LCSS Media Festival

Thank you to all the media specialists, computer lab teachers, teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents that volunteered to judge for the Liberty County Student Media Festival.  A total of 329 projects were scored during the festival.  Of those projects, 203 earned a superior score of 96 or higher.  These projects will advance to the Georgia Student Media Festival, May 1st.

The project entries were diverse and utilized a variety of different technology skills.  Students demonstrated their knowledge on a number of subjects using tools like iMovie, Wixie, and Weebly.  A range of age groups participated.  Entries ranged from grades K-12!

Liberty County has a very active history in the festival.  In fact, Liberty County submitted more projects than any other county to the state festival last year! 

Congratulations Bradwell Insititute on another Georgia Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Victory!

Bradwell Institute has done it again!  The reading power house captured first place in the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl at the Georgia Children's Literature Conference in Athens, Georgia.

Another Successful LCSS HRRB!

Another Exciting Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl in Liberty County!

by: Jaime Rearley

Students in Liberty County are quick with a buzzer and even quicker to recall a detailed fact from one of the books on the Children’s Book Award Nominees list or Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers list.  The ninth annual Liberty County Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl was held January 23 at the Performing Arts Center, and it was a day full of buzzing excitement!  

The bowls began with Dr. Valya S. Lee, Superintendent of Schools, welcoming families to the event. The Presentation of Colors by the Bradwell Institute’s Junior ROTC started the elementary bowl and Liberty County High School’s Junior ROTC started the middle/ high bowl.   Jaime Rearley, Media Coordinator/ITS, explained the procedures and rules for both bowls before the students were dismissed to their competition rounds.  

Students were quick to buzz in during the rounds.  With a total of ten questions asked per round, and each school competing in six rounds of competition, the bowl was exciting to watch!  The questions required students to recall facts from the books they read at a moments notice!  Many of the students prepared for months prior to the bowl! School Media Specialists coached most of the teams; however, teachers and paraprofessionals also worked with students to prepare for the bowl.  Parents, coaches, and principals sat on the edge of their seats as students buzzed in and challenged questions during the bowls.

The closing ceremony for both the elementary and middle/ high bowls began with the presentation of trophies by Board of Education Chair, Mrs. Lily Baker.  The second place elementary school team, Frank Long Elementary was announced.  Coaches, Mrs. Becky Busby and Ms. Laura Grandstaff, led the team to the stage.  Serena Burkart, Samantha Carter, Gabriella Day, N’Kiya Freeman, Seth Moye, Ashley Steward, Wyatt Swears, and Anasia Reynolds accepted the trophy from Mrs. Baker.  The first place team, Lyman Hall Elementary, was announced and cheers filled the air.  Coach Diana Anderson and Lyman Hall Elementary’s principal Claire Blanchard led Domonique King, Calib Rodriguez, Aaliyah Rodriguez, Connor Stephens, Lakeisha Levins, and Mia Lemke to the stage to accept the first place trophy.

At the conclusion of the middle school bowl, Midway Middle School’s team was called to accept the second place trophy.  Coaches Mrs. Cristina Dover and Mrs. Nancy Probst led the team consisting of Yazmyne Edwards, Taylor Jacobes, Joshua Malek, Tillman Norsworthy, Madison Wasdin, and Cameron Wheeless to the stage to accept the trophy.  Lewis Frasier Middle School was announced as the first place middle school team, and coaches Dr. Sandy Jennings and Ms. Tina Norris led the ecstatic students, Heather Beers, Patrick Underwood, Destany Thompson, Devonte King, Amber Lynn Mullins, Kayla Hutton, Monica Battle, Robert Martin, and Zachery Chenevert to accept the golden first place trophy.

The high school bowl concluded with Mrs. Baker awarding the second place trophy to Liberty County High School.  Coaches Mrs. Kate Gukeisen, Mrs. Kathy Shutts, and Ms. Mary Ann Scanlon led students Yvette Ortiz, Clayton Grant, Bryanna Brown, Vanessa Lewis, Tiona Mulligan, Zoe Ross, and Amanda McGrath to accept the second place trophy.  Bradwell Institute’s team was awarded first place.  The team coached by Mrs. Melissa McCallar, Mrs. Nikki Lukkarinen, and Mrs. Joanna VanBelkum took the stages with students Jordan Graham, Melissa Hawkins, Shelby Logan, Mara Holandez, Aliyah Kindley-Thomas, Abigail Smythe, Angelique Hutton, and Cailin Ingram. Bradwell’s team won first place at the Georgia Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl last year and are the reigning state champions!  

