Robi Repository

Resources and updates from the Hudson High School Media Center

January 2023

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Streaming Video (big update!)

I am thrilled to announce two streaming video platforms that are now available for you to use with your students. Both platforms allow for in-class viewing as well as home viewing.

Swank

Swank provides access to over 30,000 movies. Many of these movies are immediately available, while others can be requested from their catalog. Swank movies can be linked into Google Classroom.

To view the Swank library, visit https://digitalcampus.swankmp.net/hcsd392978. Bookmark this website; it is the only way you can access the HCSD Swank collection. This link is for staff only; do not share it with students. You will then "sign in with school account". You can then browse the licensed content, which contain films that are immediately available. Many other movies can be found in the Swank catalog. If you find one you want to add to our licensed content, you can select the Request button and fill out the quick form. You will be notified when the movie becomes available for viewing.

To add a movie to Google Classroom, simply select the Share button on the movie information page. Select Copy Direct Link. You can paste this link as a resource in Google Classroom.

Be sure to use discretion when sharing movies with students. Make sure movies are rated for your audience and do not contain offensive content.

Swank Streaming Teacher Guide- Hudson City Schools.pdf

Sharing a movie in Google Classroom

Classroom Video on Demand

Classroom Video on Demand by Infobase provides access to over 31,000 educational videos. The videos cover every possible subject. I promise there is something for everyone! Videos are of varying lengths.

The link to Classroom Video on Demand can be found on the HHS library website ('Resources'). Here is the direct link: https://cvod.infobase.com/PortalPlayLists.aspx?wid=96527. Both teachers and students will share the same username and password. Username = hudsonhs ; Password = explorers.

Once signed in, you can browse the videos with keywords. You can also select the "hamburger" icon (three horizontal lines) to browse subject areas. Once you find a video that you want to share with students, you can add it to Google Classroom by selecting the Share button.

You can also build playlists in Classroom Video on Demand. You can gather a few videos to share as a playlist with your students. To do this:

Select the Your Profile link in the top-right corner.
Sign in with Google.
Find a video you would like to add to a playlist.
Select the Add To link.
Select the Playlist header.
Create a new Playlist.
Add the movie to your playlist.

You can then share a link to this playlist to your students. Select your name in the top-right corner. Drop down the Actions column next to your playlist. Then select Share. You can share the link to Google Classroom.

New York Times subscription

Students and staff at HHS now have access to The New York Times digital edition. Access is available from any location. To gain access to the New York Times, all users must first activate a digital pass. The process is very simple. See the article on the right for the steps to obtain a digital pass. Students and staff will complete the same process.

Once you have obtained a digital pass, you are free to visit nytimes.com to begin reading unlimited articles. When reading articles, teachers can select the Share button to copy the link and paste it into Google Classroom. (To open the link, all users will first need to activate their digital pass to the NY Times.)

New York Times Digital Pass

MLK Resources

Martin Luther King Day occurs on January 16. In addition to print and digital books, the HHS Media Center offers numerous other resources about the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Here are a few resources you can use with your students:

Classroom Video on Demand (over 1,000 instructional videos) [Username = hudsonhs ; PW = explorers]
PBS Learning Media (over 400 websites, videos, documents, and image galleries) [Sign in with Google.]
Discovery Education (over 200 videos, activities, audio, etc.) [Sign in with Google.]
Gale in Context for Educators (hundreds of lesson plans, articles, videos, images, audio, websites, biographies, ebooks, and primary sources) [Sign in with Google.]

Custom 360° images and video for your curriculum

Mr. Robitaille recently won a grant from the Hudson Kiwanis Foundation to expand access to Extended Reality resources at HHS. This funding will purchase 360° camera equipment that allows students to capture fully-immersive images and video. These media can then be played on iPads and on VR goggles. As you can see from the interactive image below, users can then customize the media to provide more interactive experiences.

What does this mean for you? We would like to begin creating 360° images and videos that can be used with your curriculum. If you would like for us to photograph or take videos of a location, object, or experience, we can then share this media with you as an instructional resource to help you enrich your lessons.

Please reach out to Mr. Robitaille with your ideas. The sky is the limit. Let's see what we can make together!

Here is a 360° image of Mr. Robitaille's family. When rendered in Thinglink, it can contain hotspots with text, audio, and even video.

National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The HHS Media Center is displaying books that concern themselves with these topics. Please visit the book display and encourage your students to borrow books about these important issues.

The Media Center has numerous other rotating book displays, ready to greet you and your students in the new year. Check out our new books and our themed book displays to get your hands on something fresh to read.

Reading Challenge

Students at HHS are encouraged to participate in our new Reading Challenge! As students read library books, they can complete book recommendation cards. These cards will be displayed on the shelves next to their books to encourage other students to read these titles. Every time a student submits a book recommendation card, they are entered into a drawing to win a gift certificate to a local business. A new reading challenge will begin each month, with many chances to win prizes for recommending books to fellow students.

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