Library skills at Camden-Rockport Middle School are taught by the librarian in
conjunction with the various subject areas as well in focused 5th and 6th grade Anchor
library skills classes.
Throughout grades 5-8, the library is available to students for fiction and nonfiction
reading on a wide variety of reading levels. Each month, approximately 1000 books
circulate. The collection is wide-ranging in order to meet the needs of the different ages,
maturity, reading levels, and interests of the students as well as to support, the
curriculum.
Grade 5
Each 5th grader attends focused orientation sessions early in the school year to ensure
that student are familiar with and comfortable using the library. These sessions focus on
book location, care and feeding of books, appropriate library behavior, genres, fiction
and nonfiction, book selection, etc. These students also learn how to appropriately use
of the library website, catalog, and Destiny Quest. Later in the school year, 5th graders
use the library’s resources to research the key attributes of the thirteen colonies.
Throughout the year, 5th graders visit the library with their classroom teachers to select
and check out library books and Nooks.
During the 22 session 5th grade Anchor library skills unit, 5th grade students are
introduced to research using both print and non-print primary and secondary sources,
note-taking, outlining, and works cited (attribution of sources) within a framework based
on Benjamin Franklin.
Grade 6
Library skills are expanded in Grade 6, through Social Studies with extensive use of
indices, glossaries, atlases, biographical dictionaries, etc. Students hone their skills
during original, hands on units on Westward Expansion, the U.S. Civil War, Boom or
Bust (the 1920s and 1930s), and World War II. In 6th grade Science, students use the
library to research, take notes on, and cite sources on minerals, topics in space, and the
environment.
During the 22 session 6th grade Anchor library skills unit, each student does an in-depth
research project on a topic which corresponds with the Social Studies unit they are
currently studying. During the first session, the topics are in the area of Westward
Expansion. During second session, 6th graders will explore topics in the Civil War. Third
session students will research topics related to the 1920s and 1930s. The final session
will focus on topics in World War II. Finished research projects are showcased in 6th
grade Social Studies classes.
Grade 7
During Grade 7, students research and create biographical sketches of famous women
in Language Arts during She-Search, again reinforcing their research, attribution, and
writing skills. Seventh graders also use the library during Social Studies to research key
topics in U.S. history from WWII to the present as well as countries of the world during
their World Tour. Through Family and Consumer Science class, students use the library
explore the world of children’s books, learning to select appropriate stories and
practicing reading to young children. In Science, 7th graders research endangered
species from a biome perspective.
Grade 8
8th graders continue to build on their research skills. In Social Studies, they learn the
art of embedded attribution while researching and writing a five-paragraph essay on
Ancient Greece. During the Author Podcast research unit, students chose an author to
research, take notes, and create a biographical podcast which they record and share
with their classmates. Students also research current controversial issues and write
persuasive essays, practicing their organizational, note-taking, and works cited skills. In
Science, students will also use the library to research a variety of topics. In addition to
using the library for research, 8th graders also have sustained silent reading sessions
on a regular basis during their Anchor block.