Click Clack Woo! Kids That Type!

The Stonehedge library has been filled with the clickity-clack of Chromebook keyboards throughout the first half of December. Grades 3-5 have been trying out a free website called TypingClub.com. It is a keyboarding trainer that takes kids through all of the basic typing skill drills, (just like the typing lessons some of us took in high school.) Typists can track their accuracy and speed and move up levels to assess their progress. The response from our students has been positive, with many kids reporting that they have continued their training on their classroom computers and at home. Keyboarding skills are more important than ever to our students. They need to be “keyboard familiar” earlier than ever before, so we’re excited the introduction has gone so well. We’ll be spending more time on TypingClub with 3-5 and introducing it to 2^nd grade when we come back from break in January. To take a peek, just go to www.typingclub.com

Meanwhile, the K-2 students have also been on the Chromebooks in the library. They have been using the touch screen aspect of the Chromebooks to explore one of our favorite databases, PebbleGo, in preparation for all of the research that will take place in February during Winter Wonderland. PebbleGo is a fabulous research resource for emergent readers. It has tons of facts on all types of subjects that are presented in an easy to read format. There are videos, sound clips, time lines and other features that make learning fun. It had been so much fun to watch even our littlest Wildcats exploring and reporting back facts about what they are learning. PebbleGo is accessible through the library website. We have sent access instructions home with all of our little researchers.

One More Thing

Maxwell Library is hosting a Book Talk and Signing with children’s author Marcie Colleen on Wednesday, December 21 from 6-7:30. 

She will be talking about her books

Super Happy Party Bears: GnawingAround

Super Happy Party Bears: Knock Knock on Wood

Copies of each will be available for purchase and signing by the author.

(Just in time for the holidays!)

Until next year!

Don't forget to Read4Fun!

Happy Holidays!

Mrs. Abbott

Rock and Roll Literacy

Stonehedge students and staff rocked the red gym last Friday as Canadian author and literacy advocate Sigmund Brouwer came to town courtesy of the awesome Stonehedge PTA in order to celebrate PARP month.  Brouwer used a mix of humor and really great music to bring home the message that even if reading and writing are hard for students, developing a love of story first can make all the difference. Mr. Brouwer dubbed Mrs. Abbott, Mrs. Graser and Mrs. Eichhorn the “Story Divas” which was just fine with all of us. Our ultimate goal every day is to connect students with stories and nonfiction books that will inspire them to read and write more each day. Mr. Brouwer shared snippets of some of his books and by the time each assembly was over, we had a gym full of “Story Ninjas” ready to go out into the world and use the power of story to put pictures in people’s heads and feelings in their hearts.  Talk about ninja skills!

Before Mr. Brouwer left us, he promised the kids access to three free ebooks. You can find them at http://sigmundbrouwer.com/rockandroll/

You do need epub software on your device. This will be a great way to tide the students over until our Sigmund Brouwer book order comes in.

PARP month is almost at a close, but we still have one more Open Library Night. You can come to the library Tuesday the 25th from 6:30-7:30 "at night" to relax and read, share stories and check out books . Hope to see you there.

Until then,

Don’t forget to READ4FUN!

Mrs. Abbott (one of the Story Divas)

October is PARP month!

Every October our awesome PTA sponsors PARP (Pick a Reading Partner). PARP is a great time to focus on reading a little bit more by reading with other people for at least15 minutes a day. Children learn by example and when they read with people they love and look up to, reading becomes an even more enjoyable activity. Suggestions for home reading activities were sent home by teachers. Throughout the month, guest readers will be coming to our school to share their favorite books in the classrooms.

The library will be hosting Open Library Nights on Tuesday, October 11^th and Tuesday October 25^th. The library will be open from 6:30-7:30 (at night) for you and your family to come browse our new library layout, read together and even check out a few books.

But wait…that’s not all! PTA is also bringing another fabulous author to visit our students. This year Sigmund Brouwer will be coming to talk to us on Friday October 14^th. 

Mr. Brouwer is a Canadian author who spends some of his time in Nashville, Tennessee. He writes books for all ages and will bring his message of “Rock and Roll Literacy” to all grade levels.

It should be a great month!

In October (and every month)...Don’t forget to READ4FUN!

Mrs. Abbott

New Year, New Look!

Happy New Year everyone! The first days of library have been very exciting. Over the summer, we rearranged the fiction area and the kids have been having a great time getting to know the new set up. Our new kindergarteners are also getting acclimated to the library routine. We also have a new library automation (check-in, check-out) system so we just started checking books out this week. In order to ease the new system in, for this first week of check-out, all students are only checking out one book. Once we know everything is running smoothly, we will go back to our regular numbers: one book for grades 1 & K, two for 2^nd grade and three items for 3-5 (including magazines and DVD’s).

All students are being taught (and retaught) library responsibility. They know that when they borrow a book, they are promising to take good care of it while it is “theirs”. Please help them by keeping books in a special, safe place at home, somewhere they know they can find their books when library day comes around. It should be someplace away from younger children, pets and water bottles, our worst offenders. Ask your child about the “Backpack of Doom” and how we teach them to treat their books like a baby.

October is PARP month and our awesome PTA has many fun activities planned to encourage students and grownups to read together. Watch for details about Open Library Nights and our special author visit next month. Being a reading partner for your child is so important. Whether you read to a small child, with an emergent reader, or in front of your older children, you are establishing lifelong habits that will set them up for success.

Until next time…don’t forget to READ4FUN!

