradigms in education. This text  is available at 555 libraries worldwide, including the South Dakota School Of Mines in Rapid City, not far from Box Elder. I could also coordinate with colleagues around the world on ideas and curriculum if they were close to a library with the book that I chose. 

In Lesson 8, spend some time exploring CAMIO and its features. Consider how you would use this resource to support the visual element in Common Core areas of “Integration of Knowledge & Ideas” and “Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas” for your grade level and content area. In your blog post, name the standard and briefly and specifically describe the lesson you will teach using CAMIO to help meet the standard.


 SL.5.5 Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

CAMIO, although a great resource, is difficult to connect with a 4th & 5th grade library lesson. I think that SL.5.5 would be the standard that could be used. If students were doing a history project, there are some great images, paintings, sculptures, etc that could be used in a presentation. 

Lesson 7 -- EBooks on EbscoHost (formerly NetLibrary)

Basic Challenge

1. Do a search for a topic that interests you. Note the default search is "Find all my search terms." You may want to change the search to one of the other options. Review your findings and observations. 

Well, I decided to look up a topic that many of my students are interested in and do reports on. I looked up "Volcanoes." Wow. Books on astronomy, plant migration, Hawaii, and more came up. I thought that they would have more information on such a broad, common topic. I settled on a book titled Geology by James Woodhead. It was a little difficult to navigate at first, but it had a lot of great information on different types of volcanoes, pictures, and references for more information. I think that this would definitely work as a source for my students. 

2. Constitution Day is looming and several students need more material. Search EBooks on EbscoHost and recommend some appropriate titles. 

I liked The Readers Companion to American History and also  The Complete Idiot's Guide to the American Presidents. AP U.S. History also looked very useful, especially if you are studying for the AP exam. It included information on "What you need to know for the exam," "A comprehensive review of US history," and "Developing confidence by taking practice exams."

3. A class is doing projects on Western history. They have exhausted the library's print collection. In EBooks on EbscoHost, click "Advanced Search." In the "Select a Field" box, choose "PB Publisher." In the search box, type "Nebraska" or "Oklahoma." Report your findings. 

I looked up "Nebraska" and found that there were 56 results and the first books to come through on the search were books on Native American tribes and peoples. I looked and found that all of the books were published by the University of Nebraska Press. 

Common Core Challenge
In Lesson 7, spend some time exploring Ebooks on EbscoHost titles and topics. Consider how you would use this resource to meet a Common Core standard. 

In your blog post, name the standard and briefly and specifically describe the lesson you will teach using Ebooks on EbscoHost to help meet the standard.

I clicked on the "eBooks" tab in the upper-left hand corner of the main screen. This took me to a page where I could just browse through some topics. As much as I wanted to look through the cookbooks, I clicked on "Children's and Young Adult Nonficiton."This gave me a list of 148 books to browse through. I was looking for books for a standard that I had not used yet in this challenge. 

There were some books on "Children of Hawaii/Dominica/Tlingit" and I thought that this would work great as a compare and contrast for children in different cultures. 
I had to stretch a little, but I found the standard (I don't think that I've used this one yet):  

 5.R.I.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.


I thought that I could use this standard and also have the students compare their experiences and culture with those of the children in the books. 

Lesson 6 -- Gale Virtual Reference Library

Basic Challenge

1. Getting to know the titles in GVRL is similar to getting to know the titles of your library's reference collection. Click "Title List" on the upper right to view all the titles available in the collection. Click a book title of interest to you and access an article via the table of contents. Notice with the multi-volume titles, you can select which volume you look at. Discuss the title you selected and how you may use it. 


I chose to look at Endangered Species, 2004. Right now my students are working on a small animal research project in the library. They are required to have one print and one online resource for their project. I think that this book would be a good resource for students because it meets all of the criteria for good sources that we have already talked about in our library. It is from a trusted source, and it has information that students could use for their project. I also like that it includes pictures and information on habitat for each animal. 


2. At the top of the home page, type a search term in the search box. Search for answers to the two questions posed at the beginning of the post: zinc or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn if you can't think of something else. Review the results, selecting an article to see what kind of information you can find. Test the "Listen" feature. Discuss your results. 

I first looked up Zeus and this search came up with quite a few options. I looked at UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology, 2009. This is a multi volume collection with information on mythological beings from around the world. I think that this would be a great resource for any student tasked with a report or interested in mythology, as it presents not just the normal Greek and Roman gods, but a collection of gods and myths and fables. It includes information on witches, wizards, and even Robin Hood. This might be a good way to mix up our end of the year research papers.  

The information on Zeus included an overview, major myths, keys and symbols, images, links to other information, and how to cite the information. I also like that there is a "Read, Write, Think, Discuss" section that asks readers to consider the information that they read and poses questions for the reader to consider and discuss.  

I also looked up South Dakota because a lot of our students do reports on our state at the 4th and 5th grade level. The Dictionary of American History had a lot of great information on the state, although a little of it was a little heavy for this age level. I think that this would still be a great source for them. 

I did like the listen feature. It made it really easy to follow when the words and sentences were highlighted. I think that our students would really benefit from that feature as it would help expand their vocabulary with a few of these more difficult selections. 
3. Look at 2 or 3 other participants' blogs to see what they discovered. Comment if you like.

I looked at Potter County Library and Meade School Dist. blogs. It was interesting to see the information that they looked up and their take on the information provided. 

Common Core Challenge

In Lesson 5, on the GVRL home page, click “Education” on the “Subjects” in the left sidebar. Then search all the Education titles at once. Here’s how: in the upper right, search within “Education” for one of the following topics: “critical thinking,” “problem solving,” or “creativity.” Read at least two articles on the topic and discuss how what you read aligns with Common Core. (Common Core State Standards information is found on this page and in the right-hand sidebar. Current SD School Library Content Standards are here.)

In your blog post, name the standard and briefly and specifically describe the lesson you will teach using GVRL to help meet the standard.


This was very difficult to relate to 4th &5th graders as most of the information that came up with any of the topics was very advanced. I settled on "creativity" and found a few articles on creative jobs, including "fashion designer"and "photographer", both from the Career Information Center. 

The articles listed job facts, what they do, work environment, how to became a photographer of fashion designer, job outlook and similar occupations. 

I think that my students could use this to complete standard 5.W.2 - 


 5.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
a. Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension
b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrasts, especially).
d.Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

In some classrooms they already write papers on jobs that they might want to pursue in the future, and this could add to their research on their desired career. It does give details, examples, quotations, and overall would be a very good resource. 

Lesson - 5 ProQuest

Basic Challenge
1. Do a basic search on something of interest to you. Report your findings and observations. 

I used the topic "Polar Bear" to do my search. I chose this one because it is a topic that one of my students might look up. I typed it into the engine and it came up tie 24,427 results. Although I am glad to see that there is a ton of information on this subject, students at the grade level that I teach (4th & 5th grade) might be overwhelmed and not be able to sort through all of the information to find what they are looking for. There are tabs on the left hand side that you can use to narrow the information down, but if you don't know how to use that, you might get stuck surfing through far to many articles to find what you need. I think that as long as we can sort through the info, this will be a very valuable source.

1.a. See what your Challenge cohort is discovering. Choose at least one other Challenge blog, read that person's post (about this or a previous lesson), and comment on it. You may like to check each other's blogs throughout the Challenge as you learn together. 

I commented on "eResource Challenge - Alissa Adams" Blog, then I read that she had commented on mine! Alissa pointed out a lot of great ideas that I hadn't thought about. I have looked at other blogs, but I definitely will read and comment more often. 

2. Click the Publications tab at the top of the page. You will see an alphabetical list of the periodicals indexed in ProQuest and the years included. Notice that this list is "Full text only." Do a search for a journal in your profession by typing a title or keyword in the search box. Report your findings and observations. 

I typed in library and found 29 results including Booklist, which is a publication that we use often. I liker that when you clicked on the magazine it gave you the option of reading the current article, or going back and reading previous issues. 


Common Core Challenge
In Lesson 4, spend some time exploring ProQuest article content. Consider how you would use this resource to meet a Common Core standard. 

