Booked for the Week
Information Literacy and Activities for BHMS Families
BHMS Alum Receives Musical Honor
When reflecting on her middle school band experiences, Ms. Kotrba said, "I have hundreds of amazing memories of BHMS band, but one that stands out to me is when I had my first tenor sax lesson with Mr. Anderson in seventh grade. I was completely floundering at a new instrument, and I remember him laughing and telling me that he had never seen me out of my element around music before. However, he helped me learn and let me participate in jazz band even though I wasn't very good, and now I'm in Eastview's top Jazz band and I love it!"
In addition to her six years on the clarinet, Ms. Kotrba has played piano for thirteen years and tenor saxophone for four. If you've never tried an instrument, there's no time like COVID to do something new. If you're an adult who's played in the past but now that instrument is collecting dust, take it out and get back to your musical roots.
Try a Musically Themed Read!
Realistic Fiction
Poetry
Mystery and Suspense
Is Mr. Fritz Related to a Flatulent Reindeer?
Celebrate Books & Community
Don't sit around the house being bored. Here's your chance to be a published photographer and build a culture of reading in our BHMS family. Look through the list of ideas below, take your photo, and send it to Ms. Ninteman. The photo will be in one of our future publications.
Photo Ideas
1. Take a picture of yourself or your family reading in a favorite place in your home, yard or park trail
2. Take a picture of yourself reading with a pet
3. Using materials found around the home, take a photo of yourself/family reenacting a scene from a picture book
4. Using materials found around the home, take a photo of yourself as a character from a book
5. Other ideas that you have to celebrate reading!
*All photos need to be appropriate for school audiences. (Example: No weapons.)
Restart ~ The Next Maud Squad Book
Meet Minnesota Author Molly Beth Griffin
When: Saturday, January 16, 10:30 AM
How: Preregistration is REQUIRED. https://bit.ly/3sBptT4
After you've registered, you'll be sent a link to the event.
MLK Celebration Invitation for All Families
When: Celebration premieres at 10:30 AM on January 18. The video will remain available indefinitely.
Where: Governor's YouTube Channel
The 40-minute celebration features messages from youth, Governor Walz, and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan, and the singing of Lift Every Voice and Sing.
It also features a conversation with our keynote speaker Matthew A. Cherry, who is an award-winning director, writer, and producer! His animated short film and book, Hair Love, follows the relationship between Zuri, her natural hair, and her father. It is a powerful story about family, love, and loving ourselves.
Consider watching and/or reading Hair Love before or after watching the virtual celebration. During this event, we'll discuss how Dr. King fought for justice and love, worked to end racism and poverty, and what this means today. (photo from https://www.elle.com/culture/movies)
Read the Book ~ Watch the TV Series
Checkout Dakota County Library for these classic memoirs or Hoopla for the eBooks. Afterwards, watch the newly adapted series Sundays on PBS at 8:00 PM. This charming family-friendly show (ages 10+) set in the British countryside of the 1930s will leave you with light and comfort. In case you missed the first episode, click on the provided links.
For additional reading adventures, BHMS library has Herriot's The Market Square Dog, Moses the Kitten, and Only One Woof.
Teen Social Group
Dakota County Library is excited to announce our new Discord server—a virtual hangout space exclusively for teens ages 13-18.
Discord is a free online platform that gives participants a place to build community and connect with each other using a variety of text-based channels dedicated to specific topics of interest. The library’s Discord Server includes channel topics such as gaming, books, art, writing, anime and manga, movies and TV, emotional support, and more. Chat with other Discord members about your favorite fandoms, ships, AUs, and more on the #writing channel.
The library’s Discord server is an invite-only virtual space for teens ages 13–18 and is monitored regularly by library staff. Teens who live in Dakota County or attend a Dakota County school can join the library’s Discord server by completing an online form.
Celebrating Multicultural January
Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews born 1-2-1986
New Orleans jazz musician Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews tells the story of how he got his nickname and his start in jazz music. (Mr. Andrews is also a philanthropist and has done much to support music programs in schools and provide opportunities for all students.)
Louis Braille born 1-4-1809
National Negro Baseball League founded, 1-4-1920
Zora Neale Hurston born 1-7-1901
Stephen Hawking born 1-8-1942
Amelia Earhart Day 1-11
Makar Sankranti 1-14 [15]
Supreme Court rules schools may not discriminate based on race, 1-12-1948
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. born 1-15-1929
Be Inspired
Fiction- eBook
Muhammad Ali born 1-18-1942
Are you in the mood for books?
Contact Information
Black Hawk Middle School & Thomas Lake Elementary