End the school year with a simple research project for your primary grade students to promote summer reading by preparing easy-to-make bookmarks for their classmates. Have classes discuss the stories read throughout the year and list them on easel paper. Ask about favorites and have them name one that they would recommend to someone else.Give each student a sheet of paper featuring the title that child named as a favorite. Using the catalog, print or electronic, let students find the author (and illustrator if different). Have them begin an easy research project as they use reference materials and book jacket information to locate three facts about their author.
Making Bookmarks
Pre-cut assorted colors of poster board into 8-b-3-inch lengths. Using a word processor progam, print the heading "Summer Reading Suggestions" in an attractive font. Cut it out and paste onto the top of the pre-cut poster-board bookmark. Instead of laminating, cover the paper with transparent book tape.Set margins so that the finished product will fit within the 3-inch width, and have students demonstrate their word processing ability by typing the informastion they found, creating two separate parts for their bookmark. For the first, have them write the author, title (and illustrator if appropriate) of their favorite book, followed by a brief explanation of why they liked it. For the second, they should list the facts they found about the author.
After students print out their information, trim the paper so it will fit on the bookmarks. Have them paste their "review" on one side and the author biography on the other. Again, cover the paper with book tape.
The bookmarks can ring a bulletin board or be available at the circulation desk. You can even have a simple grab bag as a means of distribution. Whichever you choose, the bookmarks will remind students of what to look for when they go to the public library and will stay with them, holding their place, as they read throughout the summer.
Throw a party for Earth Day. Enjoy the bounty of the planet as it is appreciated among the diverse peoples of the world. It's a food fest; it's interdisciplinary; it's multicultural; and it's fun for students through grade eight. Involve parent volunteers and as many teachers as want to participate. If you can't get the help, eliminate the cooking and munch on fruits and vegetables. Previous Issues
April 2002
:Fruits of the EarthA trio of books gets the action going and a fourth brings it to a close.
Food Geography
Talk with students about any foods they eat at home which their friends think are unusual. Connect their responses as much as possible to different places on the globe. On a large map of the world, put students' names in countries they have identifiied as where they or their ancestors came from. If you cannot determine ancestry, place them in the United States.At the next meeting, have the students trace a map of their country of origin or give them ones you have previously prepared. Using cookbooks and information about the different countries, let them discover typical dishes and ingredients indigenous to that area, adding these facts to their maps.
Ethnic Eating
Two cookbooks are particularly helpful for this unit. Passport on a Plate: A Round-the World Cookbook for Children by Diane Simone Vezza, illustrated by Susan Greenstein (Simon & Schuster, 1997, 150 p. 0-689-08155-6) has recipes divided into chapters by countries or regions. Each is rated both individually and in an index from one to four utensils to indicate difficulty and need for adult supervision.Harvest Festivals Around the World, written and illustrated by Judith Hoffman Corwin (meener, 1995, 48 p. 0-671-87239-7), contains recipes and information relevant to the theme of this unit. If you want to serve food from either book, it can be made at school or brought from home.
While some are looking through those two books, add Children Just Like Me--Celebrations, Festivals, Carnivals, and Feast Days from Around the World by Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley (DK, 1997, 64 p. ill. 0-7894-2027-9) for ideas on costumes as well as some ethnic holiday foods. Students can check additional cookbooks to find out how to make them. Look at the "Celebration! Calendar" at the end to see what spring holidays to incorporate in your unit.
Research and Recipes
Inside their large map, have students put the recipes they associate with that country along with any fruits and vegetables that are used to make the dish. Some, like apples, are found in many places. Others are more limited to a particular area.Now have students research where in their country these ingredients grow and anything special about them, adding their findings in notes around the map. Encyclopedias, books about countries, maps that show agricultural resources, as well as some specialized food books will be helpful.
Better readers can get information from Tomatoes, Potatoes, Corn, and Beans: How the Foods of the Americas Change Eating Around the World by Sylvia A. Johnson (Atheneum, 1997, 138 p. ill. 0-689-80141-6). Beyond the four foods mentioned in the title, there are chapters on peppers, peanutsm and chocolate, and one that includes pineapple and native squashes.