Chief Academic Office, Mrs. Mary Alexander, closed each bowl with inspirational closing remarks.  Students, families, administrators, teachers, media specialists, and paraprofessionals celebrated the reading accomplishments of the student team members!

The LCSS Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl is only the beginning for the first place teams.  They will all be advancing to the Southern Regional Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl to be held at Valdosta State University on February 7th!  From there teams will hope to earn the right to attend the Division II Bowl at Georgia Southern University.  If this year is like last, multiple teams from Liberty County will advance to the state level competition at the University of Georgia! We might even have a first place winner again!

Diana Anderson is Liberty County School System's Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to Mrs. Diana Anderson for being selected as the 2015-2016 Liberty County Teacher of the Year.  "Mrs. Anderson is AWESOME," in the words of her school's staff and students!  According to her principal, Mrs. Claire Blanchard, Mrs. Anderson works diligently to "empower her staff and students." 

The Results Are In...Reading for Recycling is a Success!

America Recycles Day was November 15th, and Joseph Martin Elementary, Liberty Elementary, and Taylors Creek Elementary celebrated by participating in a book display contest and student reading log competition, sponsored by Keep Liberty Beautiful.

The results are in! All of the schools did a great job of getting students to read and learn more about recycling!

Liberty Elementary’s Recycling Committee worked with Mrs. Kristi Craven in the media center to create a winning display, featuring books about recycling and examples of reused crafts! Students at Liberty Elementary did a terrific job completing their Reading Recycling Logs! A total of 50 logs were completed!

As a result, Keep Liberty Beautiful awarded first prize to Liberty Elementary! The media center received a lovely dolphin statue created by an artist in South Carolina. The statue is made from recycled materials. The media center was awarded a gift card for Target. Mrs. Lily Pope, the reading teacher with the highest student participation in the reading log competition, was also awarded a gift card.

One student winner was drawn from all the completed reading logs by Mrs. Sara Swida, the Director for Keep Liberty Beautiful. Kayla Walls from Liberty Elementary was the winner of this drawing and received a gift card to Wal-Mart!


Joseph Martin Elementary’s dynamic media duo, Mrs. Elaine Walker and Mrs. Kristin Stone, created an informative book display featuring items that could be recycled. Students in Mrs. Judy's class completed Reading Recycling Logs also!

Joseph Martin Elementary received an honorable mention from Keep Liberty Beautiful for participating in the contest and a gift card to Target.

Mrs. Mary Peacock, the media specialist at Taylors Creek Elementary illustrated how to recycle and had several books on display. Keep Liberty Beautiful awarded Taylors Creek Elementary an honorable mention award and a gift card from Target also.

 

Ms. Pitts' second grade class enjoyed learning about reducing, reusing, and recycling!

 

The media programs in Liberty County are very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the contest. Thank you, Keep Liberty Beautiful! All of the students’ reading logs have been mailed to the Georgia Recycling Coalition to take part in an additional student competition.

Liberty County School System Joins Literacy Lane at the Savannah Children's Book Festival

Authors, illustrators, public library employees, volunteers, and families converged on Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia November 15th for the 11th annual celebration of children's literature.

Children from numerous counties enjoyed the day by participating in hand-on literacy crafts and activities.  Multiple authors and illustrators were on site to discuss their work and share stories, including Newberry award winner Lois Lowry! 

Prior to the festival students created original artwork and poems to enter in various contests for the festival.  An LCSS student, Dustin Snelson won first place in the Young Author's Contest for his submission, “A Day at the Buffet."  He is a 2nd Grader at Joseph Martin Elementary. You can read more about the contest winners at this link: <http://www.liveoakpl.org/SCBF/guests/2014-young-writers-contest-1.php>.

This year, Liberty County School System was represented by Jaime Rearley and Elaine Walker on Literacy Lane.  Families enjoyed stopping by the LCSS table on Literacy Lane. Children took turns using iPads provided by Taylors Creek Media Center to create silly imaginative stories using the free Mad Lib app.

