COLLECT + CONNECT

The Belle Fourche Middle School Library is making!  Utilizing a  Classroom Innovation Grant from the SD Dept. of Education, teacher- librarian Karen Schlekeway  has  transformed the library with a makerspace bringing more innovation to the school.  L ibrary staff teach STEAM encore classes to 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.   The classes have been a big hit with the students increasing their desire to learn.  Students use critical thinking to navigate through units of coding, engineering & design, circuitry, videography and different forms of energy.  They also research and develop art projects that spark creativity.  8th graders even get to solder their very own DIY drones!  Grant dollars funded a classroom set of iPads, two sets of Spheros and Ozobots, four 3D printers, seven sewing machines, and loads of STEM kits. 

Photo by  Raka Rachgo  on  Unsplash - a smattering of two random reads about libraries, education & growth -

cultofpedagogy.com I really enjoy the practical, here's-what-you-really-need-to-know content of  The Cult of Pedagogy and so much of it is very applicable to the school library world. After all, school librarians are teachers and a school library is a classroom. In Teaching Students How to Legally Use Online Images you'll learn loads about how to teach students to locate and incorporate online images. Hello, digital citizenship! This is definitely a must in terms of digital literacy skills for students. In the meantime, I will share the nuggets of goodness I took away from the read: LICENSE YOUR IMAGES If students create their own images, then they own the copyright and can license it through Creative Commons . This licensing process not only teaches kids about the importance of copyright and fair use, it also validates their own sense of independence and ownership. USE OPEN LICENSE IMAGES My favorite sites for free, open license images are Pixabay...

census.gov/schools There's been a lot of talk in the news and on social media about the upcoming 2020 census and here's a powerful teaching and learning resource. What a great way to link what students are hearing in the news to real life! The  Statistics in Schools  program of the U.S. Census Bureau provides data, tools, and activities that educators can incorporate into their lessons to help teach statistics concepts and data analysis skills to students. The U.S. Census Bureau is the leading source of statistical information about the nation’s people, places, and economy. It provides snapshots of the nation’s population size, growth, and changing characteristics. Highlights of the Statistics in Schools program: Classroom-ready Activities sorted by grade level and subjects such as state facts, math, geography, history, ELA, and sociology Video Gallery Fun Facts with Teacher's Guides Historical Documents & Images Warm-up Activities Census Bureau 101 fo...

There's some seriously cool programming happening at the Harrisburg High School Library! Librarian Eve Langerock is a second-year librarian and she's diving deep to support literacy, build connection, and inspire enthusiasm. Prior to moving into the library, Eve was an English teacher for 13 years. Eve is supported by a wonderful full-time library assistant whose presence allows Eve the flexibility to plan and co-teach with staff. This support system helps to ensure that school library standards are integrated throughout the school-wide curriculum.   BOOK TASTING In their English classes, prior to coming to the library, students select the specific genres they enjoy reading. The library staff then sets up the library like a restaurant and assigns students to tables based on their genre. Students get the opportunity to “taste” 12 different books in the courses of an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Their menu allows them to take notes on each book and...

It's a reality of today's culture: videos are king (or queen, thank you very much!). YouTube is the most popular social media platform in America . And, guess what, it's the most popular for adults too - even surpassing the Facebook. It stands to reason that students are motivated by video consumption AND video creation. So let's share a few video creation tools. Flipgrid  is a simple-to-use tool that sparks conversation topics and discussion with students. Simply post a topic and your audience responds via video in 90 seconds, from anywhere, using just about any device. Appropriate for kindergarten and up. Can be used to showcase learning, evaluate progress, or even for professional development to enhance discussion and collaboration. Wanna see how easy FlipGrid is to use. Ready? Simply follow this link https://flipgrid.com/sdslschoollibs and use the FlipCode sdslschoollibs to create a short video to test out FlipGrid as if you were a student. ...

library.sd.gov South Dakota school librarians and library staff, Mark your 2019 winter/spring calendars with the following school library related deadlines and events: FEBRUARY 12: Library Legislative Day, in Pierre MARCH (TBD): Fourth and final public hearing for proposed School Library Standards MARCH 1: 21st Century School Library Award opens; closes May 1 MARCH 4: School Library Survey opens; closes May 15 APRIL 1: Prairie Bud & Prairie Pasque Voting deadline APRIL 1: YARP voting deadline APRIL 6: SD School Library EdCamp , in Sioux Falls and in Rapid City APRIL 8: Boot Camp 2019 registration opens; closes Aug 30  (Special note: Boot Camp 2019 will be a blended/hybrid course with face-to-face in Spearfish right before the 2019 SDLA Conference and the rest online). APRIL 7-13: Nat’l Library Week >> Libraries = Strong Communities APRIL: School Library Month >> Everyone Belongs @ Your School Library  APRIL 7-9: TIE Conference , i...

Nicole Ulvestad has been the librarian at RF Pettigrew Elementary Library in the Sioux Falls School District for a full decade now. Read on to find out how she connected  STEAM with Read for the Record in her library... Mrs. Ulvestad holding Oshie, a Green-Cheeked Conure Parrot.  Oshie was a guest at the school's Halloween parade. After seeing something similar at her son's elementary school, Nicole chose to take this colorful idea one step further and connect it with a Read for the Record book and STEAM. Utilizing the Read for the Record book,  Maybe Something Beautiful ,  Nicole was able to use the library as the vehicle to build rapport within her school community and to highlight the arts - all while focusing on literacy. goodreads.com During each class, Nicole read and discussed Maybe Something Beautiful. She then  invited each student to decorate a feather and cut it out. Students then assembled the feathers one by one to create ...

February 28, 2019 is Digital Learning Day! As a school librarian, this celebration is a built-in way to promote future-ready library programming and advocate for your school library. Digital Learning Day started in 2012 as a way to spread the news of innovative practices and programs. It's also a time to showcase educators (teachers, librarians, leaders) who integrate digital technology to strengthen learning. Digital learning encompasses many different tools and applications. Think: digital content and tools, curation, digital citizenship, blended learning, personalized learning, professional learning, online courses, etc.  To participate,  register your DLDayt 2019 event/celebration. Check out  last year's #DLDay ! Need ideas?  These tools, resources, and lessons  should help. Disclaimer: The South Dakota State Library does not endorse any service, product, or recommendation listed in this blog.

We've welcomed in 2019, but I wanted to share with you the  20 Best EdTech of 2018 from Common Sense Media. Common Sense looked at 180 tools (websites, apps, games) for learning, collaborating, and creating and then narrowed them down to twenty. I'm sharing seven that look to be especially inviting for school libraries or for sharing with staff. ZoteroBib Evo by Ozobot Loom Google Applied Digital Skills Grasshopper: Learn to Code Digital Civics Toolkit Please Knock on My Door P.S. Here's an  ongoing list of all the Tech Roundups!  Feel free to share with your staff. Disclaimer: The South Dakota State Library does not endorse any service, product, or recommendation listed in this blog.