Happy Summer....KEEP READING

WINNERS !   WINNERS!   WINNERS!

CONGRATULATIONS....to Julia and Dylan for winning the best story contest from our visiting Sunshine State Author,  Sherri Winston. Students in grades 3 and 4 were so inspired by her presentation and story writing sessions that she decided to have a contest. All students who wrote a story had their entries read by the author who gave personal notes on each one. Several others were selected as winners including Dorothy and Sole and the student authors received a Barnes & Noble gift certificate or signed copy of the book President of the Whole Fifth Grade.

In grade 1 students acted out the story entitled Mud Fairy by Amy Young,                                      after they heard the story. Some of them even used a real "Magic lit-up Wand" as they followed the story of Emmalina, the fairy who could not do anything right to earn her "wings". After many efforts, she finally was successful!

In grade 2, students finished their passport project by researching interesting facts about every continent. They used non-fiction books to find their facts, and their reward was to take their passports home with them after traveling all around the world collecting data. Good job, second graders!

Attention all library volunteers....you have worked very hard this year and the next two weeks are the hardest....as the library books are returned a lot of shelving and organizing will need to be done to get our wonderful collection ready for the next year. Some of the books need to be weeded or repaired and all of them need to be organized. Thank you in advance for helping with this big job..You are all so valuable. Please stop by the library before the end of the school year to get your thank you gift .

Thank you, Andi, for a great year....you have made it possible for us to have lots of dependable volunteers to help our library achieve success. You have given up so much time to be in the library and help in so many ways. We could not have done it without you...You are so appreciated and loved.

MAY HAPPENINGS....

                                                                                                   
                                                                                                        The ptarmigan is strange
                                                                                                        As strange as he can be
                                                                                                        Never sets on ptelephone poles
                                                                                                       Or roosts upon a ptree
                                                                                                       And the way he ptales pto spelling
                                                                                                       Is the strangest thing pto me.
                                                                                                             - Anonymous

In grades ALPHA-Grades 2 students voted for their favorite FRA Children's Book Award winner...The results of the state voting is in and the winner for 2012-2013 is:

Two Bobbies by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery

Honor Titles:

The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray
Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian

VOTING, VOTING VOTING.......Thank you to the  91 Students and teachers in grades 3-5 who voted for their favorite 2012-2013 Sunshine State Young Reader's Award.  The winners were announced by the DEO (Department of Education) and they are:

The Familars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson ( Grades 3-5)
Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby (Grades 6-8)


Students in grade 1 made up their own story to go along with the picture they had chosen. Then they shared their stories with a partner. Next, they were put in groups of 4 to have their stories combined together. They sat in the front of the library classroom and shared their stories. What a remarkable job they did, too. Then they watched the story entitled Flotsam by David Wiesner and looked for their pictures in that story. They used their creativity, imagination, and  worked collaboratively.

In grade 2, students learned about the continent of Africa using maps, library books, and the Swahili language guides. Swahili developed along the east African coast and has its origins in Arabic (from north Africa). The word "Swahili" actually means "coast" in Arabic. Students also worked on their passports to write facts on all the continents. They earn a stamp for every fact and they are trying to finishing this project by the end of the school year to complete their passports. Keep up the good work second graders and you will achieve success!

Jr. K students were enchanted by the story entitled Chestnut by Constance W. McGeorge. A long time ago, in a city by the sea, there lived a horse named Chestnut. Chestnut works for Mr. Decker, pulling a delivery wagon. Everyday, people wait eagerly for Mr. Decker and Chestnut to arrive. One day, however, there is a problem....who will be the hero? Will the problem get solved? This classic children's story is a charming tribute to the hardworking horses of yesteryear.

Alpha children helped find the treasure while reading Max & Ruby's Treasure Hunt by Rosemary Wells. A sudden thunderstorm ruins Max and Ruby's outdoor tea party! What can they and their friends Louise and Liy do indoors on a rainy day? Grandma has the answer. She sets up a treasure hunt with a mysterious secret box at the end of a string of amazing clues.

In 3rd grade students used a non-fiction book about Sharks to answer questions using all parts of the book. They worked with a partner to problem solve and learned a lot about sharks that they did not know before. Using the table of contents, charts, bold-face type, glossary, captions, illustrations, copyright page,  title page, and index they proved that research can be fun as well as challenging.

 NATIONAL BIKE MONTH
              NATIONAL PHYSICAL FITNESS MONTH
                       GET CAUGHT READING MONTH
                                 BE KIND TO ANIMALS WEEK (MAY 5-11)




Volunteers, volunteers, volunteers.....we have seen so many wonderful volunteers since school started in the new year. Thanks to the hard work and very flexible schedule of  Andi Mullins. I am very thankful for the new "MAY LOOK" in the library thanks to all the wonderful other volunteers who decorated and pulled the new author books. You are all so appreciated and loved by the children and especially by the librarians.