From Books to Bees

1. From Books to Bees A look at an elementary school media center and state park visitor center, and how they help children learn about the world around them. By Sara Adkins Fall 2011 Introduction to Library Media 6320

2. Magness Creek Elementary Media Center Adkins, S., personal photograph, September 20, 2011

3. Magness Creek Elementary Media Center • Located in Cabot, Arkansas • Kathy Skidmore, media specialist • Serves students from Kindergarten to Fourth grade, teachers and staff, and parents • Has the same mission statement as the Cabot School District: “It’s About Kids!”

4. Space and Materials • Located in the center of the school building • Whole group instruction conducted at tables and carpet area • Individual time and space given for browsing shelves, accessing information from computers, listening to audio books, and reading books or magazine articles • Offers over 12,000 books (K. Skidmore, personal communication, September 22, 2011) • Teachers access DVD’s, books, magazine articles, and other teacher resources

5. Services Classes go to center for lessons with the media specialist Students check out fiction and nonfiction books out once a week or more if needed for research project Print media: books, encyclopedias, magazines Technology: computers, audio books, smart board Adkins, S., personal photograph, September 20, 2011

6. Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitor Center Retrieved from http://menaar.com/Arkansas_State_%20parks/lake_dardanelle_state_park_arkansas_picture_htm

7. Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitor Center • Located in Russellville, Arkansas • Sasha Bowles, park interpreter • Serves all visitors and all ages free of charge, school groups, teacher professional development groups, Girl Scout troops, Boy Scout troops, and many others. • Mission statement: “The mission of Lake Dardanelle State Park is to promote tourism to the state of Arkansas and to provide opportunities for people to enrich their lives and increase their enjoyment and well being through outdoor recreation, and education in Arkansas’ rich natural, historical, and cultural resources”

8. Space, Materials, and Services • New facility next to Lake Dardanelle • Various displays, aquariums, wet and dry touch tables, beehive observation area, live reptiles and insects, and topographic relief map of Arkansas • Many programs on nature, animals, and Native Americans offered by park interpreters • Research room with over 100 books, articles, and videos about the Trail of Tears, history of Arkansas, and the history of Pope County Art exhibit that features local artists’ photography or art work

9. Services Guided tours of the center with a park interpreter of the center Interactive displays with live animals such as fish and reptiles, along with computer kiosks providing facts about the animals Observation area overlooking Lake Dardanelle. Includes topographic map of Arkansas and a beehive observation area. Research room with over 100 books, articles and videos about the Trail of Tears and history of Arkansas Wet and dry touch tables with animal skins, antlers, live turtles, and other pieces of nature Photos retrieved from http://www.menaar.com/Arkansas_State_%20Parks/la ke_dardanelle_state_park_in_arkansas_picture_gallery.htm)

10. Bibliography S. Bowles, personal communication, September 22, 2011 K. Skidmore, personal communication, September 22, 2011 http://www.menaar.com/Arkansas_State_%20Parks/la ke_dardanelle_state_park_in_arkansas_picture_gallery.htm http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/lakedardanelle/