Thursday, June 27, 2013

About.com Children's Books: 2013 Summer Reading List for Students Entering Grades K-6

Ever wondered where the best place in the world is to find ideas on children's reading.  My all time favorite spot is About.com Children's Books.  Just "google" this title in and you are there.
My second favorite place to go for reading info is www.readingrockets.com.  I honestly don't think they have missed anything on this site having to do with reading in any form.  :)

2013 Summer Reading List for Students Entering Grades K-6
The list, which is organized by grade level, includes cover art, a brief summary, the copyright date and the genre/themes of recommended books for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade. This 2013 summer reading list comes from the Parkway School District in Chesterfield, Missouri.
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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

4th of July Paper Lanterns Kid's Craft in Red, White and Blue

Stories to share:
Hurray for the Fourth of July by Wendy Watson
Mouse's Birthday by Jane Yolen
Phoebe's Parade by Claudia Mills

Songs: "Way up in the Sky" sung to Row, Row, Row your Boat
Wave, wave, wave the flag.
Hold it very high.
Watch the colors gently wave, Way up in the sky.
March, march, march around,
Hold the flag up high, Wave, wave, wave the flag.
Way up in the sky.
(from Perry Public Library Story time)

Yankee Doodle


Thanks Jamie, from www.thecraftingchicks.com.  These are adorable and perfect for my Pre-K class this week!

{Paper Lantern Kid’s Craft***4th of July Style}
by Jamie on June 26, 2011
 
Here is a fun Kid’s Craft for your upcoming 4th of July Festivities-Summer Paper Lanterns, 4th of July Style.

Supplies You will need to make the Paper Lanterns:
-Cardstock in Red, White and Blue
-A ruler
-Scissors
-Star punch or Star Stickers
-A pencil
-Glue Sticks
-Festive Ribbon
-Stapler
Step One:
Fold your cardstock in Half Lengthwise.  Then take your ruler and draw lines from the fold, leaving an inch from the end of your line and the edge.  Leave about .75 inch on each side. Step 2: Have the kids cut on the line, stopping when the line ends, not through to the edge:)  (This is great cutting practice)
*Little brother had to join…this photo is so funny because he has been wearing that monster hat (we have a green and pink one) for days…he refuses to take it off, even during nap time!
Step 3:  Unfold your paper and then with the folded bumps on the outside, tun inward and attach at the top and bottom.  Then staple both the top and bottom a couple of times. You should now have a paper lantern to decorate!  I was thinking you could make these look Hawaiian by using bright colors and adding flowers, or if you are throwing a birthday party you could easily match these lanterns to your theme. We added stars by using punched out star shapes in red, white, blue, and silver.  The kids just glued on the stars with gluesticks, but you could even purchase some star stickers.
We also added some festive ribbon on the top and bottom with a stapler and attached a 1 inch strip of cardstock for the handle.
And there you have it, a very easy kid’s craft for the summer…that you can even display in your home:)
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Monday, June 24, 2013

Story Time at Ready-Set-Grow Preschool and Child Care

My husband and I have owned a wonderful child care center for almost 10 years in Bountiful, Utah.  I've spent many, many hours there teaching preschool at the beginning when we first owned it, and this summer I am taking a couple of hours a week to do story time, music and an art project.  I thought some of you preschool/Pre-K would benefit from what I have been up to.  So here goes:

At the beginning of the summer we just oriented the kids to the summer "way of doing things".

June 17th was Transportation Week:  Here is what I did.

Stories:  "Freight Train" by Donald Crew, "The Wheels on the Bus" by Raffi and "Trucks" by Donald Crew

Songs:  "Down by the Station Early in the Morning", "The Wheels on the Bus", (we moved the chairs so the kids felt like they were sitting on a bus), "Hurry, Hurry Drive the Fire Truck".  (Just google any of these titles and I'm sure a you tube video will pop up to teach you how to sing them."  I played the guitar on some of then and gave a triangle, the instrument, to a student for the ding, ding, ding, ding, ding part of the last song.  Next time I'll give one to all the kids.  We used a spoon to hit the triangle with.

The lyrics to the first song go like this:
Down by the station early in the morning
See the little pufferbellies all in a row.
See the station master turn the little handle.
Puff, puff, toot, toot, off we go.

AIR, LAND, OR SEA:  Then I gave a different vehicle to each child and drew on a while board 3 simple lines to divide the air, land and sea from each other.  Each child came up and named their vehicle and put it in the correct place.

Art:  Last of all we made trains using squares, rectangles and triangles cut from construction paper.  We used cotton for the clouds, straight pretzel sticks for the "Logs" each car was hauling and uncooked "wagon wheel" pasta for the wheels.  They turned out darling.

June 24th:  Today, the theme was "On the Farm"

Stories:  "Pigs" by Robert Munsch; "Ruby in Her Own Time" by Jonathan Emmett; and "To Market, To Market" by Anne Miranda






 I chose 2 to read and then we sang these songs:
Songs:  "Old McDonald" and "Down by Grandpa's Farm".
I changed the words to Down by Grandpa's Farm to say:

Down by grandpa's farm there is a big fat pig, (repeat)
The pig, he spells his name like this: P-I-G  (repeat)
Oh, we're on our way, we're on our way, on our way to grandpa's farm. 
We're on our way, we're on our way, on our way to Grandpa's farm. 
(We practiced spelling the words and I had this paper up.)

 
The kids were able to read it, sing it and follow my modeling.  This is a great literacy activity.  As you can see, we also graphed everyone's favorite farm animal, which is a great math visual.  The kids could clearly see which animal won the highest number of votes. 
 
Craft Activity:  We make clothes pin horses using a body of a horse, without the legs, copied onto cardstock.  The legs are the clothes pins, which make the horse stand up.  Go to busybeekidscrafts.com to get a copy of the horse. 
 
The kids colored the horses, cut them out, added the legs and yarn for the mane and tail.  They turned out really cute and the kids loved them.  Sorry, no finished copy to show you.
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Sunday, June 2, 2013

Summer Picture Books

Summer Picture Books

Here is a great list of summer books from Pam at PBS.  Click on the link above.

I have been "doing librarian" at a charter school in North Salt Lake all year, but for the summer will switch gears a bit.  Since my husband and I own a child care center, Ready-Set-Grow, I will spend a few hours each week working with the kindergarteners on different themes, mostly having fun.  I needed a great list of summer books to fill in the gaps.  My all time favorite summer book is "The Relatives Came".  It perfectly describes what it feels like as a child to be on a long road trip, leaving early in the morning, car packed to the brim and driving for hours, or days to finally arrive at the relatives.  When you get there, all kinds of festivities happen and there is plenty of love and hugs to go around for everyone.  It is a MUST OWN book!
The author and illustrator are a perfect match!
Laura

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Thursday, May 30, 2013

3D Flower Bulletin Board


Here is a cute example of a 3D bulletin board I made for Spring.
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Friday, May 24, 2013

Children's Book Week

Last week was Children's Book Week, May 13-19th.  Check out their site here.  There were alot of field trips and testing going on last week, so I'm celebrating Children's Book Week this week!  There is reading, videos to watch, bookmarks to make, reading and much, much more on this site.  Highlight an author or allow the students to book talk their favorite books.


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May Calendar of Kids' Books

May 2013 Calendar of Kids' Books
By , About.com Guide

This is a great guide to books that can be shared during the year, but especially in the month of May.

