The items in this section show that I know how a library media specialist should collaborate with other educators to support the K-12 curriculum. They show that I have learned to write a clear and effective lesson plan, based on the needs of the teacher and his or her students.

Elementary Lesson Plan, What I Know About Stars
(wrobel_portfolio_collab_e.doc)
This lesson plan was designed to be used in an African-American history unit after consulting with a third-grade teacher at School 61 in the Buffalo Public Schools, as part of my elementary practicum experience. While producing this plan, I learned how to:
- incorporate literature that supports the curriculum into a lesson.
- support a teacher's classroom work in the media center.
- be flexible by adjusting to numerous schedule changes.
This plan demonstrates collaboration because it clearly supports the teacher's desired objective, that students learn how to recognize different definitions of stars, both literal and figurative. After talking with the teacher, I designed this plan to highlight prominent African Americans and those individuals who are stars in students' personal lives.

Secondary Lesson Plan, Islam and the Byzantine Empire
(wrobel_portfolio_collab_s.doc)
This lesson plan was produced collaboratively with a ninth-grade social studies teacher at West Seneca West Senior High School. We first connected via email and then met in person three times in the library, while continuing to email, for about two weeks before the lesson began. I contributed numerous library resources, designed props for several stations, such as making snippets of "Persepolis" into an attractive display, and produced worksheets and the technical parts of the lesson, such as the movie CDs. The lesson was clearly related to the K-12 curriculum in that it gave students the chance to synthesize what they learned in class and also practice for their upcoming Regents exam. Working with the enthusiastic teacher to bring all the parts together was truly a treat. The teacher taught me how to:
- have realistic expectations for what students could accomplish in the allotted time
- incorporate well-known activities with engaged student learning
- base assessment on a clearly designed rubric of which students are fully aware
Additionally, both the teacher and I were extremely happy with the outcome of this three-day lesson, which was due to our successful working relationship that developed over the course of my time at the high school.

Brain-Based Learning in the SLMC
(wrobel_portfolio_curric.doc)
This fact sheet was created as an assignment for a graduate class about curriculum and the school library media center. It is intended to be a quick entry point for media specialists to begin learning about an educational theory or practice in order to incorporate it into their classrooms and libraries. As I researched and designed this fact sheet, I learned how to differentiate between evidence-based research and educational trends that lack merit. Additionally, I learned how to correctly apply brain-based research to today's classrooms. Brain-based learning can be a useful tool to maximize students' time in school and help them effectively master their current curriculum.