mtn. shadows - december

 

Title:  Bear Stays Up For Christmas  
Author: Karma Wilson 
Age:   K-3
Topic:  Bear/Hibernation
Comments:  I read the book "Bear Stays Up For Christmas."  I then asked the kids if they knew why the bear was having such a hard time staying awake for Christmas?  I answered it with the book "Why Do Bears Sleep All Winter?"  This book explained hibernation. 

Oakcrest Elementary December Read alouds

Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree      By: Robert Barry   All Grades

 

We discussed the importance of re-using items others no longer need or use, as well as sharing.

 

 

 

Queen of Christmas          By: Mary Engelbreit      All Grades

 

Discussed making out lists for Santa and only asking for a few items needed instead of things we want because others have them.

 

Columbia Elementary

Title: A Wish to be a Christmas Tree

Author: Colleen Monroe

Ages: All

This book has alot of great messages and the one we focused on was that you need to let the people in your life that mean a lot to you know that.  Share good feelings and be a friend all year log.

Columbia

This week at Columbia we are playing a bingo game with the kids and to be able to play they need to bring their books back.  We collect them all before Christmas and in a school that has a lot of missing and overdue books this helps a lot to get the back.

Terra Linda

We have been reading our classes some of our favorite Christmas books and some good old traditional favorites.  Here is a list of some of them:

 

Bless You, Santa! by Julie Sykes

Careful, Santa! by Julie Sykes

When Cows Come Home for Christmas by Dori Chaconas

Ernest's Special Christmas by Laura T. Barnes

Mr. Finnegan's Giving Chest by Dan Farr (The  illustrator, Chris Creek lives here in Bluffdale.)

The Christmas Candle by Richard Paul Evans

Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner

 

 

One of our all time favorites is showing The Polar Express CD ROM by Chris Can Allsburg and Houghton Mifflin. The kids really love watching it in movie form on the screen.  At the very end where he finds his lost bell wrapped under the tree from Santa, we shake our own Christmas bells and it gives the 

kids a good surprise and yes, we can still hear the bell ring.

 

HAYDEN PEAK

During the month of January we will be "Digging for Dinosaurs".  We will pull all dinosaur books & videos and put up a display, with some fossils.  There will be available book marks & posters. 

Heartland Elementary

We have some new favorite books! (Again this month!)

Cowlick which is a Utah Children's Book Award nominee. It is a darling book about what causes cowlicks in three little brothers hair one night. Cute pictures and text! It is written by Christin Ditchfield

 

Scaredy Squirrel is written by Melanie Watt. The story of a squirrel who is afraid to change his ordinary, everyday routine. He is forced to change and it is an adventure for him. Good lesson in believing in yourself and looking outside the box and trying new things.

 

There was an old woman who swallowed fly guy by Tedd Arnold. The kids love the fly guy books and enjoyed this new twist on the story of the old woman who swallowed a fly. It got them excited about all the fly guy books and they wanted to know if we had any other books by Ted Arnold.

The kids loved all of these books as well as we did! 

 

 

Falcon Ridge

Title: You I Ever Lie To You!
Author: Buehner, Carolyn
Age: All
Topic: Teasing, predicting
Comments: We compared with other books of hers and made note that this book has a different Illustrator than her other books.

Hayden Peak

November Reads:

Bear Feels Scared by K. Wilson

Bertie Was a Watch Dog by R. Walton

Hooray for Fly Guy by Arnold

Run Turkey Run

Christmas books!

Add a list of your favorite Christmas books to the blog!

Oakcrest Elementary

Election Day by Mir Tamin Ansary            Grades:2-6  

 

We talked about the process of elections and the importance of voting. We also had the kids guess how old you had to be to vote as well as to run for President.

 

 

The Thanksgiving Door by Debbie Atwell    All Grades

 

We talked about the importance of sharing and different ways we can share.

 

Westland

Title: My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks
Author: Hanoch Pivenanoch
Age: K-6
Topic: Family
Comments: This is a great book. It is entertaining as well as educational. It shows how you can use different words to describe. We have teacher who are using this book as a base for classroom projects.