Children’s Books and More for May

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Kids' Excuses for NOT Turning in Their Library Books (at the End of the Year)

So here are the top 10 excuses I've heard from students about why they haven't returned their book(s) yet or what  happened to their books.  The # one reason that their book is NOT in their backpack is, "My mother forgot to put it in there."  What???  I always smile and remind them sweetly that this is their job!  OOPS!  They just momentarily forgot it was their job to keep track of their books!
#2: "I forgot it was library day!"  (I have told them over and over, until my head is ready to explode, that they can bring their library books back any day of the week and drop them into the book drop -- anytime, anyday, as long as their teacher says they can come to the library.)
#3:  "It's on my dresser by my bed.  I know where it is."  THEN JUST BRING IT IN!!!
#4:  "It's in a box somewhere, because we moved."  Ugh
#5:  "I turned it into the other library."  OOPS!
#6:  "I loaned it to a friend and she/he promised to turn it in or already turned it in."  NOT!
#7:  "I never checked that book out.  I never would check that book out."  Okay, now it's your word against the computer's word.  Hmmmmmmmmm
#8:  "I already returned it.  I promise I put it on your desk." 
(It's not on my desk.)
#9.  "I put it on the book cart."  (These are books that have been checked in and are ready to be put away or have been put away.  Grrrrrrr.)
#10.  "I got all ripped up by my baby brother, or I left it outside and it is ruined."  (Okay, but bring it back anyway.)

Ha Ha, it is my sense of humor that gets me through these many varied excuses as I try to collect a few hundred books back the last weeks of school.  Hope they aren't sad when field day comes and they have to miss it, cause their book isn't turned in yet!  We'll just call Mom!!!
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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Children's Books and More for March

Women's History Month

http://childrensbooks.about.com/
    Irish-American Heritage Month
  • Irish Folktales and Fairy Tales - An overview of recommended books
  • See March 17, St. Patrick's Day, below for more recommended books.
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Recommended Fiction for 9-12 Year Olds

cover art of Love that Dog by Sharon Creech

These books include novels, picture books, and chapter books that appeal to middle grade readers. They include fiction and nonfiction and cover a variety of topics and genres.
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Saturday, February 23, 2013

And the Winner for Newbery Book of 2013 is.....

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
image 5
The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, is told through the eyes of Ivan, a sweet gorilla who lives in a mall. He watches his limited world through the glass that encases him and only has the friendship of an elephant, a stray dog and Julia (a young girl who comes at night while her father cleans the mall). What you learn through Ivan's eyes are poignant, enlightening and somewhat sad. The drawings sprinkled throughout, by Patricia Castelao, are a perfect combination to the story.
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February Calendar of Children's books and Lesson Plans

2013 Calendar of Children's Books
By , About.com Guide


 Children’s Books and More for February
    February 1 - Birthday of Author Jerry Spinelli
  • Stargirl - Award-winning novel for ages 10 to young teens about responding to bullying and peer pressure
    February 1 - Birthday of Poet Langston Hughes
  • Book Review: My People - Sepia-toned portraits by photographer Charles R. Smith, Jr. give added meaning to the poem by Langston Hughes
    February 8 – Birthday of Anne Rockwell
  • 100 Days of School - One of a number of picture books about Mrs. Madoff’s elementary school class by Anne Rockwell, with illustrations by Lizzy Rockwell
    February 14 – Birthday of Illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky
  • Z is for Moose - Funny alphabet story by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Zelinsky
    February 19 – Birth Date of Louis Slobodkin
  • The Hundred Dresses - Short children’s novel about bullying by Eleanor Estes, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin
    February 28 – Birthday of Lemony Snicket
  • Who is Lemony Snicket? – All about the author of A Series of Unfortunate Events
President's Day: do a Venn Diagram and compare and contrast the different aspects of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln's lives. I did this with all of the students from grades 2 on up to 6th.
I also gave the students an anticipitory guide where they read a statement about Washington or Lincoln and had to decide which president it was. Then I read a few paragraphs about the presidents so that they could see if they were right. It held their attention very well.
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    Friday, February 15, 2013

    God Never Blinks



    I'm reading a book called "God Never Blinks" by Regina Brett. It's fabulous and a book of wonderous thoughts to ponder, 50 of them, about life.  The chapters are short and pointed.  One of the chapters is called You Can get through Anything Life Hands you if You Stay Put in the Day You Are in and Don't Jump Ahead.

    She quotes another author by saying..."Andre Dubus once wrote in "A Father's Story": "It is not hard to live through a day, if you can live through a moment. What creates despair is the imagination, which pretends there is a future, and insists on predicting millions of moments, thousands of days, and so drains you that you cannot live the moment at hand."

    She continues, "I no longer squander today being afraid of tomorrow or wallowing in guilt or resentments of the past. God isn't present in the past or future. The great I Am is in the present moment. When I claim that presence, I can get through anything today. That's all that is required of any of us, to live today."

    Amen. :)
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    Sunday, January 20, 2013

    Best Read Aloud Chapter Books for Children (from Good Reads)

    Here is a great list of read aloud chapter books for parents, teachers, librarians, grandparents,....  This list comes from great reads Listopia and there are 328 books on the list, so get ready to be overwhelmed.  The nice thing about lists is, that you have a "plethora" of ideas right at your fingertips when you are at a book store or library and need some great ideas.  The books were voted on and are ranked by highest votes received by the public, not some academic group of literary judges.  Enjoy!

    http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/328.Best_Read_Aloud_Chapter_Books
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    Friday, January 11, 2013

    Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart



    Today is Amelia Earhart day!!!!!!
    It’s a mystery. What happened to famed pilot Amelia Earhart on her bid to fly around the world? Where did she go wrong? And why is her disappearance still fascinating to us 75 years later? In Amelia Lost, biographer Candace Fleming follows up her acclaimed works on P. T. Barnum, the Lincolns and Eleanor Roosevelt with a fascinating look at aviatrix Amelia Earhart. Fleming’s meticulous research combines with her storytelling expertise to craft an account of Earhart that manages to breathe life into the legendary figure’s mysterious disappearance. Even though the reader knows that Amelia never returned from her fatal flight, the book’s structure and Fleming’s pacing manage to build suspense and create tension. The author intersperses accounts from the viewpoints of the many people concerned about Amelia’s whereabouts with accounts of her early years and her career, allowing the reader to know Amelia as more than a one-dimensional historic figure. Most biographies of Earhart aimed at juvenile audiences focus on her fun-filled Kansas childhood and her desire to be a pilot at a time when women were not encouraged to climb into the cockpit and risk their lives. But Fleming digs a little deeper into Earhart’s youth and discusses not only her tomboy escapades, but also her father’s alcoholism and other family troubles. Amelia’s teen years were marked by the influences of her father’s “sickness” and the effects it had on his career. Amelia’s family moved from Atchison KS to Kansas City, Des Moines, St. Paul and eventually Chicago and each move was a step down on the social ladder. Amelia’s college efforts were scattered and halfhearted. Then she volunteered as a nurse in Canada during World War I and became fascinated by the airplanes on the nearby airfield. But her first urges to fly were stymied by the fact that women were not allowed to fly. As she said “Not even a general’s wife” was allowed to take to the air. By the time Amelia returned to the United States, she had already been bitten by the flying bug. Her fascination was increased after she attended an air show in California in 1920 and she became determined to learn to fly. She worked hard to earn enough money for lessons and found a female pilot willing to take her on as a student. Amelia had finally found her place in the sky. The author expounds on Amelia’s early efforts as a pilot and how she became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, and she portrays Amelia’s relationship with George Putnam in an age-appropriate manner. She gives the reader some interesting details about Amelia’s willingness to be a public figure and her efforts to promote women in aviation. But the most compelling stories in the book are the accounts of her last flight and the massive attempts to locate her after all contact was lost with her plane on July 2, 1937. The author searched communication logs and news stories, as well as primary documents submitted to the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery. These documents include diary entries and records of conversations from citizens who claimed to have heard Amelia calling for help in her last hours.

