Happy Holidays to All!

December is another quick-moving month. We’ve been busy with our library traditions. 4^th and 5^th graders have been doing Reader’s Theater, which is a great way to tempt students who might be a little reluctant to try a little acting as well as practice their reading fluency. Every year, I end up being surprised when one of our quieter students steals the show with a legendary performance. 3^rd graders have been exploring classic myths to go along with their study of Ancient Rome. 2^nd graders have just been introduced to Type to Learn, an online keyboarding tutor to help them improve their typing skills. Also, all of our K-3 friends have been enjoying the Library Reading Tree. Students unwrap books so that Mrs. Graser and I can read holiday and winter stories “on the spot”.

Speaking of reading (and when am I not)…are you looking for an awesome holiday tradition to start with your family? Consider Jolabokaflod, (pronounced “Yo-La-Bok-A Flot”) which means “Christmas Book Flood”. It is the Icelandic custom of giving books as gifts and then cozying up to read them on Christmas Eve. What a wonderful way to encourage reading as a family activity as well as build a great home library.  Studies have shown a strong connection between students’ book ownership and their reading ability, motivation, and academic achievement. Books are gifts that keep on giving the whole year through…

That’s all for now…from our Library family to yours….Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Don’t forget to READ4FUN!

Mrs. Abbott

November was a busy month that seemed to fly by!

We started off the month with an author visit from Stonehedge’s favorite poet, Kenn Nesbitt. Mr. Nesbitt had us all rolling on the floor laughing as he read his fantastically funny poems and shared some silly songs. He read excerpts from his hilarious book The Ultimate Top Secret Guide to Taking Over the World. Before he left, Mr. Nesbitt turned us all into poets by sharing his never-fail formula for writing fun poetry and leading us in the writing of original Stonehedge-made poems. Thanks again to the PTA for bringing this popular guest to Stonehedge.

Although November had quite a few half days, vacation days and even a snow day, we still managed to squeeze in a lot of library learning. Grades 3-5 reviewed using the Dewey Decimal System and our Online Catalog to find what we need in the library. (Yes, we still teach Dewey…did you know that Melvil Dewey was born and raised in Adams Center, NY?) K-2 read great stories about how our words and actions affect others, being thankful and the history of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

Next stop...December! Happy Holidays from all of us at the library!

Don't forget to "Read4Fun!"

Mrs. Abbott

Hi Everyone!

Here we are at week 7 of the new school year and library is off to a great start. We spent the first few weeks going over library procedure and responsibilities. (If you hear your child talk about treating their books “like a baby” you’ll know they were listening.) 

We’ve now moved on to getting everyone introduced or reacquainted with the library Chromebooks. Grades 3-5 are using “Type To Learn” keyboarding system and K-2 are investigating PebbleGo, everyone’s favorite information database. Next, we’ll be returning to the Story Steps for seasonal literature.

 Many of our 4^th and 5th grade teachers have introduced reading challenges with their students. In library, we’ve be concentrating on highlighting various genres and award-winning books to help the students find great reads to meet those challenges. This two-pronged approach has really motivated the students to expand their book selections beyond the predictable favorites.

Don’t forget that October is “Pick a Reading Partner” (PARP) month at Stonehedge. There will be an Open Library Night on Tuesday the 23^rd from 6:30-7:30. The library will be open for browsing and sharing books, and students can even check out books that are separate from their regular library checkouts.  It’s a fun chance to see the library “AT NIGHT” (ask your student). At the end of PARP, our incredible PTA will be bringing Stonehedge’s favorite poet Kenn Nesbitt to school for an author visit on November 5^th. To see Mr. Nesbitt’s fabulous website and get a sampling of his kid-centric poetry, check out www.poetry4kids.com

Until Next Time,

Don’t forget to READ4FUN!

Mrs. Abbott