Library News - Fall 2009
Bookshare.Org
Trident Academy students have access to a wonderful web site that provides free downloadable digital books. Bookshare Org operates under an exception to the US copyright laws "which allows copyrighted digital books to be made available to people with qualifying disabilities." Bookshare Members download books, textbooks and newspapers in a compressed, encrypted file. They then read the material using adaptive technology, typically software that reads the book aloud (text-to-speech). This software is provided by Don Johnston and comes with the Bookshare Membership. Instruction in the use of the software is given to our students. For more information on Bookshare.Org: Bookshare Contact the librarian for assistance.
Photo: A middle school student shows his enthusiasm for his favorite book!
Scholastic Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair truck with the Big Red Dog has made its annual stop at Trident Academy this month. Students, parents, and teachers made their selections, and they enjoyed browsing through the fair's different offerings. My thanks to all the volunteers who worked during the fair. Trident has the best parent volunteers! Our next fair will be in 2010 in April when we will have our annual BOGO (Buy One Get One) sale. Details will be posted on this web site.
Educational Resources
The wonderful people at Education Resources have awarded Trident Academy with $2,500 to spend on technology from their catalog. The award was granted after my entry in their Internet contest was chosen as the winner. We have already received a fabulous document camera. On order are two notebook computers loaded with educational software, a keyboard for Mrs. Satterfield's music classes, five microphone headsets, and the popular Kidspiration software to be installed on our Lower School classroom computers. Special thanks to Eva Chilton at Educational Resources who assisted me in my selections and was as excited as I am about receiving the award!
Middle School Library Skills
Middle school students in the sixth through eighth grades at Trident Academy come to the library once a week for the entire school to review and learn more about library research. Some of the skills they learn are how to evaluate web sites, how to conduct proper and safe searches using a variety of search engines, and how to use the databases provided through DISCUS. To demonstrate the skills they have learned, they finish the year with an Academic Culminating Experience (ACE)such as a scavenger hunt on the Internet and/or DISCUS. Eighth grade students have an annual Banana Research Project. It is important for our students to learn the proper methods by which to use electronic data bases and the Internet.
My Favorite Web 2.0 Tools
Keeping up with the newest and best Web 2.0 tools can be a chore. After attending conferences, or reading journals, or after chatting with colleagues who love to share, I come back to Trident Academy and place the links to some of the best finds on the Trident Academy library's grid. Library Grid.The library grid is Trident Academy students' and teachers' homepage when they access the Internet through either Mozilla or Internet Explorer. Teachers and students alike have easy access to some of the best tools that the Internet provides.
Assistive Technology Classes
Trident Academy has expanded its curriculum offerings to include assistive technology instruction. Students who wish to learn more about using computers, software, and Web 2.0 tools come to the library to work with Ms. Silgals through one-to-one or two-to-one tutorials. Students have been introduced to voice recognition programs, digital notetaking using Pulse Pens, Internet notetaking using Web Notes, classroom recordings using Audacity, and special software programs such as Solo's Write Out Loud. These tutorials are essential in providing the tools students with learning disabilities need to prepare for college.
About Our Library
The Trident Academy Library provides its students, faculty, staff and parents with access to over 10,000 print titles, books on tape/cd, electronic databases, and educational movies. A special reference section for parents provides the latest in literature and research on learning disabilities. Scholastic Reading Counts software on the library computers provides teachers and students with a resource to evaluate reading comprehension. The library computer lab provides access to a wireless Internet system. Please come by the library and take advantage of all the resources that are available!
Picturing America
Trident Academy received an award of 40 pictures from the National Endowment for the Humanities. "Picturing America is an innovative program that helps teach American history and provides students with a gateway to the entire universe of the humanities." Picturing America is a resource that provides each participating institution with a comprehensive package of materials that includes: Forty large, high-quality color reproductions of the selected masterpieces (24” x 36”), a Teachers Resource Book providing a wide range of ideas and background information to support educators using the works of art in core subject areas and access to additional resources and lesson plans available through the Picture America web site. More information is available at Picturing America.
