This week we focused on how people access books around the world and within our local community. We added pins to our Local and World maps as we explored new places. We also went on our first fieldwork of the new year, it was wonderful! Read on to learn more about our week.
Here are some highlights from our week:
Where are the libraries in North County?
We spent time looking at access to books within our community in San Diego. We mapped out all of the North County Libraries on a class map. Students also labeled the libraries on personal maps. Our observations about the library locations led us into learning about a new concept: Book Deserts. Can you guess what a book desert it? It's a place that does not have a lot of access to books. We quickly located a couple places on the map that look like book deserts - there wasn't a local library within walking distance.
Our insightful students continued to run with this idea of a book desert. They noticed that even if you have a library close by, that does not mean that you can get there. They pointed out that kids can't get to a library without an older sibling or adult. Other students pointed out that even if people live in an area with a lot of other resources, that does not mean that there is easy access to free books as well.
Fieldwork
Went to to the San Marcos Branch Library! One of the librarians, Ms. Sandy, taught us so much about the library. She told us about how libraries provide lots of people with so much access to books because the books are free, and anyone can get a library card. She also taught us about how to look for books in the library. We got a great tour too! Ms. Sandy walked us around the different areas of the library. I think a favorite for all of us was the behind-the-scenes look at the sorting machine! You feed a bin into the machine, and it decides which bin it should go into to get re-stocked on the shelves. After the fieldwork, we came back and shared the notes we took from the library. Then, we wrote a reflection about what makes a good library.
Characteristics of a Good Library
After our fieldwork, watching videos about how people access books, and reading about several traveling libraries in My Librarian is a Camel, the students started a running list of characteristics of a good library. Here are what students have observed so far:
They have nonfiction books - Diego |
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We are working on summarizing and identifying the key facts in a story. We are calling it, the gist - What's the gist of the story? We are using this format to help us identify the key parts. (Adapted from Engage New York's curriculum). At home, this is a great way to engage in a meaningful follow up conversation after reading a book with your child!
Math
This week we learned about a new unit of measurement - Meters. We practiced measuring objects around the classroom using meter sticks, and deciding when we should measure an object using centimeters vs. meters. We also worked on a variety of concepts that build number sense and fluency with adding and subtracting numbers within 100.
Here are some pictures from our week: