What's Happening at the BSS Library?

 I wanted to make sure that students understood why we have Monday off from school (NOT just a day to sleep in!), so we've been reading books about him this week.  I love this new addition to our collection called I am Martin Luther King, Jr. by Brad Meltzer, which is from the Ordinary People Change the World series.  Cartoon photos and engaging text talk about Martin from his childhood to his great moments organizing peaceful protests and marches.  The book  stresses how important it was to Martin that protests be nonviolent, and how his parents told him that "it's better to have more love in your life than more hate." March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World was written by Martin's sister, Christine King Farris.  This book focused on The March on Washington where about a quarter of a million people gathered from all over the country to Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963, because they wanted a change.  It was here that Dr. ...

The Scaredy Squirrel picture book series by Melanie Watt is hugely popular. What’s not to like about a squirrel who is afraid of just about everything–most of all germs, tarantulas and killer bees!  So when Scaredy Squirrel has a disastrous day and falls out of his tree (after being all worked up about seeing a killer bee), he makes a brilliant discovery.  Instead of falling down into a bush of poison ivy (another fear!), he realizes he is a flying squirrel and he simply glides to the next tree.  How exciting! After reading Scaredy Squirrel I read a nonfiction book about flying squirrels.  We learned all kinds of facts about flying squirrels, and saw some cool features like a glossary, diagram and a map.  We compared the photos in each book–the picture book had cartoonish drawings and the nonfiction book had photographs.  Also, we learned that  flying squirrels were nocturnal (even though Scaredy Squirrel would go to bed every night at 8:0...

Even as the students get older, there are still many picture books that can entertain and inform them.  Black and White is a very sophisticated book, which won the Caldecott Medal in 1991.  The book is divided into what seems like four separate stories, but as we read the students begin to realize that these four stories are connected.  They are able to see how one story fills in the gaps of one of the other stories.  There was a lot of speculation about what was actually going on in this book, and maybe there was no one right answer, but the students did their best predicting what would happen and making connections. Listen to a reading of this book on You Tube here .

It really is the most wonderful time of the year, not only because of the fun parties and spirit of Christmas but because of what I get to read to my classes.  There are so many great Christmas children's books out there!  Here are some of my favorites...

Since fifth grade has been studying the Civil War, I chose to read to them this well-researched book about the true story of Sarah Edmonds, who enlisted in the army by disguising as a man.  Sarah said she was a man named Frank Thompson when they were recruiting men for the Union army.  A few years prior, Sarah dressed like a man in order to get out of a marriage arranged by her parents.  She dressed like a man, crossed the border from Canada to the United States, and began a new life as Frank.  She loved the camaraderie she had with the other soldiers, and she excelled in her position.  She trained to be a nurse, and her hard work and bravery led to her being chosen to spy on the Confederates. It was such an interesting story, and in the author's note we learned that when Sarah became very sick and needed medical attention, she changed back into women's clothing and found a doctor away from the camp.  Once she recovered and tried to come back to join he...

As part of their STREAM project, 6th graders are designing the cover of a children's book to help promote environmental awareness.  Students choose a topic of interest such as recycling, air pollution. littering, etc. and designed a cover, with the goal of attracting a younger audience through our artwork and fun characters. Miss Damata and I discussed the importance of illustrations in decorating a story.  We talked about how (even though we are not supposed to!), people judge a book by its cover all the time.  It draws the person to pick up the book, which is an important first step for the book to chosen by a reader. I read them the book 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World: Fun and Easy Eco-Tips by Melanie Walsh. We pointed out all the eye-catching details in the cover, including the die-cut (hole) of the light bulb inside the "0" and an informative subtitle, and whimsical illustrations.  They liked how the covers explains that "This book is made from 100%...

 It was recently the 56th anniversary of when Ruby Bridges became the first black student to attend an all-white elementary school.  6th graders heard the true story about how a judge ordered a school in New Orleans to follow the nation's law and allow black children to attend white schools.  Ruby's parents were very proud that their daughter was one of the four girls chosen to break the color barrier at two different schools, with three girls going to one school and Ruby in the other.  The Bridges were hard working and very religious, and prayed to God that Ruby "would be a good girl and she'd hold her head up high and be a credit to her own people and a credit to all the American people."  And she certainly did.   Ruby had to tolerate crowds of angry white people gathered outside the Frantz Elementary School, carrying signs and threatening violence to her if she continued to attend.  The police did not help Ruby, so the President of the United...