Just in time for the holidays and 2 weeks of full remote learning, the Digital Learning and School Library Programs Department, is proud to release our Be Cyber Safe initiative.  As part of this initiative, we will be releasing monthly thematic packages, organized by grade level, and including:

• a Teacher's Guide, including a Table Talk for parents,

• Expert Tip Video 

• A Call to Action, and

• An Infographic for school and teacher use in newsletters, social media, and other communication.  

January's theme is The Power of Positive Talk and Relationships.  Themes are selected based on student activity seen via our Gaggle monitoring.  We need the help of our teachers and schools to help teach our students about cyber safety and behavior.  We are all responsible for creating better cyber citizens. 

As part of the launch, we are offering a $50 Walmart gift certificate to the student who creates the chosen logo for the project.  All submissions are due by January 29, 2020 and should be submitted using this form. 

I am proud of the DL  team's work on this project and look forward to seeing each month's theme being developed and implemented in our schools.  Feel free to provide feedback and suggestions.  This is a work in progress and our gift to you.

Happy Holidays and please rest, relax, and enjoy those close to you.

AD

Makerspaces Make Learning Fun  

At Town Creek Middle School, Mrs. Lemon uses makerspace activities to get students excited about attending school.  Teachers are hopeful that these hands-on lessons will give students something to look forward to each week. According to the article They’ll Make It Anywhere:  Hands-On Maker and Science Activities, “Makerspaces can help students recharge and avoid burnout”. They also help give students real-world relevance to what they are learning.  Mrs. Lemon has been attending PLC meetings and planning sessions with teachers to make sure that each lesson is engaging, but also tied to the classroom curriculum.  

The media center at TCMS includes a makerspace classroom for teachers to sign up and use with their students.   All Items are pre-sorted and arranged for individual use and sanitized after each lesson.  The media center has an abundance of resources for teachers and students to use including 3D printers, cricut machines, ozobots, a sewing machine, and much more!

Many of the maker activities use household materials so that remote learners can participate as well.  Teachers also take advantage of the virtual maker and STEM resources available for students as well and include them in their weekly lesson plans in google classroom.  

Cortni Lemon, School Library Media Coordinator- Town Creek Middle School

DocsTeach in the Classroom: International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Do you want to learn more about how you can use the National Archives and DocsTeach.Org to bring primary sources into your classroom? Need to prepare for International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27? Attend this webinar hosted by the National Archives and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to explore exhibits and resources focusing on the American response to the European refugee crisis and Holocaust. This is best suited for upper elementary through high school teachers. 

This webinar will be offered twice for your convenience:  

Thursday, January 7, 2021, 8-10 p.m. ET and Wednesday, January 13, 2021, 7-9 p.m. ET