Library Media - 6th Grade

Core Curriculum for Library Media K-6

Last updated: 2000

Introduction

Philosophy

The primary purpose of the school library media program and this curriculum is to empower students to be effective users of ideas and information in all formats in a constantly changing learning environment. Students need the opportunity to grow as independent, efficient, responsible, and creative users of information. A student’s curiosity and motivation must be nurtured to realize success. In a time of constant and rapid change, educators are faced with the challenge of preparing students for the experiences they will encounter as they proceed throughout the twenty-first century.

Through the proficient use of skills and content learned in the Library Media Core Curriculum, students will be able to grow with the changes that technology brings to their lives.

Students will actively use and enjoy literature to develop the imagination and nourish the thinking process. Students will become socially empowered as they learn to manage media in their lives and understand the media messages which inundate them daily.

The school library media teacher’s role as master teacher, information specialist, and curriculum partner encourages the involvement of global access to information, the use of technology as an effective learning and teaching tool, and the continuation of reading for information and enjoyment. The school library media teacher must continue to seek the best techniques and strategies to empower students.

In the absence of a licensed school library media teacher, the classroom teacher must take the lead in the implementation of the Library Media Core Curriculum with the support of school library media personnel and resources.

The responsibility for achieving the purpose of the school library media curriculum resides in the collaborative efforts of the school library media teacher and staff, classroom teachers, students, support staff, administrators, boards of education, and communities.

The Library Media Core Curriculum

The elementary level of the Utah Library Media Core Curriculum is divided into three strands: information literacy, literature, and media literacy. At the secondary level, literature is integrated with the information literacy curriculum.

Strand One: Information Literacy

Information literacy is the ability to access, evaluate, and apply information in a variety of formats. The information literacy curriculum at both levels is based on the information problem-solving process called the Big6™ . The Big6™ Problem-Solving Process is a systematic approach for solving life’s essential questions or, on a daily basis, simply to satisfy "the need to know."

This process allows students to be critical users of information, develop high standards for their work, and create quality products to communicate what they learn. When using the Big6™ Process, students apply the following skills and questions to guide them:

The process is sequential but accommodates branching, jumping out of sequence, and looping back to any previous stage. The Big6™ places Library Media Core Curriculum not in isolation, but as an integral part of all other curricula.

Strand Two: Literature

The purpose of the literature strand is to enrich a student’s life by encouraging reading for pleasure, enrichment, and information. Students must have access to an abundance of books in all formats and other resources at varied interest and ability levels. These resources must provide for a wide range of learning styles in a diverse population.

Literature develops the student’s imagination and nurtures their thinking processes, providing wide and lifelong application.

Strand Three: Media Literacy

The aim of media literacy is for the student to make healthy and wise choices as a consumer of media. Students who are media literate are able to deal critically with local and mass media. As with information literacy, media literacy includes the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information in a variety of formats, both print and non-print. The media literacy curriculum encourages balance by empowering the student to make informed choices, take responsibility as a learner, and as a member of society. Students must use judgment in managing media through awareness, analysis, and evaluation. Media literacy is education for social empowerment.

Collaboration Statement

The school library media curriculum requires collaboration between the school library media teacher and/or personnel and classroom teachers to ensure that learners become effective users of ideas and information. This involves working together in a joint effort to focus on student opportunities for intellectual development. Subjects are integrated through a team approach where all members plan learning, teaching, and assessing. Collaboration facilitates the creation of a professional community whose members work together in a mutually supportive way and share the craft of teaching. No curriculum stands alone--each is integral to the other. For instance, the information skills taught in the Library Media Core Curriculum are an integral part of the research, experiments, and reports required in the Science Core. The end-of-level tests for science include specific questions that test the ability of students to use the information literacy skills of the Library Media K-6 Core Curriculum.

Affective Stage of Learning

To encourage successful effective learning, students must:

• Develop skills that allow for exploration and risk-taking in a nurturing, encouraging environment with high but attainable expectations;
• Recognize meaning in learning and connect it with real life situations;
• Feel a sense of ownership in the learning process;
• Be able to establish collaborative working relationships with other students and adults.

A solid learning base is established at the elementary level of the Library Media Core Curriculum and continues at the secondary level to challenge students with complex questions, conflicting facts and opinions, etc.

