I recently attended a really valuable workshop on how the library can support students’ mastery of the Common Core Standards (CCS). Please note: I am not a credentialed teacher, nor am I an expert on educational standards. However, the workshop pointed out some interesting ideas that I hope to share in this blog and utilize in the library.
Standard 7 from the CCS Reading Standards for Literature and from the Reading Standards for Informational Text calls for evaluating content from diverse media formats; Standard 9 for both sets of standards calls for comparison and contrast of two of more texts (which could mean books or other media).
With these two standards in mind, this week I have found two videos short enough to pair with two of the week’s readalouds. For grades 1 and 2, I am reading a new book, Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes, and with it we are watching* the “Ask the Producer” clip from the Magic School Bus episode “In a Pickle.” (Magic School Bus can be streamed on Netflix, if you have that service.) For Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle, there is a great National Geographic video on this unusual creature.* It might be fun to find out which your student thinks was better, book or video? Why, and for what purposes? We are lucky to live in a world with so many different options for presenting information and ideas. It is interesting to think about how best to choose, whether you are trying to research a topic or to create your own content.
*I am able to present the video content only if time permits. Maybe you can watch the videos at home with your child!