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Explore every episode of the podcast The SLLN (School Librarian Learning Network) Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for The SLLN (School Librarian Learning Network) Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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1–50 of 82

TitlePub. DateDuration
058. "Read Out of the Box" with Quentin Taylor24 Nov 202500:55:02

Guest: Quentin Taylor, School Librarian

From: Legacy Elementary School, Macclenny Florida

Grade(s) Taught: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Quentin Taylor: 

  • Handle: FaceBook- Quentin Taylor

  • I can most regularly be found on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

  • Instagram: @mediamanqt  instagram.com/mediamanqt 

  • Twitter: @IamMediaMan  twitter.com/IamMediaMan 

  • Other Social Media: YouTube: @mediamanqt

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

000. S3 Raffle Winner, Guest Search, & Book Break03 Nov 202500:04:22

This is a super-short bonus episode - 

First, we want to announce the winner of the raffle winner from Episode 54, where guest Rachel Grover set up a raffle to give away a copy of the book Life After Whale. Congratulations to the winner, Heidi Sumner!

Second, we want to encourage listeners to reach out and share a lesson, program, or activity. If you like the podcast, we need YOU to come and share! 

And finally, Steve wraps up with a Book Break about a fiction title with a direct and interesting take on information literacy. 

Book Break: Fall; or, Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

 

049. Interactive History with Rachael Welsh03 Mar 202500:45:09

My new friend Rachael Welsh shared a great idea on Bluesky, and I had to learn more! Thanks to her generosity, we can now all learn along with her and her students as she shares her interactive history lesson. 

Guest: Rachael Welsh

Grade(s) Taught: 5, 6

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Rachael Welsh: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

 

048. Increasing Independence & Engagement via Library Skills with Gwen Blumberg24 Feb 202500:55:46

First-year school libarian Gwen and I stumbled across each other on Bluesky, and I'm glad we did! We had a great time chatting about being new school librarians, and Gwen shared some of her methods for engaging her students with the library space. 

Guest: Gwen Blumberg

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Gwen Blumberg: 

047. "Troybery Author Blitz & Young Teen Lit" with Christina Chatel03 Feb 202500:49:45

I had heard Christina discussing her passion for getting publishers to focus on books for our 12-15 year olds on Amy Hermon's School Librarians United podcast, and was completely on board with her message. Months later, I happened to come across Christina on Bluesky, where we were able to connect and share some ideas. And now she's here to share some of those ideas with you, too! 

Guest: Christina Chatel

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources: 

  • Troybery Author Blitz Lesson: https://troymiddleschoolmediacenter.weebly.com/troybery.html 

  • Add'l Info: The Troybery Author Blitz supports our Troybery Reading Program, now in its 25th year. Annually we choose a list of around 20-30 titles. Students vote them down to the top 10 and then Troybery Award winner. As part of Troybery, we host the Author Blitz, where we offer a virtual author visit every hour of the school day. Teachers from across curriculum tune in to these 30 minute author visits, where authors plead their case for students to read their books and vote for them. The librarians moderate the Q&A portion with pre-submitted and live questions. Teachers and students look forward to this event every year--we tell teachers, "Let your librarian do your lesson plans for the day!"

Book Break: 

Where to find Christina Chatel (say it "SHUH-tell"): 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

 

046. THROWBACK: "When Fact Meets Fiction: Using Research in Creative Projects" with Ryan Bani Tahmaseb20 Jan 202500:31:24

This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast.

Ryan has so many great ideas on collaborating with teachers and bringing writing into the library to complement the reading and reasearch students do. Here he shares how he teaches students how to use research skills to add depth to their creative writing! 

View Ryan's lesson plan, catch the original version of the episode, and even get a PD certificate! 

Follow the link: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Home/Display/2294332

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

045. "Finding Your Next Read" with Michael Czajkowski13 Jan 202500:44:24

My friend Mike is back to chat about our different strategies for finding our next reads and keeping track of our TBR lists! 

