Tuesday Tips March 27, 2018

TECH TIP:  SIRS Issue Researcher

SIRS Issue Researcher is one of the library's databases and I shared it this week with Brian Leslie's Sociology class and Meghan St. John's Journalism class. It's a great resource that could be helpful in many of your classes and students have access anytime, anywhere to it (NOTE: if accessing from home, you will need to use the password you get from the library)  Here's what it looks like:

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BOOK TIP:  The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

​If you like a good suspense novel with lots of twists, or were a fan of Gone Girl, then you'll love this one!   Richard's former wife is going after his new fiancee, but this is a novel where you should never trust anything or anyone!  Put this one on your summer beach read list!

Tuesday Tips March 20, 2018

TECH TIP:  Write Arounds in the Library

I love when the library can be used as a creative learning space.  Meghan St. John and I collaborated in her Journalism II class for her unit on editorials.  We began by using the write around technique to introduce various types of editorials to them.  Meghan selected the editorials and I set up the library using the "low tech" tools of enlarged readings, colored butcher paper, markers and a on-screen timer.  The students then spent time at each station, annotating the editorials through a specific lens at each rotation.  We then used these table posters the next day to discuss the pros and cons of each editorial. 

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BOOK TIP:  Wellness Wednesday with the PE Classes

Ryan Kelly and Michelle Campbell put out a call to any teachers who wanted to lead a Wellness Wednesday.  Last Wednesday, all of the PE classes met in the library and I shared about the stress reducing benefits of reading, including a 2009 study at University of Sussex that found that reading can reduce stress by 68%!  We then let the students grab a sleeping bag or blanket and find a comfy place to curl up with something to read.  It was great to see how calm the students were throughout the period!  Here are some pictures from the day:

Tuesday Tips March 6, 2018

TECH TIP: Printing Your Own Custom Sticky Notes

This is a tip that I read about from another blogger and I love it!  Using a sticky note template, you can add in your own content and designs and then print those right onto sticky notes!  I've used it to make my daily to do list:

You could make custom sticky notes for:

• Project checklists
• Math Grids
• Date Due reminders
• Notes to Parents
• Positive notes for students
• Thank you notes
• To Do Lists
• Pictures / Emojis

I've attached the Word documents below that will allow you to create your own custom sticky notes.  When printing, be sure that you know the correct way to lay down the notes into your printer!  ​

BOOK TIP:  The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

   There has been a lot of historical fiction set during World War II, but this novel has a unique perspective on this time period.  Set in Germany, the book follows three women, all of whom are the widows of resistors, men who led a campaign to kill Hitler.  This is a story of survival and forgiveness, spanning many years.