Library Update

Kindergarten:  We started checking out from a cart today.  Looking for books on a cart reminds us how to use a shelf marker and encourages us to put books back the right way.  We also read The Shelf Elf, which shows us how books on shelves in the library are supposed to look.  We also continued to share the books we checked out.

First Grade: We are continuing with our fractured fairy tales unit.  This week we read Cinderella and Cinder Elly.  Again, we compared and contrasted the two.  We also started a conversation about what makes a fractured fairy tale.

Second Grade:  We are continuing to work on text features in non-fiction.  We're working on finding them in non-fiction books on our own and sharing for what they are important.

Third Grade: We accessed our OWN accounts this week!  We used our own student ID numbers to access our computers.  We also accessed our Gmail accounts!  We're learning a lot with technology!

Fourth Grade: We also are working on using our Gmail accounts.  We logged into the computers and into our gmail accounts to share a document.  As we utilize these accounts, we are reminded that there are rules and consequences with everything we do, some a positive but some are negative.  We also started choosing biographies for our Wax Museum project which will be a collaboration between the 4th grade teachers and myself.

Fifth & Sixth Grade: As we continue to work on Digital Citizenship we started working with an online program through CommonSense Media.

Library Update

Kindergarten: We continued to checkout from the tables this week. We went on a bear hunt and a book hunt!  Also, all students are being asked about the book they checked out this week.  They either share the title or what the book was about.  Remember, we can read the pictures, read the words, or retell the story.

First Grade: We continue to work with "just right" books but also starting to learn about fractured fairy tales.  This week we focused on The Three Little Pigs and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.  The students helped retell The Three Little Pigs then we compared and contrasted between it and The True Story...  They did a great job!

Second Grade:  Since we are still focusing on finding a "just right" book in non-fiction we are also learning about the different text features we can find in a non-fiction book.  These include, Table of Contents, Headings, Glossary, Index, photographs, and captions.

Third Grade: We focused our checkout on a "just right" book.  Then we filled out a sheet telling about the book, why we picked it, why we were reading it, what questions we had about it, and chose a page to try with the "5 finger rule."

Fourth Grade: We are continuing to focus on Internet Safety and what we can do to stay safe.

Fifth Grade: We are also continuing to focus on Internet Safety and making good choices online.

Sixth Grade: We focused on finding out about our digital footprint.  We even made our own footprint showing all that we do online.

Literacy Night

Thank you to all of the parents, students, and family members who attended Literacy Night.  We had a great time learning about Daily 5 in our classrooms.  Miss Shepard, Mrs. Switzer, and I had a good time sharing about our different reading programs in the gym.  I shared online resources which can be used at home along with having the students share the I PICK rap.  All students went home with a new book, a bookmark, and information about literacy at Orchard Hill.  If you missed it and would like the materials sent home, please contact me!

Library Update

Kindergarten: We got to check out books this week!  We're working on finding a safe place to store our book at home when we're not reading it.  We also talked about finding a book that we can read.  Reading in Kindergarten means reading the words, reading the pictures, or reading with someone!  We also added our 4th Kindergarten this week!  How exciting!

First Grade: We are still working on choosing "good fit books."  We practiced the I PICK rap again and talked more about the books we might choose.  We also read Goldie Socks and the Three Libearians!  Goldie Socks helps us figure out if a book is too hard, too easy, or just right!

Second Grade:  We also practiced the I PICK rap and continued to make sure one of the books we checked out was a good fit.  We are focusing on choosing a just right nonfiction book.  We love to read true books so it's time to figure out what fits us well!

Third Grade: We finished looking at the Acceptable Use Policy and what it means.  We practiced our I PICK rap so we're ready for Literacy Night (Sept. 17!).  We also started talking about good fit books and what that looks like for third graders.  We're starting to get into chapter books that have fewer pictures and more words.

Fourth Grade: After finishing up with the Acceptable Use Policy, we moved onto Internet Safety and what that means in our grade level.

Fifth Grade: We also finished looking at the Acceptable Use Policy and moved into Internet Safety.  We watched a video about CyberEthics.

Sixth Grade: After looking at the Acceptable Use Policy and talking about the rules, we continued a conversation about Internet Safety as well.  We watched a video about leaving Digital Footprints behind.

As you can see K-3 are focusing this quarter on choosing a good fit book and grades 4-6 are focusing on Digital Citizenship.  Both of these skills are "Essential Skills" the elementary librarians in the district have chosen to work on this year.  These are skills we have established during our Collaborative Team Times on Wednesday afternoons.  If you're interested in hearing more about the work we do, feel free to contact me.

New Books!

Each year when we return in the fall it feels like a library birthday!  We get a large order of books over the summer and it's so much fun to put them all out for the students and staff.  This year I thought it'd be fun to share the new book list with our blog readers.  We hope this peaks your curiosity and you come visit the library!  Enjoy!

September Genre Challenge

It's time for the Genre Challenge again this year!
Each month a genre will be chosen. Students who read a book (at their level) in that genre can fill out a form and give their class one point for the book and one point for participating that month.  Each additional book the student reads is another point.  The class with the most points at the end of the month receives a popcorn party.  Each month the points will be reset and a new genre will be chosen.

September's genre is Fantasy

I hope to have a lot of students try new kinds of books and participate in the challenge.
A copy of the form is below.

 Image:© Mrs. Newgard