044. "Removing Barriers to Access" with Lindsey Kimery06 Jan 202500:55:35

Lindsey is a new friend I made on Bluesky. After years as a school librarian, she moved into school library administration. While our conversation isn't about a specific activity, Lindsey shares some great ideas for making our school libraries and resources more readily available; because it doesn't matter how great our libraries are if no one is using them! 

Guest: Lindsey Kimery

Grade(s) Taught: 6th-8th for 20 years; K-12 for 5 years

Resources

Book Break: 

Where to find Lindsey Kimery: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

043. THROWBACK: "Digital Learning Day" from Barbara Johnson30 Dec 202400:42:37

This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast.

Barbara Johnson blew me away with this amazing program that encourages student engagement and increases their technological literacy. It is also a great opportunity to highlight the many ways school libraries support students beyond books - which can be some great PR and library advocacy! 

View Barbara's lesson plan, catch the original version of the episode, and even get a PD certificate! 

Follow the link: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Article/2296550

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

042. THROWBACK: Student Podcasting with Melissa Thom23 Dec 202400:38:20

This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast.

The always-amazing Melissa Thom was kind enough to share her lesson plan for a student podcasting lesson. This lesson engages students with research and offers them creativity in presenting their findings. 

View Melissa's lesson plan, catch the original version of the episode, and even get a PD certificate! 

Follow the link: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Article/2338177

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

 

041. "Data-Driven School Librarianship" with Heather Hornor16 Dec 202400:53:06

Texan-by-way-of-the-Pacific-Northwest Heather is a Library Coordinator for a 52-school district, after having moved over to admin from the library. She now supports the school librarians in her district through a variety of means, several of which focus on the librarians' self-collected data. They use the data for quarterly reports. Unlike so much of the data collected in schools, Heather's school librarians are able to use this data to improve their practice and their students' experiences. Take a listen to hear Heather's explanation, and then be sure to check out the show notes for some examples you can use! 

Guest: Heather Hornor

Grade(s) Taught: All/central library administration

Resources

Book Break: 

Where to find Heather Hornor: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

 

 

040. "Writer's Week" with Jennifer Fox Eberle09 Dec 202401:01:40

I made a new friend, and she is awesome! Illinois school librarian Jennifer Fox Eberle shared some pictures of an amazing "Library of Things" program and a super-cool cardboard haunted house activity her students did. When we started chatting, she mentioned an AMAZING program she does that kinda blew my mind. And she was kind enough to come share it with everyone! 

Guest: Jennifer Eberle

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources

Book Break: 

Where to find Jennifer Eberle: 

  • Handle: @msslibd95

  • I can be found on: Twitter, Bluesky

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in!

 

057. Poem in your Pocket with Nicole Smith-Schultz, M.Ed.06 Oct 202500:38:31

Guest: Nicole Smith-Schultz,M.Ed, School Librarian Media Specialist 

From:  New Jersey 

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Nicole Smith-Schultz,M.Ed: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

039. "School Librarians Supporting Student Writing" with Ryan Bani Tahmaseb02 Dec 202400:57:37

Ryan and I first chatted a while back on the One Lesson at a Time podcast (which will be a Throwback episode here in the near future), and I was immediately struck by how Ryan managed to connect writing with the school library. In this episode, Ryan shares more suggestions to help school librarians support student writing. 

Guest: Ryan Bani Tahmaseb

Grade(s) Taught: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Book Break: 

Where to find Ryan Bani Tahmaseb: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

038. "Shared Adventures: Bridging Special Needs Education and Library Resources" with Andrea Keller25 Nov 202400:38:47

I had seen the amazing things Andrea was doing with her students online, and when I first met her in person at TXLA in April 2024, I was absolutely blown away by her energy and enthusiasm. I'm excited to have her share with us some important ideas for working with ALL our students! 

Guest: Andrea Keller

Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Andrea: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

037. Getting an Outside Perspective with Michael Czajkowski18 Nov 202400:52:06

This week, we're doing something a little different. I'm chatting with a life-long friend who is not a school librarian, nor is he an educator. 

I think it's always a good idea to get some outside perspectives, and I feel this conversation does a great job showing why that outside perspective can be so important. 

