Bunhead With Duct Tape
  • HOME
  • AUTHOR
  • CONSULTANT
    • "BOOK" KRISTINA
    • PRESENTATIONS
  • SPEAKER
    • CONFERENCE APPEARANCES
    • "You Can Write a How to Book" & STEM activity for kids!
    • Flipgrid Guides
    • ARTICLES & BLOGS
    • TWITTER CHATS
    • INTERVIEWS & VIDEOS
  • COLLABORATOR
    • EDCAMP CARDIGAN CAMP
    • THE DIGITAL LIBRARIAN'S SURVIVAL TOOLKIT
    • THE DIGITAL LIBRARIAN'S SURVIVAL TOOLKIT
    • The Epic Ebook of Web Tools & Apps
  • ADVOCATE
  • CREDENTIALS

Gently Down the S.T.R.E.A.M. - Using Research and Making to Inspire Innovation and Creativity!  Guest post by Barbara Johnson, Library Media Specialist at Jack Jackter Intermediate School.

1/29/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
School Libraries Work! (2016) by Scholastic, I read it right after my trip to AASL in Columbus, OH in November. IT FIRED ME UP! You can find it here if you haven't read it yet:
http://www.scholastic.com/SLW2016/index.htm.  I was already excited to share, collaborate and inspire from my experience in Ohio. I came home ready to put the kids in charge, empower them, and let them drive! BUT, then I saw the data Scholastic had gathered, it was astounding, “75% [of students] have no idea how to locate articles and resources they need for their research. 60% don’t verify the accuracy or reliability of the information they find. [and] 44% do not know how to integrate knowledge from different sources.”(2)


Well, there were my Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) for the year! But how do I do this if I am supposed to let the kids drive? Enter the STREAM, the evolution of adding research (reading) and arts to the STEM program:  https://www.impactoneducation.org/programs-for-students/s-t-r-e-a-m/.  With this program, I could design student centered research projects, connecting them to both Science and Social Studies curricular topics, but then hand over the reigns of the project to the students.  I created materials (graphic organizers) to guide the students to better research techniques (scholarly sources, accurate information, and MLA citations), I curated digital tools (BrainPop/Gizmo/Tinker-Ball) to create an engaging introduction, and then started collecting recycled materials to stock up the Makerspace students would be using to create.

Did I mention my kids are aged 8-10?  Grades 3-5.  So, when I looked at their SCIENCE curriculum, Grade 5 was getting ready to study Sound and Light, Grade 4: Properties of Liquids, and Grade 3: Simple Machines. PERFECT!   
Our district adopted the Stripling Model of Inquiry about 5 years ago because it seemed to connect to all grade levels with it’s W.I.C(S).E.R acronym. Wonder, Investigate, Construct/Synthesize, Express and Reflect is prominently displayed on the wall in each library, and taught in grades K-2. By the time the kids come to me, they are familiar with both terms and process. I can concentrate on the resources.  The librarians of Colchester do this with fixed library lessons, now called Information Literacy.  We collaborate with a Technology Specialist (which I used to be) and the other building Specialists (Music, Art and PE) to integrate and achieve STREAM.  We are also fortunate to share the class schedule with the Tech Specialist so that we both have fixed classes, Genius Blocks, Collaborative Blocks and planning.
Building the Grade 5 lesson with my team, we considered:

CONNECT: Students were challenged with a mystery tune (Twinkle, Twinkle..but shhh, don’t let it get out) They were provided a table of materials, water, and an iPad. Materials included: glasses, cans, cups, pencils, pens, and paper.  They were given a graphic organizer to plan out their strategy, and also record what happened. Off they went! So engaged, and PRODUCTIVE! Small groups worked together to figure out the tune, recreate it with the materials, and then document their work with the iPad, photo or video.  (42 minutes or one class period)
WONDER: Students explore an interactive game on BrainPop Jr., and a quick video about sound.  With their background knowledge filled in, students were given a graphic organizer to record the instrument they were curious about, and their findings.  I made sure to include a place for a citation, and annotation (remember we want kids to use scholarly resources and cite them!) (42 minutes or one class period)

INVESTIGATE: students explore digital, print, and video resources.  MUCH OF MY TIME is spent guiding students to understand the importance of using J.U.N.K (okay I made this up):
  • Just experts as authors
  • Uses accurate information
  • Newly updated (10 years)
  • Keeps to the facts (bias)
Remember those SLOs? Many student conferences in the library begin with me asking the question “how do you know this is true?”  There are constant reminders, discussions and peer feedback sessions where this question is raised, and I think, it is the most important thing I can teach my students. And maybe the hardest thing.  Through practice, and failure, students learn to evaluate resources and the information they find there for value and expertise. The essential questions for this project are “How does my instrument make/change sounds?” and “How can I build my own?” (84 minutes or two class periods)

SYNTHESIZE/CONSTRUCT: Time to put together the pieces! Figuratively in this step.  Students use their findings to sketch, plan or design a way to replicate the instrument they have just studied. I gave my students some choices here too!  Students can go low-tech with pencil and paper, mid-tech with a Google Drawing, or high-tech with TinkerCad (3D design and printing)
Students created a sketch, used text boxes to describe what they were using and how the pieces and parts helped to make and/or change the instruments sound (remember those essential questions?) (42 minutes or one class period)