From Earth to Us Around the World
Plan a food festival to culminate the unit. Helpers can assist with cooking, prepare chopped ingredients in advance, or bring some already cooked portions to the event. Have students present the food along with what they have learned about the country where it is served.Just before the festival, share with students We Are All Related: A Celebration of Our Cultural Heritage (1996, paperback, 0-9680479-0-4). The book contains art and quotations by students at G.T. Cunningham Elementary School in Vancouver, British Columbia. The school is the publisher, but Orca Books distributes it. The students have created individual collages of family members, elders, and young people. Under the pictures they explain what "we are all related" means to them. On each facing page they describe their ancestry and what they have included in their collage. Below are comments from "the elders" about what they would like young people to learn.
Add to the celebration by having students do their own collages and explanations. Then invite "the elders" to the party and have everyone tell their hopes for the young.
Whether students are dining on international foods or just fruits and vegetables, the message should be the sdame. We are all related and need to work together to care for the planet on which we depend.
From School Librarian's Workshop, April 1998
Now that the inquiry approach to research has become part of the curriculum for students in lower elementary grades, new problems have arisen. Adults who have lived through certain eras of history take for granted things that are as far removed from today's students as the Roman Empire is to anyone living in the twenty-first century. March 2002: What a Great Idea!
Third grade classes planned to correspond and exchange information with pen pals from different countries combining technology, geography, science, and social studies. The library media specialist researched American inventors to see if there was enough information available so that each student could choose a different person. Although there were 25 men on the annotated list she prepared, finding women was a real problem.
Inventors from Benjamin Banneker to Wilbur and Orville Wright appeared regularly in all kinds of sources, but there was no mention of women. The Scholastic Encyclopedia of Women in the United States by Sheila Keenan (Scholastic, 1996) listed a few, and three were selected to be offered to students: Bette Nesmith Graham, the inventor of liquid paper: Mary Pennington, who helped develop refrigeration as a way to ship and store food, and Helen Taussig, who saved the lives of thousands of "blue babies" by inserting a tube so that they received oxygen.
After an introduction to inventors, students each selected one.They were reminded of how to find information in both print and nonprint sources, with print materials kept on reserve on a cart until the project was finished. Students worked on their reports in the media center for several days, guided by an information sheet and helped by the library media specialists and their teachers.
A Reality Check
It was impossible for these young researchers to understand the significance of inventions that had no impact on their lives. The library media specialist often needed to step in and offer oral explanations so that individuals could grasp what it was like to live in the times when these developments occurred.For example, George Pullman's construction of sleeping and dining cars had no meaning to those who had never traveled on a train (although air transport was familiar to almost everyone). The idea of spending the night or eating in a railroad car had to be accepted before students could see the value of the invention.
It was hard for students to understand Jan Matzeliger's putting together a machine that in one minute attached the tops and bottoms of shoes, something previously done by hand, revolutionizing that industry, or Eli Whitney's cotton gin, mechanically separating fiber from seeds, completely changing the Souith's economy, unless they knew how these jobs had been previously done. Making metal molds to stamp out replaceable parts (another Eli Whitney invention) or mass prodction lines to build the Model T designed by Henry Ford also needed explaining and comparing to what went before.
Even when they were familiar with an invention, connections of interesting stories helped them understand it better. Although almost every student ate cold cereal for breakfast, the story of Will Kellog's accidental discovery (with his brother John, a vegetarian) of wheat and corn flakes and the beginning of a whole new industry presented another way of looking at a familiar product.
Everyone has ridden an elevator, not thinking of Elisha Otis' safety feature that would keep it from falling if the chain broke. What made it exciting was learning that Otis first tested it by climbing in himself and curring the rope. Students used to the Internet found it hard to believe that at one time news was transmitted from other countries through transatlantic cable (in which telegraph and code inventor Samuel F.B. Morse was involved)linking Europe to the United States.
Perfect for Their Time
As they understood the reasons for their inventions, students became much more excited about them. While liquid paper is no longer as important with word processing programs allowing instant correction of errors, the idea that at one time papers had to be rewritten or retyped if a mistake occurred until Ms. Graham, a secretary who was a bad typist, thought of painting out hers was something everyone could appreciate. The taming of the West based on Joseph Glidden's attaching barbs to wire fences, keeping cattle away from crops and railroad tracks, took on new meaning when students looked at a map of the large open spaces previously there.As everyone realizes, making connections aids learning. The international pen pal/inventors project left students with much more than surface information. In this case, they wove together numerous stories and facts to gain a new understanding of American history.
From School Librarian's Workshop, October 1998.
