Media Services Virtual Preplanning Inservice

Media Center Orientation for Students

Orientation for students in Grades 1 - 5 will begin the week of August 20th and continue through Monday, August 27th. All teachers with a homeroom should plan to sign-up for a time period to bring their entire class to the media center. Orientation for Kindergarteners will begin the week of September 10th.
Grades 3, 4, and 5 will sign-up for a 45-min. block. Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 will sign up for a 30 min. block. Teachers should plan to remain with their students. The media schedule will be located in the hanging file on the wall outside of my office.
During the orientation, students will be reminded of the 4 media center rules, given their media passes, and allowed to check out books (Kindergarten students - 1 book; all others - 2 books).
Students that have attended orientation will only be allowed to return and check out books during specified times until all orientations are completed. Tuesday, August 28th will be open for returns and check out all day to students with their media passes. Check your e-mail for other times that become available before then!
Plan to sign-up for orientation by Friday, August 17th!

Scheduling the
Media Center/Media Specialist

Monthly media center schedules are available the last Wednesday of the current month. For example, plan to sign up for September visits on Wednesday, August 29th. Watch for e-mails that will notify you that the schedule is ready plus a link to planned Media Activities for the month.
Teachers can schedule a media center time by signing up in person or through an e-mail to Linda.
The media center is available for a variety of activities. These include, but are not limited to, information literacy instruction, project research, and reading promotion activities.
Check the media website - Media Activities - to find suggested activities for the month!
Information literacy instruction and project research will be provided at the request of an individual teacher or for a entire grade level. Grade level activities can be planned during monthly collaboration. Team Leaders - please send me a list of your 1/2 day planning dates so I can plan my schedule! I'm also willing to attend any other collaborative planning times you may have if you have a need!
Reading promotion activities will feature the Georgia Picture Book Award nominees for 2007-2008, holiday selections, and curriculum-related content. Please limit the scheduling of reading promotion activities to every other week to allow all classrooms to be served.
Teachers are encourage to send students to the media center on an "as needed" basis to return and select new books. Students must bring their media pass when visiting the media center! All students will receive a pass during their orientation. Reading promotion activities will also include a time for whole class check out.

Destiny - the Media Center Automation System -

Destiny is an internet-based automation system that will allow students and staff to perform searches from anywhere in the building where there is an Internet connection!
Over the summer Destiny was upgraded resulting in a slightly different look to the search screen, but still allowing easy access to favorite picture books, works by an author, or non-fiction titles to support your curriculum. The search screen for Destiny is pictured below:

The Search tabs across the top now contains the Visual Search link. The links under the Library Search on the left now contains a Spanish version! You can now also search for Award Winners including the Georgia Award winning books! Under the Search Reading Programs drop-down menu, you can also search by Lexile levels.
Complete a search using Destiny and print a bibliography using the following instructions.
Open the Destiny website by clicking on the blue Destiny icon on your Application Launcher screen. Notice that is opens to the Home Page of the media center's website! Click the Catalog tab at the top. Type your subject in the Find box to locate information (EX: electricity, mystery). Click on the Keyword button.
A Search Results list will result. Look through the list and notice the book covers that are interactive! Also you can identify the type of material by the little icon under its title (book, film, etc.). A title that begins with Web Path Express will take you to a list of approved websites.
Prepare a bibliography that contains at least 10 books, 1 Web Path Express website, and 1 audiovisual resource by clicking on the Add to My List button to the right of a title. You can also select the Add Page to My List button at the top of the page to add every title that is on the screen to your list.
Once you have selected at least 12 titles for your list, click the Resource Lists button on the left side of the screen. Click on the View button to display your list. Click the Printable button. Select File - Print or the Printer Icon to print out the bibliography. Staple the printed list to your Progress Form.
Plan to complete this task by August 31st!

Cobb Virtual Library (CVL)

Click on the link to access the Cobb Virtual Library (the URL is http://cvl.cobbk12.org). The CVL link is also available on the Home page of Destiny and the Media Center Website. Read the information at the bottom of the screen.
These resources are available for elementary students and staff only. They can all be accessed from school or from home. A password is needed for home use.
Click on the Elementary Password List link at the bottom of the page. Print out a copy of the password list for your personal use. Remember that the password list should not be published in school newsletters or on web pages! You can make copies of the list to send home with students as needed. The passwords will also be included on the Media Center brochure that we will have available for Open House.
Review the 9 resources available for elementary use. List the resources on your Progress Form on which you would like more training! Introductory or refresher sessions will be scheduled in the fall as needed (I PROMISE!).
The Cobb Virtual Library is the first online site our students should be directed to when searching for information. Google searches and Ask Jeeves are not good choices for elementary students!
Plan to complete this task by September 7th!

