Free e-books and audiobooks!

Did you know you can borrow FREE e-books and audiobooks from the public library? It's easy! Just go to:

KCLS > Books & Reading > Download Books 

There you can choose from books (text and audio), magazines, music and video in a variety of formats. Some require downloading free apps, such as Overdrive. There are plenty of instructions - in written and video form - on the site, but you can also ask a KCLS librarian for help.

Happy reading/listening!

Great art websites and books!

This week in Creation Station summer camp we're exploring various elements of art - line, shape, texture, color, etc. - and exercising our imaginations, concentration and fine motor skills.

When we resurface and need a little break, we've been exploring some cool interactive art sites hosted by museums around the world. They give you a chance to explore different artists and artistic styles in a playful way.

NGAkids Art Zone

Art Games

Art Safari

Tate Kids

Check out my Goodreads "art" shelf which has books for elementary through high school! Added July 26th: here is the information from today's art show, as requested by some parents! Welcome to our art show! Please enjoy our beautiful projects! Day One: Line Teddy bear line designs Visual music: left to right, A la claire fontaine (traditional French song), Hoodoo Voodoo (Wilco/Woody Guthrie), and the Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9 Day Two: Shape Positive & negative shapes Tangram designs Day Three: Texture Texture rubbings Tissue paper suncatchers Day Four: Color Complementary color designs Warm/cool color fish Day Five: Shape Sculpey sculptures

Bug books - and art!

We had a great time in the Bug out with Bug Art camp last week! Incoming kindergartners enjoyed a lot of great books about bugs, but were especially wild about Honey-- Honey-- Lion! : A Story from Africa by Jan Brett, Beetle McGrady Eats Bugs! by Megan McDonald, Hey, Little Ant by Phillip Hoose and Bug Butts by Dawn Cusick.  We also did some fun art projects - check them out! 

Clothespin ants

Butterfly wings

Fireflies in a jar

Close-up of the fireflies

Ladybug rocks 

Dragonfly magnets

Butterfly life cycle collage (close-up)

Beehive

Look at these happy bees!

Scarab beetles

Summer Reading for Kids & Teens @ KCLS!

Last Wednesday a children's librarian from KCLS stopped by every K-4 classroom at OWS to talk to elementary students about the summer reading program. She also brought handouts for middle school that I distributed via advisors.

In case you need that information again, you can find out all the deadlines and download and print the summer reading logs here:

Dig into Reading for Preschool & Elementary
Beneath the Surface for Middle & High School

Both programs offer a chance to get fun prizes and be entered in contests!

Another fun opportunity for teens is the Reading Buddy program that gives teens a chance to help younger kids improve their reading. Check out the link for information on how to participate!

5th graders' video book trailers!

Inspired by Julie Hembree, a local school librarian who shares wonderful information on her blog, I challenged our 5th graders to create video book trailers! In addition to inspiring their fellow students to read, they learned about searching via Creative Commons for images that are licensed for reuse (or creating their own), and thinking critically about what makes a book trailer memorable and enticing (how to select images, music and an Animoto template that evoke the essence of the book, include the right amount of text and say just enough to intrigue the viewer).

I was so impressed by the results - here are just a few to watch and enjoy!

Revenge of the Babysat

Summer of the Mariposas

 

The Candymakers

 

 

The Girl Who Could Fly

 



Summer vacation 2013 reading list

Believe it or not, summer vacation is right around the corner! Here are some reading suggestions to keep you entertained...
 

For parents

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory and Why Outsiders Thrive after High School by Alexandra Robbins – This book helps parents take a long-term view about social interactions and popularity and reminds us about the crucial importance of embracing and supporting those kids who are different. One day those differences may well be the strengths that the world most appreciates about them.

Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That Is Best for You by Jay Mathews – A thorough, reassuring guide that will help take a lot of the stress out of preparing for and thinking about college admissions and help you find a school that provides the best fit to launch your student. Personally recommended to me as the best college guide by the admissions director at a prestigious liberal arts college.

Parenting without Borders: Surprising Lessons Parents around the World Can Teach Us by Christine Gross-Loh – A fascinating, comprehensive blend of research and practical advice that will prompt you to consider your own family’s culture, values and long-term goals. It is liberating to be shown so clearly how there isn’t only one “best” way to parent.

Picture books for all ages

The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy – Sunrise Elementary School’s new librarian is a real dragon! No, really… But you’ll be surprised at who the brave dragon slayer is!

The Man from the Land of Fandango by Margaret Mahy – Mahy never fails to deliver a rollicking good time in her delightfully nonsensical books – not since the Cat in the Hat has a surprise visitor wreaked so much delicious havoc!