Mrs. Abbott

Poetry Perfection

     Thursday, April 21^st was a very busy day at Stonehedge. We celebrated “Poem in Your Pocket Day” throughout the day. Our young poets were very excited to share their favorite poems with just about everyone in school. Many of the poems were originals, written especially for the day, and they were fabulous!

     Later in the evening (or as we say in library “AT NIGHT”) the Gold cafeteria was transformed into a funky poetry café and was packed full for Poetrypalooza II.  We had 50 student poets present their verse to the delight of about 120 eager listeners who snapped their approval.  PTA supplied tasty refreshments and the evening was a rousing success.

     There is still plenty of time in the school year, but in the library we have to start accounting for our materials. As a result, this week will be the last library book checkout for the year.  All materials will be due the last week of May. Last year, when the last day of school rolled around, we were still missing 90 items from the library! Our goal this year is to get every item back on the shelves as early in June as possible.  So, if your child comes home with a blue “Tickler” overdue reminder, please take a moment to help them find the book so that we can get it back home to the library. If you have any questions about lost books, don't hesitate to call me at 487-4641.

Until Next Time,

Don’t forget to “Read4Fun”!

Mrs. Abbott

April Snows Bring Rhymes and Prose?

 I’d like to wish everyone a happy April, but it really hasn’t felt like April yet. It seems that March and April got mixed up on their job assignments this year. Nevertheless, it is April and no matter what it looks like outside, we can always count on this month to bring us one thing…poetry! April is National Poetry Month and we have always tried to celebrate it in full force at Stonehedge. We will share lots of poetry in library class and the whole school will observe “Poem in Your Pocket” Day on Thursday, April 21^st. On that day, students and staff are encouraged to write a poem of their own or copy down a poem that they like (don’t forget to write down the poet’s name) and put it in their pocket. During the day, anyone can ask anyone “Got a poem in your pocket?” and they can share their poem with someone else in school. It’s a fun way to meet new people and share great poetry.  

Last year's Poem in Your Pocket Day

Later that same evening, we will be hosting “Poetrypalooza II”! This is an open mic poetry night. We had such a great turnout last year that we’ll be setting up our poetry café in the Gold Cafeteria from 6:30 until the poems run out. Students from any grade (and parents and teachers too) are encouraged to share their favorite or original poem in front of a live audience.  If you don’t dare to share, you are more than welcome to just come and watch.  It is likely to be the most cultural thing you will do all week.

A scene from Poetrypalooza I

No fooling…we’d like to thank the PTA for bringing author Alyssa Satin Capucilli to Stonehedge on April 1^st. Ms. Capucilli is the author of the popular “Biscuit” series for early readers. All of the students enjoyed her presentation about how a book makes the journey from an idea to the book shelf and she has already inspired our own Stonehedge authors to come up with some great ideas.

Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Stay tuned for the latest from the library...much more to come!

Until next time…don’t forget to Read4Fun!

Mrs. Abbott

    Wow, time is flying! 

    It’s hard to believe we’ve passed the 100^th day of school.  The library has been especially busy with all types of lessons and research projects.

     5^th grade has been researching three countries of the Western Hemisphere. Classes have divided into groups studying Brazil, Canada and Cuba.  Each country is broken into departments exploring aspects of each country including government, culture, geography, economy and history. The departments are collaborating and using Google Slides to create presentations to teach everyone in the class about each country.  It has taken quite a bit of time, but we’re all learning a lot and having great fun.

5th graders working with Google Slides

     4^th graders are researching different inventors to find out what they invented and how their ideas changed the world. Some of the inventors are very famous but some are a little more challenging (How about Garrett Morgan, inventor of the traffic light and Ruth Wakefield, creator of chocolate chips and the Toll House cookie?) When the research is done, the 4^th graders are writing paragraphs about their subjects and spending some time practicing their keyboarding skills by typing their final copies.

4th graders writing about inventors

     3^rd graders are just finishing a lengthy unit about Folktales, Fables and Myths.  They have learned how to tell these oral tradition stories apart by listening for clues within the stories. Ask them to give you an example…

     2^nd graders are bolstering their classroom study of Westward Expansion by reviewing some unbelievable Tall Tales.  They are becoming experts in exaggeration…so take what they say with a grain of salt!

     1^st grade and Kindergarten have been having such a good time learning about and reviewing fabulous Caldecott award winning books. The Caldecott is given annually for the best illustrations in a children’s book.  Next week, the students do just what the “grownup” Caldecott committees do and hold a vote for their favorite picture books. Don’t forget to ask them which book wins for their class.

     Oh yeah, and the 4^th and 5^th grade book clubs are going great!!!

Wyatt tells 4th grade book club what he's reading

A few announcements about upcoming awesomeness:

     We will be hosting two Open Library Nights in March. On Tuesday, the 15^th and Tuesday, the 29^th, the library will be open from 6:30-7:30. Come on in and browse the library with your child. You can check out books separate from your child’s regular library total.

      Also, our fabulous PTA is bringing us another author visit! This year, Alyssa Satin Capucilli, author of the easy-reader “Biscuit” series and other wonderful books will be at Stonehedge on Friday, April 1^st. PTA will be taking book orders for those interested.

     I apologize for the length of this installment…that’s what happens when there are so many great things happening in the library.

Don’t forget…you can follow the library on Twitter. http://twitter.com/HedgieHighjinx

Until next time…don’t forget to “Read4Fun”

Mrs. Abbott