In your blog post, name the standard and briefly and specifically describe the lesson you will teach using ProQuest to help meet the standard. 

 Common Core - 5.RI.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.


SD Library (3-5) - 1.5.5 Critique resources for accuracy, currency, reliability, usefulness, purpose. (Evaluate)

In our library we are currently working on research papers, specifically on finding good sources and citing sources. We are also working on presenting information using technology and writing bibliographies for those presentations. ProQuest gives students a way to find great sources that meet source criteria. They can trust the source, and easily cite it in their papers. It think that this would be a very useful resource for middle, high school or college level students. It might be a little tough for elementary students to navigate on their own, but I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes!

Lesson 4 - SIRS Discoverer

Basic Challenge - SIRIS Discover
1. Look up armadillos (or your favorite animals) and discuss the results. Note if you find pictures and the various reading levels of the articles. (Remember, articles in SIRS Discoverer are selected, so you may not find something from yesterday's news.) 

I decided to look up articles on an animal that lives in Africa called a Pangolin. A pangolin looks like a dinosaur, or a dragon, or even a weird cousin of the armadillo, but it's actually a mammal with scales. It's sharp scales act as a defense mechanism. The pangolin rolls up into a ball, like an armadillo, and it's scales become impenetrable to all the strongest of jaws. It has a long, saliva coated tongue, which makes it more like an anteater, with a suit of armor.  It is on the endangered species list, and it is considered very good luck to see a pangolin. 
An article that I read came out of Highlights for Children, and it explained what do do if you are in Africa and come across a pangolin.

" Anyone who captures a pangolin is encouraged to alert game wardens, who take the pangolin and its discoverer to the local governors or chiefs. The discoverer's name is entered into a Pangolin Finders Hall of Fame, and he or she may even be featured on television. Then the pangolin is taken to a wildlife sanctuary.

     Coming across a pangolin was once considered good luck. In Zimbabwe, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management is now bringing back this idea to encourage people to conserve the pangolin." 

HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN May 2007, Vol. 62, No. 5, pp. 8-9

I think that SIRIS Discover would be a great way for our students that are doing research projects to find quality articles. It is very difficult to know if the information in a given article is accurate, and this takes the guess work out of it. It also seems to have a lot of information on a variety of topics. I found that is was easy to tell what reading level the article would be at by using the color coded book icons next to the title of the article and the corresponding ones at the top of the page. 

Picture title: Pangolin
Caption: (Photo by Nigel Dennis Wildlife Photography)

2. Some of the most useful features in SIRS Discoverer are the "Database Features" located on the right hand side of the window. Explore this section by: 

• selecting a country in "Country Facts" and noting the information located there

• selecting a map in "Maps of the World" and discussing a potential use.

• selecting one other area in "Database Features" and discuss the information located there.

For "Country Facts," I selected Nauru. On the left hand side of the page they listed facts, including:

Official Name: Republic of Nauru
Capital: no official capital
Population: 9,488 (2014)
Size: 21 sq km
Continent/Region: Australia-Oceania
Government Type: republic
Government Official: President Baron Waqa
Agriculture: coconuts
Climate: tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
Currency: Australian dollars
Languages: Nauruan (official), English
Holidays/Observances:Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

There was also a list of major events in history, and links to learn more about Nauru and the area of Oceania. 

In the "Maps of the World" section I found not only gaps, but charts and graphs as well. Once you selected a map, links to more information also came up. 

 For "Database Features" I selected "Non-fiction" books. The next screen popped up with dozens of non-fiction books. I thought that this would be an amazing resource for e-books for our students who are doing research from home. The book that I chose came up as PDF, so the students would just have to make sure that they have an updated version of Adobe on their home computer. 

Common Core Challenge

In Lesson 4, choose the SIRS version that best fits the age of the students you work with. Spend some time exploring article and special feature content. Consider how you would use this resource to meet a Common Core standard having to do with informational text. SIRS has a “Common Core Correlations” link at the top of the homepage to give you ideas. 


