1-Thing Wednesday: QR Codes in the Library

One of the tools we like to use in the library during lessons is QR codes. They're such a handy, easy, and convenient way for students to access information! Our Dallas Center Elementary students in Grades 3 - 5 started the year using QR codes in a scavenger hunt that provided beginning-of-the-year information for them. All around the library, students found and scanned QR codes to learn more.

Throughout the year, students use QR codes to access research-related websites, like PebbleGO, and near the end of the year, 1st graders used them to access book trailers. 

CLICK HERE to access the blog post for this activity.

Stay tuned--students will likely use QR codes again in the coming school year!

1-Thing Wednesday: 2017 - 2018 State Award Nominees

The state award nominees for the coming 2017 - 2018 school year were announced earlier in the year. Our K-2 students will read and listen to the Iowa Goldfinch Awards:

And our Grades 3-5 students will read from and listen to the Iowa Children's Choice Award nominees: 

Over the course of the coming school year, students are encouraged to read at least two of the nominees from their lists, and should they complete the reading by late February/early March, they will be eligible to vote for the building and state-wide winner. Feel free to read any of the books over the summer, and stay tuned for many activities related to these great books!

1-Thing Wednesday: Google Classroom in the Library

This year our Dallas Center Elementary students in Grades 3 - 5 started using Chromebooks in a 2:1 environment (2 students for every 1 device), and with the increased access came the use of Google Classroom in the library.

A few of the DC Elementary Library Google Classrooms 

Every Grade 3 - 5 classroom had its own library Google Classroom where students could access everything from our library main page to that day's digital activity. Below are just some of the examples of how we used Google Classroom:

• accessing and viewing book trailers related to state award books
• accessing, completing, and turning in reading comprehension activities
• using our library Symbaloo to find websites and databases for research
• viewing teacher instructions or lessons

The ease with which students could access that day's work--and return to it as they liked--made all the difference. Assignments that covered several days of library classes became easier to manage, and students could easily see what resources to use to complete different tasks.

3rd grade mythology work and resources pushed out via Google Classroom.

Now that students in Grades 3 - 5 have used Google Classroom for a year, they likely will be able to return to school with a better understanding of how we'll use it in the library. What a great tool to manage classes, share resources and assignments, allow for technology integration, and engage students!

1-Thing Wednesday: Participate in a Summer Reading Program

Now that we're officially on summer break, it's time to bring back the weekly themed blog post. This year it's "1-Thing Wednesday," and the focus will be on just one thing related to the library, the school year, or the tech world. To kick off the very first 1-Thing Wednesday, let's take a look at the summer reading programs at the local public libraries supporting our elementary schools.

Librarians from the Grimes Public Library spoke with students at Dallas Center Elementary about the summer reading program, and visiting the Grimes Public Library website will provide all kinds of information, as well as allow you to watch a promotional video:

CLICK HERE to watch the video.

The summer reading program began on Mon. June 5 and will run until the end of July. Here's what their website had to say about the summer reading program:

Want to see their Calendar of Events? You can access it from the library website, or you can CLICK HERE to view daily summer reading events. 

Live in Dallas Center and want to participate in the summer reading program there? They, too, kicked off their program early in June and are excited to sign up readers all summer long! If you're looking for a way to beat the heat, hang out with friends, or try something new to read, why not visit the public library near you and sign up!