Close Reads
After developing a strategy for helping students read difficult or uninteresting texts, we worked with 13 classes in 4 departments this month to activate the close reading strategies and help kids learn how to use the information that they read for personal knowledge. This life skill helps students in every class and transfers to post-school life as well.
We practiced close read activities with Geography, AP Human Geography, ELA 10, Physical Science, Government, and AP Pre-Calc. We also demonstrated the close read process to the BLT and Math PLC and planned some new collaborations with them! After practicing the close read strategies in print, we help students transition the same strategies to reading online.
Senior Research Process
Seniors in all ELA 12 and Contemporary Communications classes continued the research process with note-taking, using templates to create properly formatted MLA papers complete with Works Cited pages, and writing first drafts. Students use PowerPoint for note-taking to easily organize their notes, turn them into sentences for their papers, and add their own analysis to prove their theses.
Students in all ELA 11 classes began research for a new unit. Students chose a topic they were interested in and used library databases to gather information, take notes, and write a research paper. After writing the paper, students made websites to share the information with others. Students discussed the difference between members of the public reading a research paper versus viewing a website. This vital skill is a hallmark of library curricula as students focus on finding information, using information, and creating information products in various forms.
Students in 4 sections of AP Lit endured "MLA Bootcamp" and then learned to specify their database research to find pieces of literary criticism for the works that they read earlier in the semester. This paper is a shorter version of a research paper that AP Lit students will write during 2nd semester. Students made sure that they properly incorporated research into their writing using MLA format.
Psychology Skill Share
Students in Psychology classes participated in two skill shares that the librarians created before creating their own skill shares based on mindfulness strategies. With the librarians, students learned about making zines and creating pet rocks through infographics. Then they completed the skill themselves. Finally, students researched and created their own skill share presentations for helping others learn to deal with stress.
ELA 10 Research and notetaking
Students in Mrs. Worthington's ELA 10 classes began their own individual research journeys by choosing a topic and learning to use library databases to find and store information. The students used note-taking tools to keep track of their sources and to incorporate information they found with their prior knowledge of an interesting topic to write short paragraphs. Students used this brief foray into research writing as a scaffolding activity that will serve them well as they write the I-SEARCH paper as juniors and the formal research paper as seniors.
Mr. Ollig won a grant from BVEF to allow us to hire the services of Goats on the Go! The goats spent 4 days on the BVN prairie eating excess vegetation.
Fences kept the goats in as students and faculty members spent some great moments with the goats, enjoying nature, taking selfies (the goats were very photogenic), and witnessing the work occurring on the prairie.
Scientifically, the purpose of the goats was to help remove excess vegetation at the end of the season without disturbing the soil in a way that encouraged non-native, invasive species to outmaneuver the local flora.
The goats removed the vegetation while filling their stomachs and providing necessary fertilizer for the prairie. In addition, as the goats moved around the prairie, their hooves pushed seeds into the layers of soil allowing next year's flora to germinate when the time is right!
Community members came in the evenings to visit the goats and students created signage to remind visitors of behaviors most beneficial to the goats.
After a successful time on our prairie, the goats moved on to their next area and left behind a prairie that is ready for viable growth next year! Thank you BVEF!
Another Surprise from the Surprise Squad
The library won a BVEF grant for 2 Glowforge craft laser cutters for the Beta. During 2nd Semester, the Beta Makerspace will relocate from the 500 hallway to the library, making room for expansions to the FACS department. These laser cutters will be accessible to students not only to learn to create their own projects, but for classes as well, much like the 3D printers, vinyl cutter, sticker makers, Learn Something New kits, and instruments available in the library.
Credits:
Created with images by ARAMYAN - "Business man hand document report paper" • fotogestoeber - "magnification glass on the left on empty paper background"