Bookfair Starts October 1st!
Sep 28th
Our Annual Scholastic Bookfair opens , Monday, October 1st
It runs through Thursday, October 4th.
Our hours of operation are
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
noon -5pm.
On Wednesday we will be open for students to shop noon-1pm.
Parents and adult family members are welcomed to come on
Wednesday from 9-10am for Books and Breakfast!
We will not be open on Wednesday, October 3rd in the afternoon.
Our bookfair coincides with the Teacher-Parent-Student-led conferences. We moved the bookfair to the same time as conferences so families who are already on campus for their children’s conferences, could easily come to the fair! It’s a win-win for everyone!
Special for adult family members is our Wednesday morning adults only shopping! Join me in the library from 9-10am on October 3rd for a morning shop-a-thon. Drop the kids off in school and walk over to the library for a chance to shop without interruptions! Here’s your opportunity to get ahead on your holiday shopping without the younger ones knowing!
When you purchase books at our bookfair you are directly benefiting our library. A percentage of the proceeds from every book purchase goes directly to the library. We use this money to purchase more new books for our library.
Many people think that the school district gives the library a book budget, but unfortunately, that is not true. The school district does not contribute any money for library book purchases. We get a small amount from our building budget. However, the majority of our books are purchased after earning money from fundraisers such as the Scholastic Bookfair. Every penny helps buy us new books!
There are lots of fun books at the fair! Looking for pre-school books for the younger children? We have them! Have teens who need a book! We have great selection for them too! Plus, after six long years, Captain Underpants is back!
These action-packed, zany and crazy books have been a hit with readers since 1997 when Dav Pilkey introduced the series. What I like about Dav Pilkey is that he is funny and relates to his readers. As he writes on his website, he wasn’t the best student in school but he was creative.
Paying is easy at the bookfair. Cash, checks, debit and major credit cards are accepted! Scholastic provides us with a professional cash machine and debit/credit card machine so we make shopping easy and pain free!
Again this year is the addition of the ONLINE BOOKFAIR!
Families who can’t attend the bookfair or have extended family members who might live out of town can also support our fair. Simply visit the Scholastic Online Bookfair link, create an account and find those books! The website includes an expanded booklist from preschool through adult.
Books purchased online will be sent to school, free of charge and given to your child personally by Mrs. Hembree.
I hope you will plan to attend this year’s Bookfair this week, where Every Reader is a Star!
Mrs. Hembree, Librarian
Rockin’ with Pete the Cat
Sep 26th
Are you rocking in your school shoes?
Are you singing in your school shoes?
Are you dancing in your school shoes?
In kindergarten and first grade WE ARE and it’s lots of fun!
Eric Litwin is the author of the Pete the Cat books. He and artist James Dean have created Pete, a blue, happy, “you can’t get me down” cat. He knows how to learn! He knows how to have fun! And…he knows how to sing! We watched a live reading of Pete the Cat and got our groove on!
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We also did some fun Pete the Cat activities while learning about colors, guided drawing and counting.
We watched and listened to Miss Shy do her re-telling of Pete in this fun video!
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Pete has a new book that just came out on September 25th! I can’t wait to read it! To learn more about Pete’s books visit his website.
This summer, my husband and I took Pete the Cat on our trip to Oregon and California. He helped me read maps along the way because in many places there was no internet or cell phone service! We got to read maps the old-fashioned way!
Here is a little video of our trip with Pete. Enjoy!
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What stuffed animal would you take on a trip with you?
Have you ever used a state or country map to guide you?
What should Pete do next?
Catherine Follestad Visits
Sep 23rd
Last week our kindergarten, first and second graders were treated to a special visit from children’s author Catherine Follestad. Catherine lives in Arizona, but was in the Seattle area for a visit. Mrs. Banchero knows Catherine and arranged for her to visit our school!
Catherine talked to us about her books. The Itty Bitty Kitty is a story about a kitty that yearns to make friends with other cats who think she is too small. Author and illustrator Catherine Follestad uses her talents to show how Itty Bitty learns a valuable lesson about friendship in her quest to make friends.
