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A President Remembered, a Curious Badger, and the Mystery of Digital Footprints

Robyn Johnston

Greetings Library Friends,

I’m excited to share this month’s Jr-Sr. High Book of the Month! In September, I had the opportunity to visit the JFK Presidential Library located in Boston, Massachusetts. I came home very curious about that time in history. I don’t remember studying or hearing about the Cuban Missile Crises and so I was quite fascinated to read more about this. Upon my return I picked up the book Kennedy’s Last Days, by Bill O’Reilly. It was an easy, fast and highly informative read. Many of the pictures are ones I’d seen at the JFK library. This brings to mind the importance of primary sources and talking with those who were alive during previous historical times. I remember quite well where I was and what I was doing on 9/11. This appears to be the same for those who were alive at the time former President Kennedy was assassinated, fifty-two years ago, on November 22, 1963. For those who were alive at this time, I suspect that O’Reilly’s descriptions will bring to mind that moment of your life, where you were, what you were doing and what was going through your mind. Additionally it takes readers on a journey of remembrance and recognition, noting the many things that have changed since that time. There’s a section in the back that depicts what was popular, inventions, movies, songs, foods, products. Many things have changed, but the fact that we continue to be progressive and grow does not. As Kennedy said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

We are in full swing this November. Library skills students have completed their biographical research and have discovered that many authors have turned hardships and challenges into award winning novels. Students have learned to use MLA citation to give credit to authors, creators of both print and digital resources. Additionally students learned about creating clean “digital footprints” and how important it is to practice correct usage of internet and social media sites.

Elementary Book of the Month: Badger’s Fancy Meal by Keiko Kasza

Badger looks at the apples, roots, and worms stored in his den, but he yearns for a fancy meal. He pursues, but narrowly misses, main ingredients for three potential dishes: mole taco, rat burger, and rabbit-banana split. During each chase, the smaller animals escape and dive into a nearby hole, which turns out to be their near-predator's den. When Badger returns to his den, he finds a note from his three visitors, thanking him for the feast of apples, roots, and worms. The pictures of cute critters in a taco shell, a bun, and an ice-cream dish are enough to create a new generation of vegetarians, but it's all in good fun. Kasza makes good use of an unusual technique in two dimensions, folding back the page on the scene featuring Badger to show what is happening simultaneously in his den. Confident, sometimes comical ink drawings are brightened with colorful washes. Not a must-have picture book but a good choice for larger collections. Carolyn Phelan, American Library Association.

Accelerated Reading Winners

Congratulations to the following students. They were able to successfully meet the point goals for October! Way to go!!!

6th grade

            Stevie Handsaker

7th grade

            Angel Padialla

            Blaze Walker

8th grade

            Nolan Benjamin

            Karlie Gerlach

            Elisha Handsaker

            River Hastings

            Parker Johnston     

            Makena Roberts

            Kizziah Rutherford

            Maci Sorge

10th grade:

            Amanda Smith

Digital Citizenship:

The Library Skills Students have just started investigating what it means to create a “clean” digital footprint. In a world with ample technology and applications at our fingertips, it’s easy to forget that everything we post, click, like and search is recorded and viewed. While researching, writing and building this unit, I discovered an interesting video clip that talks about how everything we search is recorded. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff9DijphirQ. Disturbing? In some ways yes, and in other ways, this may be an eye-opener and a stark reminder of our online activities.

The learning goal for this unit is to guide students into the creation of a positive, productive digital footprint, hopefully one that greatly contributes to and strengthens their educational careers. We’ll be exploring “right use” of social media, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, as well as locating, identifying and using solid websites and sources for research and learning. Additionally we will take a look at various organizational applications to use for school, such as Google Docs, Wunderlist and Evernote.

Technology is here to stay. Now is a great time to talk to students about their online presence. Below are a list of supportive sources that you can watch with your children to open discussion about their Digital Footprints. If additional information and insight is needed, please contact me, I’m more than happy to contribute.

Social media facts and statistics you should know http://www.jeffbullas.com/2015/04/08/33-social-media-facts-and-statistics-you-should-know-in-2015/

Can your digital footprint be erased? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff9DijphirQ

Abba's story-pride in your digital footprint. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/abbass-story-pride-in-your-digital-footprint

Your digital footprint. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TUMHplBveo

5 Ways to make a positive digital footprint https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwFE25f50P4

Digital, social and mobile worldwide http://wearesocial.net/blog/2015/01/digital-social-mobile-worldwide-2015/

Citation:

Bullas, J. (2015). 33 Social media facts and statistics you should know in 2015. [Web log]. Retrieved from http://www.jeffbullas.com/2015/04/08/33-social-media-facts-and-statistics-you-should-know-in-2015/

CBS This Morning. (204, Feb. 26). Can your digital footprint be erased? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff9DijphirQ

Common Sense Media. (2015). Abba's story-pride in your digital footprint. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/abbass-story-pride-in-your-digital-footprint

Jaro, B.L. (2014, Oct. 3). Your digital footprint. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TUMHplBveo

McClure, K. (2013, Nov. 15). 5 Ways to make a positive digital footprint. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwFE25f50P4

We Are Social. (2015, Jan. 21). Digital, social and mobile worldwide in 2015. [Web log]. Retrieved from http://wearesocial.net/blog/2015/01/digital-social-mobile-worldwide-2015/