Library & Research

The Ken Caryl Middle School (KCMS) Library’s vision is to provide a student-centered and equitable experience that transforms learning and empowers all for the future.

Core Values:

Promote a culture of literacy
Lead beyond the library
Curate and manage resources
Transform learning through collaboration
Foster digital fluency
Nurture equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging

Welcome to the KCMS Library Learning Commons (LLC)

Ken Caryl’s library offers printing and publishing for assignments, 3D printing, assistance with school projects, reading suggestions, magazines and graphic novels, peer tutoring, research support, works cited pages, technology access and assistance, e-books, audiobooks, tech to check out (iPads, Chromebooks, laptops, cameras, green screens and podcasting equipment), maker space materials and so much more.

KCMS 3D Print Request

Select and narrow your topic

Brainstorm possible topics that interest you and where you can find enough research material.
Conduct preliminary research to uncover the big ideas you will want to include in your paper or project.
Create a good research question. Research questions should be:
- Focused on a single topic or issue
- Researchable using primary or secondary sources
- Feasible to answer within the time frame and practical constraints
- Specific enough to answer thoroughly
- Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper, thesis or project

Note-taking

Five easy steps to paraphrasing

Refer to Scribbr's guide to paraphrasing:
- Read the passage several times to fully understand the meaning.
- Note down the key concepts.
- Write your version of the text without looking at the original. Include the correct information but change the sentence structure and words.
- Compare your paraphrased text with the original. If you find phrases that are too similar, make changes.
- Cite the source of the text.

Why do sources matter?

Take the easiest quiz of all time. Let's see how some other folks did.

RADCAB: Your Vehicle for Information Evaluation

Find quality sources

The Ken Caryl Library has quality resources for everyone:

Destiny library catalog
- How to use Destiny for research, including citing Destiny sources (video)
JCPL databases
- More information about a few of our favorite JCPL databases:
  - Scholastic Go!
  - World Book
  - Explora for Teens
  - Gale Databases (Opposing Viewpoints)
  - Gale Databases (Global Issues and Biography)
  - Middle Search Plus from EBSCO
  - Card numbers for KCMS students
Sweet Search: A search engine for students

Google tips and tricks

Think about your search terms.
Do not Google whole questions.
Start broad and then get more specific.
Presentation: Use Boolean searching when possible.
Video: Use the Google Explore Tool to research within a document.
Video: Use Control F to find keywords within a site.
Consider domain type:
- Use the "site:" feature when Googling to find information within a certain reputable source or just site:edu or site:gov or site:org to filter to those types of domains.
Use the plus and minus feature to make your search results more precise.
- For example, type "Pedigree -dog +genetics" to find just information on genetic pedigree information, not the dog food.

Using the Google Docs citation tool

Share your research in creative ways

WeVideo (video projects)
Soundtrap (audio projects: music and podcasts)
Adobe Express (digital design, websites and presentations)
Book Creator (e-books)

Classroom projects

Social Studies

Electives

Adobe Express

Clubs and Activities

Battle of the Books: Read six books and form teams to compete against one another to win big!
- Battle of the Books will launch in November!
- Learn more about Battle of the Books (BotB
Craft Club (first trimester): Students create beautiful crafts with friends.
- Once a week
- Tuesdays during Advisement
Minecraft Club (second trimester): Come to talk about books and connect with others
- Once a week
- Tuesdays during Advisement
KCMS Art Expo: Student artwork will be on display in the LLC for all to enjoy.
- Submissions due September 27th to the LLC
Family Technology Nights: Families learn more about digital citizenship, web filtering and more
Scholastic Book Fair: Support our school and promote literacy by purchasing books at our book fair (September 30th-October 4th)
Bookmark Contest: Students will design bookmarks for the school.
- Dates TBD
Hour of Code: Students will write program code during Computer Science Education Week!
- December 4th, 5th, and 6th
Birthday Books: All KCMS students receive a free Scholastic book on their birthday!

Events

Battle of the Books

Reading, trivia, friends, and fun! Let's get reading KCMS!

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