 5.RI.3 Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

I think that there are multiple informational text standards that could be met by using this resource. I chose 5.RI.3. There are a few different ways to find information to fulfill this standard. The student could use the search feature and search for articles on the topic. They are able to use the database to find information, and could also go to non-fiction books under the database to get more information. I think that they would be able to find plenty of sources to show relationships. 

Lesson 3 - Learning Express Library

Basic Challenge
1.  Set-up an account in Learning Express and browse through the available exams.  
A pretty easy process that I breezed right through. I thought that there were quite a few test options and that they were displayed well. 

2.  Choose one and answer a few questions. Then click "Score my test" in the top toolbar. Ignore the warnings and continue to have your test scored, so that you can see how the diagnostic page looks. Then click "View Answers" at the bottom of the page. What did you think about this test experience? 

I chose the "Health Careers Practice Entrance Test: General Science". It was very easy to get into the test. Taking it was also very simple, although I do need to brush up on my science apparently. After I clicked on "View Answers" I decided to click on one of the questions that I answered incorrectly and this took me the answer page with the questions. It might be beneficial to jump directly to this page, rather than the short list in-between. 

3.  Job searching and resume writing are among the self-paced courses in Learning Express.  Locate the career resources and add one of the courses to your center.  Take a few minutes to explore the course and note your observations.

I didn't find a specific link to "career resources, so I assume that I was on the right track by going to the Career Center. I choose to look at their information on becoming a Firefighter. I am a volunteer firefighter, and am taking classes right now for that, so I wanted to compare their information on the information that I have received through my training and through friends who are full time firefighters. I thought that the information that they provided was thorough and accurate. I liked that they gave information no the requirements, both physical and educational. They gave links and information for different firefighting organizations, how to pass tests, practice tests, financial aid for training schools, and different branches of firefighting. I think that this would really help anyone that is looking at becoming a firefighter. 

4. Type a search term in the search box for a skills improvement or career topic in which you are interested. Notice that results are sorted by tests, courses and eBooks (if all of those are available for your chosen topic). Please select an eBook and look through its pages.

As mentioned above, I looked through the book on Firefighting. I found it very informational.


Common Core Challenge
Set-up an account in Learning Express and browse through the available exams. Choose one or more tests or courses to see what they are like. Browse the centers and see what type of eBooks are available. Consider how you would use this resource to meet a Common Core standard. (Common Core State Standards information is found on this page and in the right-hand sidebar. Current SD School Library Content Standards are here.) 


In your blog post, name the standard and briefly and specifically describe how you will use Learning Express to help meet the standard.

Honestly, this is a little too advanced for the 4th and 5th graders that I am working with. However, if there was a student that was interested in a particular career, I might point them in the direction of the e-books that might give them more information on the career. 

The standard  "5.R.I.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently." Might be applicable if the student was doing a report on a certain career or field of study. This is really the only one that I could get to fit with 4th and 5th graders. 


Overall I liked this resource, but I think that it is too advanced for the the grade levels that I teach. 

Lesson 2 - Chilton Library, Mango Languages & Tumblebook Library

Chilton Library
Basic Challenge

1. Look up the maintenance schedule for your vehicle. View the whole chart and list 3 things that should be done at 30,000 miles.

I drive a 2001 Dodge Neon SE. Here is what they list for maintenance on my vehicle at 30,000 miles. 
Your 30000 mile service under Normal conditions includes:

• Replace Automatic transaxle fluid

• Service/Inspect Brake hoses

• Service/Inspect Coolant level, hoses & clamps

I think that this is a great reference for all the car buffs and us novices out there!

2. What was the most recent Technical Service Bulletin or Recall notice on your car about and when was it issued?

The most recent technical bulletin for my car was issued in 2002 and it was for "Engine Will Not Respond To Throttle Input" 

3. Click to the Repair tab and note some of the information about brakes for your car.

There is a ton on information on the breaks on this vehicle, as I'm sure there is for other cars. I clicked on Anti-Lock Break System, then on Description and Operation. This pulled up general information on how the ABS system works, physical description, and a short video on problems with the system. I think that this feature would be very useful if/when I have to work on my car again. 