I Think I Would Like to Be invites young boys and girls to imagine what they could be. Would you like to be a pirate on the deep blue sea or a race car driver at the Grand Prix? This story is an that will have you flying planes, hitting home runs, and even training lions! This is a book for every child who’s ever thought…I Think That I Would Like To Be…
We enjoyed listening to Catherine read her books to us and many purchased autographed copies! Our library also has both books now, for anyone who would like to check them out. She shared that she has more books in process and her book trailer for The Itty Bitty Kitty will soon air on some children’s television channels. You can learn more about Catherine and her books on her website: http://cfollestad.tateauthor.com/
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How have you made new friends?
What would you like to be in the future?
Everyone’s A Winner!
Sep 13th
Reading in a cave!
Reading while horseback riding!
Reading with a dog!
Reading in a dentist chair!
These are just some of the inventive ways our students chose to read for our 2nd annual summer reading contest!
Ellie with Mt. Rainier in the background
Every contest needs a winner and judges! Our Australian blogging buddies AA, BB and BB’s cousin Kayla were our judges again this year! Woo-hoo! A big round of claps to these three people who spent a lot of time helping me decide categories and winners.
AA and BB in Australia. Not pictured, BB’s cousin.
They also said it’s hard to pick just one winner.
So….I decided everyone who participated won in a specific category. When you read, you are a winner for life!
Here is a movie with all our winners!
List of winners by category
Blogging Buddies
BB in Australia
Miriam with her Mom (Mrs. Yollis’ former student)
Miriam with friends (Mrs. Yollis’ former student)
Mrs. Krebs in Iowa
Dangerous Reading
Eleni
Emily
Jaryn
Towa
Famous Landmarks
Ellie
Grace
Henry
Jake
Josa
Quincy, Ramsey & Peyton
Mackenzie
Nicholas
Parker
Just Chillin’
Audrielle
Eric
Gabe
Irislyn
Ramsey
Thank you everyone who sent in photos or made a comment during the summer!
I hope you had fun reading!
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Have you ever been to any of the places featured in our movie?
What’s the craziest place you have read?
What is your reading goal for this year?
Leave us a comment and let us know!
Choose 2 Matter Theme
Sep 8th
Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year!
I am so excited to begin our new year of reading and learning!
The theme for our year in the library is
You all matter in our world.
How will you choose to matter this year?
What awesome choices will you make?
Will you try to reach a reading goal?
Will you do your best to learn?
Will you collaborate with students in your class?
Will you solve an important problem?
Will you create something you care about?
Will you believe you are creative?
Will you imagine how you can make the world a better place?
Will you share your ideas with others?
I hope you will see this school year as a year that you can make your mark on the world. We will research thoughtfully, read awesome books, create more video projects and collaborate with our blogging buddies.
We will also participate in International Dot Day!
It’s going to be a fantastic year!
The idea for our Choose 2 Matter theme comes from Angela Maiers- http://www.angelamaiers.com/
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What activities could we do in the library to make a difference in the world?
How can we help others?
Can you think of great books that have this theme?
First Day of School
Sep 5th
Welcome back to school!
I hope you had a wonderful summer of fun and
READING!
Here are the latest summer reading contest photos. Also, Friday, September 7th is the last day to submit your photos.
Starting this weekend, I will be working with our judges AA and BB in Australia to determine our winners. There will be 4-5 prizes for the most unusual photographs. The announcement will come out next week, so check back often on our blog!
Ending Summer with Books!
Sep 3rd
Mourning Ivan the Gorilla
Aug 21st
Photo courtesy of Zoo Atlanta
Ivan, the 50 year old Western Lowland Gorilla died today at Zoo Atlanta. And so, today, I am sad. His story touched me deeply.
If you have not read Katherine Applegate’s novel The One and Only Ivan inspired by the real Ivan, I urge you to borrow a copy at your library or buy one at your local bookstore and read it. His story will make you laugh and make you cry. Mostly it will make you feel. This link will take you to the official book trailer.
