It's Wednesday! What's happening in the Sommer Library?

Our very own KSTAR Broadcast Teams went on a field trip to Google and KXAN last week!

We are back to lessons and read-alouds in our library--or in the classroom, when the library is being used for testing.  

Today, we had library in the lobby; Ms Margocs visited the classrooms of our regular Wednesday visitors.

Lessons this week:

Kindergarteners and first graders are discussing three Depth and Complexity icons--Big Idea, Rules, and Over Time-- after hearing Hector the Collector by Emily Beeny, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin.  It's a Texas 2x2 book recommendation.

Second graders are catching up on La Princesa and the Pea, a 2x2 and RRISD Armadillo book:

Third graders are exploring creative apps on the iPads for future project use.  

Fourth and fifth grades are writing emails to their teachers using proper letter format; fourth grade is including a reading response, and fifth grade is incorporating other subject areas.

On Monday, PJ Hoover will be visiting our second and third graders in the morning to discuss fiction versus nonfiction and her new "Choose Your Own Adventure" style books!

Spring Break is coming soon; make sure your overdues are turned in and bills are paid so you can check out books for the break!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I have no new books to report on today; instead, I've been taking the time to catch up on my half-read pile.  This weekend, I finished The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff, read two chapters of Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do by Claude M. Steele for our librarian book study (it's a slow read for me), and started Two Awesome Hours: Science-Based Strategies to Harness Your Best Time and Get Your Most Important Work Done by Josh Davis for a district book study.  (Maybe the latter will help me get better at finishing books in a timely manner...)

It's Monday!  What are you reading for fun and self-improvement these days?

It's Wednesday! What's happening in the Sommer Library?

Books on display this month!

Lessons this week:
We are reading La Princesa and the Pea with kindergarten classes, focusing on the "Ethics" Depth and Complexity icon.  Is it okay to be sneaky sometimes, for good reasons?

First and fourth grades are check out only this week.

The second half of second grade is listening to Go Big or Go Gnome in the Book Nook.  Our Depth and Complexity icons for this story are "Details" and "Language of the Discipline"--of barbers!

The second half of third grade is learning about URL domains and effective search skills using key words and our online databases.

The second half of fifth grade is identifying text features in nonfiction books on their current science topics.  Thanks for the wonderful presentation, Laurel Mountain librarian Mr. Jurecka!

Fifth graders--don't forget, Dan Gemeinhart book orders are due in to the library no later than Monday morning, 2/25/19!

All students--Six Flags reading logs are now due!! Turn them in to your teacher by Friday, 2/22/19!

Ms Margocs is looking forward to accompanying our KSTAR Broadcast students on their field trip to Google and KXAN tomorrow!  Pics will be shared on next week's blog post.

It's Monday! What are you reading?

One of the best parts of running a book fair in our library is buying books for me to read!  I was in the mood for something spooky, so one of my picks was The Secret Grave by Lois Ruby. 

Hannah moves into a large, century-old mansion with her family of seven.  It's sometimes hard being the middle of five children.  As Hannah passes her twelfth birthday, she realizes that even her friends are going in different directions, and the loneliness sets in--until she meets Cady in the woods behind her house, on the path her father warned her to stay away from.  At first, Hannah is intrigued by Cady and welcomes her friendship, but as Cady becomes more and more possessive, Hannah starts to wonder about her strange new friend.  Then Hannah discovers a grave, and everything she thought she knew about Cady changes.

The Secret Grave is more than just a ghost story; it's about navigating the friendships of middle school, what friendship really means, and learning to stand up for yourself.

I'm scaring myself a little with a spooky book; what are you reading this week?

It's Wednesday! What's happening in the Sommer Library?

Thank you to our volunteers, staff, parents and students for supporting our library at the Spring Scholastic Book Fair!

You can still shop for books online until February 18th; click here to access our online store.  Orders are individually wrapped and shipped to the school with no extra shipping charges.

