Educators

What Can I Do for You?

My job is to partner with all of you to make your lives easier and to enhance students' learning experience. I am eager to partner with your class where the library can. I will be working on sorting out our reference materials and general collection in my first couple years to assess where we are and determine where we need to go. My ultimate goal is to have a library collection that enhances your units and works seamlessly with your content. In the meantime, I can work with your classes through digital resources that we have at our disposal. Don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to partner, if you have questions about library resources, AEA resources, research materials, or anything- really.

Things I can do in/for your classroom today:

Walk students through AEA resources and how to use them
Teach students how to search databases and Google effectively (Boolean searching)
Start a website with you that organizes/enhances your unit
Collect books and digital resources that you need for an upcoming unit (text sets)
Talk about really fun books for students to read in their free time (book talks)

View this Google Site by clicking the picture. Note that AEA passwords change depending on districts.

Guided Inquiry/Pathfinders

I can create "pathfinders" for your class. A pathfinder is a digital tool, usually a website, that encourages students to explore information about a given topic with a specific end goal in mind.

This example about weather follows the Guided Inquiry Design framework, and was designed for lower elementary levels. Guided Inquiry Design is applicable to all grade levels, and can easily be applied to projects that require students to research a topic.

Pathfinders are most useful when educators want their students to have more buy-in to their topics. The framework is designed to let students explore information before coming up with their own inquiry question and focusing their research.

Text Sets

I can put together a set of physical and digital texts (books and websites) that revolve around a certain purpose/theme/concept and wrap it up in an easy-to-use website.

The possibilities for text sets are endless and have no grade parameters - if we can think it up, we can create it and organize it in a digital format that is easily accessible for you and your students.

This example is a text set that examines various facets of the American Dream in American literature. The website is designed with juniors or seniors in mind and includes discussion questions, additional links and resources, a final assignment, and pertinent Iowa Core Standards. I would be happy to collaborate with you to create useful and enriching text sets for your classroom.

View this Google Site by clicking the picture.

Click the picture to visit my old classroom website, made with Weebly.

Classroom Websites

I would be happy to help you set up a classroom website that functions well with your students and is easy to maintain. Our library website is created with Google Sites, which is easily sharable with collaborators. I also have experience with Weebly, which is where my previous classroom website is located. The best thing about Google Sites, Weebly, and other similar website creators? It's free!

Websites can't realistically be set up in one go, but we can get a lot accomplished with one meeting. I would be happy to meet with you individually to help you accomplish your technology and classroom website goals.

Curate Digital Resources

Do you need some very specific research to take place in your classroom, but you don't want your students to have free reign of the internet? I would be happy to curate some digital resources for you! Check this example of Famous Iowans made for 7th grade Social Studies!)

Reach out to me if you'd like to collaborate!

Click on the picture to view an example of curated digital resources!

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