    Amelia Lost: My Recommendation

    I recommend Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart for ages 10 and up. The book has a lot to offer in terms of engaging young readers’ interest and historical information. By weaving the stories of Amelia’s final hours that we know of with the story of her life, Candace Fleming not only builds interest, but she also engages the reader in the immediacy and importance of Amelia’s disappearance. The 118-page book is filled with photos, news items, and memorabilia ranging from Amelia’s grade card to a note to Amelia from her co-pilot, Fred Noonan. The book includes a bibliography, index and suggestions for more information on the Web. Students looking for information about Amelia Earhart’s life for reports will find a wealth of biographical information in this work. Young readers looking for an interesting non-fiction book about a fascinating subject will be enthralled by this depiction of Amelia’s life and her disappearance.
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    Saturday, January 5, 2013

    Books About Winter and Snow

    Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
    Cover art of Children's Picture Book Owl Moon
    Owl Moon by Jane Yolen; illustrated by John Schoenherr, Caldecott Medal WinnerPenguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.   
    John Schoenherr received the 1988 Caldecott Medal for his Owl Moon illustrations and it's no wonder. The artwork and the story beautifully show us a child's thrill at finally being old enough to go "owling" with her father. The little girl beautifully describes their night walk through the frigid and snowy forest. Jane Yolen's words capture the mood of hushed expectancy while John Schoenherr's lovely watercolors capture the beauty of the walk through the woods. It's obvious that the trek with  her father is what's important and getting to actually see and hear an owl is the icing on the cake. Both the art and the words show the love between father and child and the importance of their time together.

    Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
    Cover Art of the children's picture book Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
    Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
    Harcourt Brace & Company
    Lois Ehlert is a master of collage and Snowballs is a delightful look at a variety of snow people and animals that can be made with snowballs and household items like mittens, buttons, and nuts. Snowballs is told in the words of a child who, along with the rest of the family, has "been waiting for a really big snow, saving good stuff in a sack." The good stuff includes corn, bird seed, and nuts for the birds and squirrels to eat off of the snow creatures; hats, scarves, bottle caps, plastic forks, buttons, fall leaves, a man's tie, and a lot of other things. The photo collages feature fabric circles as snowballs that are transformed when stacked and decked out with features and accessories.
    At the end of the book, there is a two-page photo feature showing all of the "good stuff," with captions, that the family used to make the snow people and animals. That's followed by a four-page section about snow, including what it is and what makes it snow and featuring photographs of snowmen and other snow creatures. This book will appeal to children of all ages who enjoy playing in the snow, making their own snowballs and transforming them with good stuff.

    Stranger in the Woods
    Cover art of children's picture book Stranger in the Woods
    Stranger in the Woods by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick
    Carl R. Sams II Photography, Inc.
    The full-page color photographs go a long way in telling the story of the Stranger in the Woods. In the woods, the bluejays caw, "Take care!" All of the animals are apprehensive because there is a stranger in the woods. The bluejays, chickadees, deer, owl, squirrels and other animals are not sure how to react. Little by little, starting with the birds, the animals in the forest follow the snow trail and come close enough to examine the stranger. They find a snowman.
    Unbeknowst to them, a brother and sister had crept into the woods and built the snowman. They gave him a carrot nose, mittens, and a cap in which they make a dent so it could hold nuts and bird seed. They also left corn for the animals. A doe eats the snowman's carrot nose, while the birds enjoy the nuts and seed. Later, when a fawn finds a mitten on the ground, the animals realize that there is still another stranger in the woods.
    Stranger in the Woods is a beautifully photographed, captivating book that will appeal to three- to eight-year olds. The book was written and illustrated by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick, who are professional wildlife photographers. Younger children will enjoy their book Winter Friends, a board book, which also includes exceptional nature photography.