I hope you enjoy and take from this episode as much as I did! 

036. "Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day" with K.C. Boyd11 Nov 202400:54:45

While we've had a "previously recorded" episode with the amazing K.C. Boyd, we have the Boss Librarian herself back with a new program to share! 

While looking to her copy of Kristina Holzweiss's DEMCO School Librarian Planner, K.C. was inspired by Gratitude Month. She marshalled her Maker Club to create items for the staff and teachers across her school, something that has become an annual event. 

Listen to K.C.'s tips and suggestions on how you can have your students engaging with entrepreneurship and expressing their gratitude toward the adults in your school! 

Guest: K.C. Boyd

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find K.C. Boyd: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

035. THROWBACK: "Smash Boom Debates" with LaDawna Harrington04 Nov 202400:39:40

This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast.

I listen to quite a few podcasts, but I hadn't heard of Smash Boom Best before LaDawna Harrington, a recently retired school librarian from New Jersey, introduced me to it. Now I'm hooked! And you'll be hooked on this month's One Lesson at a Time episode, where LaDawna talks to us about how she used this energetic, fun podcast as a template for a lesson that gets students excited to learn.

LaDawna's years of librarianship and as a classroom educator are a gift! She brought so many awesome lesson ideas to our conversation that we had trouble picking just one! We finally settled on talking about LaDawna's lesson, "Smash Boom Best Meets Neurons and Endorphins." In it, students are put into a head-to-head debate to defend an assigned topic, using not only research but also creativity and cleverness to support their side.

One of my favorite elements of this lesson is the way it gives students the room to get creative about sharing what they know. Lessons often require a very specific product, but LaDawna's unit encourages students to be clever in creating a final product that is interesting, engaging, and informative—and that can take any form they wish.

In addition to being a fun lesson, it's one that will work across grade levels and will allow for collaboration with any subject area. LaDawna did this lesson in conjunction with a high school science teacher, and the students had a blast; but this could also be a great chance to work on information literacy and research skills, while also providing an excellent opportunity to collaborate—and perhaps with a subject area that doesn't often get as much library time as English or history.

 

View LaDawna's lesson plan, catch the original version of the episode, and even get a PD certificate

Follow the link: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Home/Display/2337511

034. "Freedom to Read" with Andrea Caporale21 Oct 202400:40:06

I first met Andrea at our state school librarian conference. She was wearing rainbow colored sneakers, and I had to compliment her on them. We struck up a conversation, and became fast friends.

Andrea is a school librarian passionate about providing her students a safe, welcoming space and making sure they feel connected and respected. This lesson is just one of the ways she helps bring that message to all of her students! 

Guest: Andrea Caporale, aka Mrs C, Library Media Specialist

Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Andrea Caporale, aka Mrs C, Library Media Specialist: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

033. THROWBACK: "Bullying Prevention Month" with K.C. Boyd14 Oct 202400:29:10

**This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast.**

I have been fortunate enough to know K.C. for several years now, and she is always doing amazing things with her students - and this lesson is no exception!

View K.C.'s lesson plan, catch the original version of the episode, and even get a PD certificate

Follow the link: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Article/2291201

029. "Manga & Comic Con Project-Based Learning" with Ashley Hawkins12 Oct 202400:47:25

Ashley is one of my first stops when I am trying to expand my knowledge of manga, and I was very excited when she shared out this lesson on social media. She is also one of the authors of a book for educators on incorporating manga into schools!

This lesson has my brain buzzing with all the possibilities - I hope you enjoy learning about it!

Guest: Ashley Hawkins

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3K/PreK

 Resources

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Ashley Hawkins: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

032. "Stories of Displacement: Promoting Empathy and Understanding Through VR and Text" with Dr. Andrea Trudeau07 Oct 202400:44:16

Friends, I may have earned a doctorate, but Dr. Andrea Trudeau EARNED her doctorate! In addition to all her coursework, she's published several studies on her area of interest, virtual and augmented reality and its effects on students. She is an amazing resource, and I'm so glad she offered to share with us! 

