Paloma Creek Elementary Library
Monthly Newsletter for December 2017
Makerspace Explorations: STEAM Careers Coming in January for 3rd-5th Graders
More information will be made available in our next monthly newsletter. Applications for our Makerspace Explorations event in January will go home in Tuesday folders after winter break. Space will be limited (25-30 students each event), so those who return their applications first will get to attend the first event.
There will be five different events each month until school ends, so there will be multiple opportunities for students to attend. Applications for each month's event will be sent out separately to give every student a chance to attend at least one of the events this year.
Look in next month's PCE Library newsletter for details and more information about signing up to attend our NEW Makerspace Explorations: STEAM Careers events this school year!
Last Month in the Library
"Eat Mor Chikin" Cow in the Library
Aubrey City Leaders Speak with 2nd Grade
Makerspace on PLC Days
December STEAM Book Design Challenge
Design Challenge
For December, your family is invited to build a Gumdrop Christmas Tree. The purpose of this month's challenge is to design a Christmas Tree that stays upright using toothpicks and gumdrops and/or marshmallows.
There are no real instructions for this challenge, except use the suggested materials to build a tree. How can you use the materials to create a Christmas tree-shaped sculptor? What design works best?
After finishing the challenge, make sure to take a picture or bring it to the library by the week of December 11th-15th. Students that participate in this challenge and bring in their design or a picture will get to choose a poster or small paperback book as a prize. Please email pictures of your challenge sculptor to paloma_library@dentonisd.org
Check out our Paloma Creek Elementary Library blog for more details about our monthly design challenges for families and other news about our library. Our blog, CREATE@PalomaCreek can be found here.
December Celebrations and Holidays
1st-31st: Read a New Book Month
1st-31st: Write a Friend Month
4th: National Cookie Day
5th: International Ninja Day
7th: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
6th: Hour of Code for PLC Wednesday
10th: Dewey Decimal System Day and Human Rights Day
12th: Gingerbread House Day and Poinsettia Day
12th-20th: Chanukah
13th: Hot Cocoa Day
15th: National Ugly Sweater Day and Underdog Day
17th: Wright Brothers Day
21st: National Humbug Day #HumbugDay and Winter Solstice
24th: National Eggnog Day and Christmas Eve
25th: Christmas
26th: National Candy Cane Day
26th-Jan. 1st: Kwanzaa
31st: Universal Hour of Peace
Check Out These New Titles in the LIbrary
New in Nonfiction Books
Do you know how your favorite video game works? Computer instructions called code bring the characters, challenges, and stories in the game to life. Learn what animation is and how it works. Discover how games are designed, coded, and tested. Then try it out for yourself! Use the link in this book to complete fun online activities.
Reading Level: 4.4
Shelf Location: 005.1 LYO
New in Graphic Novels
Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel
- When Garth Hale is accidentally zapped into the ghost world, he discovers that he has special powers there. He also meets the ghost of his grandfather. Together, they must face down the evil ruler of Ghostopolis in order to get Garth back home.
Reading Level: 2.8
Shelf Location: FIC TEN GRA (Graphic Novel shelves)
New in Fiction
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway by Jeff Kinney
- Greg Heffley and his family escape to a tropical island resort for some much-needed rest and relaxation, but sun poisoning, stomach troubles, and venomous creatures all threaten their vacation.
Reading Level: 5.3
Shelf Location: FIC KIN HUM (Humorous Genre)
Texas Bluebonnet Awards Voting for Paloma Creek 3rd-5th Graders is in January
Paloma Creek Elementary will be participating in the Texas Bluebonnet Awards this school year! This opportunity will be open to all 3rd-5th graders that follow the TBA guidelines.
Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) is a unique program that encourages reading for pleasure and is aimed at students in grades 3-6. Each year, twenty books are chosen as the “Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List” by the TBA selection committee. If students read a minimum of five books from the current master list (or have the books read aloud to them), they have the opportunity to vote for their favorite title during the month of January each year.
The author of the book receiving the most votes statewide is declared the winner of the Texas Bluebonnet Award. More information and the master list can be found at the Texas Library Association's Texas Bluebonnet site: http://www.txla.org/TBA-about
All 3rd-5th will receive a tracking chart for them to keep track of the books they have read on the master list. Once they have reached 5 or more, they can turn in the form and will receive a voting ballet in January when voting starts. Tracking charts will go home in Tuesday folders, but are also available in the library.
Check out our Library Website and Facebook Page
Keep up with Paloma Creek Library news by following our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/palomacreekelemlibrary/.
We are online! You can check out our library blog, read the web version of our monthly newsletter, and search our online library catalog on our library website at http://www.dentonisd.org/domain/4573.
Paloma Creek Elementary Library
Librarian Assistant: Mrs. Nikki Gonzalez
Access this newsletter online by visiting our Facebook page!
Email: aqualls@dentonisd.org
Website: http://www.dentonisd.org/domain/4573
Location: 1600 Navo Road, Aubrey, TX, United States
Phone: 972-347-7356
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/palomacreekelemlibrary
Twitter: @palomacreeklib