GPB Video Streaming Information

If you created a GPB unitedstreaming user account last year, you will not need to do it again unless you transferred from another school.
If you created an account last year and have forgotten your user name and/or password, go to the GPB website for directions on retrieving the information.
All new Cobb teachers and teachers new to Kemp will need to pick up an additional flyer from the media center with directions for setting up a new account. Record your new username and password on the Password Flyer. (HINT: Your badge number makes a great username!)
GPB is a teacher resource and the passcode information is to be used only by teachers (not to be distributed to students).
Using your user name and password, login to the GPB site. Use the search screen on the left to locate a video resource that is appropriate for your students. List the title in the Notes/Follow Up section of your Progress Form.
In the same section of the Progress Form, also indicate if you need introductory or refresher video streaming training/information. These session will be scheduled in the Fall as needed (AGAIN, I PROMISE!)! If you can't wait, there is a self-paced interactive training in the Professional Development section!
Video streaming is an excellent way to use your LCD projector and your laptop!
Plan to complete this task by September 14th!

Kemp Media
Website

The Kemp Media Center web page has a section devoted to you � the classroom teacher! Click on the Teacher Resources link on the Media Center home page to begin your exploration.
The web page is designed to help you as you plan daily lessons and curriculum units. Take time to explore each section and make note of the sites that will be useful to you this year. Let me know if you have some other �Wow� sites you would like to see added!
Click on the Professional Magazines link to find a list of the magazines we subscribe to at Kemp. The table of contents is entered into our Destiny database to make searching for specific topics easy! Magazines are located in the Teacher Resource room at the back of the media office.
For those of you new to Kemp, don�t miss the LCD Projectors link. The web page gives step-by-step instructions with pictures for setting up and using your projector. The site also provides ideas for using the projector in the classroom.
Knowing the current copyright laws pertaining to education is also very important. Two links at the bottom of the Teacher Resource page will give an overview and help to answer any questions you may have. I have other copyright resources available if you need more help.
Return to the home page of the media center and explore some of the other sections that are available. Make sure you check out Media Activities � the page to find out what the students are doing in the media center each month.
I use the Big 6 research process with the students when they visit the media center for information literacy skills. Click on the Projects link to see examples of activities completed in the past years at Kemp. Don�t forget to include the media center and the media specialist in your project plans!

CCN - Cougar Cable News

Our morning news program is called CNN - Cougar Cable News and will broadcast daily at 7:45-7:55 LIVE from the lovely studio in Powder Springs, GA!
Our 5^th grade students are responsible for producing, directing, and presenting the broadcast. The news crew rotates every 3 weeks throughout the school year.
News broadcasts will begin Monday, August 20th. Every homeroom will send students to the studio to lead the pledge throughout the year and 4^th grade students will present the weather daily.
Click on this link to print a copy of the broadcast schedule for the year. Highlight the days during the year that your class is responsible for the pledge. Please make a note of these dates in your calendar.
Divide the number of students in your class by the total number of appearances and you will have the number of students to send each time! Please make sure that all students have an opportunity to lead the pledge on television at least once during the year.
Fourth grade teachers should also highlight the weeks that they are responsible for the weather. Again, allow all students an opportunity to deliver the weather if possible.
Plan to complete this task by August 17th!

Computer Lab

Every homeroom will have the opportunity to visit the computer lab every two weeks. There are 28 computers available for student use plus a teaching station with a laptop and an LCD projector.
Please remember to follow a few simple rules to keep the lab ready and available for all students.
Students should use hand sanitizer or wash their hands before entering the lab.
Please assign students to a computer for the school year. This will make logging in a little faster and make it easier to trace problems with the equipment!
Students should login to their computer with their student number. Check the Password Flyer for the password for the students. Student passwords should not change during the school year.
Students' work can only be saved to their home folder on the H: drive (the preferred way) or to a shared folder. Please instruct them in saving correctly when working on a project. Any work saved to the C drive by a student will be deleted automatically when they log out! If you need help with the saving process, please ask your Media/Technology team member or the media staff.
If problems develop with a computer, list the problem on the white board at the front of the room giving the date, computer number and problem. Often minor glitches can be fixed just by shutting down and restarting the computer.
Encourage the students to bring their media sticks to the computer lab to help them with their login. When they have a problem or questions, have them raise their stick instead of leaving their seats. This will help you as you try to assist the entire class!
When exiting the lab, all students should log off (not shut down) the computers, hang up their headphones, push in their chairs, and collect their pencils, paper, etc. Leave the lab ready for the next class!
If you need help planning your lab sessions, please do not hesitate to ask! I can also schedule some times with you to introduce your students to Destiny, the Cobb Virtual Library, and the media webpage! These activities can be completed in the computer lab.
Make sure you have submitted 3 choices for your computer lab time when notified by e-mail so we can develop the schedule!

