I wanted to share something that the intermediate students would find really interesting, so I chose a memorable day in World History. I decided on a non-fiction book, "The Fall Of The Berlin Wall : 10 November, 1989" by Brian Williams. It is part of a series called Dates With History.
The 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall will soon be here and it is a part of history that shows the importance of freedom and the power of people. All of the students were very curious to find out the length of the wall, why the wall was built, how many lives were lost and many other incredible facts.
After sharing this book with the class, I answered all the questions they had about this time in history using the information contained in the book. I also gave the students the opportunity to watch a YouTube video called, "The Iconic Photo of the Berlin Wall." This video provided photographs and the personal testament of TIME photographer Anthony Suau's coverage of the Berlin Wall.
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
Monday, 29 September 2014
Everything in the world is important!
I shared a book with a class called, "The Important Book" by Margaret Wise Brown. It is not a story, but rather a book describing and detailing the importance of many objects. After reading the book aloud, we talked about how everything in our world is important and has a purpose.
I suggested to the class that we could create riddles and the students could guess the object. Two of the students shared their funny riddles, and had the whole group laughing. This is a great book to show how the author described each and every thing within the book. Purpose and importance go hand in hand in life; you can't have one without the other, if you take the time to recognize it.
I suggested to the class that we could create riddles and the students could guess the object. Two of the students shared their funny riddles, and had the whole group laughing. This is a great book to show how the author described each and every thing within the book. Purpose and importance go hand in hand in life; you can't have one without the other, if you take the time to recognize it.
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Violet
There is a book that is catalogued as a non-fiction but if you were to just look at the cover, you'd think it was a picture book. This book sends out such an important message in a simplified way. The title of this book is called, "Violet" by Tania Duprey Stehlik and illustrated by Vanja Vuleta Jovanovic.
The main character is a young girl who moves to another house and is nervous to go to a new school. There are many students of many colours at her new school: red, yellow, blue. Violet is surprised to find that there is nobody else that is the colour of violet.
When her father comes to pick her up from school, her classmates see that he is blue in colour, and make remarks about it. Another day, Violet's mother picks her up for school and again, a classmate comments about her Mom's red skin. Of course, the question is asked by some of her curious classmates why she is Violet is the colour that she is.
When she arrives home with her Mom, they talk about the different colours of skin and why Violet's colour is a mix of colour from her parents. This is book to embrace and share with intermediate students. It certainly provides a lesson that does not need any explanation after you read this book aloud.
The main character is a young girl who moves to another house and is nervous to go to a new school. There are many students of many colours at her new school: red, yellow, blue. Violet is surprised to find that there is nobody else that is the colour of violet.
When her father comes to pick her up from school, her classmates see that he is blue in colour, and make remarks about it. Another day, Violet's mother picks her up for school and again, a classmate comments about her Mom's red skin. Of course, the question is asked by some of her curious classmates why she is Violet is the colour that she is.
When she arrives home with her Mom, they talk about the different colours of skin and why Violet's colour is a mix of colour from her parents. This is book to embrace and share with intermediate students. It certainly provides a lesson that does not need any explanation after you read this book aloud.
Monday, 22 September 2014
Exciting Announcement!
It is always memorable and certainly interesting to meet a children's author, and I have some exciting news for St. Luke's!
Michael Wade, the co-author of the book series "And Then It Happened," will be coming to the school in October. He will spend time talking to the students about the importance of reading. The students can expect to laugh out loud while also being motivated to pick up a new or favourite book to read.
Michael Wade, the co-author of the book series "And Then It Happened," will be coming to the school in October. He will spend time talking to the students about the importance of reading. The students can expect to laugh out loud while also being motivated to pick up a new or favourite book to read.
A Changing World
"And Still the Turtle Watched" by Sheila MacGill-Callhan and illustrated by Fanny is an absolute favorite read-aloud. The book tells about a Delaware tribe that lived when the rivers were clean, the air was fresh and you could see the stars in the night sky. They carved a beautiful turtle from stone to overlook their community on top of a cliff.
Years later, when the tribe was gone, young teen boys used spray paint and put graffiti all over the rocks and most importantly the turtle. Generations passed until it was finally discovered and taken to a place where it could be enjoyed for centuries to come, exactly as the Delaware tribe intended.
The class was very surprised when I told them that the turtle can be seen in New York City at the Watson Building Botanical Gardens.
Years later, when the tribe was gone, young teen boys used spray paint and put graffiti all over the rocks and most importantly the turtle. Generations passed until it was finally discovered and taken to a place where it could be enjoyed for centuries to come, exactly as the Delaware tribe intended.
The class was very surprised when I told them that the turtle can be seen in New York City at the Watson Building Botanical Gardens.
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Ocean Adventure
With a new school year underway, I'm happy to share new books that I've added to the library collection, like "Miss Smith Under the Ocean" by Michael Garland.
Wouldn't it be a spectacular, jaw-dropping experience to have characters and the settings of their books come alive? This is exactly what happens when Miss Smith reads books to her students. Talk about hand's-on learning at it's finest! The students have the chance to meet the characters of Treasure Island, Robinson Crosue, Moby Dick, and others. They even help save a mermaid caught in a fishing net during their ocean antics!
Miss Smith always returns safely with her students, even though they sometimes get into frightening situations while experiencing the story she is reading. As a librarian who challenges the students to stretch their minds and use their imaginations, I mentioned how much I wish I could provide the incredible story-telling experience that Miss Smith does!
Wouldn't it be a spectacular, jaw-dropping experience to have characters and the settings of their books come alive? This is exactly what happens when Miss Smith reads books to her students. Talk about hand's-on learning at it's finest! The students have the chance to meet the characters of Treasure Island, Robinson Crosue, Moby Dick, and others. They even help save a mermaid caught in a fishing net during their ocean antics!
Miss Smith always returns safely with her students, even though they sometimes get into frightening situations while experiencing the story she is reading. As a librarian who challenges the students to stretch their minds and use their imaginations, I mentioned how much I wish I could provide the incredible story-telling experience that Miss Smith does!
Monday, 8 September 2014
Fun Flora Facts
What better way to start a new year with the students than to share book about the interesting wonders of our world!
With book in hand and a measuring tape, I read to the students about all kinds of plants in "Strange and Amazing Plants" from the Reading Discovery Nature Series. They learned that the largest flower in the world measures 3 feet wide, and the tallest plant grows 9 feet high! We used a measuring tape so everyone could gain perspective of how big these plants really are. The students also heard about the Redwood Forests in California, carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap, and learned that not all plants need soil or water to survive.
I find it fun to have interactive activities that go along with the books I read, and always enjoy sharing fun and interesting facts with the students. Who knows, maybe there is a future botanist in the class!
With book in hand and a measuring tape, I read to the students about all kinds of plants in "Strange and Amazing Plants" from the Reading Discovery Nature Series. They learned that the largest flower in the world measures 3 feet wide, and the tallest plant grows 9 feet high! We used a measuring tape so everyone could gain perspective of how big these plants really are. The students also heard about the Redwood Forests in California, carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap, and learned that not all plants need soil or water to survive.
I find it fun to have interactive activities that go along with the books I read, and always enjoy sharing fun and interesting facts with the students. Who knows, maybe there is a future botanist in the class!
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