Library Learning
Libraries Build Independent Learners Through Information Fluency and Inquiry
The goal of the Scarsdale librarians is to encourage every student to develop a life-long love of literature and research. A collaborative approach between the librarian and the classroom teacher allows for authentic teaching of literature and information fluency skills and strategies. Students need to use the skills of inquiry to learn essential content and to construct new meaning. Instruction, designed around an inquiry framework, generates active learning and the formation of new understandings.
The information fluency skills required for independent and lifelong learning follow a coherent developmentally appropriate continuum of instruction and practice throughout grades K-12. This enables all of our children to succeed in our ever-expanding information rich world.
Kindergarten students are developing the following skills:
● Respect for library and library materials
● Requesting or choosing materials related to personal interests
● Listening to stories and recalling facts from the listening activity
● Making predictions about what will happen next in the story
● Asking questions related to the listening activity
● Showing respect for the ideas of others while participating in group discussions
● Understanding that library materials are organized in a consistent and predictable way
● Personally connecting to literature
● Distinguishing between fiction and non-fiction books
Grade 1 students are developing the following skills:
● Respect for library and library materials
● Knowing that the online catalog is used to locate materials within the library
● Exploring and choosing materials based on personal interests
● Selecting and using fiction and non-fiction sources
● Making connections to prior knowledge
● Extracting information from illustrations
● Identifying facts which can answer specific questions
● Identifying characters, setting, and problem/resolution in a story
● Discussing characteristics of the work of favorite authors and illustrators
● Participating in discussions and actively listening
Grade 2 students are developing the following skills:
● Identifying books at his/her reading level ("just right" books)
● Choosing a variety of fiction and non-fiction
● Comparing characters and main ideas from different stories
● Showing respect for the ideas of others while participating in group discussions
● Generating questions during reading and research
● Following steps of the inquiry process modeled by teacher and/or librarian
● Using a variety of online and print resources with guidance
● Comparing new information with prior knowledge
● Recognizing the purpose of non-fiction text features
Grade 3 students are developing the following skills:
● Using both fiction and non-fiction material at an appropriate reading level
● Identifying and discussing the problems and solutions in stories
● Reflecting on text during reading or listening
● Generating questions during reading and research
● Understanding the concept of 'keywords’ as a research tool
● Recognizing the structure and purpose of the Dewey Decimal System
● Using author, title, subject or keywords to search the online catalog
● Using a variety of sources for research projects
● Employing simple note-taking techniques
● Understanding the need to cite resources
● Retrieving pertinent information in charts, captions, and sidebars
● Using online and print resources with guidance
Grade 4 students are developing the following skills:
● Identifying the elements of various literary genres
● Supporting interpretation of story (characters, setting, plot) with specific evidence
● Choosing a variety of fiction and non-fiction at an appropriate reading level
● Creating list of keywords based on prior knowledge when beginning research
● Formulating questions to advance research
● Beginning research by using the school library home page to access the online
catalog, online encyclopedias, periodical and image databases
● Skimming and scanning text to determine if material is relevant
● Using a variety of note-taking strategies as modeled by teacher and/or librarian (i.e.
bullet points, keywords, facts, phrases)
● Paraphrasing to record information
● Recognizing that information on the same topic from two different sources can have
discrepancies
● Citing both print and online sources used during research
● Participating in discussions, listening well, and respecting others' ideas
● Understanding the basic structure of a website
The information-fluent student in Grade 5 is developing the following skills:
● Recognizing features of different literary genres
● Reading a variety of fiction and non-fiction
● Distinguishing between questions which can be answered by simple fact finding,
those which cannot be answered, and those which lend themselves to an interesting
inquiry topic
● Researching using the school library homepage to access the online catalog, online
encyclopedias, periodical and image databases
● Skimming and scanning to evaluate information for relevance
● Evaluating facts for accuracy and recognizing that different sources can provide
conflicting information
● Identifying relevant details
● Using various note-taking strategies, including highlighting, underlining, lists, or
graphic organizers
● Using evidence from text to support opinions
● Reformulating ideas as new information is gathered
● Citing all sources properly, using model supplied by teacher and/or librarian
● Participating in discussions, listening well, and respecting others' ideas
● Understanding the structure and navigation tools of a website
Questions? Please contact kbyrnes@scarsdaleschools.org