Laptop Carts

Kemp has two carts containing 24 wireless laptops available for classroom checkout.
Each cart contains a mouse and set of headphones for each laptop. CD-drives and floppy drives are available from the media center.
The laptop schedule is posted monthly outside of the media office. Laptops may be reserved for the morning (8:00-11:15) or afternoon (11:15-2:00).
The cart keys are stored in the media office.
Carts must be picked up and returned by adults. Students MAY NOT be used to push the carts.
When getting ready to move the carts to the classroom, turn off both power buttons located on the upper back corners of the cart before unplugging. Secure the cord before rolling the carts.
Once the carts are in the classroom, the cart must be plugged in for the printer to work. All laptops must have their recharging cables unplugged to prevent electrical shortages. If you have printing problems, please check that the students are selecting the correct printer. The cart printer often defaults to a Print Shop printer that does not exist!
Laptops should be removed and returned to the carts only by adults. Students in grades 3 and up may carry laptops to the cart and back. Please demonstrate the correct way to safely carry laptops before allowing the students to transport them. Kindergarten through 2^nd grade should not carry laptops.
There should be no food or liquids around the laptops while in the classroom. Please instruct students not to place objects such as pencils on the laptop to prevent damage to the screens. Also instruct students not to touch the screen.
Laptops boot up faster when a student is assigned to the same laptop each use and the logins are staggered.
If a message appears that the laptop is locked, simply hold in the power button until the laptop shuts down. It should work fine when rebooted.
Please lock your door if leaving the laptops out when you are away from the classroom. Otherwise, return them to the cart, lock the cart doors, and remove the keys.
When returning the laptops to the cart, place the laptop behind the parking line, plug the recharging cables back in to all laptops, check for cords that are hanging down in the front, and lock the doors.
After returning the cart to the media center, plug the two electrical plugs into the dedicated outlets and turn both power buttons back on so the laptops can recharge overnight.
Report any problems on the clipboard chart and return with the key to the media office.

School Software

A variety of software programs are available from the student and teacher Novell launcher. NOTE: These may change when our computers are refreshed!)
Many require a separate install on each computer workstation. If you have difficulty opening any programs, it may need to be installed. Please contact the media center staff if installs are needed.
Teachers should not install programs onto the classroom, lab, laptop, or media center computers. You are allowed to install on your teacher laptop.
Check the Password List flyer in your packet for any program passwords that are needed and use it to track your passwords for the school year.
Please list in the Notes/Follow-Up section of your Progress Form any software programs on which you would like to receive introductory or refresher training. Sessions will be scheduled as needed in the fall after the computer refresh project. (AGAIN, I PROMISE!).
Plan to complete this task by September 14th!

Subscription Resources

Kemp currently has a school wide license for the BrainPop website and the Enchanted Learning website.
We also have a subscription to Linda's Links to Literature.
Check the Password List in your training packet for the user names and passwords. These logins are to be used by staff members only and not given to students.
Log in to BrainPop, Enchanted Learning, and Linda's Links to Literature to explore the resources available.
Kemp also has a login for Mailbox and Bookbag magazines. Check your Password List for this information.
Plan to complete this task by September 21st!

Technology Work Orders

If you are experiencing problems with your teacher laptop, please submit a work order by e-mail or by calling 770-426-3330.
Other problems with your desktop computers, Groupwise program, or local software can be reported to the media staff.
An e-mail sent to Vickie or Linda stating the problem is the preferred method of reporting. You can also leave a note with your name and problem. This allows us to have a written record, not just a memory record!
We may ask you to do a couple of quick fixes or try to troubleshoot the problem before placing a work order. Most problems can be remedied quickly, so make sure you remind us if the problem is not fixed in a couple of days!




	Return your completed Progress Form and attachments to the media center for a valuable prize! Keep your Password List for reference.