Library Celebrates Earth Day

Recycling notes

The library continues to offer learning experiences that connect children to the community outside of our school through human resources.  Thanks to a library visit from Julia Goldstein from the agency GrowNYC, we learned how we can become good citizens by recycling at school and at home.  Ms. Goldstein is partnering with teachers Mrs. Heather Madigan (STAR)  and Danette Lebron (TNS).   Julia played a trash sorting game with grades 1/2, in preparation for which we learned about recycling categories.  Did you know that only if plastic has a neck that is smaller than its body it is recyclable? That means those plastic berry containers go in the trash.  Don't be surprised if your child has more recycling facts to share with you!                      

Creative Lettering

For All School Work Time this month, I offered the activity of Bubble Lettering, inspired by The Kids' Book of Creative Lettering, which had been sitting on my "personal" shelf in the library for awhile, waiting for the right opportunity to use it.  Surprising, the attendees were all PreK and K's (not the "tween" group I would have imagined would have been drawn to the activity).  With a They Might Be Giants "ABC" album soundtrack, we sat down and embellished our names for 45 straight minutes.  Some of the results:

Author Visit: Laura Pedersen

Laura Pedersen, Unplugged,
Tilbury House, 2012

On April 5th, just in time for Screen-Free Week (formerly known as "Turn off Your TV Week") Author Laura Pedersen discussed her book Unplugged with S.T.A.R. third graders in our library.  In this realistic fiction picture book, Ella is frustrated by her family's being constantly "plugged in" to their electronic devices, and decides to unplug them: her brother from his videogames, her dad from his computer, and her mom from her cell phone, in order to reconnect as a family. Ms. Pedersen asked kids what they would do without a screen, and there was no shortage of answers. 

April is School Library Month

Students from grades 2+ are invited to participate in the School Library Challenge.  Forms are available in the library. The deadline is April 30th.

Read, Give, and Share with We Give Books!

I just found an amazing free resource and I wanted to pass it on to all of you. We Give Books is a free online library of children’s books that enables your kids to help other children around the world while they’re reading. The best part is, your reading will directly impact the great work of non-profit organizations around the world! Their tagline says it all, “combining the joy of reading with the power of giving.” It’s the perfect tool for parents, teachers, caregivers, and anyone who loves children’s books!

When you go to www.wegivebooks.org, you’ll be able to read a special selection of books without a We Give Books account, but you have to sign up to access their full library. It’s definitely worth it, though. It’s just a quick form, and once you’re signed up, you’ll have access to over 150 quality children’s books! There are a lot of familiar classic titles, and even more new ones for us to discover. You can sort the books by age level, genre, author, and seasonal selections in the “Featured” section, so everyone can find something they like.

On the Causes page you can learn more about where your donated books are going. This fall, We Give Books is focusing on early childhood literacy across the United States and supporting great causes like Jumpstart for young children. In the winter, you’ll be able to read to support global literacy and give books to non-profits like Room to Read. They also give you the option to donate to help your book donations reach even more children.

We Give Books is a program of the Pearson Foundation and Penguin Group. Penguin works with its authors to provide an outstanding selection of online books while the Pearson Foundation donates print books to charity partners. We Give Books is a great way to get your children excited about reading and to teach them about the importance of helping others.

School Libraries Boost Achievement!

Every so often a study is published that justifies the necessity of school librarians.

Latest Study: A full-time school librarian makes a critical difference in boosting student achievement

By Debra E. Kachel and Keith Curry Lance on March 7, 2013 

School Library Journal

"Imagine trying to teach kids how to swim in an empty pool."  "...students suffer when they don’t have adequate resources—and, in particular, we’ve found that student achievement suffers when schools lack libraries that are staffed by full-time librarians."  Read full article here

What Does Reading Aloud Mean to You?

I recently asked families, in a survey posted here on this blog, to share what reading aloud meant to them.  Here are the responses so far:

I love feeling a connection with my children -- we're all sharing the experience of a story together. I love getting to do dialogue and accents and drama -- I'm not an actress, but I play one at bedtime! I love that my kids end their day with me, immersed in words and images as well as family togetherness. I love when they yell "JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER!" 
Reading aloud to my children gives me a chance to bond with them.  Also since my children are still young, reading out loud gives them a chance to hear how certain words sound.  For me, reading aloud means sharing the books I loved as a child with my children. It also represents my hopes that books and reading will become as valued a part of their lives as they are of mine.
Reading aloud to my son is one of the most consistent things in our life and that in itself is valuable! I am learning as I read to him and I am hoping connections are being made and his imagination may be sparked. I have fond memories of my mom reading to me and am grateful to be able to keep that tradition. I had hoped that by reading to my son that he would "get" reading just by being read to every night for an hour or more for 6 years...alas this is not the case and needs much more support for decoding and so on--as per usual-lessons come all the time --and as with most all things-I realize never to take anything for granted and reading aloud with confidence is one of those things! I will not stop reading to him no matter what-and I am grateful for such a great librarian like you!
I think that read aloud means the same thing that for you, an act of love. It's a moment that we spend together, as a family. There is a ritual, every night we pick a book together and i read to my boys. I read only in french to them, so reading is not only an act of love but it's also a way to pass on my culture and where i come from. Since I love reading and I love to read to them, they feel it and love this moment too. It's a moment where I am relaxed (and I don't screamed at them!). I think that the mission is accomplished, they love reading too (even though one of my children struggles reading, he still loves books).
A chance to connect with my child and to share in a meaningful moment. To smile together, to learn together, to laugh together or be sad together. We get to be transported to an imaginary world and meet imaginary friends. form connections with characters, and discuss their actions, behaviors and motivations. Sometimes it offers an opportunity to learn, other times it just offers an excellent excuse to snuggle up together in bed at the end of a long day chill.  
For me, reading aloud to my two boys is a time to unplug.  No TV. No video games. No iPad.  Just us, on the couch or in bed, snuggled close and minds open to a story that comes off a page.  It's special and oh so important.
Reading aloud is a chance for me to bring my boys together in a quiet, cozy moment and to share the experience of going on an adventure together without leaving the couch!
Reading aloud is huge priority in our family. Two years ago we read the entire Harry Potter series outloud as a family over the course of just 3 months. It was amazing and something we all will remember and share. I also love being read to -- by children and adults. The book "reads" differently when it's delivered orally. I hear details I might otherwise miss. And there are few things I love more than snuggling in bed with my boys each night and reading even for a bit and I love pulling out picture books that they might think they are "too old" for, but which have an ageless message. 
For me, reading aloud is a great way to spend time with my daughter.  To connect and share an experience with her.  It is also a great way to open a dialog with her about a problem or situation she is experiencing that is similar to what a character in a story is experiencing.  It is also a great way to go on an adventure and use our imaginations.
Everything.  I think it is THE most important thing we do as parents.
Reading aloud cultivates a love of books and reinforces language and learning.
It is special part of of each and everyday. You are never too young to listen to a story and you are never to old to read one."
Yes, I love to hear a story.  Sometimes when I go to a classroom and the teacher is reading aloud I can't help but stay.  It just gives me such joy and it brings the characters alive.  I also agree with you, Cheryl "it's an act of love."
I was always convinced that my children didn't want to learn to read themselves because they didn't want me to stop reading to them. And although they finally gave in and learned, they still enjoy being read to.