Science Spotlights

 

There are many excellent current resources in our library that support general curiosity/reading about topics in science, and that directly support the Science curriculum. Thank you to everyone who has provided suggestions for resources;  please continue to do so!

 All print and digital resources below are accessible to you and your students, although in a different means to abide by all Covid protocols. Wendy will bring resources directly to your classroom and teach skills related to accessing databases/doing research using reliable sources.  Books can be signed out in your classrooms.

New Books

The library has recently acquired many new titles on a variety of technology topics including  virtual reality, self-driving cars, drones, technologies in health care, 3D printing, nanotechnology and spaceflight to Mars – as well as publications related to climate change, earth day, the disappearance of bees, and protection of the ocean.

Many of these books are currently on display in the glass case outside the library – as part of Current Issues Awareness Month.  Issues related to Science are featured this week and next week. 

Illustrated Science books – graphic non-fiction

Our library carries cartoon guides to chemistry, genetics and DNA as well as illustrated biographies about  scientists (ex. a range of female scientists; Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr) and about general  topics such as climate change, volcanoes, and birding/the natural world.  It’s a solid but small collection;  if you’d like to see additional topics features in graphic form, let Wendy know.

Magazines for Recreational Reading

You and your students have access to online editions of  popular publications such as Scientific American, Scientific American Mind, Discover, and Astronomy magazine through our news & magazine tab of the library web site.

Off-site access to these magazines will require the following log in;  please share with students!

Log in = vh2020!

Note that New Scientist embargoes issues newer than one month old.  If you would prefer current, hard-copy editions of this magazine or any other, please let Wendy know. In the past, magazines have been well-used as extra reading material in classes. 

Databases & ebooks

Our library’s Digital Resource Hub provides access to a wide selection of  magazines beyond those listed above – in addition to newspapers, academic journals, specialized encyclopedias, images, and multimedia resources that feature a variety of topics and current issues in Sciences. Moreover, these sources provide many advantage for students over searching through Google – robust search limiters, built-in citations, and a variety of reading and organization tools.

If you are planning a research project, Wendy will introduce students to the best starting points and teach students search tips for navigating the sources.

Science Literacy

The library is providing posters to all Science and Social Studies teachers this month to highlight the issue of looking for reliable sources related to current issues  in science, health/medicine, and socio-political issues.  There is a small display of new Science books in the glass case outside the library this week, and there will be a Health/Medicine/Nutrition display next week.

Multimedia Teaching Resources

The library has subscribed to CBC Curio for 2020-21 – which includes The National Geographic Channel as well as a variety of curated documentaries (ex. The Nature of Things) related to Sciences along with Teachers’ Guides.  The Collections menu tab curates a wide variety of resources related to topics such as Covid 19, climate change, geology, science and innovation, along with teacher resources.  See Wendy if you have any questions about sign up or the subscription.

Log in to our school’s subscription through the Special Subscriptions tab beneath the Staff Resources menu (password = vhstaff1914) and use the access code to set up your personal account through our school.