We have a new lab puppy!

Our family chose to add a new black labrador retriever to our already chaotic household over winter break. His name is Lucky and he is only five weeks old. He sleeps, plays, sleeps, eats, sleeps, sleeps, eats, plays, sleeps and chews. This reminds me of the many dog books that I recommend.

Marley by John Grogan (student version)

Marley and me by John Grogan (adult version)

Bad Dog, Marley by John Grogan (picture book version)

A dog's life: an autobiography of a stray by Ann Martin

(more coming)

Happy Kwanzaa

Favorite Kwanzaa books...

Seven candles for Kwanzaa by A. Pinkney
Seven spools of thread by A. Medearis
K is for Kwanzaa: An alphabet book by J. Ford
My first Kwanzaa book by D. Chocolate
Children’s book of Kwanzaa by D. Johnson
My first Kwanzaa by K. Katz
Story of Kwanzaa by D. Washington
It’s Kwanzaa time by L. Goss

Merry Christmas

Just a list of Merry Christmas books to read...

The year of the perfect Christmas tree by G. Houston, B. Cooney
The night before Christmas by C. Moore
The twelve days of Christmas by J. Brett
Rocking horse Christmas by M. Osborne
Olive the other reindeer by V. Walsh
Polar Express by C. Van Allsburg
How the Grinch stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
Waiting for Christmas by M. Greenfield
Gingerbread baby by J. Brett
Wild Christmas reindeer by J. Brett
Olivia helps with Christmas by I. Falconer
Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by T. dePaola
The legend of the poinsettia by T. dePoala
An orange for Frankie by P. Polacco
The best Christmas pageant ever by B. Robinson

Hope your Christmas is the merriest ever!

It's Christmas Eve!

My favorite Santa sites....

Have fun at the North Pole! Both sites are kid friendly.

Games, maps and tracking Santa....

http://www.northpole.com

Tracking Santa through Class Brain...

http://www.classbrain.com/artholiday/publish/tracking_santa.shtml

Another great site to track Santa, in 3D...(Works only just before Christmas)

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/countdown.

Write Santa, Track Santa, Rudolph Webcam and estimated time of arrival of Santa at your house

http://www.emailsanta.com/

Happy Hanukkah!

Here's a few of my favorite books to read for Hanukkah.

Hanukkah haiku by K. Gudeon
The trees and the dancing goats by P. Polacco
The borrowed Hanukkah latkes by N. Cote
How I saved Hanukkah by A. Goldman Koss
Hershel and the Hanukkah goblins by E. Kimmel
My first Chanukah by T. dePaola
Latkes and applesauce: A Hanukkah story by R.
Manushken
I have a little dreidel by J. Baum
Latkes, latkes, good to eat by N. Howland
It's a miracle by S. Spinner
Messy Bessey's Holidays by P. and F. McKissack (good for Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa)

Happy Reading!

These are a few of my favorite computer sites for students...

Storyline Online: A great read aloud site for kids. You may also set the read aloud to include captions.

http://www.storylineonline.net/

Bees and Honey: This site is great for beginning keyboarders. Other introduction computer games can also be accessed from this site.

http://www.tvokids.com/framesets/bby.html?game=66

ABCya: This is a free web site for elementary school students which have links for grades K-5.

http://www.abcya.com/

Starfall: This site is used by teachers and parents to support children in their efforts to read. Primarily designed for ages kindergarten through second grade.

http://www.starfall.com/

Happy Holidays from Highcroft!

This week has been exciting to say the least. We have continuted to read Kevin O'Malley books in many of the classes to prepare for his upcoming visit. Grades 3-5 have visited Kevin O'Malley's web page and enjoyed a great laugh. Several students accessed the school visit link to get a glimpse of what the author/illustrator was like during one of his visits to a school. We also accessed his image links. Students are continuing to vote for their favorite book written by Kevin O'Malley on the bulletin board outside the media center door.

Students in Ms. Bass' class enjoyed the book, So you want to be an inventor, by Judith St. George. Classes checked out one book for winter break/track out.

Friday afternoon all students at Highcroft enjoyed our annual Holiday Sing-A-Long. All students in K-5 participated. Teachers also continued the tradition of singing "In the fifth year of Highcroft" and a special skit was performed at the end of the singalong which included Mr. Barger as Santa, Mrs. Hughes, Ms. Horning, Mrs. Sullivan, Mrs. Wetherell, Mr. Nichols, Mario, and Mr. Marsh as the Grinch in a "dancing with the stars" performance.

Kevin O'Malley author visit

This past week we have been reading several books by Kevin O'Malley who is an author and illustrator. We are in the process of working through the details of his arrival in late January. To prepare for his arrival we have been reading as many selections he has written so questions the students have can be addressed when he visits. The students are also voting for their favorite book that we have shared in media specials. Three of the track 4 classes have voted for their favorite book written by Kevin O'Malley. So far Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude and Little Buggy are their favorites.
Grades K-2 have also been learning about Hanukkah.
Grade 3 has listened to selections by Kevin O'Malley and divided into groups to practice word study with words that have the letters "ho" embedded. Example: A sweet treat that children like to eat: chocolate.
Grade 4 has continued reading Danny the Champion of the World, written by one of my all time favorite authors, Roald Dahl.
Grade 5 listened to So You Want to be an Inventor, by Judith St. George, as an introduction to a simple machines unit. It is facinating how certain inventions came about. Each class always ends with a book selection process and check out before going back to class.

Hello! You found me....

Welcome to my blog. This will serve as documentation of what happens in the media center on a weekly basis. Hopefully this will act as an insight as to what students will be focused on for that week.

Since I am on a fixed schedule, classes rotate so teachers can have a planning session. I focus on reading great books, introducing information skills, integrating technology skills and allowing students to check out books weekly. We also have morning circulation Tuesdays through Fridays for students from 8:45 - 9:10am.