December 12, 2014

This week has been an exciting week filled with stimulating activities.  All week we have been doing all types of coding activities to encourage the One Hour of Code program.  Students have been doing "unplugged" activities as well as using the computers. The students seemed to have enjoyed themselves immensely and hopefully this will be the spark that ignites a love for coding that will enable them to help shape our future. I too had an opportunity to try it out and it was surprisingly fun and easy to do.  If you are interested in learning more, go to studio.code.org and see what the buzz is all about.  Get your kids involved and I bet within no time, you'll both be coding up a storm.  Happy Coding !

November 14, 2014

This week has been pretty fun in the library.  Kindergarteners read How are you Peeling?: Foods with Moods by Saxton Freeman. We discussed rhyme and all the different kinds of food that was used as art work in the book.  Turnips and radishes really threw them for a loop!  First Graders learned about rhyming words and rhythm in reading some poems in Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. This book was one of my all time favorites as a kid.  I always did, and still do, enjoy all the wonderfully, funny, silly poems. I laughed each time I read them to every class!  Classic material never gets old, no matter how many times you read it.  Here is one of their favorites I read.

The Crocodile's Toothache
 

We even had a couple of Second Grade classes come to learn how to access the online resources of Pebble Go and Culutregrams to help them with a big project on different countries.  More classes will be coming next week.  These online resources are accessible from home and can be found at this address: http://112.catalog.pisd.edu/
Please use User Name: library and Password: discover.

Another exciting note is that you can now take a virtual tour of our new Learning Commons!  Just click on the link and come on in and take a look around.  I hope you enjoy!

http://goo.gl/lEUuBP

November 7, 2014

Another week of learning in the library.  Kindergarten and 1st Graders learned all about the Caldecott Award. This award has been given to the most outstanding illustrator since 1938.  The award is named after illustrator Randolph Caldecott who lived over 200 years ago.  The students definitely had an opinion as which winner was their favorite.  Here is a picture of two Kindergartners with their favorites.

October 24, 2014

Volunteers are amazing people! Last week I never got around to thanking all of the wonderful people who gave up their valuable time to help out with Book Fair.  They do a fantastic job of setting up, running and dismantling the Book Fair.  It is because of them that the Book Fair is always so successful.  This in turn helps the library get much needed additional books in the hands of our students.  I also want to thank my volunteers that come each week to help with classes and the reshelving of books.  The contribution of their time helps me tremendously and I greatly appreciate it.

October 3, 2014

Students are really getting a lot more comfortable using the self-checkout station in the library.  This week has seen a dramatic increase in the number of individual students using that system.  Some students even discovered how to check in their books using the self-checkout system.
Kindergarten students learned quite a bit about computers and how to properly use them, as well as what types of professions use computers on a daily basis.  First graders recognized the difference in fiction and non-fiction books.
Next week is Book Fair, so be sure to send money with your child if you wish for them to purchase items and help support the Christie PTA and the library.

September 26, 2014

Well, the smell of fresh paint is finally starting to wane a bit.  The new colors are vibrant and very exciting!  The students all ooh and aah when they walk thru the door.  Here's a peek at the new color scheme.  See what YOU think.

Kindergarten and First Graders are also excited about our new Reading Room. They love having their own little room where we can have story time each week. This week Kindergarten learned about rhyming words and making predictions in the story. Where as First Grade discussed a story about being comfortable in being yourself and being unique.

Excitement is in the air and there is a buzz about the upcoming learning commons. Things are finally starting to take shape as we embark on this new and wonderful journey. Kindergarten and First grade classes have begun coming to the Reading Room and checking out books this week.  I hope to have all other classes in to see the changes and to check out books very soon.
While the learning commons will focus on STEM related activites, the importance of reading will not be forgotten.  Grades 2-5 will come on a more as needed basis for library skills lessons and checking out of books. Of course, all students are welcome to come to the library at any time with the permission of their teacher.  So that as they finish a book, they can return it and get another just as they would when going to the public library.  I am truly looking forward to seeing all of those smiling faces once again!