Guest: Dr. Andrea Trudeau 

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources

Book Break: 

Where to find Dr. Andrea Trudeau

Check in with us, and check us out!

031. "Origami in the Library" with Wendy Garland30 Sep 202400:34:18

I was fortunate enough to work with Wendy on the AASL Member Engagement Committee. There, I learned she is a dedicated, hard-working individual who gets stuff done. And on top of that, she does amazing things for her students! Check out her materials on getting an origami program going in her library!

Guest: Wendy Garland, Librarian

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Wendy Garland, Librarian: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

056. Para-Experiential Living & Technology with Michael Czajkowski29 Sep 202500:48:31

Guest: Michael Czajkowski

Resources: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

030. "Comics as Artifacts" with Tim Smyth16 Sep 202400:36:11

Tim Smyth is a school-librarian-by-association. We've known each other since I met him at a school librarian conference where Tim was presenting on the importance of having comics and graphic novels in classrooms and school libraries. He and I are definintely on the same page! 

Here, Tim shares a lesson that is near and dear to his heart, and his work as an educator. 

Guest: Tim Smyth, educator and Eisner award nominated author

Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12

Resources: 

 

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Tim Smyth, educator and Eisner award nominated author: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

028. "Introduction to AI" with Katie Capshaw17 Jun 202401:00:49

Tennessee school librarian Katie Capshaw is one of those people who feels like a friend after you've just met. She's here to share how she introduces her 8th graders to AI. This lesson has lots of adaptability, and could easily spin off some additional lessons. Settle in and enjoy the final episode of Season 1! 

Guest: Katie Capshaw

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources: 

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Katie Capshaw: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

027. "Information Literacy & Reliability" with Steve Tetreault10 Jun 202400:29:50

It's me again! In the penultimate episode of Season 1, I'm sharing a lesson on information literacy that helped my students start to wrap their minds around two key concepts when it comes to considering any information: Context and Perspective. 

Guest: Steve Tetreault

Grade(s) Taught: 7-8

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Steve: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

026. "Research Smarter by Planning & Visualizing" with Steve Tetreault03 Jun 202400:27:07

Your intrepid host shares a lesson he's found helpful in preparing students (and teachers) to do better research in less time. 

 

Guest: Steve Tetreault

Grade(s) Taught: 7-8, 9-12

 

Resources: 

 

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Steve: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

025. "Reading Rescue Pet Adoption Program" with Maura Madigan27 May 202400:40:38

Virginia school librarian Maura Madigan has taken the idea of reading to pets to a whole new level as a way to support her school's literacy efforts. 

Guest: Maura Magigan

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Maura: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

024. "Holocaust Memorial Exhibit" from Melissa Corey20 May 202400:43:16

Melissa Corey shares so much of her work and so many ideas - and here she's sharing an amazing exhibit, along with ideas for her process of creating museum-like exhibits in her library!

Guest: Melissa Corey

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources: 

  • Holocaust Memorial Exhibit Lesson: https://fb.watch/rXxGavabSy/

Book Break: 

  • Free Lunch by Rex Ogle - My goal is to meet Rex Ogle so I can tell him in person how much our students appreciate his books!

Where to find Melissa Corey: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

023. Bookprints: An Exploration of Our Reading Journey with Todd Burleson13 May 202400:49:21

I was fortunate enough to befriend Todd online, and his energy and enthusiasm were always a ray of sunshine on my day! Here, the 2016 SLJ School Librarian of the Year shares a great lesson that ticks so many boxes! While Todd does this with his upper elementary students, this could easily become a great lesson for upper grades as well!

Guest: Todd Burleson, School Librarian 

Grade(s) Taught: 5, 6

Resources

Book Break: 

Where to find Todd Burleson, School Librarian: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

022. "Sociology - School Culture Case Study Lesson" with Kaitlyn Carpenter06 May 202400:59:38

Texas high school librarian Kaitlyn Carpenter shares this great lesson that connects her students' academic work to their yearbooks! 

Guest: Kaitlyn Carpenter (aka Carpe_Librarian)

Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12

Resources: 

Book Break: 

 Where to find Kaitlyn Carpenter (aka Carpe_Librarian): 

 Check in with us, and check us out!