Working with the Utah Library Media Core Curriculum, school library media teachers and classroom teachers will promote:

• Students as self-directed, lifelong learners;
• Student confidence of self as a learner;
• Knowing and developing learning styles, strengths, needs, and interests;
• Understanding the nature of knowledge, that it is tentative and changing;
• Development of the tools of disciplines, e.g., effective communication, complex thinking, sources of information;
• Flexibility and fluency;
• Values for responsible citizenship;
• Knowing how to take charge of learning through investigation, decision making, problem solving, and self-evaluation;
• Applying knowledge and skill;
• Living consciously, actively, and responsibly.

The Utah Library Media Core Curriculum reflects concepts from many sources. The structure of the information literacy strand is based upon the Big6™ , designed by Eisenberg and Berkowitz, as outlined in Eisenberg, Michael B. and Robert E. Berkowitz. Information Problem-Solving: The Big Six Skills Approach to Library & Information Skills Instruction. Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex Publishing Corporation, 1995. The basis of the media literacy strand is derived from four concepts combined by Elizabeth Thoman and adopted by the Media Education Laboratory as the four tenets of media literacy.

Appendix A

Possible Final Product Examples

1. Advertisement
2. Brochure
3. Chart
4. Choral reading
5. Debate
6. Demonstration
7. Diorama
8. Display
9. Editorial
10. Essay
11. Fact file
12. Flip chart
13. Game
14. Lesson
15. Letters
16. Museum exhibit
17. Multimedia presentation
18. News broadcast
19. Newspaper story
20. Oral report
21. Pamphlet
22. Photo essay
23. Poem(s)
24. Poster
25. Puppet show
26. Rap
27. Skit
28. Song(s)
29. Tape (cassette)
30. Transparencies for overhead projector
31. TV news report
32. Video tape
33. Written report

Appendix B

Simplified Bibliographic Format

• The list is in alphabetical order according to the author’s last name.
• Indentation is key. All lines except the first line are indented.

1. For a book:

   Author (last name first). Title. Copyright date.

   Sonnenklar, Carol. Robots Rising. c1999.

    

2. For an encyclopedia article:

   "Article name (if given)," Name of encyclopedia. Last copyright date.

   "Robots," World Book Encyclopedia. c1999.

    

3. E-mail:

   Author of e-mail message (last name first). Subject of e-mail. [Online] e-mail address, date.

   Jones, Tom. Robots in your life. [Online], January, 2000

    

4. Internet:

Appendix C

Approved Bibliographic Citation Format

• The list is in alphabetical order according to the author’s last name.
• Indentation is key. Approved format uses hanging indentation---all lines except the first line are indented. You can command your word-processing program to do this for you.
• Each item on the list refers to an actual reference in the paper. Do not pad the list with names of references that you may have read but did not use.

1. For a book:

   Author (last name first). Title. City of Publication: Publisher, copyright date.

   Fisher, Leonard Everett. The Olympians. New York: Holiday House, c1984.

2. For a book with two authors:

   Author (last name first) and second Author (first name first). Title. City of Publication: Publisher, copyright date.

   McLean, Mollie and Ann Wiseman. Adventures of the Greek Heroes. Boston: Houghton, c1987.

3. For a reference source, such as an encyclopedia article, almanac or atlas:

   "Article name (if given)," Name of reference source. Last copyright date. Volume number, page number(s) of article.

   "Mythology," World Book Encyclopedia. c1999. Vol. 13, 813.

4. For a magazine article:

   Author (if known). "Article Name," Magazine Name. Date of Publication: page number(s).

   Severin, Tim. "Quest for Ulysses," National Geographic. Aug. 1986: 197-225.

5. For a film, video, or other media:

   "Title of Media," Title of Series (type of media). Producer, copyright date.

   "Myths," Literature for Children (video). Pied Piper, c1990.

6. For an interview:

   Interviewee’s name (last name first). Interview. Place of interview: Date of interview.

   Young, George. Interview. Salt Lake City, Utah: June 12, 1997.

7. For e-mail:

   Author of e-mail message (last name first). Subject of the message. [Online] Available e-mail: Student@address.edu, from Author@address.edu, date of document or download, if document is not available.

   Jones, Tom. Nile River Research Project results. [Online] Available e-mail: student@smavillhight.edu from ert@informs.k12.mn.us, September 25, 1996.

8. For Internet:

Glossary

Big 6™ - systematic approach to information problem solving using a six step process. The Big 6™ can be used whenever an individual has an information problem.

Boolean - words used in searching on a computer, e.g., and, or, not.

camera angles - High angle: shot in which the camera is above the subject looking down. A camera looking down on a person can make him or her look small and powerless.