Mary Wrightly, So Politely by Shirin Yim Bridges – Mary is a polite little girl, but sometimes the world doesn’t appreciate her good nature! See how she solves a problem that comes up – by being polite and standing up for something that really matters to her.

The Tooth Mouse by Susan Hood – Did you know that in France people say that a mouse comes to take your baby teeth after they fall out? Little Sophie wants to take over when the Tooth Mouse retires, but will she be able to complete all the tasks and prove she’s up to the job? Pair this one with Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World by Selby B. Beeler!

Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa – Inspired by the true story of Hamaguchi Goryō whose quick thinking in 1854 saved villagers from a tsunami, this book is notable for its incredible collage illustrations that vividly portray the drama of the events.

Chapter books

The Broken Tusk: Stories of the Hindu God Ganesha by Uma Krishnawsami (Grades 2+) – The author has done a wonderful job of taking oral tales she heard as a child and others she located through her extensive research, and making them into a highly readable volume! Those who know Ganesha or are new to his stories will find this book equally accessible!

Cork& Fuzz by Dori Chaconas (Grades K+) – Cork the muskrat and Fuzz the opossum are opposites in many ways – but that doesn’t mean they can’t be friends! This is the first in an easy reader series.

Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay (Grades K+) – A charming addition to the growing collection of high-quality short chapter books for young readers. This is the first in a series about Lulu who is “famous for animals.” See what her encounter with a duck leads to – and then check out the rest of the series!

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher (Grades 7+) – This is a powerful work of great emotional insight about dealing with grief, friendship and family. Jamie finds himself caught between his father’s prejudice and his best friend, Sunya, a Muslim girl, trying to be both a good son and a good friend.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia (Grades 5+) – One of my all-time favorite books, this story follows Delphine and her two younger sisters as they spend the summer of 1968 in Oakland with their mother and a group of Black Panthers in an example of the very best historical fiction.

School of Fear (series)by Gitty Daneshvari (Grades 3+) – Students who loved Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle will enjoy moving on to these fast-paced, humorous books about a school where children go to be cured of unusual phobias.

They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney (Grades 6+) – What would you do if the FBI were after your parents, insisting they were criminals who embezzled a lot of money and then fled, leaving you behind? What if they were now coming after you?

Graphic novels
Drama by Raina Telgemeier (Grades 5+) – Drama: it happens in middle school both on and off the stage! Follow a group of friends through the ups and downs of a school musical production.

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes edited by Kazu Kibuishi (Grades 3+) – Seven different stories by seven different creators explore the concept of a box through mystery, humor, suspense and fantasy. There is something for everyone in this great collection

Hereville: How Mirka Got her Sword by Barry Deutsch (Grades 3+) – This graphic novel features an unusual heroine, an Orthodox Jewish girl who dreams of fighting monsters! Learn a few Yiddish words and find out how she cleverly outwits a troll!

Peanut by Ayun Halliday (Grades 6+) – It’s hard being the new kid at school, but even harder when you start off with a big lie: telling everyone that you have a fatal peanut allergy. Will this story help Sadie win friends? Or will she be exposed and have to face up to the truth?

To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel (Grades 4+) – A moving memoir about dreams, perseverance and dealing with the unexpected twists and turns of life.

Non-fiction

The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science: 50 Daring Experiments for Young Scientists by Sean Connolly – A survey of scientific progress from the Stone Age to the Hadron Collider, complete with experiments you can do at home to test some of the basic principles.

Max Axiom, Super Scientist (series) by Liam O’Donnell – Covering a range of science topics (ecosystems, photosynthesis, forces and motion, electricity) these books offer a clear and attractive presentation along with a glossary, a web component and additional recommended reading!

Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town by Warren St. John – This adaptation of a nonfiction book for adults aimed at middle and high school readers will inspire you with the courage of the young people starting a new life in America and the dedication of their coach who put her caring into action.

A Rock is Lively by Diana Hutts Aston – Gorgeous illustrations and engaging prose present a view of rocks unlike any of you’ve seen before in this lovely book for elementary readers.

Your life in six words...

Last year, 4th graders had so much fun writing their six-word memoirs that their work made it into SMITH Magazine's blog as Classroom of the Week!
 
This year I'd like to share a few new ones that especially tickled, moved or impressed me:

Fortune’s in you, not a cookie – Adam
Purple porcupines sing to my soul – Katherine

Dreams, I need them to live – Lily

There isn’t one key to success – Lucas

The wild unravels in my soul – Manami

Boys can like stuffed seals too – Nate

Snow under my feet, I’m good – Olivia

 

Amazing how much you can evoke with only six words, isn't it? What would your six-word memoir be?