Better Than P.E. . . Making the Library a Hub of Active Learning in a K-4 School

How the library can be used to support the curriculum by incorporating technology (with limited access to computers), literature, Common Core Curriculum Standards, and current brain research to keep the learning atmosphere developmentally appropriate through the use of centers, movement, music and art.

Michele E. Carroll, NBCT Teacher LibrarianForest Heights Elementary Harrison, AR

AAIM 2013

Purposeful Play: What is it?

“Play is the fundamental means by which children gather and process information, learn new skills, and practice old ones (Ginsburg, 2007).

“Play becomes purposeful when children’s potential for learning is enhanced while these attributes of play are maintained”

Purposeful play enables children to develop social–emotional skills that are delineated in some state standards as problem solving and cooperation .”(Drew, Christie, Johnson, Meckley, & Nell, (2008).

Gilbert, Jaesook L., Helene A. Harte, and Carol Patrick. "Purposeful Play Leads to School Readiness." Dimensions of Early Childhood Vol 39.1 (2011): 29-35. Web

Purposeful Play: What is it?

“Purposeful play provides opportunities for inquiry-based learning, during which children

• explore answers to theirquestions through hands-oninteraction with materials,

• build their questioning skills,and

• enhance their understandingof key academic concepts(Drew, et al., 2008).”

Gilbert, Jaesook L., Helene A. Harte, and Carol Patrick. "Purposeful Play Leads to School Readiness." Dimensions of Early Childhood Vol 39.1 (2011): 29-35. Web

Purposeful Play: What is it?

Purposeful Play: What is it?

Engaging students in their learning through:

• Collaborative problem solving• Experimentation• Visual and Fine Motor Development• Gross Motor Development• Math Concepts• Language Development

Brain Research• Exercise boosts brain power.

Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle, WA: Pear, 2008. Print.

Brain Research

•Survival –do students feel safe in your room or are they in survival mode where learning withers?

•All brains are wired differently.“Does it make sense to have school systems that expect every brain to learn like every other?”.• Attention:

• We don’t pay attention to boring things. Keep attention for 10 minutes. You pay better attention to things you have a memory to associate;

• Brain cannot multitask when paying attention– it works sequentially. If interrupted it takes 50% longer to complete the task. Most teachers overstuff students with too much information and not enough connecting dots.

• After 10 minutes tell a relevant narrative or create an emotional rich event in the classroom

Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle, WA: Pear, 2008. Print.

Brain Research• Sensory Integration stimulate more of the sensesInformation is absorbed through the senses. Learning is most effective when all of the senses work together.

Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle, WA: Pear, 2008. Print.

Sedimentary Snack during unit about rocks. Students used their senses to describe each layer of the snack, comparing it to sedimentary rocks.

Brain Research•Vision triumphs all other senses; dominating half of the brain’s resources.

Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle, WA: Pear, 2008. Print.

Brain Research“We are powerful and natural explorers”

Babies are the model of how we learn . . . not by passive reaction to the environment but by active testing through observation, hypothesis, experiment, and conclusion.

Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle, WA: Pear, 2008. Print.

Brain ResearchGood News:“Some parts of our adult brains stay as malleable as a baby’s so we can create neurons and learn new things throughout our lives.”

Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle, WA: Pear, 2008. Print.

Common Core

•Reading Standards for Literature•Key Ideas and Details•2. Retell familiar stories

Common Core

•Reading Standards for Literature•Key Ideas and Details•2. Recount stories such as fables and folktales from diverse cultures.

Fables

Common Core

•Reading Standards for Literature K–5

–Key Ideas and Details#3. Describe characters, settings and events.

Common Core

• Reading Standards for

Informational Text K–5– Craft and Structure

• #5. Identify text features in

non-fiction books.

The 3 Little Dassies by Jan BrettArkansas Diamond Nominee 2012-2013Kindergarten:

Create a front cover for this book. The illustration should include the story’s characters and setting.

1st Grade: Create a title page for this book. The illustration should include the story’s characters and setting.

2nd Grade: Create a glossary for this book: “dassie” “Namibia”

3rd Grade: Create a back cover for this book. Write a summary for the book to include a “cliff hanger” for the story and some information you learned from the Jan Brett interview. Illustrations are optional.

Better than P.E.

Library is my favorite activity. I even like it better than p.e!

Available Technology in the Media Center

4 Student Computers

35 Playaways1 SMARTboard

4 iPads

I was informed on Friday that our school would be adding another computer lab so I could have access to a computer lab during each of my classes – 28 computers!

Daily ScheduleMrs. Carroll Forest Heights Elementary Media Center Schedule

2012-2013Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

8:15 – 8:30 Free Flow Free Flow Free Flow Free Flow Breakfast Duty

2nd 8:30 -9:30

Administrative Time

McKee Billups Hagler Administrative Time

1st 9:30 - 10:30

Administrative Time

Piper AdministrativeTime

Hunt Hodge

10:30 – 11:30 PLANNING PERIOD

4th 11:30-12:30

Rodden 11:30 – 12:00Administrative

Time

11:30 – 12:00Administrative

Time

Melhorn Owen

12:00 – 12:30 LUNCH

12:00 – 12:30 LUNCH

12:30 – 1:00LUNCH

4TH Grade Playaways Book Club

3rd & 4th Grade Avid Readers

Book ClubK

1:00 – 2:00Andrews Atkinson Mooney Patton Bower

3rd

2:00 – 3:00Administrative

Time Rook Chaffin Groberg Pace

3:00 – 3:15 Car Duty 3:15 – 3:35

Free Flow Free Flow Free Flow Free Flow

Independence in the Library

1st – 4th graders check out books independently. 2 students are chosen at the beginning of class to check in student books and to pass out bookmarks which have each child’s barcode to allow self-check out.

Independence is a necessity for a center filled library!

• Gilbert, Jaesook L., Helene A. Harte, and Carol Patrick. "Purposeful Play Leads to School Readiness." Dimensions of Early Childhood Vol 39.1 (2011): 29-35. Web

• Medina, John. Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Seattle, WA: Pear, 2008. Print.

• Young, Cari S. The Centered School Library: Engaging Every Learner with Library Skills Centers. Madison, WI: Upstart, 2011. Print

Sources