Bookshare.Org
Trident Academy students have access to a wonderful web site that provides free downloadable digital books. Bookshare Org operates under an exception to the US copyright laws "which allows copyrighted digital books to be made available to people with qualifying disabilities." Bookshare Members download books, textbooks and newspapers in a compressed, encrypted file. They then read the material using adaptive technology, typically software that reads the book aloud (text-to-speech). This software is provided by Don Johnston and comes with the Bookshare Membership. Instruction in the use of the software is given to our students. For more information on Bookshare.Org: Bookshare Contact the librarian for assistance.
Photo: A middle school student shows his enthusiasm for his favorite book!Scholastic Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair truck with the Big Red Dog has made its annual stop at Trident Academy this month. Students, parents, and teachers made their selections, and they enjoyed browsing through the fair's different offerings. My thanks to all the volunteers who worked during the fair. Trident has the best parent volunteers! Our next fair will be in 2010 in April when we will have our annual BOGO (Buy One Get One) sale. Details will be posted on this web site.
Educational Resources
The wonderful people at Education Resources have awarded Trident Academy with $2,500 to spend on technology from their catalog. The award was granted after my entry in their Internet contest was chosen as the winner. We have already received a fabulous document camera. On order are two notebook computers loaded with educational software, a keyboard for Mrs. Satterfield's music classes, five microphone headsets, and the popular Kidspiration software to be installed on our Lower School classroom computers. Special thanks to Eva Chilton at Educational Resources who assisted me in my selections and was as excited as I am about receiving the award!
Middle School Library Skills
Middle school students in the sixth through eighth grades at Trident Academy come to the library once a week for the entire school to review and learn more about library research. Some of the skills they learn are how to evaluate web sites, how to conduct proper and safe searches using a variety of search engines, and how to use the databases provided through DISCUS. To demonstrate the skills they have learned, they finish the year with an Academic Culminating Experience (ACE)such as a scavenger hunt on the Internet and/or DISCUS. Eighth grade students have an annual Banana Research Project. It is important for our students to learn the proper methods by which to use electronic data bases and the Internet.
My Favorite Web 2.0 Tools
Keeping up with the newest and best Web 2.0 tools can be a chore. After attending conferences, or reading journals, or after chatting with colleagues who love to share, I come back to Trident Academy and place the links to some of the best finds on the Trident Academy library's grid. Library Grid.The library grid is Trident Academy students' and teachers' homepage when they access the Internet through either Mozilla or Internet Explorer. Teachers and students alike have easy access to some of the best tools that the Internet provides.
Assistive Technology Classes
Trident Academy has expanded its curriculum offerings to include assistive technology instruction. Students who wish to learn more about using computers, software, and Web 2.0 tools come to the library to work with Ms. Silgals through one-to-one or two-to-one tutorials. Students have been introduced to voice recognition programs, digital notetaking using Pulse Pens, Internet notetaking using Web Notes, classroom recordings using Audacity, and special software programs such as Solo's Write Out Loud. These tutorials are essential in providing the tools students with learning disabilities need to prepare for college.
About Our Library
The Trident Academy Library provides its students, faculty, staff and parents with access to over 10,000 print titles, books on tape/cd, electronic databases, and educational movies. A special reference section for parents provides the latest in literature and research on learning disabilities. Scholastic Reading Counts software on the library computers provides teachers and students with a resource to evaluate reading comprehension. The library computer lab provides access to a wireless Internet system. Please come by the library and take advantage of all the resources that are available!
Picturing America
Trident Academy received an award of 40 pictures from the National Endowment for the Humanities. "Picturing America is an innovative program that helps teach American history and provides students with a gateway to the entire universe of the humanities." Picturing America is a resource that provides each participating institution with a comprehensive package of materials that includes: Forty large, high-quality color reproductions of the selected masterpieces (24” x 36”), a Teachers Resource Book providing a wide range of ideas and background information to support educators using the works of art in core subject areas and access to additional resources and lesson plans available through the Picture America web site. More information is available at Picturing America.
