Stromness Academy Library

Today saw on of the most successful information literacy sessions to date which gets pupils engaged (in a bit of friendly competition), using books, in particular contents and indexes and teaches them scanning skills. It also ensures S1 pupils get an idea of the resources available for their big History research project.

To begin with, pupils are asked about what they know of keywords. We also discuss how we find information in books and online using contents and indexes of books and search engines.

Pupils are paired off. Each gets a bingo card and a recording sheet. There are 5-6 books, each on a different topic covered in Ancient Civilisations (Romans, Vikings, Aztec, etc) on the tables. Keywords are called out. Each pair has to browse through the books, using contents and indexes and find the keyword. The keyword, title of book and page number (if they find it) has to be recorded on the sheet (good practise for recording the resources they use in a project in a bibliography). If their keyword is on the bingo card, they score it off. We start slow, giving pupils time to find and record the keywords. As the game progresses, the time between the call outs gets less and pupils only need to record the keyword and/or mark it off, although some still continue searching in the books. Prizes (from a mixed tin of sweets) are given to the first three groups who get a line. If time permits we then go on to see if anyone gets a full house.

Pupils appear to be really engaged and enjoying the lesson whilst probably not realising they are learning stuff in the process. Not only are they trawling through the books, they start discussing the topic and some will even be thinking ahead about which book might be appropriate for the keyword called out. 5-10 minutes at the end is set aside for them to just browse the books (start background reading) and think about the topic they will finally choose to research. It is great to see two or three pupils huddled over a single book actively engaged in and discussing / sharing the content with each other.

‘Some chuffed’ as they say here in Orkney.

Ghost storytelling in the library at lunchtime!

Apologies for sideways version of photo… it isn’t in the original file 🙁 

It is National Poetry Day on Thursday 2nd October. The display is up and the junior classes have started thinking about poetry during their library periods.

Using ideas from and adapting resources produced by Forward Arts Foundation, in particular the National Poetry Day Remember Collaborative Educational Resource pupils carried out a group exercise over 5 stations (tables) thinking on a random five of the following themes using guide questions as a basis for discussion:

Remember

Evoke

Memories

Epitaph

Music

Blue Remembered Hills (Place)

Evolve

Recall & Record                                 

Pupils only had a short time to discuss and note down their thoughts on Post It notes before moving on.  (Lesson plan) This gave them a basis to get their creative process going for the possible creation of a poem to enter in the competition. Pupils were also given a chance to influence what the prize (a £10 gift voucher) would be by listing the type of voucher they would like to receive if they won.

Here are some examples of memories noted down:

We are now five weeks into the new session. Everyone has settled back to the routing of the school day after the summer holidays. The library is fairly busy with class bookings and the usual regulars before school and at lunchtime. Our new S1 pupils are starting to use the library for leisure purposes too.

As October draws near we start thinking about two of our established annual events: Poetry Picnic (National Poetry Day) on Thursday 2nd October, and Spooky Happenings (Hallowe’en storytelling) on a date to be arranged after the October holidays. Further details will be available in the daily bulletin.

A proposed new venture, is to set up an award shadowing group for the Scottish Children’s Book Award. In the first instance, registration has been done and a copy of each of the books on the list has been ordered. Next steps will be putting out feelers to see who is interested and then we will get reading. This is a chance for our young people to vote for the best book.

Later in the year, will also shadow the Stan Lee Excelsior Award for Graphic Novels and Manga. This will be our third year doing this.

In the meantime, plans are afoot to run our second Magic the Gathering competition at lunchtimes, the pupils do most of the organisation of this. Other ideas for activities and events always considered.

Finally, a blatant plug for the school librarian through this article recently spotted on the Guardian website:

Don’t overlook your school librarian, they’re the unsung heroes of literacy

The library web pages on the school website have recently been up-dated. The web pages give general information about what the library can offer.

There is a week to go before Scotland goes to the polls to make a choice: to stay with the union or go independent from the rest of the UK. Our 16 and 17 year olds have been given the vote. To help with their decisions leaflets from both sides of the debate have been placed in project topic boxes in the library. There is also a display showing how to vote and more information from both sides.