SES: Big 6 and the Value of Reflection

The Big6 Problem Solving Process was created by Mike Eisenberg and Bob Berkowitz.

RaeAnne Locke, LMS at SES, recently reintroduced the Big6 to 4th graders before they began research for their biome unit. In order to help students identify with the steps of research, she decided to tweak the lesson to include a student reflection -- a quick write demonstrating how the steps directly impacted their daily work. In the quick write students were asked to think about the step they enjoyed the most and why, which one they felt they did the best and why, and which one they wanted to improve on and why.

She found this to be an easy, quick and valuable enhancement to the traditional Big6 check- off list because it helped give ownership to them as researchers and demonstrated how the Big6 impacted them personally. Once the biome unit is over, there will be another Big6 reflection to see what changes there will be based on more experience.

Some of the student reflections included:

• “I like synthesis best because it is like the whole job coming to life. It is fun to see your work on board. I think I should work harder on evaluation because I don’t spend enough time evaluating my work.”
  
  
• “My best step is Location and Access (step 3) because I like going to the resources, using the tools, and getting information. I would like to get better at step 4 because I need to work at putting things in my own words.”
  
  
• “I like step 3 the best because I like to read a sentence and figure out what it means. I like to read magazines and websites a lot. I want to do synthesis better because I get shy when I present.”

KHS: Poetry Cafe

Cats, My Mother Has…, Flags, Keep a Poem in your Pocket, Behind the Eyes of Me, Alex, Blank, Summer, Black Cat, The P---l Family, Water, Snowboarding, Seasons, The Bells of London, Dream, Owl, Dreams, Self-Portrait, Darkest, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, Don't Trust the Fog, A Tour of the World, Crescent Moon, Leave it all on the Court, A Nightly Stroll, Paper, Life Roller Coaster, Tree, When Deaf Don Met Talkie Sue, Umbrella, and Live, Laugh, Discover.

Those were the names of the 30 poems read at the 5th annual KHS Poetry Café held in the library media center last night. It was organized and led by Aimee Anctil, LMS. Students registered in advance. Over 20 poems were written by students, and the other poems by well-known poets were selected by students to read.

The library media center was transformed into a cozy, lamp-lit, table-clothed, artsy, café environment filled with cookies, chocolate milk and other comfort foods and drinks. It was conducive to the sharing of personal, family, humorous, serious, happy, anxious, sad and foggy poetry! The standing room only crowd listened attentively to each poet's rendition of his or her poem. Café applause filled the word drenched atmosphere after each mouthing at the microphone. It was an evening to remember!

Information Literacy embodies the use of ALL kinds of information. This Poetry Café event demonstrates that writing, reading, sharing, communicating and socializing with family and the school community are all important aspects of what happens in a school library media center. The Café experience is one important part of a multi-faceted library media program at KHS.