Mrs. Kirkpatrick's Bookshelf

Learning Commons-Stephanie Kirkpatrick Podcasts are a fun and creative way for students to present research, host discussions, conduct an interview, or entertain. They also allow students to listen to others' perspectives, spark ideas, and learn from people around the world. Using podcasts in your library instruction is an engaging way to present information or conduct an assignment in a way that is relevant to students. I used Audacity to create this podcast on how libraries are transitioning into learning commons. I used Podbean to host my audio and publish my podcast. I have used Soundcloud and Anchor in the past to host my podcast, and to be honest- there isn't a whole lot of differences between these three platforms. They are all easy to use to upload and share your podcast with listeners. Soundcloud is probably my least favorite of the three, just because it can feel a little crowded with all the music and album art everywhere. All three platforms give suggestions of ...

Cartoons and Comics are an engaging creative outlet for students. They allow students to process and interact with literature in a holistic way. Although you can of course opt to create comics/cartoons the "OG" way (paper and pencil), there are numerous apps and websites that allow you to create your own comic in an elevated way. Here are a few samples: Make Beliefs Comix : This website also seems a bit outdated, but loaded quickly. Pros: Many great graphics to choose from including background, characters, objects, speech bubbles, etc. Very easy to save your comix. You are able to choose from a "starter pack" which will give you a basic outline. Cons: Outdated, No option to share on social media, frustrating controls, not enough space for text. Toondoo : I can't recommend this website. I was unable to even create a comic due to the incredibly slow loading speed. I had Toondoo trying to load in the background for the whole 20 minutes I spent creating my M...

Youtube videos are a great way to promote your library. Kids of all ages know what Youtube is and probably even know how to navigate it successfully. There are so many possibilities on how to use Youtube to get students excited about the library: Post (spoiler free) book reviews. You could even film the students giving reviews! Livestream videos of you reading aloud at scheduled times Film author visits Record a Q&A skype call with an author Create a screencast for how to utilize your library's databases or the library website Film a pep rally for a soon to be released book Vlog "a day in the life" of a librarian, or have a student vlog their day ("a day in the life" of a YourSchoolNameHere's student) Post reading challenges, vlog updates The following videos would be helpful for students: Getting Started with the NHS Library Website by Calypso Gilstrap Finding and Using Wikimedia Commons Images by TheUnquietLibrary AP Calculus A/B b...

As someone who has always been intimidated by recording software, I can safely tell you: Do not be afraid of screencasting. It is incredibly easy and yet looks highly professional. If you want to impress a teacher, colleague, or your boss, use screencasting for your presentation. With the right software, screencasting takes a minimal amount of time to get up and running, and allows you to explain or give instructions while recording your screen. There are several Screencasting tools available on the internet, but the two I chose (and highly recommend) are Screencast-o-matic and Jing (by techsmith). Ultimately, I went with Screencast-o-matic, and I will explain why in a minute, but first here is my sample screencast using Screencast-o-matic explaining how to use thinglink  (a wonderful presentation tool).  Screencast-o-matic took me all of about 30 seconds to understand. It's incredibly user friendly and is simple yet effective. I chose to download the screencast-o-mati...

Many people remember a parent, grandparent, or teacher reading books aloud as one of their first interactions with books. It is often remembered fondly, as an experience that formed a foundational bond with the person reading aloud. Listening to stories in audiobook format has gained traction with adults in recent years with audiobook subscription services like Audible making listening easy and readily available. More adults than ever are enjoying their favorite books in audio format while commuting to work, taking a walk, or making a long drive. Recently, there has been a huge rise in juvenile literature available in audiobook format, and I thought it would be important to explore the benefits of audiobooks for children. As you can see, there are numerous benefits for children who listen to audiobooks. Consider adding a listening station, a tablet loaded with one of the many apps that allows children to listen to books, or a portable listening device in your classroom. Audioboo...

Today, almost everyone has some sort of social media presence or utilizes social media in some way or another. Being able to connect with others from all around the world and share ideas is one of the best things about living in today's world. Social media is a great way to advocate for your library program. There are many ways to do so: Facebook allows you to create a page for your school library. You can make it public, private, or even create a facebook group to share ideas in. When searching for school library pages to gather ideas from, I found several that used their facebook page to share pictures of students using the library and working on assignments. Many were candid photos of students using the library's resources on their own time- which shows what a necessary resource school libraries still are today! Librarians would also share contest opportunities, student accomplishments, and post links to articles that students or parents might find helpful. Another w...