It's Already February!

I cannot believe that we are already into February! What is happening to this school year? I have taken all the snowflakes down and replaced them with hearts all throughout the library. I just love the way the library looks when it is decorated for the season.

What's Happening This Week

Second graders are learning about biographies and have been assigned a Biography Report and Project. Last week, I read each class biographies and we learned where to find biographies. We also talked about how they are organized in the library compared to other books. This week, we talked about the different features in many biographies, such as table of contents, timelines, and index. By now, every 2nd grader has chosen their person they will research. 

Fourth graders reviewed the difference between biography and autobiography, and I introduced them to one of my favorite autobiographies, BROWN GIRL DREAMING by Jacqueline Woodson. You can see my review of this book on my blog. 

Fifth graders were taught the importance of siting our sources with images we use in projects. We also talked about copyright policies, then reviewed steps to adding images to our book trailers. I am hoping that someone from Hillside wins the Book Bytes Contest!

Third grade classes had some deep discussion about the book, THE OTHER SIDE by Jacqueline Woodson. We discussed concepts in poetry, specifically how the poet uses objects to represent something much larger.   In this picture book, which is written in free verse, Jacqueline Woodson uses the fence as a main object in her poem. The fence represents something much larger. If you haven't read this book, you absolutely must! THE OTHER SIDE will lead to a rich discussion with your students, and it is one of the most uplifting books dealing with the subject of segregation. 

Woodson, Jacqueline. 2001. THE OTHER SIDE. illustrated by E.B. Lewis. G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers.

Making Connections

My first graders have been enamored with learning about the different awards that books are given. In January, I taught them about the Caldecott award. I showed them some of the past winners, and read them 2015 winner, THE ADVENTURES OF BEEKLE by Dan Santat.

After I showed them some of the past winners, they noticed that some of the books also had an award that looked like a black triangle. I made them wait in anticipation for that one. :) So, finally, this week, I talked to them about the Coretta Scott King award. Unfortunately, I don't have TROMBONE SHORTY by Troy Andrews and illustrated by Bryan Collier, which won the Corretta Scott King award for illustrator, in my library yet. I haven't been able to place my spring book order. (story for another blog post). But, I did have an honor book, and fittingly, this book is also a Caldecott honor book for 2016. 

The students were so excited! I pulled this book out of the box, brand new!! I had not even finished processing the book yet. After I read the book, the students and I paused to really look at the last page. I was proud that one of the first graders made the connection to the recent tornado that went through our city. He said that this book reminded him of how people in Garland helped the people that lost their homes in the tornado. 

Da Le Peña, Matt. 2015. LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET. illustrated by Christian Robinson. G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers.