The Librarian's Internet: 21st-Century Literacy Skills

A closer look at the 'new literacies' for K–12 students

By Gail Junion-Metz -- School Library Journal, 5/1/2004

Learning for the 21st Century
www.21stcenturyskills.org/downloads/P21_Report.pdf

This document considers specific curricula that schools can use to foster the new literacy skills and includes a state-by-state guide to innovative programs. Created by: The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Washington, DC. Detour: The accompanying "Mile Guide for 21st Century Skills" (www.21stcenturyskills.org/downloads/P21_MILE_Guide.pdf) provides specific milestones to help you gauge your instruction of the new literacies.

This site describes in depth four new literacies: information, media, multicultural, and visual, with various lesson plans and a comprehensive resources link. Created by: SBC Pacific Bell and the UCLA Initiative for 21st Century Literacies. Don't Miss: Click on the "Glossary" link for a handy list of new literacy definitions.

These Web pages—part of an online library science course entitled "Information Inquiry for Teachers"—are worth a look, whether you're taking the course or just cybervisiting. Created by: Dr. Annette Lamb, librarian and education professor at Indiana University–Purdue University at Indianapolis. Don't Miss: The four pages on information, visual, media, and technology literacy, which link to more articles and Web sites.

This site features teacher-created lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school students. The lessons—from "A Cinderella Webquest" to "Civil Liberties in Wartime"—include worksheets, rubrics, and assessments. Created by: The Illinois Math and Science Academy 21CIF Team. Don't Miss: The "Self-Guided MicroModules," short, self-directed lessons that cover a wide range of Internet topics, appropriate for sixth graders to adults.

Here's a nice set of exercises and handouts (in both HTML and PDF formats) to help your students learn 21st-century literacy skills. The "Reading Media Photographs" and "Visual Literacy Project" are excellent examples. Created by: Debbie Abilock, creator of NoodleTools and editor of Knowledge Quest.

A solid introduction to the new literacy skills, produced by educational consultants working with the North Central Regional Education Lab. Includes clear definitions of the skills, and documents that outline the 21st Century Skills movement. Created by: The Metiri Group, Culver City, CA. Plug-ins: Adobe Acrobat Reader.