 

021. "Build Your Own Search Engine!" with Steve Tetreault29 Apr 202400:28:06

I'm back - this time, with an actual lesson! Check out how you can build your own custom search engines that will only search within the sources you select - handy for you, handy for students, handy for staff! 

Guest: Steve Tetreault

Grade(s) Taught: 7, 8

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Steve Tetreault: 

  • Website: SchoolLibLearning.Net

  • Handle: @DrTLovesBooks

  • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/drtlovesbooks.bsky.social 

  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrTLovesBooks

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

020. SPECIAL: "Behind the Scenes" with Steve Tetreault22 Apr 202400:06:25

This week is a special episode of the podcast. I've been travelling, and haven't been able to record one of our usual episodes with a guest. But I didn't want to leave you hanging, either, so we're doing something different this week. We're going to start with the book break, followed by a special surprise.

055. Active Learning: Mapping the Library with Amy Brownlee15 Sep 202500:41:26

Guest: Amy Brownlee, Librarian & Reading Teacher

From:  Kansas

Grade(s) Taught: Prek-12

 

Resources: 

 

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Amy Brownlee: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

019. "Makery Bakery" with Christopher Hunt15 Apr 202400:32:25

This week, the SLLN Podcast goes international as Canadian school librarian Christopher Hunt joins us to share his science-focused "Makery Bakery" lesson, where second graders make bread and butter! 

Guest: Christopher Hunt, Chris (he/him)

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Christopher Hunt, Chris (he/him): 

  • Handle: @ExLibrisMrHunt on Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X

Check in with us, and check us out!

Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

018. "AI in Literacy" - and Beyond! with Miss Jean Darnell08 Apr 202401:03:57

Miss Jean Darnell, known online as Awaken Librarian, is a careful thinker and diligent researcher. In this episode, she shares some lessons and thoughts about AI in education. 

Guest: Ms. Jean Darnell

Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8

Resources

Book Break: 

Where to find Ms. Jean Darnell: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

017. "Learn About Each Other Using Hexagonal Thinking" from Kelly Hincks01 Apr 202400:37:21

Kelly Hincks has been sharing wonderful lessons over on the Knowledge Quest blog for years - if you've been missing them, be sure to check them out! In this episode, she shares how she has students use hexagonal thinking to get to know each other in a fun and creative way. This lesson can be adapted in many ways to get students thinking creatively across the curriculum - and you can be the hero who brings this into collaborations with your staff! 

Guest: Kelly Hincks

Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, Preschool age 3 and age 4

Resources: 

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Kelly Hincks: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

016. "Wakelet Student Ambassadors" with Deb Zeman25 Mar 202400:44:10

"Everything's bigger in Texas" is not just a saying, as school librarian Deb Zeman will prove in this episode! The lesson is big, the resources are big, the Book Break is big - and the implications for our students are big! 

Guest: Deb Zeman/MS Librarian

Grades taught: 6-8

Resources

Book Break: 

Where to find Deb Zeman

Check in with us, and check us out!

015. "The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story" with Laurie Stansbury18 Mar 202400:37:34

Tennessee school librarian (and generally wonderful human) Laurie Stansbury shares the lesson she does with the book The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story by Aya Khalil and Anait Semirdzhyan
 (Illustrator)
- and both the book and the lesson are lovely! 

Guest: Laurie Stansbury

Grades: K-5

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Laurie Stansbury: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

014. "Game of Quotes" with Katie McNamara11 Mar 202400:35:08

The ever-delightful Katie McNamara shares how she uses "Game of Quotes" as a lesson in collaboration with her teachers, and gets requests from both students and staff for more! 

Guest: Katie McNamara, High School Teacher Librarian & Fresno Pacific University Program Director, Teacher Librarian Program

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Katie McNamara, High School Teacher Librarian & Fresno Pacific University Program Director, Teacher Librarian Program: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

013. "Curiosity Project" from Gab Casieri04 Mar 202400:45:26

New Jersey is in the house! 4-6 school librarian Gab Casieri shares how she gets research skills and critical thinking embedded in her "Curiosity Project" lesson!

Resources

 

Book Break: 

  • I have been recommending Rupert Holmes's Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide. It's really terrific. The audio is fantastic with Neil Patrick Harris and Simon Vance narrating.

 

Where to find Gabrielle "Gab" Casieri: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

012. "Renaissance Art Tour" from Erika Long26 Feb 202400:38:07

Friends, if you haven't gotten to know school librarian Erika Long, what have you been doing with yourself? She is an amazing practitioner, and we're lucky to get to learn from her this week! She's bringing her middle grades "Renaissance Art Tour" to us, and I have no doubt you'll find the lesson - and Ericka - as engaging as I do! 

Resources: 

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Erika Long: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

011. "Community Improvement" with Dustin Hensley19 Feb 202400:44:51

Ya'll, we've got Dustin Hensley in the house! This Tennessee high school librarian is all about experiential, authentic learning, as his "Community Improvement" lesson clearly demonstrates. (On a completely unrelated note, Dustin is also the KING of grant writing - if you're looking for tips, he's the man!) Learn along with me from this font of knowledge!

Resources: 

 

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Dustin Hensley: 

  • Handle: @dshensleyedu

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

010. "The 5 Types of Nonfiction" with Tom Bober12 Feb 202400:46:05

Tom's online handle is "Captain Library" because that's his school, but it's also a fitting title, because Tom is THE MAN when it comes to all things library - particularly primary sources! (If you haven't checked out The Primary Source Podcast, you are missing out.) He has collaborated with author Melissa Stewart in the past, and here he shares his lesson on how he presents Stewart's five kinds of nonfiction with students (and staff). It's helped me rethink my approach to nonfiction - maybe it'll spark something for you, too! 

Resources: 

 

Book Break: 

 

Where to find Tom Bober: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

054. Building Conversational English Skills in the Makerspace with Rachel Grover08 Sep 202500:45:41

Guest: Rachel Grover, School Librarian

From:  Virginia

Grade(s) Taught: 7, 8

 

Resources

 

Book Break: 

 

 

Where to find Rachel Grover: 

 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Some Bluesky Resources

Starter Packs - These give you a list of accounts you might be interested in following. You can selectively choose among the accounts, or "Follow all" with one click!

Feeds - These are collections of posts that meet certain search criteria. They're a great way to see topics you're interested in! You can add feeds to your account for easy repeat viewing. 

009. "Mission: Mars" with Ali Schilpp05 Feb 202400:31:24

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Ali Schilpp : 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

008. The Dangers in Their Hands: Navigating Social Media with Amanda Jones29 Jan 202400:28:15

While she's known in some circles as "That Librarian", she'll always be the amazing Amanda Jones! 

The lesson she's sharing was directly inspired by her own experience with facing harassment online. It's a wonderful opportunity to give students space to share their own experiences and consider their own online behavior. 

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Amanda Jones: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

007. "Every Day is Special: Natural Inquiry Lessons" with Fallon Farokhi22 Jan 202400:41:47

Fallon Farokhi brings such a wide array of experience and skills to the school library - it's no wonder her students love coming to the library! 

In this episode, Fallon shares a lesson that encourages students to engage in authentic inquiry driven by their own curiosity - and she makes the library the star of the show along the way! 

Resources: 

Book Break: 

  • The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri 

Where to find Fallon Farokhi: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

 

006. Turkey Bingo with Amanda Hunt15 Jan 202400:28:44

If you aren't familiar with Amanda Hunt, you're missing out! "The Next Gen Librarian" is such a wonderful font of shared book reviews, school library ideas - and lessons! 

Although she calls this lesson "Turkey Bingo", it's not just limited to use around Thanksgiving - this is a fun book bingo activity that encourages students to share what they know about books. It is quite adaptable to fit titles from any grade levels, though hers is set up to work with her middle school students. 

Resources: 

Book Break: 

Where to find Amanda Hunt: 

Check in with us, and check us out!

Check out the curated list of free online resources & events at www.SchoolLibrarianLearningNetwork.org

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