Teachers

About This Project:

The Federal Holidays Project was originally developed during a Nassau School Library System Workshop given by Pam Berger in 2001, uniting library media specialists with classroom teachers to develop online projects that paired information literacy specialists with curriculum content specialists.

It has been updated this year to include a web 2.0 technology (VoiceThread).

The Federal Holidays Project is designed for upper elementary school students studying the meaning of American culture, United States symbols and core values of the American democratic system.

If you are interested in finding out more about how your class can participate in the project, contact Karen Kliegman.

The activities have been designed to be completed over a 4-6 week period, depending on your access to computers for your students. The project is designed to be a collaboration between the library media specialist, the classroom teacher, the technology teacher, and possibly the art teacher. The research activities should be completed with the help of the library media specialist and classroom teacher; the PowerPoint and VoiceThread activities should be completed with the help of the technology teacher, library media specialist, and the classroom teacher. The poster can be completed in the classroom, assigned as homework, or in the art room. The paper hand activity is sponsored by Imagiverse. If you are interested in joining that, go to their website and register

How to set up your students in VoiceThread

Downloadble PDF Instructions

Standards Addressed: (New York Learning Standards, 5th Grade)

Social Studies:

History of the United States and New York, Intermediate, Key Idea 1

...explore the meaning of American culture by identifying the key ideas, beliefs, and patterns of behavior, and traditions that help define it and unite all Americans

Civics, Citizenship, and Government; Intermediate; Key Idea 2

...value the principles, ideals, and core values of the American democratic system based upon the premises of human dignity, liberty, justice, and equality

Language Arts:

Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation, Intermediate, Speaking and Writing

...use standard English, precise vocabulary, and presentational strategies effectively to influence an audience

Language for Social Interaction, Intermediate, Reading and Writing

...use appropriate language and style for the situation and the audience and take into account the ideas and interests expressed by the person receiving the message

Herricks Elementary Schools Information Literacy Scope & Sequence Indicators Addressed:

What is the information problem to be solved?

	Analyze the audience in preparing and presenting a final product.
	Compare and select possible presentation formats for a final product.
	Determine types of information, i.e. textual, pictorial or numerical, needed to complete task.

Information-Seeking Strategies: Which resources can I use?

Analyze and compare content of electronic resources, e.g. CD-ROM, the Internet.

Location and Access: Where can I find these resources?

	Locate within the school library media center, collection catalog, picture books, informational and fiction books, audiovisual materials, periodicals, general reference, and any special collections.
	Use location skills for finding print and non-print sources, e.g. alphabetical order, book spine information, the Dewey Decimal Classification number, relationship between call number and location.
	access information within print resources, e.g. copyright date, volume number, guide words, glossary, bibliography, author’s notes, introduction, footnotes, appendixes, preface.
	Demonstrate knowledge of procedures for accessing information in electronic resources.

Use of Information: What can I use from these resources?

	Recall and organize previous knowledge of subject and build on that knowledge base.
	Determine significant concepts and details gained through reading, listening, and viewing.
	Apply note-taking skills, e.g. highlighting most significant information
	Paraphrase or summarize information to avoid plagiarism
	Record information sources in an approved bibliographic citation format.

Synthesis: How can I share what I have learned?

	Organize and integrate information, e.g. using sequencing, webbing, outlining
	Organize and record information sources in a bibliography using approved citation format for bibliography
	Gather feedback and discuss strengths and weaknesses of presentation and review accordingly.

Evaluation: How will I know I did my job well?

	Use personal criteria such as quality of product and level of personal effort to evaluate the product and justify assessment.
	Summarize the final product, what went well and what should be improved in future products.

Technology Standards (ISTE) Addressed:

	3. Technology productivity tools • Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. • Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, preparing publications and producing other creative works.
	5. Technology research tools • Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. • Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

Thanks Go To:

	In particular, we want to acknowledge BCPS Library Information Network for Essential Curriculum. Their "Information Solving Problem Models Supporting Essential Curriculum" is a superb resource for professional development. The structure of our WebQuest was adapted from the BCPS structure.
	Pam Berger for her guidance when we initially started this project.