New LMT...looking for short lesson ideas

[Tamie]

I am a new LMT after spending 17 years in the classroom. I am very excited about my new position. I work in five different K-5 Schools (one each day of the week) my focus is on 3rd-5th grade. I am looking for lessons that I can complete in one session because I'm only there one day a week. I found READ,WRITE,THINK to be a good resource but many of the lessons are for consecutive days.
Tamie

[Donna Forester]

How long is your instructional time? If it is only 15 minutes like many fixed-schedule programs, that is challenging--imagine when you were back in the classroom if you only had 15 minutes once a week to teach any content area! But we do what we have to do--I am in awe that you have to go to a different school every day. I am on a flexible instructional program for those grades, so my 45 minute lessons might not work for you, but I can tell you some of the topics that I cover and you could probably break them down into parts, spending more than one week's time on each:
In third grade, I start with a dictionary lesson, focusing mostly on guide words because that skill translates to library usage. Then we use that knowledge to explore the atlas (using the guide letters in the index). Then I connect the guide words/letters to the range finders in the fiction section and they do a scavenger hunt to practice finding the call numbers. Then we cover how to find a book using the dewey numbers (before they have even studied decimals!). Not until they have practiced finding a book do I then do an online catalog lesson because now they can more effectively use it. Then we do a two-lesson almanac study--first one practicing with the index and the second one actually looking up answers. Then we do a biography research project that covers encyclopedias and biography call numbers (but that is meeting every day for a week).
In fourth grade, I have made a Super Searchers Notebook, in sort of an interactive notebook style, reviewing the basic reference sources, call numbers, map of the library with a key and databases. Because we then do activities to learn how to choose the "best source" (those type of questions are on our state tests).
In fifth grade I teach more about databases, web evaluation, plagiarism and bibliographic citations, review "best reference sources" and help with notetaking and bibliography lessons in research projects (and creating Pathfinders for resoources).

[Amy King]

This sounds awesome! I would love to get my hands on one of your "Super Searchers Notebooks"! Is it more like a reflection of what you taught that day that they can then continue to refer too?

[Donna Forester]

It is a combination of reflection and practice. It is a half-sheet-folded type of booklet, so every page, back and front is a separate file, but the thesaurus section happens to be in the exact middle of the booklet, so both pages are saved in the same file, so I have attached it as an example. I want them to write (and be able to refer back) what type of info is in it, how it is organized, important features for searching and a few practice items as examples of how it is used. This is the first year to try this in this format, so I can't tell you yet if having it in a booklet is helpful or not, but the classroom teachers use this interactive notebook format for science and social studies, so I thought I would try it for these things.

[tamie lutz]

Thanks Donna, Those are good areas for me to hit in a short amount of time.