October is "Keep Kids Safe Online" Month

October is national "Keep Kids Safe Online" Month and although we are getting to the end of month,  I have come across some great resources I'd like to share.

The Wisconsin DPI website has a page with information about Internet Safety for parents. It includes safety and security tips, information about student data privacy, links to the Department of Justice's "Protect Kids Online" podcast series, and links to other organizations' online safety information.

Another good source of information for parents comes from NetSmartz, a program from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They address a wide range of safety topics, including internet safety, online privacy, cellphones and social media.

We will also address being safe online with grades 1 - 8 in library media class. Grades 1 - 2 just touch on the subject in age appropriate terms. Grades 3 - 8 have digital citizenship units from Common Sense Media's curriculum that cover internet safety. Common Sense Media also has resources for parents that address Parent Concerns with different media.

Back to School of it All

It has been a busy first few weeks of school! Our theme for the year for all grade levels is "Having a Growth Mindset".  It is so important for students to understand that learning and success comes from practice, trying different strategies and sticking with concepts until we understand them, rather than having talents or "being smart". It's not just a feel-good concept, it is brain science!

With the younger grades, we read a book called "Bubble Gum Brain" that spoke about stretching your brain by being willing to make mistakes and try new strategies. Here is a picture of the students chewing bubble gum celebrating those elastic, bendable brains!

The older grades stretched their brains and practiced having a growth mindset with a library "Breakout EDU" problem solving activity and the new Middle School Exploratory explored our new fiction genre sections of the Middle/High School library. They had several puzzles and clues within their games that took determination and persistence! All of the groups made it out...here are some pictures:

Lastly, here are some great growth mindset quotes:

"There is a difference between not knowing and not knowing YET." - Sheila Tobias

"Every mistake you make is progress." - Unknown

"Don't judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again."
- Nelson Mandela

"I haven't failed. I just found ten thousand ways that don't work."  - Thomas Edison

"If you find a path with no obstacles it probably doesn't lead anywhere." - Frank A. Clark

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

In Kindergarten we had a special guest, Mrs. Olga Alanis-Ramirez, read a Cinco de Mayo book in Spanish. Luckily, she also translated it into English! We learned about how the holiday is celebrated in Mexico, including parades, food, parties (fiestas) and fireworks.  We made connections to our Independence Day (4th of July) celebrations in the U.S. 

Mrs. Ramirez sang our wake up song to Chester in Spanish.  She also sang a fun song children sing when they take turns at batting a piñata. At the end of class, the Kindergartners took turns pulling a ribbon on a piñata & got a few pieces of candy for their efforts. 

Happy Read Across America Day!

Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss, who would have been 113 years old today! We also celebrate Read Across America Day: a day to focus on encouraging a love of reading. In our library we have celebrated by reading One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish with the CEC kiddos and counting goldfish crackers to match the numbers on the bowls. PreK had fun with a Parents Day today and did another fish activity counting "red fish" and "blue fish" dots. 1st and 2nd graders did an activity with the book There's a Wocket in My Pocket. 

A lot of Dr. Seuss books are being checked out and the students have enjoyed our Seuss character stuffed animals! 

                                                             Our library mascot, 

                                                             Chester the Raccoon

                          

Activity from obSEUSSED.com

Red & Blue Fish Dot Activity by The Resourceful Momma

What's in Your Pocket by Rowdy in Room 300 blog

"Books and Blankets" Literacy Night a Success

Books and Blankets was a huge success thanks to staff and high school students who volunteered their time to organize fun book activities, help with registration, and help run our literacy night at the Elementary School on the evening of February 21. We had about 100 participants including students, siblings and parents. Particpants could choose from three of the following sessions:

Camping (Me with HS student Faune Fisher)

Doggone Fun (The Raymonds & Bernie)















Soup Opera (Mr. Pekarske & Ms. Glover)

If You Give a Pig a Party (Ms. Nemoir with Mrs. Lowerre)

Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies (Mr. Wotruba with HS student Joshua Fischer)

The Day the Crayons Quit (Ms. Onell & Ms. Richter)

Look at Me -- Chameleon (The Tramburgs)

The night ended with Mr. Raymond reading a bedtime story to the students and families snuggled in their PJ's on their blankets.

Happy Valentine's Day!

For the CEC library time, we read Valentine Mice by Bethany Roberts. It is a classic, fun Valentine's Day book. After the story, the kiddos made their own valentines, each with a unique style! Those faces made my Valentine's Day!

Digital Citizenship

Library media classes have recently begun units for grades  3-5 on Digital Citizenship in order to help students be respectful, responsible, and safe online. Some of the topics we have explored include:

• Privacy Protection Online
• Creating Safe Passwords
• Spam
• Cyberbullying
• Searching Online
• Giving Credit/Citing Sources

We are using curriculum through Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization that describes itself as being, “dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology”. They have a lot of great resources for parents including reviews, family guides, and they address a wide range of  parent concerns. Their web address is https://www.commonsensemedia.org/. Check out this family tip sheet for keeping elementary children safe online.

I also have a Parents page on my resource website, Scheid Shelves, that has information on safe and appropriate use of technology for children of all ages.