Resources for Parents
Have an iPad?
Here are some useful apps for students!
Reading Rainbow - Free ~ An unlimited library of books and videos.
Vocabulary Spelling City - Free ~ A fun way to learn spelling and vocabulary words by playing games using any word list.
iMovie - $4.99 ~ allows students to engage their creativity skill sby creating video projects and movie trailers.
Write to Read - $6.99 ~ Students can oractice creating sentences to match a picture with a keyboard that highlights the vowels. It also allows tha parent to edit the student's sentence underneath what they have typed.
Brain Pop - FREE ~ Features educational movies, quizzes, games and high-interest readings. Some content requires in-app purchases.
Storia - FREE app but must purchase books ~ This app is provided by scholastic and allows you to purcahse and download books. You can often purchase them a reduced rates through your student's teacher's book order.
More to come soon!
Here are some useful apps for students!
Reading Rainbow - Free ~ An unlimited library of books and videos.
Vocabulary Spelling City - Free ~ A fun way to learn spelling and vocabulary words by playing games using any word list.
iMovie - $4.99 ~ allows students to engage their creativity skill sby creating video projects and movie trailers.
Write to Read - $6.99 ~ Students can oractice creating sentences to match a picture with a keyboard that highlights the vowels. It also allows tha parent to edit the student's sentence underneath what they have typed.
Brain Pop - FREE ~ Features educational movies, quizzes, games and high-interest readings. Some content requires in-app purchases.
Storia - FREE app but must purchase books ~ This app is provided by scholastic and allows you to purcahse and download books. You can often purchase them a reduced rates through your student's teacher's book order.
More to come soon!
You’re probably wondering….
Why don’t my children go to library for specials anymore?
Most parents are used to the fixed library schedule where students visit the library as part of their “specials” rotation. This practice has become outdated as it restricts access to resources and does not allow consecutive lessons to be taught in a timely manner. If a student checks out a book on Tuesday; he/she should not have to wait until the following Tuesday to exchange it. Students should be able to visit the library every day if needed. Fixed schedules also leave little room in the library schedule for students to use technology or conduct research, two essential skills for success in an information-based society.
What is a Flex Schedule?
Flexible scheduling means that instead of students visiting the library one day per week, the library is now open to them all day, every day. Students can go to the library whenever necessary instead of just one day per week at an appointed time. Students are able to visit individually, in small groups or as an entire class to read, browse and conduct research at any time during the school day. This is different from the more traditional, rigid schedule where previously students were able to visit the library only one day per week during their “specials” time. Students were not accompanied by their teacher, and the information skills they received were taught out of context. Under this type of schedule, students averaged only 24 visits per year and received disjointed instruction. With flexible scheduling, they can go any day and learn library information skills as part of the core curriculum.
Parents are understandably concerned that with changes to the library schedule, their children may not receive some of the traditional aspects of library sessions, such as regularly scheduled check out and lessons. This is not the case. A flexible schedule is not an unstructured one, it is still a schedule. It is, as the name implies, flexible. Students will still have the opportunity to visit the library as the teacher allows, they will still be able to participate in library lessons. But now, instead of a 45-minute class, the lesson may be longer or shorter depending on that day’s activities, and the teacher may go with the class to the library. In addition, there will be room in the schedule for me to work with classes while they conduct research and practice resource-based learning.
Advantages of a Flexible Schedule
• Greater access to library resources—during entire instructional day.
• Increased circulation as students may exchange books daily instead of weekly.
• Information/research skills integrated into the curriculum and learned more effectively.
• Classes can spend several consecutive days in the library to work on projects.
Students have always needed good reading skills, but students in today’s information-driven society also need the ability to locate, evaluate, and utilize information in a variety of formats. The best way to teach these research skills is through integrating them into the core curriculum in the form of resource-based units. A flexibly scheduled library program encourages collaboration between the teachers and I in developing resource based instruction.
Check out the American Library Association's Statement on Flex Scheduling:
http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/position-statements/flex-sched
I am looking forward to a busy and exciting year in the library! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
See you in the library!
Mrs. Adams
eadams2@wcpss.net
Derived from: http://flowermound.lisd.net/ourpages/auto/2011/
4/29/52243032/flex%20parent%20brochure.pdf
What is a Flex Schedule?
Flexible scheduling means that instead of students visiting the library one day per week, the library is now open to them all day, every day. Students can go to the library whenever necessary instead of just one day per week at an appointed time. Students are able to visit individually, in small groups or as an entire class to read, browse and conduct research at any time during the school day. This is different from the more traditional, rigid schedule where previously students were able to visit the library only one day per week during their “specials” time. Students were not accompanied by their teacher, and the information skills they received were taught out of context. Under this type of schedule, students averaged only 24 visits per year and received disjointed instruction. With flexible scheduling, they can go any day and learn library information skills as part of the core curriculum.
Parents are understandably concerned that with changes to the library schedule, their children may not receive some of the traditional aspects of library sessions, such as regularly scheduled check out and lessons. This is not the case. A flexible schedule is not an unstructured one, it is still a schedule. It is, as the name implies, flexible. Students will still have the opportunity to visit the library as the teacher allows, they will still be able to participate in library lessons. But now, instead of a 45-minute class, the lesson may be longer or shorter depending on that day’s activities, and the teacher may go with the class to the library. In addition, there will be room in the schedule for me to work with classes while they conduct research and practice resource-based learning.
Advantages of a Flexible Schedule
• Greater access to library resources—during entire instructional day.
• Increased circulation as students may exchange books daily instead of weekly.
• Information/research skills integrated into the curriculum and learned more effectively.
• Classes can spend several consecutive days in the library to work on projects.
Students have always needed good reading skills, but students in today’s information-driven society also need the ability to locate, evaluate, and utilize information in a variety of formats. The best way to teach these research skills is through integrating them into the core curriculum in the form of resource-based units. A flexibly scheduled library program encourages collaboration between the teachers and I in developing resource based instruction.
Check out the American Library Association's Statement on Flex Scheduling:
http://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/position-statements/flex-sched
I am looking forward to a busy and exciting year in the library! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
See you in the library!
Mrs. Adams
eadams2@wcpss.net
Derived from: http://flowermound.lisd.net/ourpages/auto/2011/
4/29/52243032/flex%20parent%20brochure.pdf