West Jorday Elementary

 Have You Filled Your Bucket Today   by Carol McCloud

In a new twist on the golden rule, Have You Filled Your Bucket Today? explains to the children that we all carry an invisible bucket in which we keep our feelings about ourselves. When our buckets are full, we are happy; when they are empty, we are sad. It's important to know that we can fill our own bucket and so can others. We can also dip into it.

"Bucket Fillers" are those who help without being asked, give hugs and compliments, and generally spread their love and good feelings.

"Bucket Dippers" rob us of happy feelings by refusing to help with a task or by saying or doing something cruel.

I had a beautifully decorated bucket as a visual aide. The kids talked how they could fill buckets of their families and friends afterwards. Each student left with an invisible bucket of their own design.

 

 

Not Norman by Kelly Bernnett

Beehive Nominee 2008-2009

Fun pet story.

 

Mtn. Shadows - Nov.

 

Title:   I Saw an Ant on the Railroad Track
Author:  Joshua Prince
Age:   K-3
Topic:  Ants
Comments:  An ant is walking on the railroad track (tickety-tack) and is about to get a whack when it veers off for a snack with switchman Jack.  Can you tell this is a rhyming book?  I also got a non-fiction book on ants and read what ants eat (other than people food) such as seeds, insects and leaves.  It showed a picture of ants attacking an earthworm, to cut up and take back to their colony.  The kids thought it was great.  Many students told me stories about ants, including the ones they have found in their homes. (they're just so honest)

Terra Linda

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!

Love, Kris & Kathy (Terra Linda)

 

Terra Linda

This month during the Presidential Elections we did a pair and share with the following books : The Voice of the People American Democracy in Action, A True Book Voting, and Otto Runs for President.

 

We talked about the voting process and how a President gets elected.  We then read the picture book "Otto Runs for President."  It was very informative and the kids learned a lot about Democracy in action especially since our school was a polling location and they had a lot of questions. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fw: Heartland

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Sharon Viall

To: sah3239.portkeys@blogger.com

Cc: Shelly Walters ; Sharon Viall

Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 12:19 PM

Subject: Heartland

Title: skelly the Skelton Girl

Author:Jimmy pickering   

Topic : Halloween

Comments: This is a new book and the kids love the drowing style of this. It's read like the night before Christmas.

 

Title: Where's my Mummy

Author: Carolyn Crimi

Topic: Halloween

Comments: It is a new book . It's about a little mummy who wants to play hide and seek and loses his mommy. Everyone tells him to go to bed . A Very cute book for halloween.

Terra Linda

Title: More Scary Stories for Sleepovers

Author: Q.L. Pearce

Age: 4-6

Topic: Collection of Scary Stories

 

Comments:

Our school's older grades LOVE scary stories.  We can't keep those books in our library.  Turn the lights down and use your scariest voice and these short stories go over very well.  We have been told by the students they share these stories at home with their families.

 

Title: Jerry Seinfeld Halloween

Author: Jerry Seinfeld

Age: All

Topic: Halloween/Trick or Treating/Costume's

 

Comments: This is a great Halloween book that comes with a CD.  Our school LOVES this!!!  It has become a tradition and if we try and share a new Halloween book they want this one read

first.  This is his stand up comedy routine where he talks about trick-or-treating when he was a kid.  You know this will be hilarious!!

 

 

Westland Elementary

Title:  Monster Goose

Author:  Judy Sierra

Age:  All

Topic:  Rewritten nursery rhymes that feature vampires, ghouls, mummies, and other creatures.

Comments:  We read the new version of the rhyme and let them guess what the original nursery rhyme was. 

Oakcrest Monthly report

Title: Harriet's Halloween Candy     Author: Nancy Carlson

 

Topic: Sharing with others             Grades: K-3

 

Comments: We talked about the importance of sharing as well as asking permission to eat candy, when to eat it and also how much to eat in one day.

 

Title: Big Pumpkin                        Author: Nancy Carlson

 

Topic: Helping others through teamwork.    Grade: All

 

Comments: Most of the children recognized the importance of helping others through teamwork no matter what your size or how old you are. There is always something everyone can do to help.

 

 

 

Columbia Elementary

The Scary States of America

Michael Teitelbaum   

Grades 4-6   

Scary Stories

For Halloween we read stories out of this book to the older classes.  There is one for each state in the country. We turned off the lights in the library at add to the mood.  Some of the stories are a little creepy and the kids loved them! There is a website that has additional stories that we shared with the kids to keep them reading. 

Falcon Ridge

Title:    Hoodwinked        
Author:  Howard, Arthur
Age:  K-3             
Topic:   The moral is "looks aren't everything."
Comments: This book is a fun book about a young witch who wants a pet , but wants the creepiest pet she can find. In the end she finds that you don't always get what you think you wanted.

mtn. shadows blog-october

Title:  Room on the Broom

Author:  Donaldson, Julia

Age:  K-3

Topic:  Fiction-Witches

Comments:  The kids were just mesmerized, didn't make a peep.  (except to help with the "whoosh" part)

Reading program

Hayden Peak is having a Reading Incentive Program Oct-Nov. "Pigging Out On Books" is always a big hit with the faculty & students. Using the theme "Where In the World Is Penelope Pig" we search the globe for our missing pig by giving clues each week. Students who guess correctly receive a prize. Everyone is keeping track of their reading minutes, including faculty using a pig thermometer. The goal is 125,000 min for each grade, but the big goal is a million minutes for the school. If that goal is reached then the principal will kiss a pig. Our media center is filled with many swine of all sorts. Every year the school waits for the beginning of Pig Month.

Library program

 

Great Ideas

Oakcrest Elementary came up with an idea to remind the kids they have books to return. We stamp their hands with a book stamp to remind them that they have books out. That way they can't take it off or forget and their parents will see it and will be able to remind their child to bring their books back as well.

Great Idea: Hayden Peak

We gave each grade a blank head and tail and asked the grade to decorate it to look like a dragon. This was placed on a wall or bulletin board in each grade area. As the students read 100 minutes, they wrote their name on a dragon scale and added it to their dragon. This was a competition among the grades to see who could build the largest dragon. At the end of 2 months, the grade with the largest dragon received treats and a movie, "Quest for Camelot." Everyone did so well, the whole school won.

Great Idea: Mountain Shadows

We have one area titled "Cub Creations". We ask teachers to give us an art project that the students have done. We display the art for two weeks in the media center. The students love seeing their work up, and the teachers enjoy seeing what the other classes are doing.

Great Idea: Columbia

In order to get our library books all checked in, we decided to have a game day. We told the students the week before that we would be playing games the next week and in order for them to play, they needed to return their book. It acted as their ticket to play. In most classes, all books were turned in, and if students didn't turn in books, we had a table for them to sit at. We played library bingo with the titles of books.

Great Idea: Terra Linda

At the beginning of the year we made a large tree with bare branches that went up the wall to the ceiling. To earn a leaf, the students had to read 10 books. We then gave them a leaf with their name on it. At the endd of the contest, the class with the most leaves received an ice cream party.

Westland Pair and Share

Pair and Share  

Title: Chameleons are Cool by Martin Jenkins and Chameleons on Location by Kathy Darling

Age: K - 2 

Comments:  The children liked learning about chameleons and the colors they change when they are calm, cold, and angry.

West Jordan Elementary

Title:  Goldie Locks and the Three Libearians by Jackie Hopkins

Topic:  Library manners and taking care of books

Grades:  All

Comments:  Creative way to teach library manners.

 

Title:   Un-Brella by Scott E. Franson

Topic:  No words.  Pictures tell story.

Grades: All

Comments:  The children enjoyed making up the story.  (Even the older grades enjoyed this.)  I had a big umbrella as a visual aide.

 

Pair and Share:  This was an experiment.  We paired No Talking with Dogku (Andrew Clement books)

 

Pair share Dogku with Dogs and Cats by Steve Jenkins.

Oakcrest

Title:  Armadilly Chili by Helen Ketteman

Topic:  Helping Others

Grades:  All

Comments:  I was surprised at how the older kids got into the story.  Most kids recognized the story of The Little Red Hen in this story.

 

Title:  Stanley's Party by Linda Bailey

Grades:  All

Comments:  We talked about how we shouldn't do things without permission.

Westland

Title: The Little Engine that could
Author: Piper, Watty
Age: 4 to 8
Topic:  Believing in yourself
Comments: I always like to read this first because of the message.  Being kind to others and believing in yourself.  It is also my favorite.

Falcon Ridge

Title: Anansi the Spider
Author: Gerold McDermott
Age: All
Topic: Folk Tale
Comments:

Why did this book work well with your students? The art work and color was appealing and the children love folk tales.

 

Pair and Share Topic: Fractured Fairytales

Grades:  All

 

Titles/Authors used: Falling For Rapunzel by Wilcox, Leah, The Stinky Cheese Man.. by Jon Scieszka, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon
Scieszka, Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson, and various others.

 

Why did the pair-share go well? The children thought it was fun because they know the original story and there was student involvement.

Mountain Shadows Elementary

Title:   When a Monster is Born 
Author:   Sean Taylor
Age:  K-2
Topic:   Choices
Comments:  The second grade classes really enjoyed the story.  Little challenging for first and kindergarten.  Students always like the monster stories.

Terra Linda

Title: Library Mouse
Author: Daniel Kirk
Age: K-3
Topic: Joy of reading and writing books
Comments: This book got our kids excited about writing and illustrating their own books.  We even had a class take this idea back to their classroom to make their own books.  They were really excited to be their own author and illustrator!

Title: Captain Abdul's Pirate School
Author: Colin McNaughton
Age: All Grades
Topic: Pirates/Adventure
Comments: The kids really liked the swashbuckling talk of the pirates and how the kid's in the book didn't have to mind their manners just like the pirates.  Has a surprise ending.

 

Oquirrh Elementary

Title: Why Bear Has a Short Tail
Author: Retold by Cass Hollander
Age: K-3
Topic: Folklore       
Comments: The week before reading this book we read Sea Snakes, a non-fiction book. We compared fiction to non-fiction. The younger students are doing a great job determining the difference.

Susan's Post

Title:  Suddenly Alligator

Author:  Rick Walton

Age: k-3

Topic:  Adverbs

Comments:  It was so fun to read this book to all the wee ones.  After reading the book I had one of them stand up and jump and said she jumped "Enthusiastically",which is an adverb.  Then I had one stand up and touch her head.  I told the class she was touching her head "gently".  Then I had one twirl and ask the class to pick a word ending in "ly" that described how she was twirling.  They said, quickly... an adverb.  All the kids seem to enjoy the story and the funny voices I used on each page.

Hayden Peak

 

Title - Pair & Share: The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri

        Squirrels by Emilie Lepthien

Age: all grades
Topic: Squirrels
Comments: The Busy Little Squirrel is a new book with great illustrations.  We used "Squirrels" to show real photos.  We also set up a squirrel display in the media center.

 

Hayden Peak

We have found that the students LOVE jokes. We will find or collect jokes and riddles with a theme, such as Halloween or Valentine's Day. We just had a Dragon theme, so we collected dragon jokes.
Susan comment: I have seen this in action and the kids do have fun with it. You could find a joke that fits the story you are going to read and tell it before the story.
Knock, Knock. Who's there?Reeda.Reeda who.
Reed alot books this summer
This joke was brought to you by this website http://www.multcolib.org/kids/jokes.html

Marsupial Sue, the cd of the song, is also a fun change. We find some of the children start singign along with the catchy song by John Lithgow.

Bark George, we have used with the CD by John Lithgow. I feel like a comedian when we use it. John Litgow does wonderful voices.

Pup and Hound Hatch an Egg by Susan Hood. We love this new series of books. The children love this book and it has a surprise ending.

(Susan's Comments. These guys are really into the curriculum, too! Thanks!)

Mountain Shadows

Title: Detective Small
Author: Wong Herbert Yee
Topic: Mystery
Grades: K-3
Comments: Had the students predict the ending. Then suggested other mystery stories that could be read by Shaw and others.

Title: The Perfect Nest
Author: Catherine Friend
Topic: Caring

Westland

Title: Yellow Elephant: A Bright Bestiary
Author: Julie Lavios
Topic: Animals/Colors/Poetry
Age: K-3
Comments: I let the children pick a color and then i read the poem that went along with that color.

Title: The Candy Shop Wars
Author Branden Mull
Topic: Adventure, magic, and CANDY Fiction
Age: 4-6
Comments: I did a book talk. I read a brief description and part of the preface.

Pare and Share: Vegetables
Titles/Authors: Tops and Bottoms Janet Stevens Picturepedia Food and Farming
Comments: I read the story about the hare tricking the bear out of the vegetables on the top, the bottom and the middle. I showed pictures of the vegetables in the food and farming book that showed how vegetables grow.

Susan's Comments:
Westland has really been blasting along on curriculum. This month they did 4th grad, parts of a book, Dewey, Biographies... Wow! Thanks.

Oquirrh

Title: Five Creatures
Author: Emily Jenkins
Topic: Counting and Comparing
Age: k-3
Comments: Great fun in seeing how many ways you can group the humans and animals in your own household.

Title: The Happy Hedgehog Band
Author: Jill Barton
Topic: making Music
Age: k-3
Comments: Kids had fun being characters in the book and playing rhythm instruments as the book was read.

Terra Linda

Title: Dogku

Author: Andrew Clements

Grades: K-3
Topic: A dog finding a home

Comments: Younger kids loved this book about a dog who finds a home.



(Susan's Comments)

The art is this book is SO endearing. A Haiku is a Japanese poem that has 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second, and 3rd in the last. It is meant to pack a punch in few words. This charming story is told completely in Haiku. Thus the name Dogku.

West Jordan

Title: Shelf Elf Helps Out
Author: Jackie Hopkins
Grades: All
Topic: Re-shelving books and Dewey #'s
Comments: We also did a hands on how to reshelve and keep books on the shelf properly.

(Susan's comment)
I was there for one of Cheryl's lessons. She and Janine decided that even though the year is coming to a close, their students needed a reminder on how to behave in the library. After all, they will be there next year! They also have been doing lots of curriculum. Yeah!

Heartland

Title: Fancy Nancy
Author: Jane O'Connor
Grades: K-3
Topic: Is having more or doing more really better?
Comments: The boys and girls enjoy this book! We talked about how we are all different and like different things.

Oakcrest

Title: Ted, Bo, and Diz; The First
Author: Jason Chapman
Grades: K-3
Topic: Meeting new friends from different worlds
Comments:

Title: Why the Cicken Crossed the Road
Author: David MacCaulay
Grades: All
Topic: The consequences of our actions
Comments: We discussed what can happen even when our actions are not bad.

Westland

Title: Enemy Pie
Author: Derek Munson
Topic: How to get rid of enimies (friendship)
All grades

Title: The Tortise and the Hare
Author: Hilen Ward
Topic: Perserverance
Comments: Compared to other tortise and the hare stories.

Mystery Solved! Oquirrh

Title: The Littlest Owl

Author: Caroline Pitcher

Comments: Wonderful illustrations

West Jordan

Title: Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant
Author: Jack Prellutsky
Topic: Poetry
Comments: Interesting words

Curriculum: Dewey Decimal System Part 1 Dookickey kits.

(Editorial comment: This is the FIRST school to tell me they have done curriculum! Thanks Cheryl! We don't expect you to do all the curriculum this year, but I would like all of you to do as many of the lessons as possible. Some of the OPAC lessons were field tested her at Terra Linda.)

Terra Linda

Title: Princess Pigsty
Author: Cornelia Funke
Topic: Self Realization
Comments: Sometimes money and status doesn't make you happy!

Title: Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble
Author: Judy Schachner
Topic: Cat who thinks he's a dog and dreams of Egypt.
Comments: You were right, the kids loved this book and had fun laughing.

(Editorial comment by Susan: Kris and Kathy are so good to me. I pop in all day long to ask questions and see what kids are checking out. I'm a pain in the neck sometimes.)

Mountain Shadows

Title: Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude
Author: Kevin O'Malley
Topic: Fairy Tale
Comments: The book has an interest level of 3-6 but everyone enjoyed the story, even kindergarten! Great book to read aloud!

Title: Whose Nose Is This?
Author: Wayne Lynch
Topic: Animal noses
Comments: Kindergarten had a hard time staying focused through the whole book so condensed a little for them. The rest of the classes loved being able to participate in the book and guess the type of animal. Used this opportunity to help reinforce where the animal books are in the DDewey system.

(editorial by Susan: I always love it when I hear you guys reinforcing library curriculum before or after stories. This is a perfect example. I hear you all do this a lot as I travel around. Thank you!)

Oakcrest

Title: Never Ever Shout in a Zoo
Author: Korma Wilson
Topic: Instructions
Comments: With this book they learned how to follow directions.

Title: Audrey and Barbara
Author: Janet Lawson
Topic: Perseverance
Comments: Kids learned that with perseverance we can do whatever we want or go where we want.

(Editorial comment) I watched Maria read Never, EVER Shout in a Zoo. She did a great job about expanding the story into how you should act in the library.

Heartland

Title: Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse
Author: Judy Schachner
Topic: Imagination, Make believe
Comments: Our children loved this book! They clapped for this one. We played the CD and the author narrates the book. She is so creative with the different voices she gives the characters. It is great fun!

Title: Minerva Louise and the Colorful Eggs
Author: Janet Morgan Stoeke
Topic: Spring time and a different twist on an Easter story.


Book Talks: River Secrets by Shannon Hale and Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
Kids are enjoying hearing about the books and are excited to check them out.

(editorial comment by Susan) Sharon and Shelly have expanded the idea presented at inservice to do book talks for older grades. They highlight the books and then hang the picture of the book and it's summary from the ceiling so the kids remember. They say it has really increased older kids' interest in the library. They used the ones I had on the inservice powerpoint and then added their own. Sharon says the kids follow her around wanting to know more about what to read.

Oquirrh

Title: Mole's Hill
Author: Lois Ehlert
Topic: What is a mole?
Grade: k-3
Comments: We showed photographs of a real mole and discussed the art work in the book (done with ribbons and beads.) ((This actually is a good pair and share with the non-fiction and fiction! Good job ---SH!))

Title: Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble
Author: Judy Schacbner
Grades: All
Comments: We played the CD and turned the book pages. The author does great voices for her characters. Thee books was enjoyed.

Terra Linda

Title: Five little Monkeys Go Shopping
Author: Eileen Christelow
Topic: Counting and Math
Grades: All
Comments: Funny book for math and getting students involved.

Title: When A Monster Is Born
Author: Sean Taylor
Topic: Choices
Comments: Cute book about possililities. Students loved this book.

West Jordan

Title: Ben Now and Then
Author: Gene Baretta
Topic: Inventions of Ben Franklin
Comments: Very interesting. Can be adapted to all grades

Title: The President and his Mom's Apple Pie
Author: Michael Garland
Topic: President Taft's visit to a small town.
Comments: Fun to learn something about a little known President.

Oakcrest

Title: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
Author: Eileen Christelow
Topic: Counting
Grades: all
Comments: Kids love to sing.

Title: Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th Day of Kindergarten
Author: Joseph Slate
Topic: Numbers
Grades: k-3
Topic: Numbers
Comments: Surprisingly enough, even the older students enjoyed what the students in the book did to celebrate the number 100!

Mountain Shadows

Title: No Milk
Author: Ericsson, Jennifer
Topic: Cows

Title: Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble
Author: Judith Schachner
Topic: Mummies

Heartland Elementary

Title: Skippy John Jones in Mymmy Trouble
Author: Judy Schachner
Topic:
Grades: ALL
Comments: All the classes loved this book. Great pictures, cute story with Book on DC. The children clapped for this one. They loved it!

Pair and Share
Porch Lies, Fable Haven, Other Side of Truth, Forging of the Blade, Sammy Key and the Hotel Theif

Comments: The kids are checking out the books that we share and are excited to get the books to read.