NHS Library Monthly Update
October 2023
What's Been Happening This Month:
Scheduled Library Classes
Grades K-3Students are participating in the New Hampshire Ladybug Picture Book Award. Students in grades K-3 from across the state will be hearing ten nominated pictured books during the first trimester. In December they will vote for their favorite book to help pick the state award winner.
This year we have started new reading response folders. Each week when we read a book, students record their thoughts and opinions of the book using a star rating system, pictures to help them remember the story, or written descriptions of their opinions depending on the grade level.
Grade 4
Students are focusing on how to become independent library users. They are practicing their skills using the catalog, identifying different sections of the Library, and learning to locate books on the shelf. We will begin an exploration of their favorite genres in the upcoming weeks.
📚 New Books This Month 🌟
New Fiction for Middle School
New General Fiction
New General Fiction
Many students put entries in our suggestion box in the Library and we try to get as many of the books as we can. Some of the titles here are requests or next in a series. Others are recent award winners or nominees.
New Primary Level Books
New Indigenous Peoples Books
📆 The Library Schedule
📚How do students choose their books?
At curriculum night I had a few parents ask about how students choose their books each week.
In an effort to help students find the best fit books for them, we spend time getting to know different sections of the library each week. For example, this month we are spending time exploring the New Books shelves for the particular grade level, the magazine displays, and seasonal displays among other topics. We talk about what types of books students can expect to find in each section.
As a result of conversations I had at Curriculum Night, I have also been spending a little more time with classes talking about why they choose the books they choose. For example, is it something the student wants to be able to read on their own, a book to learn about something they are interested in, or perhaps a story that someone at home could read to them. While we encourage students to think about all of these things, in the end, we do give them a fair amount of freedom to select the books that most interest them.
Would you rather...❓
Each week students have a chance to vote for their choices on our Would You Rather bulletin board.
It turns out, most of the students who participated would rather...
Explore the deepest sea more than explore the moon.
Have an extra eye more than have an extra ear.
Have a pet Lion cub more than a pet giraffe (although we all agreed wild animals should not be pets in real life).
Have the ability to be invisible more than the ability to see through walls.
Eat their favorite food all the time for every meal rather than never eat it again.
Be 1 inch tall more than would like to be 12 feet tall.
Things To Know📝
1.Book Returns
Books are due back when students finish reading them. We will check them out with a two week due date but we always encourage students to take a little extra time if needed. Books do not have to be returned on the day the class has a scheduled Library session. Students can return their books and get new ones on other days if needed.