Celebrating Children's Book Week

Schools in Liberty County School System look forward to celebrating Children's Book Week each year.  Established in 1919, Children's Book Week is the longest running national literacy initiative in the United States!  Once held in November nationally, many of the schools in LCSS still celebrate in November.  The national celebration, sponsored by Every Child A Reader and The Children's Book Council, is now held the first week of May.  Whether the event is held in November or May, it is a celebration of quality children's literature and according to Fredric Melcher a time to remember "a great nation is a reading nation."

This year for the first time, Liberty County School System's media centers will participate in the Savannah Children's Book Festival, November 15th!  Look for Mrs. Rearley by the fountain in Forsyth Park.  We will create some fun and zany Mad Libs using iPads!

The events described below will begin November 17th and conclude November 21st.

Liberty Elementary

Mr. Anderson and Dr. Faircloth are challenging students to read 6,000 books during the week.  If students can reach this reading goal, Mr. Anderson will eat a BUG!

Monday, students will have fun creating grade level stories using the Story Wheel app, and students and staff will participate in a school-wide reading train!

Tuesday, grade levels will gather in the media center to listen to the stories they created!

Wednesday, students will enjoy a visit from a guest reader.

Thursday, everyone will cozy up to a good book in their PJs during the reading lock in.

Friday, students and staff will dress as their favorite storybook characters and parade around school.

Joseph Martin Elementary

Students in grades 3-5 will pair with students in grades K-2. These peer reading buddies will enjoy reading and sharing books together!

JME teachers are using Accelerated Reader to set short-term reading goals for the week.  Students that reach their reading goals will recived a special treet at the end of the week.

Students and teachers will dress up as their favorite storybook characters Friday for a grand storybook parade around JME!

Taylors Creek Elementary

Dr. Mobley is challenging students to earn 1,800 AR points during the week.  If this challenge is met, the top AR point earner will throw a pie in Dr. Mobley's face!

Students are being challenged to create a colorful display featuring their favorite book!  A winner will be selected from each grade level!

Teachers and students will be tuning in daily to the TCE morning news for a new student book talk each day.

Classes are invited to story time each day of the week in the media center.  Friday, a guest reader will share a story.

Students and staff will dress up as their favorite book character for the school-wide character book dress up day, Wednesday, November 19th!

Waldo Pafford Elementary

Dr. Crow and Mrs. Lee are challenging students to read 5,000 books from Monday to Thursday.  If this superhero challenge is met, students will enjoy a superhero faculty member performance in the gym!

Monday, students can earn double AR money when they pass a quiz and say, "I Love AR!"

Tuesday, students and staff will get lost in a good book while wearing camouflage attire.

Wednesday, don't forget your favorite character costume!  At 1:00 students and staff will parade around the school in a Book Character Parade!

Thursday, students will relax and read in their PJs, and participate in fun reading activities.

Friday, come to school dressed as your favorite super hero!

Midway Middle School

Classes will participate in lessons on how to access audio and eBooks using Destiny. Throughout the week classes will play Library Basketball and learn different library skills!  Classes will sign up to play Library Bingo and learn some library lingo!  Throughout the week, students can show they are "sticking" to books by leaving short notes about their favorite books or characters in the media center.  Students can stop by the media center to create a bookmark, and take part in a fun Facebook contest!

Monday, students will lose themselves in a good book while wearing camouflage!

Tuesday, students will team up with a great book while wearing a jersey or team attire.

Wednesday, students will show they have re(a)d a good book by wearing red to schools.

Thursday, staff and students will show they are crazy about books by wearing crazy socks and hair!

Friday, remember to dress as your favorite book character and participate in the best group or individual costume contest.

Celebrating America Recycles in Our Media Centers

Each year elementary schools in Liberty County celebrate National America Recycles Day with a fun story and hands-on activities to remind students how important it is to reduce, reuse, and recycle.  This year the story will be Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg.  In the beginning of the story the main character doesn't understand the significance of recycling, planting trees, or taking care of the world around him.  However, during a restless night of sleep, the protagonist dreams of what the future will hold if community members do not take care of Earth.  He dreams of smoke stacks crowding the sky, large landfills covering the land, treeless fields, and natural wonders crowded with hotels.  The little boy awakes to realize it was all just a dream, and decides to start being more mindful of his own actions. 

After listening to Just a Dream, students will participate in recycling relays and learn more about how they can recycle, reuse, and reduce waste.

