Collaboration

Because Media Specialists have limited access to and time with students during the week, it is important to rely on collaboration with teachers in order to explore topics and skills in depth. While the main focus of these units is inquiry skills and information literacy standards, because state education standards are also addressed, I hope to find teachers receptive to collaboration. At my school, I act as both the librarian and computer teacher, which, because of our fixed schedule, gives me one hour of face time with students each week. While some of the unit lessons can be taught during library time and some of the students computer work can be done during computer class, additional computer time will need to be scheduled, and students will need class time to work on outlines, scripts, and writing.

4th Grade Collaboration Opportunities

 * The classroom teacher and media specialist could co-teach a "basics of note-taking" lesson to give students an idea of layouts, determining key points, etc.
 * The classroom teacher could arrange a field trip to a local museum and students can take notes on different exhibits that they visit. Back in the classroom, students can use their notes to write a report on their field trip and then discuss how their notes helped their writing and what they could improve.
 * The classroom teacher and media specialist could co-teach a lesson on bibliographies, fair use policies, and giving credit.
 * The classroom teacher could read aloud //The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler// in class and then have students create a scrapbook from the point of view of the main characters. This would give students an in-depth look at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and introduce them to scrapbooking layouts and processes.

5th Grade Collaboration Opportunities

 * The classroom teacher can teach students how to use the classroom Flip Digital Camcorders and then send them on a video scavenger hunt where they must find different people and things throughout the school and videotape them.
 * The classroom teacher could arrange a field trip to a local farm and students can take notes on what footage and information would make for a good virtual field trip. Back in the classroom, the students can discuss their notes and create a storyboard for a potential video together on the board.
 * The classroom teacher and media specialist could co-teach a lesson analyzing news footage and informational videos for volume, phrasing, and timing, as well as ways the speakers emphasize points to help the viewer understand important ideas.