Fall 2020: end of Trimester 1 update

Ms. Arika
Dec 4, 2020
4 min read

Hello Sockeyes!

A quick update on what's been happening in our remote library lessons in the second half of Trimester 1.

All grade levels participate in unit studies, which can vary in length. Units allow students to build a base of knowledge and anticipate library learning.

Goal 1 is to make Live Library as engaging as possible. I recognize that there is an element of choice for students in ‘attending’ specialist classes, and I strive to make library as interesting, relevant, and interactive as possible.

KINDERGARTEN

Live library:

- Author studies: Arthur Howard, Christian Robinson

- Read-alouds: Cosmo Zooms, Hoodwinked, Mr Putter & Tabby Walk the Dog, Mr Putter & Tabby Catch the Cold, Gaston, Antoinette, Little Penguins

- Practiced ‘reading the pictures’ – telling a story using only its illustrations. This is an ideal strategy for students learning to read!

- Utilized 'thinking questions' - questions that do not have a 'right' answer, but instead encourage critical analysis of the text (i.e., Cosmo zooms on a skateboard. What else could he use to zoom?)

- Continued to use / learn terminology: author, illustrator, copyright date, front cover, back cover, book jacket

- To continue to build literacy and provide access to stories, all students receive a bonus, pre-recorded read-aloud each week, located in Seesaw/Clever. This is created by Ms Arika.

Remote check-out:

- Continued Sunset Remote Library

- Circ stats are booming – over 250 readers request/receive books in Nov & Dec!

- All students received monthly Leo the Lion bookmarks

Building community:

- Greeted each child by name as Zoom meeting begins

- Engage with Leo the Lion to practice manners & social learning

- Begin/end each class by asking if students have something to share (does not have to

be library-related), offering students a way to get to know one another

GRADE 1

Live library:

- Author studies: Ryan T Higgins (finished), Oge Mora

- Unit: DiNovember = all about dinosaurs in Nov & Dec

- Discussed fiction/nonfiction and introduction to PebbleGo database in DiNovember

- Read-alouds: What About Worms?!, Saturday, Thank You Omu!, The Oldest Student, What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night, Dad and the Dinosaur, Totally Amazing Facts about Dinosaurs

- Voted for favorite Ryan T Higgins book in our study, using evidence from the text to support vote

- Discussed SEL strategies with Oge Mora unit: calm breathing, perseverance when learning is hard

- To continue to build literacy and provide access to stories, all students receive a bonus, pre-recorded read-aloud each week, located in Seesaw/Clever. This is created by Ms Arika.

Remote check-out:

- Continued Sunset Remote Library

o Shared with students: books available in over 10 languages and audiobooks!

- Circ stats are booming – over 250 readers request/receive books in Nov & Dec!

- All students received monthly Leo the Lion bookmarks

Building community:

- Greeted each child by name as Zoom meeting begins

- Engage with Leo the Lion to practice manners & social learning

- Begin/end each class by asking if students have something to share (does not have to

be library-related), offering students a way to get to know one another

GRADES 2 & 3

Live library:

- Units: Amazing Animals Around the World, Native American Heritage Month

- Read-alouds: Ivan: the true story of the shopping mall gorilla; Little Dog Lost; Finding Winnie; Sergeant Reckless; Elizabeth: queen of the seas; My Heart Fills with Happiness

- SS focus: map skills (creating/using a map key, locating / labeling settings in read-alouds)

- Voted for favorite book in our Amazing Animals study, using evidence from the text to support vote

- Watched / discussed Thanksgiving video in BrainPop Jr, focusing on what we knew vs what we NOW know after watching (FYI: it’s really well done, and adults will learn something!)

- SEL focus: what makes our heart happy?

- Equity focus: languages – what does respecting another language mean, followed by listening to a read-aloud in Plains Cree (Native language)

- To continue to build literacy and provide access to stories, all students receive a bonus, pre-recorded read-aloud each week, located in Seesaw/Clever. This is created by Ms Arika.

Remote check-out:

- Continued Sunset Remote Library

o Shared with students: books available in over 10 languages and audiobooks!

- Circ stats are booming – over 250 readers request/receive books in Nov & Dec!

- All students received monthly Leo the Lion bookmarks

Building community:

- Greeted each child by name as Zoom meeting begins

- Begin/end each class by asking if students have something to share (does not have to

be library-related), offering students a way to get to know one another

GRADES 4 & 5

Live lessons:

- Units: science nonfiction (2 weeks), phishing (3 weeks), booktalks (1 week), Native American Heritage Month (2 weeks)

- Read-alouds: The Day-Glo Brothers, That is Not a Good Idea!, My Heart Fills with Happiness

- Equity focus: showcasing stories with inclusive storylines & creators

- All read-alouds feature critical thinking questions that foster analysis and reflection (i.e., "In My Heart Fills with Happiness, what fills YOUR heart with happiness? Share anonymously in the chat.”)

- Community & real-world connections:

o introduction to phishing (what it is, why it happens, what to look for)

o utilized real examples of phishing scams in emails/texts to practice smarter tech skills

- Incorporated timely science read-aloud on florescence & phosphorescence, using MysteryDoug to explain the science-related details

- To continue to build literacy and provide access to stories, all students receive a bonus, pre-recorded read-aloud each week, located in Seesaw/Clever. This is created by Ms Arika.