I would like to thank Katherine Applegate for telling Ivan’s story. I would also like to thank Mr. John Schu and Ms. Kouri for sharing their photos this summer of their visit with the real Ivan at Zoo Atlanta. Their photos will now be the closest way I can fullfill my dream of meeting Ivan. You can view Mr. Schu’s photostream here.
Reading is All About Fun!
Aug 18th
Our latest reading photos clearly show that reading can be fun, no matter where you are!
In the first three photos, our readers are on Lopez Island, which is in the San Juan Islands between Washington and Vancourver Island, British Columbia, Canada. You have to go by boat, ferry or plane to get there.
Gabe is reading to his sister by headlamp on a camping trip on Lopez Island.
Taking a break at the kangeroo farm.
On the beach at Spencer Spit, Lopez Island.
Have you ever seen a magic show? Have you ever tried to create some magic yourself? Check out Jaryn and what he’s learning from his magic book!
Our next reader, Josa visited Oregon where he also did some creative reading. Josa went to some caves in Oregon. Imagine reading deep underneath the earth’s surface!
He also got outside for some fun in the sun! I’ve always wanted to ride in one of these fancy bicycle carriages! They look like a great way to get around!
What do you think about going to the dentist office? Sheadyn knows how to make it funny with a little help from Garfield.
Miriam, one of Mrs. Yollis’ former students in California sent in a group reading photo! I think it’s great that we have blogging buddies helping us with our reading photos! She explains this photo in her own words:
In this picture my siblings and I are all reading our books. I am reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry which is about two families who are going through World War II. My younger brother Michael is reading the Horrible Harry series by Suzy Kline, which is about a boy who always gets in trouble. My little sister Hannah is reading the Amber Brown series by Paula Danziger. They are twins and are going into first grade and they are already reading chapter books! My sister Sarah is reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It is about a baby boy raised in the graveyard by dead people, and he is trying to find his real family.
A huge thank you to everyone near and far who has sent in photos for our summer reading contest. There is still time, so get out there, have some fun while you are reading and send us your photo!
Kid Lit Movie Project Wins!
Aug 2nd
Hey upcoming 5th graders! Your book trailer project won second place!
I hope you know how proud I am of all your hard work!
Since Monday evening, I have been at the Partners in Learning US Forum with 100 other educators from around the country. We have been showcasing the projects our students have done using technology. Mrs. Lustgarden and I talked a lot about what the poster should look like and then she put it together.
Everyone had a display booth to set up. Then on Tuesday we had three separate judging sessions. I had three judges come to ask me more in depth questions about our project. It was a lot like taking a test and believe me, I was pretty nervous!
On Wednesday, we learned about Windows 8, and took some classes to learn about some different tools we can use in our classrooms.
In the evening, we went to the Bell Harbor in Seattle for a reception and awards dinner. The weather was perfect and it was fun seeing all the teachers dressed up really fancy!
Before I knew it dinner was over and it was time for the anouncement of the awards. We had found out earlier in the day that the teachers who won would be traveling to Prague in the Czech Republic in late November to compete against teachers from around the world.
The first name that was announced was mine! I was so surprised and excited that I couldn’t even find the steps up to the podium. Our project won second place in Collaboration! I had my picture taken and sat back down at my table.
Eric Willams, a school superintendent in Virginia was one of my judges. Photo courtesy of Vicki A. Davis.
What I didn’t realize until I sat down was that I would be going to Prague! My friend leaned over and said, “You’re going to Prague!” I told her, “No I’m not, we got second place!” At that point she explained that the first and second place winners both go to the Global Forum. And then….I started crying! I couldn’t believe it and really, still can’t.
I can’t wait to see everyone when school starts so we can celebrate together! Let’s get really crazy and break the no popcorn in the library rule. Maybe we will have cake, I don’t know! We will figure out something fun to do!
In the meantime, enjoy your summer and Keep Reading! Jake and Makenzie sent in this photo of them reading at Independence Hall when they were on vacation.
What are you going to send me? We still have some great August weeks to read!
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What is your favorite technology tool?
Have you ever been on a trip far from home?
Tell me about it! What do I need to bring?
