Poem in Your Home

Hello again Stonehedge,

“Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the daisies is?”

When I posted the picture of the snow last week, I was pretty confident that it would be the last time we’d see it for a long while…I was wrong! As I look out my window, it’s very hard to convince myself that next week is the last week of April!

As I noted in that blog, April is Poetry Month and the last week of April is very special because the last Thursday of April is traditionally “National Poem in Your Pocket Day”. This is a day that I look forward to all year long. At Stonehedge we make a big deal out of PiP…we explore poetry in library for a few weeks, introduce our students to fun, kid-friendly poets and we encourage them to find a poem they like, put it in their pocket on Poem in Your Pocket Day and then share the poem with as many people as they can over the course of the day. This leads to much activity and excitement as kids stop and take time to share their chosen poem to fellow students and staff members…everyone gets into the act.

This year we have to think outside of the box, so we’ll be doing a virtual Poem in Your Pocket Day ("Poem in Your Home"...get it?) all week long. On the library lesson on the WG Learning Portal that is linked to the district website, you’ll find everything you’ll need to celebrate PiP. We’ve included links to websites of Stonehedge’s favorite kid’s poets. Everyone in the family can find a poem that will make them giggle. The lesson invites you to hold a family poetry slam and then, there is a link to a Flipgrid  where you’ll be encouraged to record yourself reading your poem to share with all the elementary schools of West Genesee (don't worry, it's fun and easy). Let’s make this the most memorable Poem in Your Pocket Day ever!

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE PTA’S VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR!!!

https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=stonehedgeelementaryschool1

As always, if there is anything I can do for you, my email is dabbott@westgenesee.org.

Don’t forget to READ(POETRY)4FUN!

Mrs. Abbott

Happy Friday everyone!

April is “School Library Month”.  It’s hard to celebrate School Libraries from home, but then again, there is snow on the ground and it doesn’t even feel like April, so it just goes to show that sometimes everything gets a little topsy-turvy.

I’ve been invited to quite a few class meetings via zoom and I love seeing everyone. In the past, when library has been  “on the road” for testing and other events and I bring my library lessons to the classroom, I used to joke about seeing kids in their “natural habitats”. Now we are taking that idea to a different level. One thing is for sure, it’s great to see those smiling faces wherever they may be. (And I’ve loved meeting parents, pets and baby brothers and sisters too)

I just want to remind everyone that your Specials Teachers (PE, Art, Music, and Library) are putting out new activities every week. Art and Music have their own Google Classrooms, but PE and Library lessons are still on the Learning Portal on the WG District Website. This week’s library lesson gives you a chance to explore myOn, which is an eBook platform. If you are running out of things to read at home, myOn has lots of material to explore…including a kid-friendly news section. There is also a Flipgrid at the end of the lesson. We want to hear what you think of this great resource. Next week, we’ll be showing you another place to get eBooks and audiobooks called Sora. This reading app is bound to be popular because you can find a lot of your favorites from the “real library” like Dog Man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Guts and Harry Potter.

Here’s a great idea from Mrs. Hayes in third grade…how about making a habit of visiting your special’s google classroom or portal link on the day you have that special? Makes sense right? Give it try!

Besides being "School Library Month" April is also "National Poetry Month". Usually in April at Stonehedge we would be exploring poems in library class and preparing for Poem In Your Pocket Day and our open mic poetry night, Poetrypalooza on April 30^th. We can’t do those events the normal way this year, but, if you check into the library lesson the week after next, you’ll find that we’ve come up with a new way to celebrate!

I hope everyone is doing their best to make the best of this strange and interesting time.  If you need anything from me, want to send me a shout out to be read on Fridays or just want to say "hi", email me at dabbott@westgenesee.org 

YOUR LIBRARY STAFF MISSES YOU!

Don’t forget to READ4FUN!!

Mrs. Abbott

Hello Stonehedge!!!

Well…a lot has happened since last month’s blog! I hope this note finds everyone well and comfy at home. (maybe you still have your PJ’s on, who knows?)

Me on PJ day last week

I want you to know that Mrs. Graser. Mrs. Eichhorn and I miss you all very much! But I guess, for now, we all need to put on our “patient pants” and do what we have to do.

By now, I’m hoping that everyone has started a new routine of checking your grade level portal pages as well as Google Classrooms to see what your teachers have planned for you. You may have noticed the library has a section on the portal too. Starting on Monday, April 6^th, there will be new library activities posted there. All four of West Genesee’s elementary librarians have worked together to plan these lessons. They are fun connections to what we have already done in library or what we would normally be doing. Wherever we could, we made lessons that span multiple grade levels and that can involve the whole family, if you wish. A new lesson will be posted every week until we can get back to our “real” library (all those books…waiting to be read!)

In the meantime, Mrs. Graser and I have been busy popping into some of your class meetings. It’s been so nice to keep in touch in any way we can. If you haven’t seen us yet, you probably will soon.

Mrs. Graser and I connecting during last week's Reading Day

I hope everyone is taking advantage of this “quieter time” to do plenty of reading. If you are running out of things to read at home, our first two library lessons will show you places to find lots and lots of reading material online.

Don't forget...pets make great reading partners!

If you need me for anything… dabbott@westgenesee.org

Don’t forget to READ4FUN!

Mrs. Abbott