Eye angle: shot in which the camera is positioned at eye level with the subject.

Low angle: shot in which the camera is below the subject looking up. This angle can make a person seem larger and more powerful.

close-up (cu) - shot in which the camera is close to the subject. When shooting a person, it is used to show emotion.

credits (n) - recognition by name of persons contributing to a performance.

cut (n) - an editing technique in which one shot immediately follows another.

dissolve - one shot fades out while another fades in.

editing (n) - rearranging or cutting material to produce a finished product, e.g., report, book, film, advertisement, etc.

extreme close up (ecu) - shot in which the camera is very close to the subject, exaggerates features.

fade (n) - shot fades out to a blank, often black, screen or up from a blank screen.

information book - nonfiction books that present current, accurate knowledge about some subject. The information in them is verifiable: sources in a library; letters or journals; or first hand, observable fact.

local media - media that is produced on a small scale, e.g., school production, community radio or television production.

long shot (ls) &emdash; a shot in which the camera is far from the object or action. It gives more information and a wider view. It can show a large crowd, a place, a whole setting, or action from a distance. Same as a wide shot.

mapping - a graphic organizer for information.

mass media - a communications medium capable of reaching a mass of people simultaneously.

media - plural for medium.

media literacy - the combination of knowledge and skills required to access, analyze, interpret, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms.

medium - means by which we communicate a message.

medium shot (ms) - the shot between a wide shot and a close-up.

mood - a predominant feeling or emotion in literature.

pacing - the way the plot moves along.

pan - in video production, the movement of the camera from left to right or from right to left.

persuasive techniques - methods used by advertisers to promote their products.

fantasy: the use of fantasy and animation. This is often used in advertisements for children.

plain folks: the use of average looking people that could be our neighbors or friends using the product.

theatrical extravaganza: the use of jingles, music, and dancing to create a mini-show about the product.

celebrity endorsement: the use of a famous person to draw attention to a product.

persuasive techniques 2 - slogan: a simple phrase that is repeated over and over so that it will stay in the consumer’s mind.

torture test: a product is subjected to hazardous conditions to demonstrate durability. It is required by law that these tests must have actually happened.

humor: this is commonly used as a focus for many products.

jingle: like slogans, but using music to emphasize a message with a short, catchy tune.

created spokesperson: a technique that uses an invented character who becomes identified with the product in the consumer’s mind.

side by side (media and you): a technique where two products are shown and compared side by side. One is shown to be better, softer, more absorbent, etc.

persuasive techniques 3 - image advertising: in this technique there is not a lot to say about the product, but it is selling a lifestyle or image that they are hoping the viewer will buy into.

point of view - who is telling the story. May be told in first person--a main character, or third person--a narrator or impartial bystander.

print awareness - being aware that print has meaning and directionality.

shot types - close-up: communicates emotion. A close-up allows us to see emotion on someone’s face. It gives detailed information about a character or situation by moving in closer.

medium shot: less emotional and less personal attention is focused on one or a few people or a small area.

long shot: gives more information and a wider view. It can show a large crowd, a place, a whole setting, or action from a distance. Same as a wide shot.

stereotype - an oversimplified description based on limited experience. Television shows often use stereotyped characters who are instantly recognizable by viewers.

storyboard - a scene-by-scene depiction of a story that includes sketches with notes about voice-overs, sound effects, and other media elements that accompany the scene.

style - a distinctive manner of expression in writing or speech.

target audience - a group of viewers to whom a particular program, commercial, or advertisement is directed.

tilt - when the camera moves up and down, from top down or from bottom up.

tone - the feeling generated in or by a piece of literature. The style or manner of expression in writing.

voice - the story teller. May be a character or an impartial bystander. May also refer to the style of speech used within the story. [first person is the speaker; second person is spoken to; third person is spoken about.]

weasels - sneaky parts of commercials. These can take the form of unseen props such as changing counter heights to make things look taller or shorter, using boxes for actors to stand taller, showing the close-ups of a small object to make it appear larger on the screen than it really is, or using qualified statements such as "virtually," "chances are," "might," "can help," "usually," "help control," or "sometimes." These words help the commercials from making promises they cannot keep. Even the experts have trouble finding weasels in media.

webbing - a graphic organizer of information.

wide shot (ws) - a shot in which the camera is far from the object or action. It gives more information and a broader view. It can show a large crowd, a place, etc.