Fourth grade students are scheduled to visit the library twice every week - once for a regular library class and book exchange, and the second class for Digital Literacy. What is Digital Literacy? According to Promethan World, digital literacy is "...separate from computer literacy. It requires critical thinking skills, an awareness of the necessary standards of behavior expected in online environments, and an understanding of the shared social issues created by digital technologies. Or alternatively: digital literacy = digital tool knowledge + critical thinking + social engagement."

The following graphic illustrates the different components of digital literacy education and the different topics the 4th grade students will be covering this year.

Currently students are learning about personal and private information and what is okay to share online and what information should never be shared. They will be learning about the need for strong passwords in the weeks to come and using a fun website that helps them create unique passwords.

We are building a Digital Literacy Word Wall one word at a time!

Students in fourth grade are starting to create book trailers using the iPads and iMovie. Some students are working with partners and some have chosen to work individually to create a book trailer from a book they have read. The use of organizational storyboards help them in the process of designing the layout of the trailer and the will use Creative Commons images from the internet to add to the trailer. The completed trailers will then be shown to their classmates, enticing the students to read the presented books!

Students in Grade 4 are being introduced to 25 amazing new books through the Massachusetts Children's Book Award program. Each year Salem State University develops a list of 25 titles based on nominations by 4th, 5th, and 6th graders from around the state of Massachusetts. Students are encouraged to read at least 5 of these titles in order to be eligible to vote for their favorite book in mid-March. While listening to the summaries of these books and watching book trailers, students are encouraged to highlight the books on their list that interest them. These highlighted titles become a personal reading list for the school year. All classroom teachers receive a copy of each of the 25 titles and encourage students to check them out. 

Link to the 2018-2019 Mass Book Award selections and summaries