    Snow Crazy
    Cover art of Snow Crazy by Tracy Gallup, a children's winter picture book
     
    Snow Crazy
    Mackinac Island Press
    Author and illustrator Tracy Gallup celebrates the joy of snow - waiting for snow and playing in the snow when it finally arrives - in Snow Crazy, an appealing little picture book. A little girl is eagerly awaiting the snow that has been forecast. She makes paper snowflakes, and she and her mother "laugh, drink hot chocolate, and stand in a [paper] snowdrift." Finally, the snow comes, and the little girl has a wonderful time playing in the snow with her friends, sledding, skating, making snow angels and building a snowman.
    The illustrations are what make this story so appealing. They feature sculpted and hand painted dolls and props created by Tracy Gallup, who has been a professional doll maker for more than 25 years. I recommend Snow Crazy for three- to six-year-olds.

    The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
    Cover art for The Snowman picture book
     
    Random House
    The Snowman by English author and illustrator Raymond Briggs has intrigued and delighted young children since it was first published in 1978. At first sight, the book looks like a typical picture book. It's not. While it is a fully developed story about a little boy who builds a snowman and then, in his dreams, provides an adventure for the snowman when he comes to life one night and the snowman then provides an adventure for the boy, it has an unusual format.The Snowman is a wordless picture book, with significant comic-book aspects. The book is the size, shape and length (32-pages) of a typical picture book. However, while it does include a few single and double-page spreads, almost all of the illustrations are done in comic-book format, with multiple panels of sequential art on each page (about 150 in all). The softly rounded panels and the misty illustrations create the sense of peacefulness that often comes after snow falls, making it a good book to enjoy at bedtime. In discussing his use of pencil crayons and the absence of words, Raymond Briggs said, "You can draw lightly in colour, then gradually make it sharper, clearer and darker, while colouring it at the same time. Furthermore, for this book, crayon has a softer quality, ideally suited to snow."The wordlessness also seemed right for snow, which always brings with it a feeling of silence and peace. The house in the book is my own house here, at the foot of the South Downs, a few miles from Brighton." I recommend The Snowman for ages 3 to 8. (Random House Books for Young Readers, 1978. ISBN: 9780394839738)
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    Friday, January 4, 2013

    Meridian Magazine - It’s Time for My Top 2012 Books for Kids - Meridian Magazine - LDS, Mormon and Latter-day Saint News and Views

    Meridian Magazine - It’s Time for My Top 2012 Books for Kids - Meridian Magazine - LDS, Mormon and Latter-day Saint News and Views by Holly E. Newton

