In many of the Library classes we have been exploring the structure of nonfiction books. Looking at how these books are organized makes it easier for students to locate the information they are looking for. Using the table of contents and index are just the beginning. We have been looking at captions and headings to help us zero in on what we need.

Another focus in the library has been helping students to become independent library users. Students have been taking a closer look at the library catalog and learning the layout of our library to find books and information they are seeking.

Students have also been exploring the research process. The fourth grade students researched some of the world’s biomes and evaluated the sources they used in the process. Some fifth graders are working on inquiry projects and have been thinking about and creating questions they can use to narrow the focus of what they are looking for. Soon the first graders will be beginning to learn about the research process as they explore woodland animals.

4th Grade Research

Finally, some students have created a library commercial using our new FLIP video cameras. We will be using these cameras in 4th and fifth grade classes to give students the opportunity to learn to use this tool and have it available to use for future projects. Thanks to the CSA for getting us started in our FLIP video experience by purchasing two cameras for us!

As always, thank you to the wonderful team of library volunteers!

Mrs. Bailey and Mrs. Cummings with their Owl's Nest Mural

It is great to be back at school! There is a lot to be excited about! Thanks to a couple of wonderful Sherborn Moms the library has been transformed with a beautiful wall mural. Carol Bailey, mother of fifth grader, John, and Erin Cummings created a work of art in a new section of the library called “The Owl’s Nest.” They painted a scene that includes a large tree with an owl in it nestled in a tranquil field. The students are wild about it and it has become a focal point of the school!

As part of my library orientation for students I have been introducing “The Owl’s Nest.” This section of the library contains books written especially for children about problems and concerns they might have. Topics include friendship, teasing & bullying, self-esteem, sadness & loss, food allergies and other health related concerns, divorce, understanding feelings, recognizing differences, and adoption. Thanks to Dr. Frieman, a CSA grant and several Pine Hill parents, “The Owl’s Nest” is becoming a popular retreat for students.

Finally, thank you to those of you who have signed up to volunteer in the Library and to CatherineRocchio for coordinating this effort. You can’t imagine how important it is to have you here to help out during classes. In addition to lightening the workload, you enable me to spend more time with the students, helping them to find great books to read!

We also wrapped up this year’s Massachusetts Children’s Book Award program. Several students in 4^th and 5^th grade elected to read at least 5 of the nominated books and voted for their favorite. We had a few favorites in our school, but The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart was this year’s winner. The new list of nominees for the 2009 – 2010 MCBA program is out. Students who will be entering 4^th and 5^th grade can get started on some of these great books as part of their summer reading. I will fill them in with details of the program when we start school in the fall.

In addition to reading The MCBA books, which is voluntary, all students are asked to read at least one historical fiction book over the summer. If you are looking for ideas, I have compiled a Historical Fiction Summer Reading List which can be found on our school’s web site under Library News.

To further promote a love of reading, the 1^st graders investigated several dog characters as we shared some fun stories in library class. Martha and Gloria were among our favorites, but Carl was the 1^st grade’s “Top Dog”!

As if that isn’t enough excitement, we have started to use the Flip video cameras that were purchased thanks to a CSA grant. Students in Ms. Ryan’s 4^th grade class created a presentation of their original poetry that includes videos of  students reading their poems. Ms. Mackay’s 3^rd graders made commercials about each region of the United States. They enjoyed watching their videos and learning from each other’s commercials. Thank you CSA!!!

Some of the classes were treated to a guest reader during their library class. Senator Brown stopped by to read to the students and stress the importance of reading. He did a great job involving the students in the stories he shared.

Finally, students have been working on their research and inquiry skills. The 2^nd graders learned about note taking while researching frogs and toads. They then used these skills as they learned about their countries of origin. The 5^th graders continued to build on their skills as they worked on a cetacean research project. Ms. Darrah and I refreshed their memories about note taking and the steps of the research process and taught them about citing their sources.

In closing I would like to once again thank the wonderful volunteers that show up in the library each day. Without them I would not be able to provide all of these fun learning opportunities for students! A special thanks to Josephine Starr for taking on the task of organizing and scheduling volunteers. It has been a very smooth year!

Our school community also had a wonderful Reading Day in March. Students spent most of their day involved in literacy activities. We also had a few guest readers from the Sherborn community. We hope to expand and continue the tradition next year.

In library classes the kindergarteners have mastered the library routine and we have been enjoying many great books together. We continue to read various Caldecott winners, most recently the newest winner, The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson. We have also read some folk tales including tales with the trickster character, Anansi the Spider. We will read a couple more trickster tales and then students will draw their versions of tricksters.

In first grade the students have been enjoying books about different dog characters. So far we have read about Harry, Martha, Clifford, Carl and Gloria. We will vote for our “Top Dog” once we’ve added a few more characters to our list. We are lucky to have the author of the Martha series, Susan Meddaugh, coming to visit on Thursday, April 9! She will meet with the first and second graders. Thanks to the enrichment committee for organizing this.

Second graders are beginning to learn research skills. Their library lessons have been connected to their study of frogs and toads. We have been looking at non-fiction books, web sites and encyclopedias, and students are learning how to take notes. This will hopefully help them when they begin their research on their upcoming country reports.

I have been trying to connect the third grade library lessons with their study of the United States. Most recently we’ve read excerpts from Lady Liberty – A Biography by Doreen Rappaport and Our White House – Looking In Looking Out by various authors and illustrators. I am also working with the students on becoming more independent library users. They are learning how to look books up on the electronic catalog and where to find different types of books in our Media Center.

 Some of the Pine Hill students recently participated in the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Program. Winners have been announced with the winner being The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. This book was also chosen as the winner by the 4^th and 5^th grade students who participated in the program from Pine Hill. The honor books are Double Identity By: Margaret Peterson Haddix, H.I.V.E. (Higher Institute for Villainous Education) by Mark Walden, The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman and Miracle on 49^th Street by Mike Lupica. Thanks to all who participated!

Many 4^th graders are currently participating in a Read-a-thon to raise money for Heifer International. The students that have volunteered to participate have gotten pledges for each book they read through April 13^th. We will then combine the donations and decide how we’d like it spent through this organization. In library class we have been reading and learning about Africa and other parts of the world. Students are currently researching the different biomes of the world and will share what they have learned in our next library class. The study of biomes will also get them ready for their upcoming plant unit.

Finally, our fifth graders are in the middle of a genre study. Students are working with a partner or small group to research a genre and then create a poster about that genre which will be displayed in the Media Center. The posters will be helpful resources for students looking to vary what they read.

Next week is the Spring Book Fair. There will be plenty of wonderful titles to choose from. Don’t forget to take a look at the selection of historical fiction titles as this is our featured summer reading genre!

I want to thank the Pine Hill Community for the wonderful response to the Library Book Fair last week. We have added over 200 new books to our collection and the enthusiastic response from the students is contagious! I’d like to especially thank the CSA’s Megan Hall and Anne Hovey for leading the effort this year. Please feel free to stop in and take a look at some of the new selections, if there are any still available!

This month’s focus in library class, in addition to sharing great books, has been research skills. In 4^th and 5^th grade we have been talking about being responsible with the information we use from books, the internet and other electronic resources. We talked about the importance of citing our sources even when we aren’t asked to do this. I also showed the class some tools they can use to keep track of their sources. Ms. Willis has also done this in Computer class. We spent some time looking at the “Pine Hill Read This” blog and I am encouraging students to take a few minutes to write a book review about a good book that they’ve read. There is a link to the blog on this site with complete instructions and information.

Third grade has looked at atlases and a beginning encyclopedia and will explore more encyclopedias and dictionaries and thesauruses over the next few weeks. As we look at each of these resources, we have been discussing the type of information that can be found in each. We will also be reading tall tales that connect to their study of the United States.

Second grade has continued to focus on using the electronic library catalog to find books they want to read. They are fast learners and so willing to help each other that they are making this process look easy. Our next step is to talk about how to find the books they want on the library shelves.

Next month the first graders will research a woodland mammal and create a slide to present their information. In library class they were introduced to a simple research process called The Super 3 in which students follow 3 main steps as they conduct their research – Plan, Do, and Review. We are all looking forward to this collaborative effort between the first grade teachers, Ms. Willis and me.

Finally, the kindergarten continues to work on literature appreciation. Distinguishing between fiction and non-fiction is part of the regular discussion. This month we read a couple of different versions of “The Three Little Pigs” and compared them. Our next step is to read a non-fiction book about pigs and list facts that we learn about pigs. Coming from a background as a fifth grade teacher, I was taken by surprise at just how smart kindergarteners are. The connections and ideas that they have about what we are doing amaze me!

As always, thank you to our highly supportive group of volunteers who help make the library program what it is! Please feel free to contact me via email, ryanl@doversherborn.org, or phone 508.528.6362 with questions and comments.

Mo Willems and Susan Meddaugh are two of the authors that the kindergarteners have been enjoying in library class. The students are also becoming experts at distinguishing between fiction and non-fiction books! It is wonderful to watch them make their book choices each week and watch their excitement!

