Book Study - Chapter 3 - Setting High Academic Expectations

 1.  The most intuitive technique I would use in the Media Center would be No Opt Out.  Fourth and fifth grade students tend to want to avoid participating in Media Center lessons because they realize at our school the Media Specialist does not give grades.  By using No Opt Out, it would teach the students that they need to participate even if they do not have the right answer.  That it is even okay not to have the right answer.  The most difficult technique to use is definitely Format Matters.  In the Media Center, I expect students to write in complete sentence and with proper capitalization.  Not all teachers require their students to write in complete sentences so when I tell students this is an expectation, I often have students argue that their teacher doesn't make them do that.  

2.  Responses to "almost right answers":

• You are so close!
• You are on the right track.  Is there anything else you can think of?
• Tell me a little bit more about _______.
• What do you mean by ______?

3. Ten Stretch It questions for "What is one branch of government?"

1. What is the main group in the legislative branch of government?
2. What does checks and balances mean?
3. Which branch of government enforces/carries out laws?
4. Which branch of government interprets the laws?
5. Which branch of government makes the laws?
6. What is the Bill of Rights?
7. How many Senators are there?
8. What kind of government does the United States have?
9. How old does someone running for president have to be?
10. How many Supreme Court judges are there?

4. Teaching library skills is boring for students, although it is an important thing to learn.  Call numbers are very boring for students.  I can make it fun by incorporating a Kahoot game or doing a scavenger hunt  of call numbers in the Media Center.  We've done both before and students enjoy it much more than just listening to the Media Specialist talk and explain where to find items.