    Now that 2012 is over, it's time for my favorite picks for kids ages nine and older. I am sure that several of these books will be a potential Newbery winner.
    image
    Wonder, by R. J. Palacio, is a beautifully written story that ultimately teaches acceptance, friendship and kindness. Ten-year-old August leaves homeschooling and enters public school for the first time because his parents have protected him from criticism and bullying from peers. He was born with an extreme defect that has deformed his face. But you quickly learn about his quick humor and intelligence, through his eyes and others close to him, and you grow to love and admire him. And eventually, so does the entire school.
    The Boy on Cinnamon Street, by Phoebe Stone, is a powerful story about seventh grader, Louise, who lives with her grandparents and doesn’t want to do much with her dad, who lives in another town with a new family. You don’t learn what happened to her mom and why she doesn’t want to spend time with her dad until the end of the story. Louise discovers something she has had all of the time and there's a sweet and supportive element throughout.
    image 2Liar & Spy, by Newbery award winner Rebecca Stead, is full of twists and mystery. Georges has just moved into a Brooklyn apartment building where he meets another boy, Safer. Safer recruits him into his small spy club where Georges must spy on a mysterious neighbor upstairs. As the story unfolds, you’ll begin to wonder who the good guys are and who are the bad guys.
    Starry River of the Sky, by Grace Lin, is actually a continuation of the Newbery Honor book: “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon”. Rendi has run away from home and finds himself stranded in a small village. He finds work as the innkeeper’s chore boy and thus begins the most interesting tales, many of which are based on Chinese folklore. Madame Chang tells a story of such magnitude that Rendi can hardly believe it. But the center of all is the missing moon and Rendi hears the sky’s sadness wrench through the horizon.
    The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, by Claire Legrand, and sprinkled with illustrations by Sarah Watts, is a spooky, eerie mystery that begins when Victoria’s friend, Lawrence, suddenly goes missing. She suspects that perhaps he, along with other missing children, are ending up at the Cavendish Home. So she sets out to investigate. What she finds there will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book!
    Malcolm at Midnight, by W. H. Beck, is filled with mystery, adventure and humor! Malcolm is a small rat who has just arrived in the classroom. In the middle of the night, Malcolm escapes the cage only to find many other escaped pets engaging in a secret meeting. He’s not included and feels left out and rejected until the leader of this pet gang, an iguana, goes missing. There are many sub-mysteries running through the larger one as Malcolm attempts to locate the missing leader. The delightful graphite drawings that are sprinkled throughout, by Brian Lies, help move the story along.
    image 3Mr. and Mrs. Bunny- Detectives Extraordinaire!, by Polly Horvath, and wonderfully illustrated with ink by Sophie Blackall, is a fun and funny mystery involving two very enjoyable rabbits who have decided to take on detective work. When Madeline gets home one day after school, she finds her parents are gone. She employs the bunnies and they soon discover the parents are being held by foxes. Between the pictures and the story-line, this book is great fun.
    Laugh with the Moon, by Shana Burg, has Clare spending time away from friends and living for two months in a remote village in Africa with her doctor dad. He’s helping the community and she can’t believe how these people live without modern conveniences. However, she learns many valuable lessons – most importantly, that of becoming friends with the kids who live there.
    image 4Glory Be, by Augusta Scattergood, takes place in a Mississippi town in 1964 when great difficulties arise with segregation at a public swimming pool. This historical fiction showcases friendship which is at the heart of this well-written story. Glory is about to turn twelve but there are many problems facing her, and her best friend Frankie, now that a new girl from the North has just moved in. This eye-opening story centers on family, friendship and making the right choice.
    image 5The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, is told through the eyes of Ivan, a sweet gorilla who lives in a mall. He watches his limited world through the glass that encases him and only has the friendship of an elephant, a stray dog and Julia (a young girl who comes at night while her father cleans the mall). What you learn through Ivan's eyes are poignant, enlightening and somewhat sad. The drawings sprinkled throughout, by Patricia Castelao, are a perfect combination to the story.
    The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen, is a magical story rich in complexities as fifteen-year- old Sage leaves the orphanage in the kingdom of Carthya and is to now serving Connor. But Sage soon discovers that Connor is devising a plan to figure out which of the four orphans he has recruited can impersonate the missing prince. The story is clever with twists and turns that will make the adventures fly off the page.
    image 6May B., by Caroline Starr Rose, is set in the western Kansas prairie during the 1870's. Eleven-year-old May has been left helping a young bride get settled as her family heads onto their homestead. But May finds herself alone during a harsh winter when the bride runs off and her husband heads out to find her. The physical drama of how May survives will keep you turning pages to the end.

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    Thursday, January 3, 2013

    January Book Calendar

    Children’s Books and More for January by Elizabeth Kennedy

      January 1 - Birthday of Author Gary D. Schmidt
    • The Wednesday Wars - Fiction set in middle school, a Newbery Honor Book
      January 7 - Birth Date of Author and Folklorist Zora Neale Hurston
    • Zora and Me - Historical fiction based on Hurston's childhood
      January 12 - Birth Date of Illustrator Clement Hurd
    • Goodnight Moon - Illustrated by Clement Hurd and written by Margaret Wise Brown
      January 16 - Birthday of Author Rebecca Stead
    • When You Reach Me - Newbery Medal Winner
      January 26 - Birthday of Author Shannon Hale
    • Repunzel's Revenge Graphic novel by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
      Birthday of Illustrator Bryan Collier
    • Martin's Big Words - Picture book biography of Martin Luther King, Jr, illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Doreen Rappaport
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    Tuesday, January 1, 2013

