Lower School Library
News & Updates - November 2016
Busy November
From reading passports to book tastings, Pebble Go searches to research questions, Lower School students (and teachers!) have been engaged in a variety of reading activities and inquiry projects in and out of the library. Enjoy this month's sampling below.
Your Lower School Librarian,
Natalie
Picture Book Month
Throughout this month, students have been encouraged to dive deeper into our picture book section to read and celebrate the thousands of brilliantly illustrated books located there. They journeyed to new lands, both real and imaginary, and even got stamps in their very own reading passports!
Library Restaurant - Book Tastings
Lisa's group
Students experienced an individualized five-course book tasting menu based on recent reader interviews. Lots of whet appetites/checkouts that day!
Forest class
To help with the 40-Book Challenge, this book tasting focused on different genres.
Forest class
Each table held an array of dishes/books from a specific genre for students to sample. Our adventurous eaters/readers found something new to try!
Mountain begins islands study
Mountain class students started their social studies unit on islands this month, first focusing on geography and then moving on to culture. This short research project allows each student to focus on one island (or group of islands) and learn a little bit about the land and its people. As a class, we learned how to ask different types of questions, and we brainstormed specific questions we might want answered about our islands. This week, students will begin their research by choosing questions from our question bank to investigate!
Pebble Go Animals & Science
River and Sky students have been exploring our Pebble Go Animals and Science databases in their classrooms to listen to and read nonfiction text. Students can also use Pebble Go in the library during lunch recess - and at home, too!
Animal/human comparisons in River & Sky
As part of their Pebble Go research, River and Sky students have been brainstorming and writing comparison pieces inspired by our reading of My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not!) by Peter Brown. Students are choosing their own human/animal pairs, as illustrated above, and using evidence from their research to show just how similar they are!
Mountain/Forest Tech Rotation
Searching the catalog
As part of our 5-week tech rotation in Forest/Mountain, I am teaching a library resources class. Students learn to use the library catalog...
Finding books
...to find books in the library. Today was the last day in our rotation. Students played "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" in order to find clues hidden in books.
Searching the shelves
The clues helped decode a secret message left by Mr. Lemoncello! Students were able to successfully search the catalog and find books on the shelves.
Free time in the library
Lunch recess is a great time for students to explore the library at their own pace and leisure. When not reading or checking out books, you can find students drawing, knitting, dancing, singing, and much more. It's a sweet spot at recess!
Checkouts & Overdues
Each class continues to visit the library weekly for book browsing and checkout. Books are due two weeks after they are checked out. They can be renewed as long as there is not a hold placed by another student.
Overdue notices will be emailed by December 2. Be on the lookout for any overdue or missing books!
Starting next week, all books that are checked out will be due after winter break. It is up to you and your family to decide if you want to take home (or on vacation) books for break. I am happy for many books to go home - as long as they come back!
Until next time...
Feel free to stop by, call, or email with any questions/comments about anything you read here or your child's reading.
Be sure to stop by the library blog for a great, big list of lists of the best children's books of the year! Link below.
About
Natalie Sapkarov Harvey
Lower School Librarian
Carolina Friends School
Email: nharvey@cfsnc.org
Website: lslibrary.cfsnc.org
Location: 4809 Friends School Rd, Durham, NC, United States
Phone: 919-383-6602
Twitter: @nataliesap