Sprucewood

We recently shared parts of a couple of our new books with the kids. The first one we shared was:
Title: "Tiger Shark"
Author: Deborah Nuzzolo
This book introduces the kids to tiger sharks and describes their physical characteristics and behavior. The kids figured out quickly why they are called Tiger Sharks (striped liked tiger). They thought it was interesting that the adult sharks eventually lose most of their stripes.

Title: "The Naked Mole-Rat"
Author: Jody Sullivan Rake
This is a book from the Series "Weird Animals". The kids loved the pictures of the naked mole-rat. It is such an ugly creature that some thought it was actually cute. The book describes their unique home, body, behavior and how they survive in the animal world. Naked mole-rats are mostly hairless and have sharp ugly teeth. The kids were "freaked out" that snakes like to eat naked mole-rats.
We shared these books with grades 3 & 4.

 If your kids were old enough, you could also suggest a great fiction book called The Naked Mole-Rat Letters by Mary Amato~SHuff

Oak Hollow

In September we welcomed the classes to "A World of Reading" .

We used the following books:

World Atlas for Young Explorers   912 NAT

People by P. Spier               155.2 SPI

Chronicle of the Olympics 796.48 CHR

How I learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz         E SHU

We introduced this as our Theme for the library this year.  Our book talks this year will challenge students to explore the world through books.  The map of the world shows us many countries and there are many people with different languages, foods and cultures to learn about.  We talked about the Olympics and how countries parade their flag during the opening ceremonies.  We had a flag displayed that older grades had fun trying to identify the country it represented. (Hungary). An especially relevant picture book is by Uri Shulevitz called How I learned Geography.  I showed only a couple pages from this book and told how this small boy was able to dream about the world and explore places simply by studying a large, colorful map of the world that his father brought into his home when he was a small child.  I point out that the book is autobiographical – about the life of the author/illustrator. We find the places on the map where this author was born (Poland) and lived in poverty during the war (Kazakhstan) and lives today (NewYork City).

Welcome Back!

How about starting of the school year with First Day Jitters?

Fun read alouds!

      We wanted to show the students how many different versions of fairy tales we have in our library,so

we read Waking Beauty ( which is hilarious) and then showed them the other versions of Sleeping Beauty we have.  We then read Falling for Rapunzel and showed them the other versions we have of Rapunzel.  It was one of the most successful lessons we've done and the kids really loved it.

Wolves

Title: Wolves/Wolves and other Wild Dogs
Author: Emily Gravett/Mary E. Reid
Age: K-3

Rabbit checks out a library book about wolves. While he reads and learns the facts about wolves he doesn't realize he's being followed. At the end of this book rabbit learns the most important fact – WOLVES ARE MEAT EATERS! I wonder if rabbit survives? Or perhaps wolves also like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches????

Did you know that no two wolves have the same voice? Teach this and many other facts about wolves. Then pair and share these two books.  The "Easy" book was full of facts just like the "Non-Fiction" book. Did you know that sometimes wolves howl just because they like to? Hooowwwwl !!!

Title: Suddenly Alligator

Author: Rick Walton

Age: K-3

This book was fun to read to the students. We first discussed what is a verb and then what is an adverb and gave examples. The students laughed and loved the illustrations. It is great to read a book that is a lesson and a really fun story

WEST JORDAN ELEMENTARY

West Jordan ElementaryMy daughter-in-law received her United States citizenship in March, so we decided to explain with pictures and books how this is done. We explained different ways people come to America by reading

Brother's Hope The Story of  the Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams This is a book about refugees that come to America as well as other countries. The parents have either been killed or separated and lost by war and the kids are on their own.

Other books we featured were

The Pledge of Allegiance by Norman Pearl

The Flag We Love by Pam Munuz Ryan

Coming to America -The Story of Immigration

We printed a list of the questions people have to study for the test to become citizens off the internet. We asked appropriate questions for each class. I had pictures I put on a CD and showed of the actual court of the swearing in of Jhovana's citizenship.

Kindness is Cooler Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler

Mrs. Ruler is frustrated with her kindergarten class. They have been acting out all week, so she reminds them "kindness is cooler" and charges each student to perform five acts of kindness. Most of the class catches on quickly; only David seems to have trouble internalizing Mrs. Ruler's maxim that "a slice of nice makes a mile of smile." Eventually, even David finds a way to be good, rescuing the class's gerbils during a harrowing escape. The author of 100th Day Worries (2000) incorporates here the same enthusiasm, counting practice, and humor she used in the earlier title. Especially useful is an appended list of the 100 acts of kindness, which will get kids started and fuel their own ideas

Are You Quite Polite by Alan Katz

A collection of silly poems with equally silly drawings, Katz aims to teach good manners. In the opening spread kids are told that it is not polite to put their mouths on the waterspout of a drinking fountain. All of the poems are written to be sung to songs—among them are "Polly Wolly Doodle" and "Pop Goes the Weasel." In addition to the drinking fountain admonition, the book addresses other issues such as boogers, sibling rivalry, how to behave at a party, writing thank-you notes, not talking with food in your mouth, and the like. It ends with how to act in the library.

Almanac Lesson - Environment Earth Day questions

 

Terra Linda

Just thought I would let everyone know that Kohl's has the books "Duck Soup" and "Duck at the Door" along with "Max the Duck" and "Brody the dog" stuffed animals for $5.00 each in their stores right now.

             

Falcon Ridge

Title: Goldie Socks and the Three Libearians
Author: by Jackie Mims Hopkins
Age: K-6
Topic: Library Manners
Comments: This is the wonderful story about Goldie Socks searching for her "just right" book.  After we read the story we reviewed how to keep the library just as we found it, like using shelf markers to put the book back where it belongs, pushing in our chairs, ect.

 

What about pairing Emily Green's Ant book with I Saw and Ant in the Parking Lot!

Westland

Title: The End
Author: David LaRochelle
Age: K-4
Comments: It is a fun book to have the Children guess what was going to happen next or what already happened.

Title: Dear Deer
Author: Gene Barretta
Age: All
Topic: Homophones
Comments: Fun read as a teaching or review homophones.

Title: I Saw an Ant in a Parking Lot
Author: Joshua Prince
Comments: This was a fun read especially for older students. Fun picture.