In first grade library class we have been reading books centered on the theme of friendship and are now focusing on books by Kevin Henkes. We have talked about the great job Henkes does creating his characters, most of them mice. We will be looking at information about this author on his website the next time we get together.

Second graders brainstormed a list of non-fiction book features as we looked at some samples. We also talked about the many different types of books in the library that are available for the many different readers in our school. We spent time looking at the variety of topics available in beginning chapter books.

Third graders are getting to know the wide range of information that is available in our school library. We went on a walk around the non-fiction section of the library to introduce them to the many interesting topics that they can read about and we spent time looking at atlases. They are also becoming more familiar with our online catalog.

The Massachusetts Children’s Book Award Program was recently introduced to 4^th and 5^th graders and many students are participating on a voluntary basis. Students are asked to read at least 5 books from a list of 25 nominated titles to be eligible to vote for their favorite in March. The next time we meet I will be showing students how to access our online book blog called “Pine Hill Read This.” There is a link to the blog on the right side of this page.

Once again I’d like to thank the wonderful volunteers that show up for all of these classes and are a tremendous help. I also appreciate the follow up on your part to the Overdue Reminder Slips I have been sending home regularly. Students are becoming more aware of keeping track of their books. I appreciate your help! I hope that if you have any questions you will email me at ryanl@doversherborn.org.

Second and 3^rd graders have been recommending books to each other via an “I Spy a Good Book” form. The 4^th and 5^th graders are sharing good books using a “Spy Interview” sheet. Students write 4 facts about a good book they’ve read, but only 3 of the facts are true. Everyone becomes familiar with the book as we try to pick out the false fact.

Many of the 5^th graders have volunteered to adopt a shelf in the library. Students will check in on their shelf at least once a week to straighten it up. I am pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm the 5^th graders are showing for this task.

Finally, thank you to those of you who have signed up to volunteer in the Library and to Josephine Starr for coordinating this effort. You can’t imagine how important it is to have you here to help out during classes. In addition to lightening the shelving load, you enable me to spend more time with the students, helping them to find great books to read!

            This summer Pine Hill students are being asked to read a biography or autobiography of their choice. We are hoping that this common experience will present great discussion opportunities when the students return in September. If you are looking for more reading ideas for your child, I have set up a “Summer Reading Suggestions” link which will connect you to several good book lists. Also, don’t forget to click on the link to the Pine Hill “Read This!” blog where you will find some great reading suggestions from students. If your child reads a great book over the summer, encourage him or her to write a quick review and submit it to be posted on the blog. Instructions on how to do this are given.

            This has been a great first year in the library for me! I have been able to make some fun changes to the media center thanks to the Pine Hill CSA’s generous support. I have also had tremendous support from a wonderful team of volunteers. I can’t thank them enough! I am looking forward to September and continuing to work with the Pine Hill students.

Have a wonderful summer!

Laurie

As if “Music & Poetry in the Media Center” isn’t exciting enough, I have added some new reading buddies to our library. The students can now choose to read their books to one of several animal puppets that live in the library. Students have been very responsible in their use of the puppets, reading to them quietly and sharing them with their classmates.

Earlier this month I was able to attend a children’s literature workshop with

Dr. Peggy Sharp. It was an extremely worthwhile day and I have several ideas that I can’t wait to try!

Here is a brief summary of what we have been up to during Library class:

 Kindergarten: In preparation for reading Janet Stevens & Susan Steven Crummel’s fun book, And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, we will be taking a look at several of Mother Goose’s classic nursery rhymes. And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon references many of these rhymes in a very entertaining story about the dish and spoon actually running away! 

Grade 1: Wolf! by Becky Bloom and The Web Files by Margie Palatini & Richard Egielski have been two of our favorite read aloud books in first grade. Our next selections to share together are The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy, Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems, and Charlie Parker played be bop by Chris Raschka.

Grade 2: We just wrapped up our author study of Judith Viorst and will now be reading the book, Aunt Nancy and the Bothersome Visitors by Phyllis Root. I imagine we will have many laughs together as we read this collection of entertaining trickster tales.

Grade 3: As we continue our look at stories set in different regions of the United States, I am reading aloud Patricia MacLachlan’s Sarah, Plain and Tall and Kirsten Learns a Lesson. We will collect vocabulary and details about land features of the Midwest as we read these books over the next few weeks.

Grades 4 & 5: In the upper grades students have been getting more familiar with the system used to organize books in the library. I am hoping that this will help students to be more independent in their use of libraries as they move on in school.

            Once again, thank you to all of the wonderful parent volunteers who make it easy for me to focus on the students when they are here instead of having to worry about the “business” of the library!