A Man for All Seasons
Inaugurate Black History Month by celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the exceptionally talented Langston Hughes. He left the world a legacy of poems, plays, biographies, history, fiction and children?s books. In addition to his literary greatness, Hughes was a strong advocate for African-American civil rights, working for the release of those convicted in the infamous Scottsboro Case.Hughes? stories about the fictitious Jesse Be Simple, created as a series for an African-American newspaper, brought laughter and outcries. He was one of the leading lights of the Harlem Renaissance and today is widely anthologized in books for children and adults.
No matter what your grade level, you can create a tribute to this literary genius. Have readings of and display his poems. Elementary students can illustrate them. Older ones can create their own mini-anthologies centering on a theme of their choice as well as exploring the Harlem Renaissance and how it enriched America.
Throughout his life, Hughes lived in many places, none being truly home, but he has found a permanent place in the hearts of both African-Americans and whites who have been captivated by the deceptive simplicity of his works. He is truly a man for all seasons.
You can find information on Hughes online at The Academy of American Poets, the Internet School Library Media Center and Liben Music Publishers.
In 1997 two Newbery winners, E.L. Konigsburg and Eloise McGraw, were repeaters. Konigsburg had burst on the scene in 1968 with two titles, one a medal winner and the other an honor book. McGraw had two previous honor books in 1962 and 1953. January 2002: Newbery Nonsense
A number of other authors have been multiple recipients of the award. For this puzzle, have students look at nonsense phrases consisting of words from titles by Newbery authors and fill in what's missing to determine how they should, appear and the total number of winners.
Enlarging the Activity
Use the completed activity as a springboard for discussion. Ask students which of these made-up titles they liked best. What would they expect the books to be about? Have them create their own nonsense titles by combining those of one of their favorite authors and then using their creation as a way to promote that person.Encourage students to broaden their reading interest by having them choose and read one of the books in the puzzle. Group those who have selected the same author and have them talk about his or her books. Do they think any of these should not have won the award that year? Did an honor book deserve to have been a medal winner? What other stories has the author written? Are any of them worthy of the Newbery?
Click here for answers to the puzzle.
From School Librarian's Workshop, January 1998
December 2001: Clear as a Bell
One month after the birth of Thomas Alva Edison, Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 3, 1847. Although he made a number of notable contributions, he will always be remembered as the inventor of the telephone. His invention, along with those of Edison, has had an enormous and continuing impact.This activity works best when groups or individual students from grades five through high school are responsible for only one project. (The last two are the most difficult.) Note that there are opportunities for different interests and learning styles. Encourage students to choose the project that best suits their research preference.
Click here for a printable worksheet listing the projects. Click here for possible answers to each project.
Topics outside the regular curriculum can often be the springboard for your first collaborative resource-based units with teachers locked into their own patterns for covering required material. A project on art for primary and intermediate grades will not only connect you with the teacher but can also invove the art specialist as you add a new dimension to students' learning. Try this as a change of pace just before a holiday, when students' attention is wandering. November 2001
About Art
Review your collection for appropriate titles that will stimulate ideas or help students begin to understand new concepts. Consider both fiction and nonfiction about art and artists. Include as broad a spectrum as you have available. (See the suggested list for possibilities.)
Artists and Their Work
Launch the project by having students bring in their favorite drawings to make a mini-museum. Once their pictures are hung, add a display of titles separating them into categories. Place picture books about famous artists in one spot, and those about fictitious people in another, with nonfiction selections grouped by subject in a third location.Ask students if they have ever been to a museum. Some may have had the experience. Explain briefly about art museums and then read to them about a famous artist. Show his or her works in an art book. Have them talk about how some paintings don't look like real life.
Give students a chance to browse through the display, finding paintings that interest them and identifying the artist who did them. The Information Sheet will help them focus on what they might look at.
Back in class or in the art room, have students make a painting using the colors favored by the artist of their choice. Have them write their names, the title of the work, and a brief description of it on 4 x 6-inch cards. Hang the results in a new mini-museum. Ask them to talk about what they learned about art as a conclusion to this short project.
Other Art Approaches
Paintings are usually the first thing people think of when they hear the word "art," but, as your 700s attest, the scope is far greater. Two of the titles on the suggested list are about printmaking. Once introduced to the art form, students can make prints and compare different fonts in picture books, determining which they prefer and deciding whether or not they like the one chosen for a particular title. If word processing is available, they can write brief reports using fonts they think will go well together.While Denis Roche's book is the only how-to on the list, you can find others in your collection. Have groups of students select a project, follow the directions, and then display their creations. Suggest they make something appropriate for Thanksgiving dinner. The art teacher can be an active collaborator in these projects.
As teachers are encouraged to incorporate multiple intelligences into their units and technology requires more than words for presentations, early grade art projects become more than just playtime. They turn into a means of learning, an important tool for communicating.
October 2001: A Resume for a God
When do students really learn, remembering more than the required facts memorized for a test? The simple answer is, when they are interested. But how is that interest generated? Sometimes it's the teacher's passion for the topic, but students will also become intrigued when the end product captures their imagination. Claudine Priola, a student teacher at Morristown High School in Morristown, N.J., planned to teach a unit on Greek and Roman mythology to ninth-graders. On the advice of her supervising teacher, she had a personal orientation to the media center, including resources and the ways in which the library media specialists were ready to work with her. During that orientation many possibilities for end products were discussed. Miss Priola began to think in new ways about how her students could demonstrate what they had learned. Her solution reflected her personal concerns. She decided to have them select a classical deity and write that god's resume.
Resume Reaearch
In class, Miss Priola passed out a sample resume, discussing its purpose and structure. By the time the student came to the media center most had selected their god or goddess and were prepared to begin. The library media specialist had pulled mythology books and reviewed using both the print and computer-based encyclopedia. For either one, students were encouraged to go beyond the main entry by using the index in the print version or link keys in the computer format, retrieving odd facts to make their resume more interesting and creative.After some initial uncertainty, students got to work. It was apparent that they were enjoying the project. They stayed on the task throughout and also shared fascinating facts with classmates. In translating their findings into a very different format, they had to reflect on what information actually meant and how it could fit in a resume. Their projects proved the success of the assignment. As the samples below indicate, they were definitely creative.
Resumes are not just for mythology. They make a great end product for any assignment that is personality based, whether about a scientist, a president, or a character from a novel. While the skill will come in handy in their future, because the students were so highly involved they will remember the subject of their research for a lifetime.
Excerpts from Resumes
Apollo Thunder
Education: University of Mount Olympus
Experience: Fortune teller at Psychic, Inc. Music teacher at Delphi High School.
Activities: Archery team
References: Artemis ThunderHestia
Education: Vesta University
Training: Summer camp nurse
Activities: Volunteer, telephone answering at fire departmentHermes Mercury
Objective: UPS or Federal Express delivery work
Activities: Track and fieldDemeter Myth
Objective: Landscape architect
Activities: National Arbor Day Foundation, Gardening ClubHades
Objective: Cosmetological mortician
Education: Pancake Beauty School (Specialty: Hot Waxing)
Activities: President, Cerebus Den Kennel ClubArtemis DeGoddess
Objective: Environmental lawyer
Experience: Olympus environmental campaign, 2 years
Activities: Archery; astrology; horseback riding; volunteer, Greek Memorial Hospital
Reference: Apollo DeGodPoseidon Olympus
29 Horsehill Road, Neptune, N.J. Objective: Marine biologist
Education: Minor in plate tectonics and earthquakes
Honors: Kentucky Derby winner
September 2001: Animal Attractions
Elementary students love animals, but their favorites represent two extremes. Some are passionate about dogs, cats and horses. Others are attracted to the more gruesome--sharks, snakes and bats. Everyone loves animal babies, so have students find out more about the species of their choice.The research process is relatively simple, and most collections have an abundance of material on the subject. Encyclopedias, both general and subject, in print, on CD-ROM, or on the Internet, provide basic details which can be expanded using books. The project is perfect for accustoming students to move between print and non-print resources as needed.
The Oohs and the Ughs
Begin by dividing the class roughly in half--allowing students to choose between animals that are companions (dogs, cats and horses) and those that appeal to more ghoulish tastes (sharks, snakes and bats). Have the two groups create subgroups for each animal.At the first session in the media center, ask students what kind of information they would like to find. List their responses in one column on chart paper. Next, have them suggest where they would go to find those facts and place the answers in a second column. Distribute Information Sheets for the companion animals and the more exotic animals but encourage groups to look at the list they generated and add whatever they think is still needed.
Animals on Display
For the end product, have groups create large posters with a silhouette of their animals in the center. To make the silhouette, draw it yourself using an overhead projector, ask the art teacher for help, or encourage talented students to do it.Have students synthesize the factual data they have found, putting their information on a sheet of paper bearing an outline of the animal. (Again, you can do the original drawings using the overhead or get help.) Attach their completed sheets around the large silhouette. Ring those pages with poems they have written.
Allow time for students to read the poems they have found and the ones they have composed. Complete the activity with a "debate" on which is the "best" animal.
From the School Librarian's Workshop, May 1998