Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Our assembly in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is the 8th grade's opportunity to share their learning about their House Mentor and his messages.

Are you an 8th graders who is interested in participating in our assembly?

ELA teachers are sharing the link to the offering submissions page this week, or click here.

Please submit your proposal by 1:30 on Tuesday, November 26th. 

If the form requests a draft, please see the appropriate teacher for help. We will notify students of the final assembly selections before winter vacation.

Friday, June 14, 2019

Bring books with you anywhere! Sora ebook and audiobook collection from Overdrive.

WMS is excited to join the Massachusetts Library System Commonwealth eBook (and audiobook!) Collection! 

Students and faculty will have access to a preselected, grade-appropriate selection of ebooks and audiobooks. The collection can be accessed when a student is logged into their WPS google account via soraapp.com or through the Sora app. The app's vendor is Overdrive, which will be familiar to those who use the Overdrive collection at your public library, as well as older siblings already using Sora at WHS. 

Demos have been provided to a many students this week, including how to link a public library Overdrive account. Further tutorials and more information will be available on the WMS library website.

Here is the quick version to get you started:
  • Make sure that you are logged into your student WPS gmail account.
  • Go to soraapp.com or, with permission from an adult in your household, download the Sora app.
  • Choose the MLS Commonwealth eBook Collection.
Choose Wayland MS & HS (Students)




Many thanks to the WPSF for funding our initial membership and copies of books read in ELA class and book groups that are not already available via the Collection! 

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Summer Reading 2019

As we all know, WMS reads all year 'round!

Information about Summer Reading and Book Buzz forms can be found on the school website.

You can choose to read any book, but here are two documents to help you get started:


Books Similar to Books You Liked



List by Title, Author, Genre(s)

The library has collected this list of recommended summer reading from current nonfiction and fiction titles as a collaborative effort with Pam McCuen, the head of Youth Services at the Wayland Public Library, and in consultation with Departmental Faculty. 


You'll notice that you can click on the tabs to access the list in alphabetical order by author, title or genre.

Remember that you also can click on the Reading link above for additional booklists and award-winners.

Also, don't forget that the ebooks and audiobooks available via our library or the public library. Check back soon for more information about our membership in the Commonwealth eBook (and audiobook!) Collaborative, thanks to WPSF funding. Students can go to soraapp.com, or use the Sora app to access the collection. You can also link your public library card! With an adult at home, get a WPL library card and set up your PIN to borrow other ebooks and audiobooks. Students over 13 can also get a BPL electronic card.

Finally, you can use your WPL card to use NoveList K-8 for recommendations.

We wish you a fantastic summer full of wonderful books, and look forward to sharing in the fall!

Thursday, April 25, 2019

8th grade ELA Book Buddy suggestions

Here is a jumping-off list for brainstorming a Buddy read with your 8th grade ELA classmate.

Other booklists can be found here.


Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Y.E.S. Project -- Resources and Extra Help

We're having extra workshop time in A Days in our library!

Sign up here to come during A Day lunch, or A Day Flex -- only if you are not in Band, Chorus or Orchestra.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Cape Cod Tour Guide Research Guide!

So, you need to make a tour guide presentation...

BRAINSTORM KEYWORDS AND RESOURCES

What do you already know about your site?
(This is brainstorming keywords)
  • Where is it? 
    • Think in generals and specifics:  City/Town/Site Name <--> Cape Cod <--> Massachusetts <--> Northeastern United States
  • What are the qualities of the site? 
    • Historic event?
    • Geologic feature?
    • Plant? Animal? Famous Person?
  • Make a list of your keywords on your notes document or a separate piece of paper. Remember, you can always add to this list or cross off keywords that are not helpful.
Think about your location type...
  • What type of resource will have the information that you want?
    • Tour guide? Historical? Scientific?
  • What type of author are you hoping to find? How do you evaluate the information on each?
    • Official location
    • Government
    • For-profit tour company
    • Conservation or environmental protection agency
    • Private person's personal website
    • Expert scientist
    • Expert historian

USE YOUR KEYWORDS, EVALUATE YOUR SOURCE AND EXTRACT YOUR INFORMATION

Find a source of information:

  • Be efficient and effective and start with these provided resources!
  • Go to your source and look for your keywords in the index, on the page (ctrl/cmnd-F)
  • If you are using a search engine:
    • Do you want to use multiple words?
    • What order?
    • Tweak your keywords:  more general? more specific? synonyms? are you using the words an expert would use?
    • Remember:  don't use sentences! Think about how the page you want to find would be written

Is this really a good source?

If it answers your question and has your information, evaluate the source to make sure that it is good (accurate, etc.) 

Remember Rr/aAPT -- 
  1. READABILITY:  If you can't understand the source, you can't take notes and put it into your own words! STOP and pick another source -- this isn't a bad thing. Remember -- it might be written for college students!
  2. RESPONSE/ANSWER:  Make sure it answers your question. If it doesn't, maybe you can be empathetic and share it with another group.
  3. AUTHOR:  Evaluate the author -- why is this person or organization an expert that you can trust?
  4. PURPOSE:  What is the purpose of the source? Does it have an opinion? Want you to do something? 
  5. TIME:  When was it updated? Does it say when it was updated? (Does it matter?)

Making notes:  

  • Add your source to your source list BEFORE you start making notes!
  • Use the ToC, index, and ctrl/cmnd-F to find the exact places in the source that have your information.
  • Write down or type up the important facts in your own words -- remember you do not need compete sentences!

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

DC Photographers (8th grade!)

Hi 8th grade,

Part of what makes our DC trip even more incredible is the way we capture it in photos.

It's your turn to have the opportunity to make your class's DC Slideshow spectacular.

Interested? Compete the application by the end of the day on Friday, March 1st.

Friday, February 8, 2019

Bookmark Contest! (due Friday 2/15)

Swing by our library for an entry form for the MA School Library Association's annual bookmark contest!

We will also have working lunches on Tuesday. Sign up in the cafe!

If you want to design your bookmark electronically, here is a link to the template.

Make sure to plan enough time for your parent or guardian to sign your completed entry!!

More information from the printed entry form:

This year's theme:

All entries are due by the end of BREAK on Friday, February 15th!

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Best Books of 2018?

Agree? Disagree? Give 'em a read!

These are some of the books recommended as the Best Books of 2018. (Click image for the full list.)

Friday, January 4, 2019

Civil Rights -- fiction and nonfiction

Interested in more about Civil Rights?

These are books for 8th grade students:

Nonfiction (great for your "I have a Dream" marginalia project!)