This year, elementary schools in Liberty County will also have a chance to win an eco-sculpture for their media center!  Each elementary school is challenged to create a book display featuring books on the topics of recycling, reducing, and reusing.  The Keep Liberty Beautiful Board will award up to fifty points to the most attractive and creative display.  Students at each elementary school will also be challenged to read books on the topics of reducing, reusing, and recycling.  Each Read for Recycling Program book log completed between November 8th through 15th will earn the school five points!  Once all logs are turned in and points have been tallied, the elementary school earning the most total points will win an eco-sculpture made from recycled materials for display in the media center.  The media specialists will win a gift card, and participating students will be entered to win a Barnes and Noble gift card raffle. 

The media programs in Liberty County recognize how important community involvement is and value the support of Keep Liberty Beautiful!

The Read for Recycling Program Reading log is available at this link: bit.ly/1w8Tl66

Exemplary Media Programs in Liberty County

The Georgia Library Media Association and Georgia Library Association sponsor a yearly recognition for exemplary media programs across the state of Georgia.  Locally each school’s media committee is required to evaluate their school's program using a rubric.  The goal is to identify outstanding media program(s) making a difference in student achievement each year.  Selected media programs are encouraged to apply for the Georgia Exemplary Media Program honor. 

It is my pleasure to announce Bradwell Institute, Midway Middle School, Liberty Elementary, and Taylors Creek Elementary have been named Exemplary Media Programs by the Liberty County Media Committee for 2014.  All of the listed programs have met the exemplary criteria and will be honored at the LCSS June 10th board meeting. 

Since Bradwell Institute and Midway Middle School have already been selected for the exemplary state-wide honor, neither school is eligible to apply for the 2014 selection process. However, both Taylors Creek and Liberty Elementary will complete the application process for statewide consideration. 

The selected programs excel in their level of instruction and influence on student achievement.  The level of technology integration is exceptionally high.  The staffing for each of the programs is optimal.  The facilities, level of access, and provided resources support the needs of staff and students.  The level of administrative support is evident for each of the programs listed, and the media specialists are engaged in professional development while providing opportunities for growth in their school setting. 

Students are the Stars at the LCSS Media Festival Celebration

The Georgia Student Media Festival began in 1976, and it has steadily grown over time to incorporate the work of thousands of students across the state in grades kindergarten through twelfth.  Liberty County has been a consistent presence at the festival, submitting hundred of projects each year.  In fact, this year Liberty County submitted more projects than any other county in the state.

Media specialists, computer lab teachers, classroom teachers, and instructional technology specialists work together at the schools in Liberty County to equip students with the tools to plan, research, organize, and create quality technology-based projects.  The festival provides a unique vehicle for project-based learning.  It is exciting to see the variety and quality of the work created.  The curriculum standards are evident in the information presented, writing process, and studens' creation and selection of visual media.

The level of support for the festival has enjoyed a steep increase in Liberty County.  This is due in part to the recent tradition of honoring students whom earn a superior score at the Georgia Student Media Festival with a red carpet premiere of their projects and awarding Oscars to individual project. Group projects of five students or less earn individual trophies, and classroom teachers are presented with a trophy for projects created by more than five students.  School media specialists, teachers, and administrators have made it a point to attend the celebration of work. Families and students enjoy gathering together for this unique event.

In the past, superior projects from the state level festival could be submitted into an International Student Media Festival.  However, the future of the international festival is bleak.  The professional organization which sponsored the event stopped funding the festival.  Last year a group of dedicated volunteers rallied to provide a festival.  Unfortunately, it does not appear that an international festival will occur this year.

As the Media Coordinator of Liberty County School System, I think the process of producing media festival projects is more valuable than the tangible rewards.  The festival provides students with a rich, engaging, and challenging task.  I am proud of all the students that dedicate their time and energy to the process.  All of the student participants are winners in my book!

Celebrate America Recycles Day!

Thanks to Liberty Recycles and Jamie Rearley for coming to several Liberty County schools to share how important it is to recycle!   We played games, read a story and sang a song to learn about the 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!

