Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Monarch Award: The Adventures of Beekle

Every year we make sure all second and third graders have read enough Monarch nominees (at least 5) to vote for their favorite in March.  Usually we read more than five because the books are so fabulous and give us the opportunity to learn about so many new things!  This year we started with the Caldecott winning book The Adventures of Beekle.  Students designed their own imaginary friends that reflect their personalities.


Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Illinois Student Choice Book Awards

Every year we are thrilled to participate in Illinois's Student Choice Book Awards.  In order to participate, students have to read a certain number of nominated titles in order to vote in February (the Rebecca Caudill) or March (the Bluestem or Monarch.)

All second and third grade classes at Disney are reading books from the Monarch nominee list.  There are some fabulous books this year!  As we read the books we also have lessons related to the books including research and writing responses.  We are keeping track of what we've read using a poster for each class.





Find this year's list of titles here.

The Bluestem Award is for 3rd-5th graders and opens up a world of chapter books.

Find this year's list of titles here.

The Rebecca Caudill is for 4th-8th graders and includes longer and more in-depth works.

Find this year's list of titles here.

Students have been hearing book talks about the nominated titles and have been practicing their note-taking skills as they write down what each book is about.  Students can check these books out from our library, the public library, or can even find them as e-books in both collections.  As they read these books, students can sign their names to the Bluestem and Caudill Hall of Fames in our library.


  

Monday, November 28, 2016

GRA: Making Connections

One of the most exciting parts of the Global Read Aloud is the opportunity to make connections with students in other places. We've been fortunate to get to communicate with classes in different locations.  One of those is Ms. Pogue's class in Dunsford, Ontario, Canada.  We've had the chance to learn more about them (and about Canada).  Even though the Global Read Aloud is over, third graders are still writing to our new friends!




Tuesday, November 22, 2016

GRA: Yard Sale

This lovely Eve Bunting book inspired so many good conversations and so much empathy on the part of the first - third graders reading it.  The girl in the story is helping her family at a yard sale where they watch most of their things disappear in order to prepare for a move to a smaller place.

Monday, November 21, 2016

GRA: Twenty Yawns

Second and third graders found it impossible not to yawn themselves as we read Jane Smiley's Twenty Yawns for the Global Read Aloud!

We used Padlet to share ideas for what WE do when we're so tired at night and just can't sleep - just like the girl in the book.


Friday, November 18, 2016

GRA: The Reader

The third week of the Global Read Aloud found us reading Amy Hest's The Reader illustrated by Lauren Castillo.





Students decided what book they would have read if they were the reader in the book and shared their answers using the collaborative website Padlet.  Take a look at their answers through the links below.

Knerr's Class Padlet

Edwards and Harrison's Class Padlet

Patel's Class Padlet

Henry's Class Padlet

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

GRA: The Troublemaker

The second week of the Global Read Aloud focused on Lauren Castillo's book The Troublemaker which tells the story of a boy who gets in trouble for taking a toy that belongs to his sister.  Students who were really paying attention to what was going on in the background picked up on another troublemaker in the story!  We then discussed whether or not we would like to have a brother like the one in the book and why.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

GRA: Nana in the City

During the first week of the Global Read Aloud, first-third graders read Lauren Castillo's Nana in the City.  The boy in this book is feeling nervous as he visits his Nana in the big scary city.  She makes him a red superhero cape to help him faces his fears.  Students came up with ideas of what their own superhero cape could help them do.

Friday, November 4, 2016

Book Based Costumes

I'm a big fan of book based costumes.  This year I dressed up as the book The Paperbag Princess for Halloween.  If you haven't read it, this is a wonderful story that turns the standard princess tale on its head.  Mrs. Ginn dressed up as a Book Witch.  See if you can find some favorite titles on her costume!

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Go Cubs Go!

What an exciting week we've had in Chicago!

Students if you still need a baseball fix now that the World Series is over come check out some of the wonderful baseball books we have in the library.



Sunday, October 23, 2016

Global Read Aloud 2016

This year all of my 1st-5th grade classes are participating in the Global Read Aloud.  The idea of the Global Read Aloud is that kids all over the world are reading the same books during the same six week period.  Then their teachers and librarians are sharing what they are doing with the books using online connections.

This year's chosen picture book author/illustrator is Lauren Castillo.
Fourth and fifth graders are reading Roald Dahl's classic The BFG.  Great timing as in September we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Dahl's birth!


Follow the link to find out more:

The Global Read Aloud

Check back for more about what we've been learning and how we've been collaborating with other classes who are also participating in the Global Read Aloud.

Friday, October 21, 2016

What I'm Reading Now: Catching up on Bluestem/Caudill

I've been trying to finish up all of the books for this year's children's choice awards as well as a couple of Battle of the Books Titles.  Jonathan Stroud's The Whispering Skull is just because I'm absolutely loving this series.  I think we're going to need more copies of Kwame Alexander's Booked.  The Crossover is so widely read here and I have no doubt that Booked will be just as adored!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

What I Read This Summer

One of my favorite things about the summer is having more time to read.  Although I didn't read everything that I took home this summer (it was a huge stack of books!) I did read several books that I absolutely LOVED.  I couldn't put down Jonathan Stroud's The Screaming Staircase. How often do you find a book that's truly unique and unlike anything you've read before? The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim by E. K. Johnston was so different and absolutely blew me away.  With one exception I really enjoyed everything I took home this summer.  (Even librarians have books that just aren't for them and one I took home just wasn't!)  Take a look below.



Monday, October 3, 2016

Happy fall!

The school year is well underway and the library has been so very busy!

We have finished orientation for the library and the library computer lab.

We're launching some new projects in the coming week - stay tuned.

Friday, June 17, 2016

I want to go to the library this summer!

This week we were fortunate to have a visit from the fabulous Laura Jenkins - Ms. Laura to the kids - children's librarian at the CPL Uptown branch.  She presented about the Chicago Public Library summer reading program to our 1st-4th graders.   They were so excited to hear about all the fun to be had!


Sign up for the program begins June 20th at each library branch in the city.  This year you get a bag of free books just for signing up for the program!  And as you continue you can earn other prizes as well.  In addition to encouraging summer reading there are ways to create and discover as well.

If there are little brothers or sisters at home they can join in the fun too!  There's a little readers summer reading program.  I know I'm looking forward to taking my two little boys to sign up.


For more information follow the links below:

Rahm's Readers: Explore on the Go!
Little Readers: Explore on the Go! 

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

AGOPPE Research: Amelse's Class

And last, but not least, Amelse's class presentations.  You might notice on all the videos that students have included a slide that lets you know where they got their information.  They may not be writing formal citations yet, but all students should be giving credit to the sources that they use for information and images for every project.  One of the many things I like about Adobe Voice (now Adobe Spark) is that there's a credits slide at the end of the presentation that gives credit for the images used.  This class did a great job - take a look!
















Friday, May 27, 2016

Author Study: Pinkney Family Trees

As part of our author/illustrator study of the Pinkney family, first graders created a family tree of the family using some of the mediums used by the family's illustrators.

Students began by painting a tree using watercolor, a medium Jerry Pinkney uses frequently to create his beautiful paintings.  I often use the website Reading Rockets to find out more about favorite author/illustrators and it did not disappoint.  It's definitely worth taking a look at if you have time.

Jerry Pinkney Reading Rockets Video Link

After painting their family tree, students used crayons and a pair of scissors to add something to their scene using the scratchboard technique that Brian Pinkney is known for.  Finally, students added photographs of each member of the Pinkney family since Myles Pinkney is a photographer.  They also glued on a piece of paper to give credit to the website where we got the photographs.

I love how their family trees turned out.












Thursday, May 26, 2016

Author Study: The Pinkney Family

First graders have just completed their author/illustrator study of Caldecott winning illustrator Jerry Pinkney.  His wife, Gloria, writes children's books.  Their sons, Brian and Myles, are illustrators.  And Brian and Myles's wives, Andrea Davis and Sandra respectively, are children's authors.  What a talented family!  We've focused on illustration (especially since so many of Andrea Davis Pinkney's wonderful books are really for older students.)

We've read Pinkney family books and explored Jerry Pinkney's titles on his websites.  Then we used a variety of art supplies to create art in the style of all three Pinkney illustrators.  Tune in this weekend to find out more and take a look at some of the beautiful student art work!




Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Calling All Readers! We want YOU!

We hope to have a Battle of the Books program again next year!  If we do, we hope to see interested 4th-8th graders join us in reading fabulous books and participating in competitions about those books.  (That means if you're going to be a fourth grader next year, you would be able to participate.)


Here's a sneak peak at some of the titles that will be on next year's list.  It's never too early to start reading!


Grade 4-6
                

·         28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World. By Charles R. Smith Jr.  Roaring Brook Press, 2015.

·         Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff.  Puffin Books, 2015.

·         Funny Bones: Posada and his Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams, 2015.

  • Slacker by Gordon Korman.  Scholastic, 2016.

·         Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford. Candlewick, 2015.

    
Grade 7-8
  • Booked by Kwame Alexander HMH Books, 2016.

·         Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle. Atheneum, 2015.

  • The Marvels by Brian Selznick. Scholastic Press, 2015.
  • Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip through the Motown Sound by Andrea Davis Pinkney.  Roaring Brook Press, 2015.
  • The Smoking Mirror: Garza Twins Book One by David Bowles. IFWG Publishing, 2015. 

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Battle of the Books City Finals

Battle of the Books City Finals was this past weekend.  I am so proud of our teams.  This is the first year Disney participated in Battle of the Books and both our 4th-6th grade teams and 7th-8th grade teams qualified to go to the City Finals this past weekend.  (This means that both teams were in the top 15 scoring teams of all the participating schools.  There were originally 98 4th-6th grade teams and 81 7th-8th grade teams.)

Both teams worked incredibly hard and it was a joy to work with them for Battle of the Books.  Eighth graders we will miss you next year!




(Thanks to Ms. Herceg for this picture.)




And the winners are: Rebecca Caudill Award

Disney's choices for the Rebecca Caudill Award:

Third Place Tie:
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
and
Rump by Liesl Shurtliff

Second Place:  See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles

First Place:  Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Illinois's Rebecca Caudill Winners:

Third Place: Hidden by Helen Frost

Second Place: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

First Place: Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans


Monday, May 9, 2016

And the winners are: Bluestem Award

Disney's choices for the Bluestem Award:

Third Place: The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths

Second Place: Tie
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Sidekicks by Dan Santata

First Place: Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman


Illinois's Bluestem Winners:

Third Place: Sidekicks by Dan Santata

Second Place: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

First Place: The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths

And the winners are...Monarch Award

And the winners are in!

Disney's choices for the Monarch Award are

Third Place: The Dark by Lemony Snicket

Second Place: This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris

First Place: The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli


The winners for the state of Illinois are

Third Place: Lost Cat by C. Roger Mader

Second Place:   The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli

First Place: Breaking News: Bear Alert by David Biedrzycki

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Book Spine Poetry Two

And a few more fabulous book spine poems:








Book Spine Poetry

April was National Poetry Month and we celebrated with one of my favorite poetry activities - book spine poetry.  To create book spine poetry you use the titles of books as they appear on book spines to create a stacked poem.   Students worked together in groups to look for titles that inspired them and then built poems off of them.  Take a look at some favorites created by Disney students: