https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn Ten 8th grade students at Jenison Junior High School were given the question: How can we make reading better at the Jenison Junior High School Library en-us 2022-05-12 15:02:02 UTC 2025-09-26 00:29:52 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f4da.png jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2181660847 Students took a tour of the Jenison Junior High Library. Our library is older and has been the same for many years. The students wrote down a Bug List (activity in binder) noticing all the possible improvements that could be made. ]]> 2022-05-12 17:26:36 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2181660847 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2181729260 The students drove in a van to the Georgetown Library to tour the newly renovated space. This was a favorite part for sure because the students loved getting out of the school and experiencing a new space. 

The youth librarian gave the students a tour of the space, answered all their questions, and gave the students ideas for how to improve their library. ]]> 2022-05-12 18:10:32 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2181729260 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2182976162 Students got their own local library cards as well! They will hopefully return there and be able to use that local space down the road]]> 2022-05-13 14:32:29 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2182976162 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2182983308 We circled up in our school library and everybody had a stack of value cards. The students were asked to pick a top five out of the pile. Then, they put their top five on the table for everyone to see. After that, the students picked a top three. We discussed the similarities across the team, focusing on the potential reasons why the whole group might have picked that value. Lastly the students picked the most important card to them and explained why. Overall, loyalty was the most important value to our team. 

Then, we did some team building with two truths and a lie. The students loved doing this. It was also a great way to get to know one another. Even though we have been in class all year, there was still so much more to learn. ]]> 2022-05-13 14:37:08 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2182983308 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2182994526 Students participated in the Creative DNA personality test. They answered questions based on their preferences and made tallies on the color they fit. We were able to find out which students would be good decision-makers, which students would be good brainstormers, and which students would be able to excel in the presentation. ]]> 2022-05-13 14:44:31 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2182994526 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183000043 Students brainstormed who is impacted by the driving question: How can we make reading better at the JJHS?]]> 2022-05-13 14:47:52 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183000043 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183003302 The students decided on the top two stakeholders from their stakeholder map and decided on students and staff. 

So, the students split up in two groups and were each given the task to create an empathy map. One group did a student empathy map and the other group did a teacher empathy map. Then, the students presented their finding. 

They realized there was more to know and asked if we could interview students and staff. ]]> 2022-05-13 14:50:05 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183003302 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183007303 The students went around the school for one class period interviewing students and staff about what they thought of the library and how it could be improved. 

This helped the students decide on what would be the most important areas to focus on. This also sparked the idea of creating a learning center in the library. ]]> 2022-05-13 14:52:48 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183007303 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183081946 We met as a team to reflect on the interviews around the school. The students made a list of suggestions, potential problems, and any solutions that were found in the interviews. 

They wrote this on the classroom whiteboard and began to reflect. This led to listing off all the problems with the current library and what needs to be fixed. ]]> 2022-05-13 15:42:31 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183081946 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183095594 The students were given the task to write 100 ideas on 100 different sticky notes. No idea too big or two small. The students used the previous activities to brainstorm ideas. I gave them the 100 sticky notes and then they divided them amongst themselves and came up with ideas. 

Then, the students put all the sticky notes together and read all the ideas. After they were all read, the students sorted them into three categories: Least feasible, most feasible, and then maybe feasible. ]]> 2022-05-13 15:51:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183095594 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183099921 The students then combined similar ideas and clumped the sticky notes together. The biggest clumps won for the best possible solutions. Overall the students realized they wanted to focus on three big areas: library organization, updating decor, and creating a learning center. ]]> 2022-05-13 15:54:55 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183099921 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183105101 After the students developed their three top tier solutions, they began seeking skepticism. They spoke with other teachers about their ideas and got input from the stakeholders again. ]]> 2022-05-13 15:58:29 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183105101 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183129479 The students shared their solutions with an authentic audience which was supposed to be the end of the project. They presented to teachers, the school librarian, and the school principal. 

They did such an amazing job that the students were encouraged to take it to the next level. So, they began preparing for a second presentation for the school superintendent, assistant superintendent, and curriculum director. ]]> 2022-05-13 16:16:30 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183129479 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183133160 The students talked to a manager at Herman Miller about potential furniture that could be used for our learning center. They talked prices as well and created designs for the library space. ]]> 2022-05-13 16:19:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183133160 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183135336 Students worked hard updating their presentation, writing their notes on notecards, and practicing their presentation. ]]> 2022-05-13 16:20:39 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183135336 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183142590 Students did a final presentation for both principals, more teachers, the newly hired librarian, the superintendent, the assistant superintendent, and the the curriculum director. ]]> 2022-05-13 16:25:55 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183142590 jwatson73 https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183146725 After this project, some changes are on the way! The library is going to be reorganized by genre and then author rather than just author. They are going to repaint the space to update it. The school is also talking about the possibility to redo the entire library's decor. ]]> 2022-05-13 16:29:20 UTC https://padlet.com/jwatson73/k68myi1wrvpswfgn/wish/2183146725