Celebrating Children’s Literature throughout the Month of November

Tacky clothes, tie-dye t-shirts, pajamas, and books?... What do all of these things have in common?  They are just some of the fun ways schools in Liberty County are celebrating children’s literature during the month of November.  The tradition of celebrating quality literature for children dates all the way back to 1919 when the first Children’s Book Week was established. Although nationally the event was moved to May in 2008, many of the elementary and middle schools in Liberty County celebrate during the month of November. 

The Liberty County Pre-K Center started off the month of November by encouraging students to wear crazy socks, mix-matched clothes, favorite sport’s team jerseys, and hats to get student excited about reading.  In addition to dressing up, students and teachers decorated their classroom doors and pumpkins to illustrate favorite children’s books.  The celebration culminated in students dressing up as their favorite storybook characters and parading around the school and board of education.

Students at Liberty Elementary are being challenged by Mr. Anderson, the school principal, to read over 6,000 books during the week of November 18-22.  If the cubs can meet the challenge Mr. Anderson and Mrs. Mock will trade places and come to school dressed as one another!  In addition to the reading challenge, the school hallway with the highest percentage of 100%s on Accelerated Reader quizzes during the week will earn a free dress down day.  Throughout the week, each teacher’s door will also be decorated with student-created book covers.  The week of fun will begin at LE Monday, November 18^th with a reading train in the hallways at 8:40 AM.  November 21^st students and teachers will be coming to school dressed as their favorite story characters, and the week of fun will conclude with a school-wide Trading Places assembly, if the reading goal is met!

If your child goes to Joseph Martin Elementary, the fun will begin Monday, November 18^th with CRAZY sock day. Kindergarten students will have a special story time visitor to teach the importance of recycling.  Tuesday, November 19^th students will be encouraged to wear hats to school because it will be “Hats off to a Good Book Day.”  Wednesday, November 20^th students can wear camouflage to get lost in a good book, and the week of fun will culminate in students parading around the school dressed as their favorite storybook characters Thursday, November 21^st.

Students are Taylors Creek Elementary will be going HOG WILD for books all week.  The fun will start Monday, November 19^th with students wearing tacky clothes to prove “books are SO NOT tacky!”  Tuesday, November 20^th will be Peace, Love, and Books Day!  Students may wear tie-dye clothes and hippie gear.  Students will want to come to school dressed as their favorite book character Wednesday, November 20^th.  Thursday, November 21^st will be a special challenge day for students.  In addition to dressing up in farmer-style duds, students will be challenged to earn 1,000 AR points!  If it can be done, Mrs. Byers, the school principal, will KISS a PIG!  The teacher of the top reading class will also have to pucker up for a kiss!

Students are Waldo Pafford Elementary will enjoy a special story read by Dr. Lee, the Superintendent of Liberty County Schools.  All day Monday, November 18^th students can earn double Accelerated Reader money if they tell Mrs. Lee, the school media specialist, “I Love AR!” after passing a reading practice quiz.  Author Tracy Cox will visit WPE Tuesday, November 19^th to share the wonders of writing with grades K-5.  Students may also wear a hat to school this day.  Parents get ready to relax and read with your children at school Wednesday, November 20^th, because you are invited to a fun day of reading. Students may wear pajamas and slippers to school, but students don’t forget a pair of street shoes too.  Thursday, November 21^st will be “Get Lost in a Good Book Day” to celebrate students may wear camouflage and soldiers will be coming to classrooms to share books!  Friday, November 22^nd the week of fun activities will culminate with students dressing as their favorite book character and parading around the school at 8:20 AM.

Students at Lewis Frasier and Midway Middle School will also be celebrating during the week of November 18^th-22^nd.  Sixth grade students at LFMS will enjoy visits from a local author, sponsored by the Live Oak Public Library, and a school-wide treasure hunt.  Also during the week sixth grade students will have a special story program on the theme of recycling.  Student at MMS will find a variety of artistic and curriculum related activities open to their classes during the week. Teachers will be encouraged to bring their classes to the school media center for book cover creation crafts, character analysis using art, Library BINGO, Library Basketball, lessons on how to use the Dewey Decimal System, and eBook access workshops.  Mrs. Dover, the school media specialist, will present book talks throughout the week on some of the Georgia Children’s Book Award Nominees.  Every classroom will be encouraged to get into the spirit by decorating its door to illustrate a favorite piece of middle school literature. 

School media specialists, teachers, and principals look forward to reminding students of the joy found in a good book during the festivities!

