Signal Mountain Middle High School Library Media Center
SMMHS LMC
Empowering students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers,
skillful researchers, and ethical users of information. January 1, 2015
Volume 2, Issue 5
SMMHS Library/Media Center Mission: The SMMHS library/media center is committed to equipping the school community with 21st Century skills in order that they may have a positive impact on their community, country, and world.
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Cold Outside? Read a Book!
It’s the perfect time of year to get into reading! It’s cold outside, and with a good book, it can almost feel good to be stuck inside! Consider checking out a great book from the SMMHS library, or remember that SMMHS students are given free membership to the Chattanooga Public Library. They can even download audio or eBooks. Students who haven’t yet applied can STILL apply; get an application here or stop in to the school library and pick one up at the circulation desk. Don’t know what to read? Here is the list of the top 70 books checked out in 2014 from the public library. Maybe you’ll get inspired. Parents, consider checking out a book your child might like, and read it to/with them. You can also use Atriuum, SMMHS’s book system, to find out if we have what you want here at school. Here’s to hoping you find a latte books to read!
The SMMHS library is increasing our online presence to accommodate our patrons. Every afternoon at 2:30 we post a book trailer on Twitter and Facebook as well as advertising library events and programs, on Pinterest you’ll find resources for students, parents, AND teachers — everything from book recommendations and effective study tools to classroom organizing strategies and bulletin board ideas! Here’s how you can stay informed: *************************** Follow me on Twitter @GingerKirchmyer Find and Follow us on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ginjatheninja/ Like and Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/smmhsmediacenter
Library Hours 7:15-2:30 daily Lunch—we’re open, but no food please! During class—just have a pass and sign in!
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Directed Studies: See Ms. K for a pass
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One Way Kids Are Advancing Past Their Peers in Math & Science One of the many tools I have touted in recent months (and which is also featured on the symbaloo tool I have created for all teachers, students, and parents) is Khan Academy. If you haven’t heard of it, you need to know about it.
SYMBALOO This amazing tool is used to make time spent online more efficient. Basically, you set it up to include all your favorite sites (basically bookmarks) in a pictorial format, so it actually ends up looking somewhat like the screen of your iPad. You can even create pages within your account so you might have one for school, one for personal, one for business, one for a child or sibling, etc… I’ve started a webmix (that’s what they call a page you set up) just for the students, parents, and teachers. This is really an amazing tool; I HIGHLY recommend it! Teacher Download
Student/Parent Download
Click here for the Help Sheet!
Created by one of Silicone Valley’s great minds, Salman Khan (with 3 degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard), Khan Academy was not intended to be a revolutionary education tool. Originally Khan was just looking to create a way to help his cousins with their studies, but it caught on, and now he has published over 2,400 videos in math, science and economics. The videos actually aren’t all that impressive technologically. He just videos himself working out a problem, talking over the hand-work, and he doesn’t follow any set curriculum, but they get the job done, and students like being able to work at their own pace. We’ve known for many years that one-on-one learning produces better results than large-group settings, so it’s really no surprise, and although the concept of the flipped classroom isn’t revolutionary (I was doing it in the 90’s with VHS tapes), it has become better known now that it’s been publicized by Techsmith. Khan’s flipped lessons allow students to work through the lessons on their own and then have time for interaction with their instructor during class. It’s definitely a learning tool for the future. I foresee many more like this coming our way! Pugliese, Joe. “Salman Khan.” 2011. Photograph. Wired. 1 Jan. 2015. Thompson, Clive. “How Khan Academy Is Changing Education.” Wired. 15 July, 2011. Web. 1 Jan. 2015.