    January School Library Lesson Plans

    JANUARY Lesson Plans: 

    Week 1:  REFERENCES/RESOURCES - review all reference books and resource materials so that students can name them all.  Examples include atlas, almanac, dictionary, encyclopedias, thesarus, computer database for looking up books in the library, Annual Book of World Records, Magazines of all kinds, etc...  REF is the spine label which stands for "reference", with numbers under and books are placed in numerical order.  These book are not for check out.
     
    Lesson Plan: 

    Instructions

      • 1
      • Write a "scavenger hunt" of questions that students need to find the answer for. These should include questions which can easily be answered by using specific reference materials.
      • 2
        Allow the students a set period of time (such as 20 minutes) to find the information sources on their own.
      • 4
        Write the remaining reference materials on the board, explaining the benefits of each one.
      • 5
        Hand out a second "scavenger hunt", allowing the students to take advantage of the new resources they've been taught. This should reinforce the knowledge and enable them to complete the task more efficiently and accurately than before.


    Week 2:  COMPUTER SAFETY - review safe web sites for kids and unsafe web sites.  Discuss what to do if you accidentally see something "inappropriate".  Practice accessing appropriate and safe children's web sites.
    Safe children's web sites:
    http://kids.yahoo.com/reference
    http://www.ipl.org/

    Week 3:  MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY  -  (Celebrated the 3rd Monday of January.) 
    Here is an amazing lesson plan from the book Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


    By: Doreen Rappaport
    Illustrated by: Bryan Collier
    Age Level: 6-9
    Reading Level: Beginning Reader
    Martin Luther King Jr. grew up fascinated by big words. He would later go on to use these words to inspire a nation and call people to action. In this award-winning book, powerful portraits of King show how he used words, not weapons, to fight injustice. 
    http://americanhistory.si.edu/ourstory/pdf/mlk/mlk_reading.pdf 
    Week 4:  ARTIC ANIMALS - Discuss the life and habitat of all sorts of artic animals and look up where they are "found" in the library.  Answer questions about a variety of animals by looking up information in a variety of informational books available.

    Author Study: Tomie dePaola & Patrick Carmen - birthdays in January and both are excellent authors, dePaola for the younger grades and Carmen for the older grades. 



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    Thursday, December 27, 2012

    A Children's Christmas Book Tradition

    As I am getting ready to put away all of my Christmas things I am reminded of a wonderful tradition we had for years in our family.

    For years I wrapped 25 Christmas books and let the kids open one each night and I read it to them.  It's a Christmas countdown.  We read "T'was the Night Before Christmas" on the 24th, along with the Christmas story.  We made a big deal out of this, lit candles and took turns unwrapping the books.  (I had 7 children, thus the "take turns" part.)  If it was a bit too long, I might just tell the story or we would read a chapter a night along with an easy book as well, but it was always a fun tradition, sometimes with hot chocolate to drink. 

    A bit of insight I had this year - it would be a good idea to wrap the books before putting them away, so that it isn't such a chore during that "oh so" busy time after Thanksgiving.  This could be a good New's Years Day activity for the older kids to help Mom with for next year.  -Just a thought.  My children loved this activity each year.  We have let it go now.  Traditions are like that.  You keep them until you grow out of them, but we still read many of the books together each year.  I have 2 teens at home now.  I read lots of the books to the grandkids if they are here and have given some of them away to my children for their children.  (Giving a Christmas book to each family or older child for their children is another great tradition.)  I try to remember that traditions come and go and that books can be a great part of many traditions for the holidays.

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