  

Bradwell Institute is named an Exemplary Media Program!

Media specialists, Nikki Lukkarinen and Melissa McCallar, of Bradwell Institute attended the annual Georgia Council of Media Organizations to receive the Mabel Wyche Underwood grant to promote ebooks in the media center.  However, they were pleasantly surprised to find out they also earned the statewide honor of being named the 2013 Georgia Exemplary Library Media Program for High School!

Food, Family, and Fun... Lyman Hall Elementary Welcomes Families to a Book Fair Picnic!

What is better a grilled hot dog or a good book?  Families at Lyman Hall Elementary had the chance to enjoy both October 1^st and 3^rd at a book fair picnic.  Principal, Claire Blanchard, greeted parents and children as she helped to hand out hot dogs.  Several teachers volunteered to distribute lemonade and snacks.  Even Clifford the Big Red Dog was on the scene for hugs and line dancing.  Media Specialist, Diana Anderson, facilitated the event and was pleased to have over 500 picnicking readers on the scene! 

Liberty Elementary is Awarded a Target Grant!

Students at Liberty Elementary will be brimming with excitement to read and develop their literacy skills!  Media specialist, Kristi Craven, applied and won a grant from Target Department Stores for a sum of $2000.00.  The awarded funds will be dedicated to providing students with rich media experiences such as, special reading events, guest speakers, and book donations! 

Students have always looked forward to the fall Pajamboree at Liberty Elementary.  For years students have come to school the evening of the event dressed in their cozy pajamas to read with their families and enjoy cookies and milk.  In addition, this event has provided students a chance to quiz their comprehension of the books using the Accelerated Reader program. 

Now with the new funding, every student attending the Pajamboree will be receiving a free book and additional events will be added to the calendar for Liberty Elementary students!  Magician, Chad Crews, will be visiting students to kick off the week-long celebration of children’s literature in November.  Mr. Crews’ performance will highlight the importance of reading and inspire students to use their library even more!  Another literacy event now possible with the Target grant will be a guest visit from author/ storyteller/historian, Annette Laing for the fourth grade students at Liberty Elementary.  Dr. Laing, a former Georgia Southern University professor, will share stories and artifacts supporting the Common Core curriculum. 

With 97% of the students at Liberty Elementary participating in the Accelerated Reader comprehension program, it is easy to see they are excited about reading!  The additional events and visitors will only increase their desire to read!  The goal is to see 99% of the students participate in the reading comprehension program and for the level of students earning an average of 85% or high on their quizzes to reach 60% of the student population!  

Liberty County School System's Media & Technology Showcase

Each year media specialists from around the southern portion of Georgia gather at the Liberty County Board of Education to explore new media and technology related products.  The showcase drew over 110 media specialists from the following counties: Appling, Bacon, Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, Ware, and Wayne.

In addition to the variety of vendors present, attendees enjoyed two workshop sessions.  The sessions offered a variety of topics for all levels!  Melissa McCallar, one of Bradwell Institute's media specialists, was assisted by Nikki Lukkarinen, another of Bradwell Institute's media specialist, as she presented on the topic of blogging with students. She conducted two full sessions, one directed toward the elementary level and the other focused on the secondary level.  Scholastics Book Fair's Cookie Kushner and Osborne Books & More's Naomi Havens instructed participants on how to organize a family literacy event to remember.  Tommy Johns of Tommy Johns Presents shared ideas for making your school's media program indispensable!  Britannica Online's Vicki Brock shared valuable tools available through GALILEO for meeting the demands of the Common Core.  Susy Dalton of Mackin Educational Resources explained the complex world of ebooks.  Alegra Goulbourne and Ellen Gadberry of Renaissance Learning showcased the new app Subtext! The day was full of media and technology related possibilities to grow and learn!

Traditionally the showcase is held toward the end of September.  If you would like to attend next year, please contact Jaime Rearley at jrearley@liberty.k12.ga.us.

Common Core and the Media Center

Teach me your trick!  What is the secret?  Show me the key to solving the Common Core puzzle!  I am eager to find out just how much I do NOT know.  I wonder if other media specialists share my feelings?

I  have attended workshops, investigated the Internet,  read articles, wrangled the DOK wheel, studied standards, and examined text complexity.  However, I still feel like I do not know the mystical secret to mastering the Common Core. Am I totally ignorant or do I know more than I am realize?  You be the judge!