Common Core

1. How could you use Chilton Library to meet Common Core English Language Arts Reading Standards in the area of Integration of Knowledge and Ideas?

I find this one a little difficult to answer. I think that under the right circumstances, this information could be integrated into a report on automobiles, their maintenance, or their performance that a student is writing. In conjunction with a general title on automobile maintenance, it could make for a very informational report. It might also be used by students in an auto shop or mechanics class when learning about or fixing a car. They might use this with their text book to trouble shoot problems and come up with possible solutions. 

Mango Languages

Basic Challenge

1. Try out a lesson. How helpful would this program be to help you learn a language? What did you like? What didn't you like? Why?

I chose to learn a little Scottish Gaelic. I have a Scottish heritage and will be traveling to Scotland in the spring. I thought that this program broke down the language into nice, bite-size sections which made it easier to digest than one big chunk. Having the ability to read and hear the words is a big help, as many of the spellings are different then the pronunciations. I also thought the keyboard controls were handy. I didn't like that I couldn't log in. Is there a way to do that?

2. A Vietnamese student would like to improve her English. You do not know Vietnamese. Describe how Mango Languages can help her.

On the upper right hand corner of the screen is the "Translate" tab. This would be very handy, as you could use it to write words in English and have them translated into Vietnamese and vice versa. In addition to Vietnamese being an option for a language you could learn, under Languages, there is the option to learn English. There is an English for Vietnamese speakers that the student could use to work on her English. 

Common Core

1. How could Mango Languages help you meet the Language standards in English Language Arts?

 5.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard

English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

a. Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and

interjections in general and their function in particular sentences.

b. Form and use the perfect (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will

have walked) verb tenses.

c. Use verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states,

and conditions.

d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.*

e. Use correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor).

I feel that this could be used to help students better understand the English language due to the fact that in order to learn another language and speak it fluently, you need to have command of their grammatical structure. I know that when I was learning Spanish, it helped me immensely in English class, because I better understood parts of speech and conventions. When it came to verb tense especially, I learned more from my Spanish class, than in my English class. 

Tumblebook Library

Basic Challenge

1. Choose a story book, chapter book, or nonfiction book. Try it out! Listen to it being read, turn the pages etc. Report your impressions of this e-resource.

I chose the book Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #1: Sleepover Sleuths.  I liked that there was an option to have the book read to you along with the words highlighted to read and follow along. Turning pages was easy. I also looked at Scaredy Squirrel. This was a lower level book that read the book to you and included illustrations and animations. I liked that the book automatically read and highlighted the words and the cute illustrations made the books a lot of fun. 

2. Try out a video, puzzle or game and report your impressions.

I tried out a word catch game and a puzzle. I liked that the games and puzzles connected with a certain book and that they had a link to read the book.  The game was smooth and easy to play. The puzzle was difficult enough to be a challenge, but not so difficult that a student would become discouraged.

3. To whom will you promote this e-resource?

I think that I will promote this resource to our teachers at first then to our students. We do have a teacher that uses AR and I think that he and his students would really enjoy using this. Students in the lower grades in our district already have access to Tumblebooks through the school's subscription. They love using the program. Although this selection is a little low for 4th & 5th grades, I know that there is another option for upper grades. 

Common Core

Choose a subject and find a non-fiction and a fiction book about that topic. How could you use those books to meet these 2 Common Core Anchor Standards?

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.9Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

I looked at the non-fiction book Wiggle and Waggle and the fiction book Diary of a Worm. 

I think that these two books are a little difficult to compare. Wiggle and Waggle is listed as non-fiction, but I feel that there are a lot of fiction elements to this story. Diary of a Worm is definitely fiction, but does throw a few wormy facts in the story. I feel that these two books would really complement each other in a lesson on worms. They both address a worm's impact on the soil, how they benefit plants, and how they work in the soil. Wiggle and Waggle definitely keep more on topic, while Diary of a Worm adds a little artistic license to the topic with the main character going to school and scaring children as he goes by them. I think that the students would definitely be able to analyze these books and evaluate the information. I would also throw in a straight non-fiction book in order to to a better comparison of the information.