COLLECT + CONNECT

The library at John Harris Elementary in Sioux Falls, SD is now home to a book vending machine  named Inchy. The Argus Leader published an article that highlighted the machine’s tie to literacy at John Harris Elementary. I reached out to teacher-librarian Stefanie Hage with the hopes of gathering more details about this fun addition. Perhaps, you'll be inspired to acquire your own machine or perhaps you'll take away one of the neat embedded ideas that make this a dynamic addition to the library and to school-wide literacy efforts. Read on to learn more from Hage: Inchy came to be when a teacher found the idea and our principal, Mrs. Dobberpuhl, shared it with me. From there, s everal staff members started collaborating to bring this idea to our school.  We spent a lot of time developing a plan to share and engage with students and staff. Together, we designed posters, made video clips, and created codes for cracking that gave clues to students. We also worked togeth...

In November I had the opportunity to attend the AASL (American Association of School Librarians) conference in Louisville, KY. This conference happens every two years and this was my second time attending. Whenever I go to a conference, I like to share one or two nuggets of genius. One session was particularly useful and adaptable so I knew I wanted to share it with you all. Carolyn Allen and Julie Jamieson, both elementary teacher-librarians from the St. Louis area, presented a session titled “Show Me” Readers, Makers, Explorers, & Innovators." This session was all about creating blended library lessons using hyperdocs. Hyperdocs is the way to go when you’re looking to flip a classroom or build in multiple literacies or get more of the standards covered. And, chances are, some of you have already built a Hyperdoc in a Google Doc or a Google Slideshow and didn't even realize there was a word for it. Read more about hyperdocs . hyperdocs.co Using the Hyperdocs model, A...