If you had to create a word wall illustrating the most important concepts dealing with the Common Core, what would be on your wall?  I think mine would look something like this:

Text Complexity Rubric- Lexiles- NoveList 

Informational Text- Galileo

Research- Destiny (OPAC), databases, websites

Effective communication and writing skills- video production and presentation

Project-based- Georgia Student Media Festival- backward design

Technology integration- Web 2.0

Multiple information sources- information literacy- Big 6

Graphic organizers- summarizing 

Active Learning- DOK level four

Collaboration

AASL's Standards for the 21st- Century Learner- self-assessment

College and Career Readiness Standards

If I had to amass a list of resources and tools for media specialists to help with implementing and supporting the Common Core, my list would look like this:

Crosswalk of the Common Core Standards and the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner- http://www.ala.org/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/commoncorecrosswalk

Media specialists have a vested interest in teaching to the standards.  The AASL's Standards for the 21st-Century Learner are closely aligned with the Common Core Standards.  This site is a wonderful planning tool.  When collaborating with teachers, stop and visit here first.  See which standards work together best. Check out the available lesson rubrics and template, too!  You might just find a lesson you can use!

Depth of Knowledge- http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/sia/msip/DOK_Chart.pdf

Rigor, rigor, rigor!  The Common Core wants students to synthesize information to create research based products. Students need to be asked to read from a variety of sources, collect information, organize information, write effectively, and present information.  When you are beginning a collaborative lesson, visit this site.  Use the wheel to check and write your objectives! Aim for level four on the wheel of possibilities!

Moreillon, Judi. "A Matrix for School Librarians: Aligning Standards, Inquiry, Reading, and Instruction" - http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/articles/Moreillon2013-v29n4p29.html

What could the Common Core and AASL's Standards for the 21st- Century Learner look like in action?  Do you want to read a narrative that can guide you in the most effective way to plan?  This brief article can guide you.  Don't forget to check out The Alignment Matrix! 

Mrs. Sanchez's Class- http://www.sanchezclass.com/reading-graphic-organizers.htm 

It is not always easy to teach students how to think!  There might be better methods out there.  I am not the foremost expert, but I do know this can work.  Teach students how to analyze, sort information, and take notes using graphic organizers. Mrs. Sanchez's Class has some of the best organizers I have seen for reading comprehension for elementary students.  



Novelist K-8- http://www.galileo.usg.edu/express?link=zknl

The Common Core requires teachers to use more literature than ever!  A lot of it is informational, but not all of it.  Teaching content using themes is also present in the Common Core.  If you need help matching teachers up with literature that addresses certain themes, literary devices, and the appropriate Lexile band, check out this tool offered to your by Galileo! NoveList is also available through Galileo for more mature readers.

Teachers: Where Teachers Come First- http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/graphic-organizers-reading-comprehension

You can find more graphic organizers on Scholastic's page.  They are not as cute as Mrs. Sanchez's Class, but effective. 

The Big 6- http://big6.com


Where would I put my professional learning energy next year?  The BIG 6!  Years ago my district invested in a professional learning workshop for our media specialists.  The session taught the process of solving an information problem from the very beginning steps all the way to the synthesis and self-evaulation process.  This screams COMMON CORE and the MEDIA CENTER!

The Georgia Student Media Festival- http://www.gsmf.us

Design with the end in view, according to Judi Moreillon's article "A Matrix for School Librarians: Aligning Standards, Inquiry, Reading, and Instruction". The Georgia Student Media Festival provides a great scaffold for beginning with a technology-rich product.  It also requires students to understand the Fair Use Guidelines.  Give your students a chance to be a winners, and take on the media festival!

Web 2.0: Cool tools for Schools- http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

Do you want students to try new and exciting online tools which will inspire and allow for more creativity?  You only have access to the Internet and do not have a lot of fancy equipment?  Not a problem, visit this blog to see a wealth of web-based and free production tools.  Get your students researching and synthesizing with some of these fun tools!


I am not an expert!  I am still learning, just like you. You might not agree with my word wall or list of resources.  I might still be missing the magical key ingredient to getting the Common Core right.  I do not profess to have all the answers.  Please feel free to share what you know.  I want to learn from you also!  Post your ideas and thoughts too!