We are back to our regular schedule in the library this week. 

Kindergarten through second grades are noticing details and learning the language of barbers (beard, scruff, trim, goatee, mustache, handlebar, shave...) as they listen to Go Big or Go Gnome by Kirsten Mayer.

Third graders are learning about URL domains and effective keyword search with a matching game and an interactive lesson on our touchscreen board.  Fourth graders are checkout only this week, due to testing in the classroom.  Fifth graders are looking for nonfiction text features in books about ecosystems, fossils, and habitats.

If you are in third through fifth grades and met the requirements to attend the Bluebonnet Breakfast, you should have received an invitation to attend tomorrow morning!  Entry is at the car rider side.  Donuts and Bluebonnet Bingo await!

Six Flags Read to Succeed reading logs are due next week.  Be sure to record your six hours of reading and get your sheets to your teachers!

Thanks again for supporting our library!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

I am slowly trying to learn how to speak Spanish.  I'm getting into the habit of practicing with the Duolingo app each day.  And after taking two online courses, the instructor suggested subscribing to a magazine written in Spanish--so I now get People español.

When I open this magazine, I return to being a beginning reader, picking out words and phrases I understand, trying to comprehend the stories, ads, and captions.  Occasionally, I'll read out loud, slowing down around syllables that won't roll off my tongue so easily. I rely heavily on picture clues; thankfully, People has those in abundance.  

As with my previous attempts at learning a new language, I am finding my reading abilities far greater than my retention for independent use.  I still struggle with deciphering the rapid speech of native Spanish speakers; to help with that skill, I occasionally watch telenovelas.

It's Monday--how do you stretch yourself as a reader?

It's Wednesday! What's happening in the Sommer Library?

Our Spring Scholastic Book Fair--

that's what's happening this week!

Come visit our book fair in the library!  We have classic titles, new additions to well-loved series, books for preschool through adult.  We will continue to receive restocks throughout the week.

Our remaining shopping hours are:

Thursday 7:15a to 4:15p

Friday 7:15a to 6:15p (PTA Movie Night has been cancelled, but we're still open!)

Monday 7:15a to noon

Our online fair runs through February 18th.  Online orders are individually wrapped and shipped to the school at no extra cost--and still credit our book fair!  

Click here to shop online.

Book fairs are our library's major fundraisers.  Proceeds help pay for author visits, Bluebonnet Breakfast, books for students, library supplies, and professional development.

  Thanks for supporting the library by shopping our book fair!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

We had our monthly district librarians' meeting last Monday, and I was able to get first dibs at the review books table--picked up two wonderful picture books, nonfiction and fiction!

I reviewed Maxwell Eaton III's  The Truth About Bears last May, and was lucky enough to score The Truth About Elephants.

Eaton has a wonderful way of taking facts about animals and turning them into engaging, funny dialogue.  Within fifteen minutes, I learned about the differences between African and Asian elephants (right down to the number of toenails on each foot), their prehistoric ancestors, and the threats to their existence today.  This series is great for read-alouds when introducing nonfiction/ animal studies in elementary classrooms, and might even be interesting enough for upper grade students who need a break from textbooks.

The next book I grabbed turned out to be a sweet, warm-fuzzy tale called Harold Loves His Woolly Hat, by Vern Kousky.  

Don't skip the illustrated title page, as it tells us just how Harold came by his striped, pom-pom topped chapeau.  Harold feels that it is his hat that makes him special and sets him apart from the other cubs.  When his hat is stolen by a crow, he tries to trade all kinds of treats to get it back, to no avail.  When he decides to climb the tree to retrieve his beloved hat, he discovers that it is being used for something important--and that he is special for what's inside him, not for what he wears on his head.  Harold Loves His Woolly Hat is a quick read that can spark conversations about what makes us special, and the impact our acts of kindness can have on those around us.

It's Monday!  Have you read a good picture book today?