Grade 4 and 5 Media Happenings April

Grade 4

Students are still working on reference centers on encyclopedia, online card catalog (CATS), Almanac, and thesaurus. They are completing the following standards:
1.2.4 Understands the general organization of a print dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, atlas, almanac
1.3.5 Identifies reference materials
1.3.9 Locates and knows general contents of the reference section
1.9.9 Uses a variety of print and digital reference materials ( dictionary, atlas, thesaurus, encyclopedia, almanac) to locate information.
1.6.1 Understands the general purpose of the automated library catalog
1.6.2 Uses computer software graphical elements and navigation tools (e.g. buttons, icons, and fields) to search automated library catalog 1.6.3 Performs a basic search by title, author, subject, and keyword using the automated library catalog


For encyclopedia centers, students are either reading an article on California and answering questions using a time line or finding the answer to a question in a Heinemann First Encyclopedia , recording volume and page number, and writing the answer in a complete sentence. We are also making use of the thesaurus feature of
www.dictionary.com and practicing finding synonyms that fit properly into various sentences. Those doing Almanac centers are using the index and table of contents of the World Almanac for Kids 2004 edition to find answers to facts on countries, animals. and computers. Almanacs are becoming so popular that they are a favorite for the students to check out even old editions.

Grade 5

We are continuing to practice getting information on the 50 United States by doing scavenger hunts using the World Alamanac for Kids 2004 edition and Toucan Valley 50 states fact cards also with the Internet sites www.50states.com and Enchanted Learning
(Standard 1.2.4 Understands the general contents of an Almanac, Standard 1.3.5 Learns location of source types, Standard 1.3.11 Locates relevant sources for class assignments and personal use independently)

We also practiced District Technology Standards 3D Using email with teacher for instructional purposes, 4D Sending and replying to email, and 5D using email. All students in Room 36, Room 39, Room 40, Room 41 and Room 42 have had pracice using email. We also viewed the Netsmartz Kids video on why it's important to change your password and the students are using the options feature in Groupwise to change their passwords.

We are also continuing to learn about Plagiarism and Internet and Digital Piracy by using Weekly Readers Crime Fighting Canines Unit.
Crime Fighting Canines The students are learning about plagiarism, intellectual property, digital piracy, copyright laws, Internet piracy, where they can go for legal downloads, and Lucky and Flo, the Motion picture Association of America (MPAA)'s Crime fighting canines. ( Standard 8.1.1 Understands the purpose of an Intellectual common and fair use, and why plagarism, violating copyright and illegal or unethical use of information are unacceptable., Standard 8.1.6 Understands the value of an intellectual commons, as well as the consequences of Plagarism for self and society)

We have used the Motion Picture Association of America site and view some clips about the high cost in fine that can happen from downloading movies and games illegally. We also learned about what sites its safe to download movies at.