Visits to Media Center


	Steps to a successful visit to the media center Select the dates early. Make a visit to the library before the first day of school and share your hopes for the new year. Sign up early. I stager visits during the October and November especially if the class are studying the same topic. I avoid the spring semester because it is too late to support our activities and there are too many conflicts. Remember to avoid testing dates. Plan Visit with the Media Center Director. Our director provides sources that help develop the project. Plan early. Visit several weeks in advance.
	Assign topics based on student curiosity and interest.
	One Strategy. (Post images or words around the room and have students go the image that attracts them chocolate, flint knife, Virgin de Guadalupe, Aztec calendar, jaguar knight etc. Have research guidelines on the back of a card. Have team members record their names and duties on the cards. Collect the cards and keep save until day of the visit.
	Teams will need to include at least one bilingual student and one Spanish only team member per group. Some of the literature is available only in Spanish. Anthropological articles are generally written in a college level. I also recommend the placement of one English only student per group. With a Anglo enrollment of 12.5% their will not be enough English only team members for all groups.
	Internet. Search for internet sites and texts in both Spanish and English. Each group is given a chart to rate the Internet sites they visit. Allow time for each group to work on the internet. Schedule several visits. My students love to surf the Internet. I schedule several visits to make sure every one becomes familiar with supporting material in books. Many of the projects are planned for years. I supplement the library with my private collection. Of course I do not lend books out.
	Written Reports. Each group prepares a report on their topic and shares the highlights with other groups. Reports are complied to produce a brief one-paragraph introduction for each of the dances. some students will make reports in English others Spanish. Translations. Introductions are translated into Spanish and English.
	Proofing the Text. Have the Spanish Level III and IV students proof the Spanish Text. Then have a Spanish teacher proof the text. We have ex-students who attend the community college across the street proof the text. English teachers can help proof the text in English. It is easiest to proof the text before it is put into power point format. The text had been sent in Email attachment. The work can also be divided into sections.
	Publishing Research is an important final step. Present power point simultaneously in the auditorium one wall projecting English and one wall projecting Spanish. We alternate the students who speak in English and Spanish. Because we will do several performances all narrators will not be present at every performance. Having the complete power points in both languages allows for flexibility. Publishing student work on the Internet as to making the research real. Adding performance action shots to the power point and website contributes to the excitement and feelings of accomplishment.
	Narrators. Students are selected to read introductions during the performance. Generally one slide per student. My policy has been to ask for volunteers. I do not reject students regardless of their ability. The power point is project on the wall for the audience to follow. I give student time to practice.