EXPRESS: LET THE FUN BEGIN! Student brought in recycled materials the thought they would need to build their instrument.  There are no rules here but one, CAN’T BUY ANYTHING!  We let them have the run of the library space here, just monitoring for kids who needed help.  I did bring in my “big girl scissors”, hammer and hot glue sticks. I just got to walk around, poking holes in stuff  or cutting plastic bottles in half. SO MUCH FUN to just let the time develop into what it will.  The hardest part for kids, stopping.  We had a bit of clean-up so we would stop after about 35 minutes of building. They were so upset, would have loved a 90 minute block, just to let them go...but 42 minutes it is! (84 minutes or two class periods)
​

REFLECTION: This is both for the students and me.  Did they learn anything?  Students are equipped with their instrument, their graphic organizers and their sketches. They are given a rubric for the project, and asked to self-evaluate.  The rubric asks them to evaluate the quality of their findings, and their involvement.  I use their work, their self-evaluation, and some video, to fill out the rubric myself and come up with a “grade” 1,2,3 or 4, which is what we use on our report cards (rubric is aligned to this scale)
Time to find another topic!

SCHOOL LIBRARIES WORK! A Compendium of Research Supporting the Effectiveness of School Libraries. New York: Scholastic, 2016. PDF.

"STREAM." Impact on Education. Boulder Valley Schools, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2016.

Picture
Picture
Picture
1 Comment
Penni Sears link
6/21/2018 11:24:29 pm

Hi,

My name is Penni Sears, I am the Founder Of HearTheMusicPlay.com.

I really like your blog and noticed that you accept guest posts and wondered if you’d be open to accepting one from me. I have read your guidelines here http://www.bunheadwithducttape.com/my-blog/gently-down-the-stream-using-research-and-making-to-inspire-innovation-and-creativity-guest-post-by-barbara-johnson-library-media-specialist-at-jack-jackter-intermediate-school.

If so please let me know and I will send you several suggested topics that you may like. (If you have a topic you'd really like me to cover just let me know)

You can see an example of the type of content I publish at: https://hearthemusicplay.com/internets-top-100-music-blogs/ and https://hearthemusicplay.com/top-100-albums-of-all-time/.

Obviously, we will happily promote our post to our 2K followers on Twitter.

Regards,

Penni Sears

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Kristina A. Holzweiss

    Ed Tech School Librarian
    Professional Developer
    Author
    Maker

    Archives

    July 2021
    April 2021
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    January 2018
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

    Categories

    All
    AASL
    Advocacy
    Alzheimer's
    Appsmash
    Aprons
    Autism
    Awards
    Bitsbox
    Bloxels
    Book Fairs
    Books
    Book Tasting
    Book-Tasting
    Brag Tags
    BrainPop
    Breakout EDU
    Buncee
    Business
    Buzzers
    Canva
    Coding
    Conferences
    Contests
    CoSpaces
    Creativity
    Cricut Maker
    Curation
    Design
    Digital Book Bentos
    Digital Portfolios
    Doink
    DonorsChoose
    Dry Erase
    Ducks4Laryssa
    EBooks
    Electronics/Circuits
    English Language Learners
    ESBOCES
    ESL
    Failure
    Fake News
    First Day Of School
    FlipGrid
    Fliphunt
    Folger Library
    Games
    Gamification
    Genially
    GIF
    Google Slides
    Grants/Funding
    Green Screen
    Grit/Perseverance
    Growth Mindset
    Guest Post
    Hacks
    Howtoons
    Immersive Reader
    ISTE
    Kapwing
    Kids Deserve It
    Kits
    K'Nex
    Legos
    Literacy
    Little Free Library
    Madison-Oneida BOCES
    Make A Difference
    Make Magazine
    Makerspaces
    Making
    Malala
    Manners
    Memes
    Microsoft
    Music
    Newsletters
    New Teachers
    NGSS
    NYSCATE
    Organization
    OSMO
    Ozobots
    Pedagogy
    Planetarium
    PLN
    Productivity
    Professional Development
    QBall
    QR Codes
    Reading
    Reading Logs
    Recycled Materials
    Relationships
    Research
    Resumes
    Scholastic
    School Librarian Of The Year
    School Library Journal
    Sensory Walk
    Shakespeare
    Shopping
    Skype
    SLIME
    SnapCircuits
    Social Media
    Special Education
    Standards
    STEAM
    STEM
    STREAM
    Stripling Model Of Inquiry
    Student Engagement
    Tackk
    Target
    Teen Tech Week
    Thank You
    Thinglink
    Think It Up
    Twitter
    VersaTiles
    Video Games
    Virtual Field Trips
    Visitations
    Visual Literacy
    Wakelet
    Webinar
    Web Tools
    Wireless Door Chime
    YALSA

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • HOME
  • AUTHOR
  • CONSULTANT
    • "BOOK" KRISTINA
    • PRESENTATIONS
  • SPEAKER
    • CONFERENCE APPEARANCES
    • "You Can Write a How to Book" & STEM activity for kids!
    • Flipgrid Guides
    • ARTICLES & BLOGS
    • TWITTER CHATS
    • INTERVIEWS & VIDEOS
  • COLLABORATOR
    • EDCAMP CARDIGAN CAMP
    • THE DIGITAL LIBRARIAN'S SURVIVAL TOOLKIT
    • THE DIGITAL LIBRARIAN'S SURVIVAL TOOLKIT
    • The Epic Ebook of Web Tools & Apps
  • ADVOCATE
  • CREDENTIALS