What are you doing?

[Anne Brusca]

Being a brand new SLMS, I've struggled the most with coming up with a curriculum to follow for the year. I would love to hear what others are doing (or will be doing) on a monthly basis. I found the book A Year in Picture Books: Linking to the Information Literacy Standards, by Patricia Messner & Brenda Copeland very helpful for a starting point. Now I just have to come up with lessons for the other 2 or 3 weeks a month! I'm also a big fan of the Stretchy Library Lessons series. Let me know what you're using!

[Kris Feller]

Hi Anne,

Which levels do you teach? I have K-5 and I'll give you an overview of what I am planning this year.

K - a lot of picture books; a book/craft tie-in once a month; library rules; book care; explore picture books, early readers and nonfiction; listen to and discuss a few authors; practice making connections with books during discussions.

1st - a lot of picture books; library rules; book care; explore picture books, early readers, nonfiction, poetry and fairytales; author/illustrator series - Eric Carle, Leo Lionni, H. A. and Margret Rey, Dr. Seuss; Caldecott Medal; bibliographic info - record author and illustrator of favorite book; a few book/craft lessons; use the online catalog with help; examine a dictionary and encyclopedia; practice making connections and preduictions with books during discussions.

2nd - some picture books and some early readers; make a poster to illustrate library rules and book care; explore picture books, early readers, nonfiction, poetry and fairytales; rewrite a fairytale; discuss illustration techniques; fiction vs, nonfiction; basic bibliographic citation for a book; use the online catalog to find books; research one subject - write a citation and 3 facts; research one author - find author on internet, record 5 facts, cite source; dictionary and encyclopedia work (print and online); practice making connections, predicting, visualizing, and asking questions with books during discussions.

3rd- explore all genres; biographies - read one and collect common memories; practice fiction and nonfiction order; discuss illustration techniques; use the online catalog; basic bibliographic citation for a book and internet; research one illustrator - find on internet, record 5 facts, cite sources; dictionary, periodical, encyclopedia work (print and online); comparing information from internet sites; free choice research with 3 citations

4th- alphabetizing titles; define call numbers and discuss how formed; discuss the purpose of the Dewey system; study the 10 sections; use the online catalog; basic bibliographic citation for a book, internet site, periodical; dictionary, periodical, encyclopedia, atlas work (print and online); practice fiction and nonfiction order; classifying internet sites - retail, informative, etc; free choice research with 4 citations; discuss style of authors

5th- define call numbers; discuss the purpose of the Dewey system; study the 10 sections; use the online catalog - author, title, keyword, subject, reading level; basic bibliographic citation for a book, periodical, internet site, encyclopedia; dictionary, periodical, encyclopedia, atlas, almanac work (print and online); practice fiction and nonfiction order; classifying internet sites - retail, informative, etc - compare different sites; free choice research with 5 citations; research skills - paraphrasing, notetaking, citing sources

[Anne Brusca]

Thanks so much Kris, that was really helpful! I too work with K to 5 and I have a similar curriculum planned out for the year. It's nice to see that I'm on the right track, that others are doing the same thing! Sometimes I just feel like I'm recreating the wheel! Thanks again for your great feedback!

[Margaret M. McCabe]

Anne - I just joined this wiki today and already have responded twice to suggestions made. We do not have a curriculum in our district for our buildings. Our new supt. requested last week that we start working on developing this - something that is streamlined from K-12 that will involve classroom teachers' input at the elementary level and content level teachers at the junior high and senior high school. The underlying goal is to develop something that is inquiry-based and requires teacher/librarian collaboration in order to be able to teach information literacy in context and to implement and use standard guidelines through the entire district. New York State has school library systems which support local school districts. Many of these systems have developed curriculums. If you are interested in reviewing these, please go to http://www.slsa-nys.org. Maggie