DECEMBER DELIGHTS !

"One kind word can warm three winter months."
-Japanese proverb

Second grade students worked with their partner to explain all the parts of the books. Each team had to show using technology (Elmo Projector) and explain the different " parts of their books" including author, title, copyright date, table of contents, glossary, index, internet sites, useful addresses, bibliography, vocabulary words, boldface type, pictures, maps, charts, graphs, time lines, fun facts, recipes, games, and author information. I was so proud of how each team became the teachers themselves for their project. GOOD JOB 2nd grade!

In First Grade the students were actors and actresses as they did a Reader's Theater performance on Bat's Big Game by Margaret Read MacDonald. The children took on the roles of a bear, deer, kangaroo, ostrich, sparrow, wren, robin, eagle, bat, raccoon and narrator as they performed. There are definitely some future Broadway stars in this grade!

Students in Jr. K discussed fiction and non-fiction books about lions after listening to the Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen. In this story, Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed and you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. Students enjoyed this affectionate ode not just to rules and when to follow them, but also to that wonderful place-the library!

In 3rd grade, students saw a few more book trailers for the Sunshine State books they are reading and quite a few of them have already read 3 books, which means they can vote in April when the contest takes place. They also saw videos on the series of books written by Henry Winkler about Hank Zipzer, the world's greatest underachiever. Henry Winkler is an actor, producer, and director, and he speaks publicly all over the world. In addition, he has a star on Hollywood Boulevard, was knighted by the government of France, and the jacket he wore as the Fonz hangs in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. But if you ask him what he is proudest of, he would say, "Writing the Hank Zipzer books with my partner, Lin Oliver."

Alpha students celebrated Jan Brett's December birthday by listening to the Gingerbread Baby. Jan Brett's lively and beautifully detailed paintings catch the spirit of a favorite old tale through her cheeky little Gingerbread Baby and the colorful cast of characters who pursue him through a tiny Swiss village surrounded by forest and mountain. To see Jan Brett click on the following link:

www.janbrettvideos.com/gingerbread_baby_low_bandwidth

Did you ever eat a dog biscuit? K students know what happens when you do after listening to Helen Cooper's book entitled Dog Biscuit. She is the author of Pumpkin Soup, a winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal, too. A fun feature about both of these books is she includes a recipe at the end of each one. Other books she has written include Tatty Ratty, A Pipkin of Pepper, and Delicious!

A big thank you goes out to Andi Mullins for chairing the library volunteers this year. Her hard work and precious time has paid off for all of us. She has been giving hands on training sessions since school started. We have many parents who are helping us in the media center this month and they are so appreciated. They are checking out books, helping students locate books and explore the many treasures found in our beautiful media center. Some are also helping with the book displays and decorations. Thank you so much to all of our wonderful parent volunteers who are helping the students "Go Wild for Books" this year.