Student-Created Sequoyah Book Reports, AudioBoo, iPads and QR Codes

Fourth and fifth grade students at Independence Elementary School in Yukon Public Schools are sharing their learning as well as excitement for library books this year in a unique, highly digital way that is not only fun, but also meets Oklahoma's new Common Core State Standards for literacy. Students are recording short, oral book reviews and posting them online using the free iPad app and webservice AudioBoo. Then students are using QR codes in the library to access and listen to each other's book reports. In this short video IES librarian, Lindsey Clinton, explains how the project works. In addition, some IES students demonstrate the process of using AudioBoo (free) to record and publish audio book reports.



The Sequoyah Book Contest is sponsored each year by the Oklahoma Library Association to encourage students to read books of high literary quality. "Master lists" are published in May, and students are encouraged to read as many of the books as possible during the following school year. According to the contest's official website:

Students in grades 3-5 who have read or listened to at least three titles from the Children's Masterlist are eligible to vote for the Children's Sequoyah Book Award.

Students vote in February and March each year, with all votes submitted to the Oklahoma Library Association by April 1st.

Mrs. Clinton devised this project to encourage more students to read the Sequoyah books as well as develop their oral communication skills through recorded book reports. Adam Zodrow, the YPS Professional Development Coordinator, worked with Lindsey to setup an AudioBoo channel and get students started with their recordings. Using some strategies from the "Narrated Art" project idea on the "Mapping Media to the Common Core" website, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Zodrow designed the IES Sequoyah book challenge to develop students' traditional literacy skills alongside their digital literacy skills. So far it's been a great project and very successful, as you can hear from the student comments in the video above!

Listen to and comment on IES student audio book reports by visiting the IES library's blog, where Mrs. Clinton has posted and embedded student AudioBoo reports!