Fun Times with Poetry

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? At Taylor we are celebrating by having students recite poetry at GMT. We are also exploring wonderful poetry in the library this week with fun activities that combine technology and poetry. Mrs. Sonkin and I have worked together to create these fun lessons:
Kindergarten and first grade are listening to a poem called "What I Love About Spring" by Douglas Florian using the iPod Nanos. The students listen to the poem three times, and let the words create pictures in their minds. Then they illustrate the poem.

Second and third grade are browsing through poetry books to find a poem that they like. Then they practice reading the poem aloud several times, with expression. Next, they record themselves using Voice Memo on an iPod Touch. After they have all finished recording themselves, they can enjoy listening to their classmates' poems.

Fourth and fifth grade are using the MacBooks and library PC's to view a fun haiku website, and compose haiku of their very own. They then copy down their poem, and illustrate it. We are using some of these to make a beautiful display in the library. Here is the link to the website if you would like to write your own haiku: www.pbs.org/parents/creativity/ideas//haiku.html

Forest Animal Research

This week second grade is visiting the library for forest animal research. They are using books to conduct their research in the library, and will continue with research in the computer labs as well. Each student has chosen an animal to research and will become an expert on their animal. It is so fun to see them get excited about all of the interesting facts they are discovering about their animals!

Lissy's Friends

This week in second grade we read Lissy's Friends by Grace Lin. This is an adorable story about a girl named Lissy who "makes" friends by creating them with origami. After we read the story we moved to the tables and each student had the opportunity to create an origami project. This is such a fun story time that I repeat it with second grade every year!

Second Grade Storytelling

We are doing a little storytelling in second grade this week. We have been listening to Willy Claflin's amazing storytelling CD's, and this week the students are able to do some storytelling of their own. We begin with each student getting a card with something on it such as a king, pizza, or airplane. Then we have a volunteer begin the story with "Once upon a time..." and then they add a sentence incorporating their card. For example, "Once upon a time there was a king who lived in a faraway land." Then, the next student continues the story incorporating their card.

The class stories have been incredibly inventive, and I enjoy listening to what their creative minds come up with.

Vocabulary Parade Coming Soon!

Taylor's fifth annual Vocabulary Parade will be taking place on Thursday, November 11. Parents are welcome to join us in the cafeteria to view the parade. Every Taylor student and staff member will be dressed as a word for the parade. Look for information that will begin coming home in this week's Thursday folders. When you decide on the word you want to portray, don't forget to turn in your word form to your teacher.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

This week in second grade story time we are reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Caralyn Buehner. This is a bouncy version of the familiar story. With each class I have one student volunteer hold my Goldilocks and the three bears doll and use it to act out the story as I read it. It is a lot of fun to watch and listen to the story this way!

First Week of School

We had a great first week in the library! First grade met my book baby for the first time, and learned to "Baby Your Books."

Third grade completed the "Where's Waldo" library scavenger hunt to review the main areas of the library. Second and fourth grade students heard some great books, and kindergarten and fifth grade are coming for the first time during the second week of school.

Forest Animal Research

Second grade visited the library last week to conduct forest animal research. Each student had a different animal that they researched. They learned facts about their animal such as the animal's habitat, adaptations, size, and diet. After two days in the library they were going to continue their research in the computer lab. Fabulous job second grade!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

Author: Jeff Kinney
Call Number: F KIN

Greg Heffley tells about his summer vacation and his attempts to steer clear of trouble when he returns to middle school and tries to keep his older brother, Rodrick, from telling everyone about Greg's most humiliating experience of the summer.

Flashlight Reading

All classes will have fun flashlight reading when they come to the library this week. After the students check out their books we turn out the lights and they read using flashlights. This is so much fun and it only happens twice a year.

Book Swap

Student council held their first book swap in the library on Tuesday. Many, many books were brought in by Taylor students. They were then able to come to the library and choose "new" used books to take home with them. It was a huge success! The student council members who ran the book swap were incredible.

Vocabulary Parade

Our fourth annual Taylor Vocabulary Parade was a huge success! Thanks you so much to all of the students and teachers who created such amazing costumes! Here are a few more pictures to enjoy...

Mrs. Grimes was our winner for best staff costume. She was "Effervescent."

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

During storytime second grade classes listened as I read Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Caralyn Buehner. As I read the book a student from each class used the Goldilocks and the three bears doll to act out the parts. They did a great job and it was a lot of fun!

First Week

It was great having students back in the library last week. Second, fourth, and fifth grades loved listening to Punk Farm by Jarrett Krosoczka. Yes, even the fifth graders were singing along with the story!

First graders met my "Book Baby" for the first time. We brainstormed a list of things you should never do to a baby. Then, I revealed that inside the blanket and diaper was a little book. We then went through the list again to see if we would do those same things to a book. Example: "You should never hit a baby. Should you hit a book? No!" We learned the phrase "Baby Your Books" which reminds students to treat their library books as if they were their babies.

Third graders went on a scavenger hunt in the library looking for Waldo of Where's Waldo fame. They worked in pairs to locate Waldos around the library and answer questions about different areas of the library. They did a great job and reacquainted themselves with the library in the process.

Kindergarten didn't come in the first week of school because they were so busy! I did meet some of them when they were going on a bear hunt in the school. I wonder if they ever found the bear? Kindergarten will start coming this week and will learn about the library for several weeks before they check out their first book.