ISE Learning Commons: activities

Showing posts with label activities. Show all posts

June 20, 2017

Wrapping up school year 2016-2017 at ISE Library

Enjoy the ISE library antics through the below photo show. Our library is a busy place where learning, socializing and fun in general happens.

Let's start off with a regular state of the library on any given Wednesday, period 8, when almost all middle school, well except year 4 is in having a class, group investigations or independent work.

Our IT Integrator Ms. Glyka introduced books including augmented reality during our last PYP literature circles meeting. Grade 3 students were eager to make connections on how innovation changes the ways we read, and access books and information, something that we have been discussing in the library in conjunction with their Innovation UOI.

Meet the Gruffalos in Reception. Students loved Gruffalo stories by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, as well as the lovely film based on Gruffalo book that gave a sneak and peek in "behind the scenes" of the story.

In February Year 5 students hosted the Human library on their Personal project topics. We has 12 exciting and knowledgeable Books sharing their learning stories with the community.

Visitors from the youngest to the oldest of our students.

And then this happens... I told you...

... fun ...

... sometimes sorrow ...

... and love.

Till the next year! Have a great summer holidays! Päikest!

Systems for organizing information

During grade 2 unit of inquiry "Systems" the class explored the system ISE Library uses for organizing books. Students learned grouping books by type (fiction and nonfiction), numbers and letters. Through inquiring into and discussing information they saw on the books (call numbers) and on the shelf labels they discovered the ten groups of the Dewey Decimal System, and that books on the similar subject are together on the shelf. Touring around the library students noticed that not all books have numbers which led us talking about the alphabetical order and types of book that are organized this way.

What Dewey section are your favourite books in?

We then looked into the library online catalog and noticed the call numbers there as well. Combining the learning students worked as detectives following clues (call numbers) to solve a problem (finding a book of interest from the shelf). Next time we revolved the activity and students worked as library assistants putting books back to their correct places on shelves. This activity turned out to be more a challenging one. All students though, some with a little help from a friend, managed to find books of interest. One student in particular displayed the calling for a librarian profession by quickly understanding how the library system works, and efficiently carrying out the duties of retrieving and returning books to the shelves. He insisted keeping re-shelving books during free reading time. What joy!

Our next exploration into systems of organizing information, building on learning from this unit, is looking into how can we use alphabet to find things? We will be exploring enrollment lists, dictionaries offline and online and look into online directories. The objective of this unit is to learn how to search online by using the alphabet and how children's directory sites are organized.

Exploring lists and dictionaries

As a summative activity we explored the www.a-zanimals.com Endangered animals site that organizes its information alphabetically. Grade 2 created their own A-Z book of endangered animals using information from that site. This activity was completed in collaboration with the "Endangered animals" unit of inquiry. Students were able to transfer their knowledge and terminology learned (extinct, endangered, threatened) across subjects. Look at some examples from the book. Do you know who is an axolot, or where can you meet quoll. How is uguisu's poop used, and how x-rat tetra looks like?

April 11, 2017

Exploring the rings of responsibility

Instead of an online approach through eTextbook (see December 18, 2014 post "Grade 3 eUnit "Rings of Responsibility"), this year, I decided to engage with the offline learning to explore this important topic, and use smart surface library tabletops instead of iPads to record students' thinking and ideas.

Students

reflected upon their offline responsibilities
examined their online responsibilities
learned that good digital citizens are responsible and respectful in the digital world (and beyond).

We discussed offline and online activities to self, friends and family and larger community and realized that it is important to be kind and respectful in both face-to-face and online world. This approach worked very well and students were excited to us an alternative media to record their thinking.

April 3, 2017

What's at the library?

In preparation for their Exhibition grade 5 students got acquainted with our library and the resources it offers. We discussed advantages of doing research at the library and evaluated the importance of various library resources. We looked at books and online databases available, and above all a librarian to help out. Students worked in groups to create posters with catchy phrases reminding other students to consider the library when doing research.

Personal favourite "ISE Library: Better than the Internet!"

Welcome everyone to see and check out our library!

February 16, 2017

World Read Aloud Day

Today is the World Read Aloud Day! Grade 5 students had fun listening to "The Book With No Pictures" an innovative and wildly funny read-aloud by award-winning humorist/actor B.J. Novak that turns any reader, this time me, the teacher-librarian into a comedian. After that the students read books from the library out loud to friends in small group making discoveries as they were picking the stories to share. "This was the best library time I have had. We did not sit at the tables looking at our iPad" said Regitze (a reluctant reader). I completely agree! I should do that (read aloud) more often with older students.