Novels Class Book Tasting

Recently students in Novels class participated in a book tasting as a way to consider different genres and explore the digital offerings from MackinVIA.

After input and guidance from the Novels teacher, ten different groups for students emerged as categories to browse, with graphic novels included in many of them.

Each category included around ten books for students to look through and think about, and students had a notecard to fill in as they made their way from table to table.

Over the course of the class period, students had time to browse, read, and make notes about potential reads, with many students choosing books from the tables to check out, and others seeking read-alikes or other books from the shelves.

The Novels class is one that will visit the library throughout the semester for different activities and literacy-based work. Stay tuned for more!

👀 #TakeALookTuesday--Checkout Edition

With the start of the new semester, several reading and English classes have visited the library recently to return, renew, and check out books. Overall, 22 groups in seven days' time have stopped in, and a total of 364 titles were checked out!

Here's the breakdown of nonfiction books checked out:

With almost 15% of the titles as nonfiction, that left the remaining 85% fiction titles. As expected, students checked out many popular authors, like these:

Other popular authors included Courtney Summers, Marie Lu, Elizabeth Acevedo, Becky Albertalli, John Green, and Carl Deuker.

👀#TakeALookTuesday--Series Edition

It's happened to us all probably...you choose a book, but it seems like the action starts in the  middle of things. Did you miss something? Or, maybe you've finished a great book that just leaves you hanging--what's the next book?! Is it out yet?!

Series books are great when you know you're reading a series, when you know you've started with Book 1, when you know exactly which book to read next. Right? Today's post can help with your love for series books--it's the Mid-Continent Public Library website for series and sequels.

Once you navigate to their site, you can search in a variety of ways, depending on the information you already know. Did you read a book and don't know the title of the next one in the series? Click on Book Title. Maybe you read something by an author who's unfamiliar to you and want to read more from that person. Click on Book Author.

Let's take a look: If you've read something in James Patterson's Maximum Ride series and want to know  more, you can click on Series Title and enter "Maximum Ride" in the search bar or just click on the letter "M."

Your results will give you the series books in order, along with subjects related to the book--subjects you could explore to maybe find more books you'd enjoy.

Remember, you're searching at a public library's website--and it's not our Grimes or Dallas Center public libraries. Clicking on the "Find It" button isn't going to show results for our school library or local public libraries; instead, you've learned about a book series and can know look for the book in the places where regularly check out. Still have questions or want to know if we have the book here at school? Just stop by! I'd be happy to help!

👀 #TakeALookTuesday--Thriller Titles Edition

One of these has probably happened to you: You finish a book that you loved and want to read another like it; you read a book by an author and want to know what else this author has put out; you love a particular genre and want to read more of the same. Right? The website Epic Reads might be a resource you'll want to look into!

While the site includes all sorts of things to help you with your next read, today's #takealooktuesday will feature just one piece--their list of recommendations of YA Thrillers, a genre that many ask about when visiting the library.

“These YA Thrillers Kept Us at the Edge of Our Seats.” Epic Reads, 28 Oct. 2021, www.epicreads.com/blog/ya-thrillers/.

Dead bodies? Missing friends? Murder accusations? Revenge? Survival and isolation? Lies and misdirection? If these are the things of great reads for you, take a look at some recommendations from Epic Reads:

All of these are available here in the library, and many of these authors have other titles here, too. Other books on the Epic Reads list are part of the collection as well--maybe you see something that interests you? Stop by the library and we'll see about getting a thriller into your hands!

American History Breakout Activity

Our semester ends this week, and as a wrap-up activity to prepare students for a final assessment, students in American History classes participated in a Breakout EDU related to the Great Depression called "Save the Stocks."

Students worked in small groups to solve combinations for five locks. Their clues included videos, puzzles, and documents that lead them to determine how to open their locks. Some items were hidden around the library, and even with all the right clues and information, *how* they put everything together could also make the difference between opening a lock and trying again. In each class, all groups were eventually successful and broke out!

👀 #TakeALookTuesday--Podcast Edition

Just before the holiday break, some of the English II classes stopped by the library to participate in a podcast lesson and activity. Students will be creating podcasts for an upcoming project, so this day's work served as an introduction.

The introduction Slides were based on an earlier presentation created by our AEA digital learning consultant Cathy Hines. After working on a middle school podcast unit together, Cathy again offered great suggestions about how to present podcasting to high school students. Another great resource was Jeff Glade, an AEA instructional technology consultant with a fantastic site devoted to podcasts. With Cathy's guidance and Jeff's resources, the English II podcasting lesson and activity came together. Many thanks!

Throughout the introduction, students offered talking points related to their own podcast listening and what they already knew about podcasts, like differences between YouTubers and podcasters.

Students also had the chance to listen to a podcast and complete together a note-taking/main idea Slide as seen on Jeff Glade's website. As an activity to complete in class, students listened to the prologue and Act I of a podcast called "Babysitting" from This American Life. As we listened, we paused at times to consider main ideas and images or text that would represent what we were hearing. Both classes' Slides are below: