Wordles in the Classroom

This week, students in grades 4 - 6 will create Wordles containing words that reflect their feelings about Veterans Day. After listening to Eve Bunting's The Wall, students will work in pairs to create their word clouds. You can see the latest fourth grade creations below. It's easy to do with your students and has many applications.

For instance, the more times a word repeats, the bigger it is in the cloud. Students could copy and paste an essay into the "Create" box in Wordle to analyze a visual representation of their writing. If one word is bigger than the rest, they might decide to find synonyms for those words.

Please see Miss Connolly to learn more about how to use this resource with your students!

Welcome to the Argenziano School Library!

The year has kicked off to a great start in our school's Library. Students in grades K - 2 spent the first few weeks learning about how to be great library patrons. We read about what happened when Marion spilled jam on her book and students took trips around the world to schools and libraries in countries like Pakistan and Columbia.

Students in grades 3 - 5 have been learning differences between fiction and non-fiction books, exploring the Dewey Decimal System to learn how to self-select their own free reading books, and exploring reference resources like encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs and Websites. Grade 5 was fortunate enough to write poetry and understand what it means to be a singer-songwriter before joining students around the nation for an interview Webcast with Taylor Swift.

Students in grade 6 have been learning about copyright and fair use guidelines when using images from the Internet before gearing up for their Photostory projects. They're turning their biography reports into visual narrations.

Students in grades 7 and 8 have been exploring various ideas to select their documentary film topics. They are currently creating commercials for a search engine, meta-search engine or subject directory of their choice. Once they know there's more to the Internet than Google, they will have the world of research at their fingertips!

The Library is a great resource for teachers, too. The following services are available:

• Classroom Collection (CC): Located in the Library in the Storage Closet across from the Computer Lab door, the CC contains books for use in the classroom and several titles have audio CDs attached.
• Flip and Digital Video and Still Cameras: We have a small collection of cameras available for check out. Flip cameras are extremely easy for students to use. I encourage you to get them into the hands of your students!
• Book talks: If you would like students to hear book talks about a certain genre or type, please let me know. I will devote Library Class time to introducing students to books and giving them time to have access to reader's advisory. The more information I have about your needs, the better!
• Web 2.0, Etc.: Miss Connolly is happy to show teachers how to use a variety of online classroom and organizational tools (many of which could make your life easier!) including the following:

• Edmodo.com - Facebook for the classroom to facilitate group collaboration
• Wikis - Online collaboration tool
• Blogs - You could maintain a classroom blog to showcase what your students are up to!
• Google Tools - Docs, Calendar, Reader
• Delicious.com - Online bookmarking - take bookmarks with you wherever you go
• PhotoStory 3 - Narrated slide show presentations.
• Twitter - Admit it. You're curious as to what it's all about! It can be an amazing education resource tool.

More information about the Library to come as the days and weeks roll by. Please stop by to talk about ideas, resources, technology, cameras, and anything else we can provide for you.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

WSNS Grades K-2 read Bill Martin Jr.'s Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Each grade created the set, made their own props and acted out their own version of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Here is the results from all their hard work:

Ms. Buckley's 2nd Grade Class:

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Second Grade from Andrea Zampitella on Vimeo.

Mrs. Mahon's 1st Grade Class:

Untitled from Andrea Zampitella on Vimeo.

Ms. Griffin's 2nd Grade Class

Untitled from Andrea Zampitella on Vimeo.

Welcome Teachers

I am very excited to be the new Library Media Specialist at the Brown and the Capuano schools! I am interested in using technology and web 2.0 tools in the classroom. The library at both schools have recently received flip video cameras and digital cameras that teachers can check out.

If you are interested in learning how to use the new cameras, please don't be afraid to stop in or send me an email. I would love to help you out!


Projects we are currently working on in the library using the new cameras:

• 1st Grade: Students are learning about seasonal weather by reading a variety of books. Students have brainstormed types of clothing we wear for each season and why we wear it (for example: sunglasses for summer because it is sunny). Each student will choose one piece of clothing and come up with a movement to pretend to put it on. Then, they will be recorded saying their item and doing their movement (for example: "It is summer! I have to put on my sunglasses because it is sunny.") Then, we will watch our video as a class.

• 5th Grade: Students are learning about copyright laws for images. They will take pictures around the school to make a class photo tour. Then, they will decide how to license their photographs using the creative commons licenses (http://www.creativecommons.org/) as a guideline. Check back for our school photo tour!

Flip Cams are Here!

Media Instructor Craig Leach announces new Flip cams just for teacher use at SHS, Next Wave and Full Circle

Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are:
In October the we read “ Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak. In the story Max is sent to bed without supper for stirring up mischief. In his room his imagination takes him to a place with ferocious wild things. Max causes wild rumpus and ends up learning a lesson. In the end, he realizes he misses his loved ones.. and his supper. The Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades at WSNS started their own wild rumpus and took digital photos of each other being “Wild Things.” As a class we came up with our own class monster by collaging the photos together.

ESCS Comings and Goings

The East Somerville library is back in the swing of things. We're busy learning about all types of books. Some favorites are sharks, lions, tigers, and butterflies to name a few. Froggy is a favorite read as well as Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

To emphasize the importance of reading, grades 1and 2 listened to a new favorite called Library Mouse.
The third graders welcomed the reading of Perfect Pigs which focused on manners.

My fourth,fifth, and sixth graders are learning how to use databases for research.

The seventh and eighth graders are busy working on their Middle School projects.

The ESCS library has two assistants. Miss Carlie Landers is available in morning and Miss Krista Invernizzi is available in the afternoon. Please feel free to use the library. The assistants will help you with class projects ,small groups, and reading with individual students. Please remember to sign the signup sheet posted near the door of the library.

WHCS Library Comings and Goings

First quarter is almost finished and we have been working on some fun projects in the library.

Grade K has been listening to a bunch of Munsch; all those wacky books by Robert Munsch. Mrs. DiRusso's favorite is Zoom about a little girl who gets a super cool wheelchair.

Grade 1 has been studying all about Marc Brown the author of the Arthur books. Keep your eyes open for our movie star sunglasses.

Grade 2 has been visiting the Black Lagoon with author Mike Thaler. Ask the students who Mrs. Beamster is.

Grade 3 has been working with fables. We read Aesop's The Tortoise and the Hare as well as Fables by Arnold Lobel. Now we are looking at Yo, Aesop! We are becoming experts at matching the moral with the fable.

Grade 4 has been working on the comprehension strategy of questioning. We have been reading a lot of the books by Chris VanAllsburg. Writing our quesitons on post-its is almost as much fun as looking for Fritz in every book.

Grade 5 has been working on PowerPoint biography projects. Soon we'll be showing our finished slideshows about famous people like Tom Brady, Will Smith, and Avril Lavigne.

Grade 6 has been working on making movies using PhotoStory. We went on vaction anywhere in the world or even beyond.

Grade 7-8 have been working on the Middle Grades Project. Most of us have selected our topic and will begin researching soon.