Kristin Steingreaber, Media Specialist
After a day of introduction with GPAEA Media Specialist, Kristin Steingreaber, the 7th graders in Mr. Michael Carper’s class created a list of terms to define online databases. The list included informational text, visuals, currency, primary sources and awesome!
After two more weeks, they sent pictures with their assessment “The kids loved the activity and are particularly enjoying SNAP, the visual thesaurus, and Student News Network.”
Students and teachers in GPAEA have 22 online databases and depending on their needs, they are finding a good fit!
SNAP, the GPAEA Media catalog, provides digital video from 10 sources including Iowa AEA Online’s Learn360, GPAEA’s access to NBC Learn and 8 independent vendors – Weston Woods and Human Relations Media, as two examples.
In planning sessions, teachers are considering how to use the video clips? As prior viewing as an introduction, background and vocabulary builder or afterwards as a review.
Visual Thesaurus helps build vocabulary and each student and teacher in GPAEA can create their own account. Seymour teachers created word lists from their content area to share with students.
Student News Net (SNN) is our newest online database. Featuring daily stories, the Editor, Judith Miller, shared that the online database has three goals:
- build prior knowledge or correct a misconception – easy for SNN to do – every single story is real, informational text
- create a framework for students – start with current event and then move to concept thinking. See the Periodical Table as a great example.
- foster metacognitive skills – SNN includes writing practice, enotes and a way to organize student thinking
Seventh graders used SNN to practice their writing by emailing their teacher both the main idea and the supporting evidence.
