RFIS Library Connection Activities
Read, Think, Create & Grow!
Summer Reading 2020 Edition
What are you reading this summer?
Let's find out, RFIS! Take the survey and share a favorite summer read! Was it a print book, an eBook, a magazine, a blog, an encyclopedia article, or something else? Look for results to be shared in the fall on the Husky House!
READ
Let the summer reading begin! There are lots of great reasons to dive deeper into reading during the relaxed summer months. Besides helping you stay on top of your "reading game" and reinforcing important fluency skills before the start of another school year, reading over the summer can be all about exploring personal interests and just having fun! Need some motivation to get started? Here are just a few upcoming celebrations to help guide your summer reading journey:
- July 1st: International Joke Day! Laughter helps reduce stress, boosts your immune system, and is good for your heart. Read more about the benefits of sharing a good joke and the history of this fun-loving day. Want a good laugh? Check out Go Comics for all your favorites like Garfield, Big Nate, Calvin and Hobbes, and more - many updated daily! Ready to try your hand at comedy? Check out these kid-friendly jokes from Ducksters and Reader's Digest. Then, organize a comedy night (in-person or virtual) with family and friends!
- July 4th: Independence Day! Learn more about this special day in our nation's history and the Declaration of Independence with articles from World Book Student and National Geographic Kids. Enjoy this fun packet from TCM for fascinating facts and activities in honor of the day! For a lively overview of why we celebrate on the 4th, check out the video below from PBS Kids!
PBS LEARNING MEDIA | Independence Day | PBS KIDS
- July 20th: Moon Day! On this day in 1969, Apollo 11 carried the first humans to the moon. Visit NASA's Apollo 11 page for an overview of this historic mission by investigating articles, audio clips, and video segments. Dig a little deeper into the history of the Apollo program with information from the NASA Knows! series designed for 5th-8th grade students. Round out your lunar exploration by learning cool Moon Facts for Kids and check out this diagram of the moon's phases from Science Kids.
- August 10th: S'mores Day! Don't let the summer pass you by without recognizing this favorite summertime treat! For background facts about this sweet day and a simple, classic recipe visit the Holiday Insights page. Interested in a s'mores milkshake? How about slipping strawberry or banana slices into your creation? If you're looking to get more creative with your recipes, check out these ideas from Parents and Kid Activities and get inspired to organize a family campfire celebration!
- August 19th: National Aviation Day! According to the FAA, more than 44,000 average flights are handled daily! But how did air travel get its start? Learn about the early days of aviation and how it evolved over time with some highlighted facts from Kiddle. Success didn't happen overnight! After 4 years of scientific trial and error, Wilbur and Orville Wright finally achieved the first successful airplane flight in 1903. Find out more about their first flight and what led up to their achievement from The Wright Brothers National Memorial and National Air and Space Museum.
THINK
The process of inquiry, or seeking information, can lead to meaningful learning and growth and is important to continue practicing over the summer. Finding a just right answer to a burning question brings a feeling of success and accomplishment! Identifying trusted sources of information to rely on for factual answers is important. Resources from World Book are always a good choice! You are probably familiar with using Kids, Student, and Advanced Encyclopedias as research starting points, but did you know there is more to WB than encyclopedias? Check out the other options in this versatile e-learning suite that you can choose once logged in!
- Discover - Have you ever wondered ... How deep and cold is it where they found the Titanic? What's the smartest animal in the barnyard? Can you still see plays at Ford's Theatre? How do museums get their artifacts? Get answers in the form of brief, informative video overviews to these and nearly 600 other questions with World Book Explains! Browse the full collection or search by keyword. Watch here for a sneak peek!
- Timelines - Seeing a visual of what happened and when can make learning about topics much easier. Use this tool to browse more than 400 ready-made, interactive timelines covering various periods in history or design and create one of your own! Check back often for updated featured timelines to explore!
- Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos - This dedicated Spanish-language database contains videos, compare and contrast features, selected articles, and a visual dictionary to support ELL and Spanish-language learners. Be sure to explore the featured links to major Spanish language newspapers!
- Suggestions to Avoid the Summer Slide and Distance-Learning Resources for Parents are provided by World Book as a way to highlight and maximize use of featured products!
- Look for a collection of eBooks from World Book to be available this fall!
CREATE
What better way to put a new twist on your enjoyment of classic stories than with resources from museums dedicated to children's authors? Use this list as a guide to your virtual explorations; read a book and then visit the museum! One of the most recognized names in children's literature is Roald Dahl. This British author wrote more than 20 children's books and has sold more than 250 million copies worldwide! For more fantastic facts about Dahl, visit BBC's Newsround page. Chances are you have already read some of his books. Want to discover books by authors who write in a similar style? Check out this list of Read-Alikes for each Dahl title from NoveList K-8! For a fun extension activity, choose a favorite title and start a read-alike book club with family and friends! Be sure to compare/contrast: How is the read-alike similar? How is it different? For a fabulous at-home museum experience dedicated to the author and his work, follow the suggestions below:
- The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre at Home page - Check out Roald Dahl's writing hut, take a look at his story ideas book for some writing inspiration, and be guided through family workshop activities at home, like making a Wonka Factory Machine or a button for the Great Glass Elevator! Be sure to take a virtual tour and browse Things to Do Indoors links!
- All You Need to Know About Roald Dahl - How did he become an author? What were his hobbies? What was Roald Dahl's favorite book that he wrote? Get the answers to these and many more FAQs about his writing and his life directly from the experts! What facts surprised you the most?
- Make Stories Like Roald Dahl - Participate in a Roald Dahl Story Challenge by completing at home family activities! Design Dahl-inspired creations as you follow along with this 6-part series: Story Saunter, Seed of an Idea, Creature Creation, Flash of Inspiration, Get Nosey in Nature, and Fired Up By Food.
- Be sure to have a summer journal or sketch pad nearby to keep track of what you created, learned, and your reflections to share with classmates and teachers in the fall!
- It's time for a story! Find a comfortable spot and watch the entertaining video reading below from The Witches that was released in honor of World Book Day!
Stanley Tucci reads Roald Dahl's The Witches
GROW
Summer is the best time to read beyond your tried and true favorite genres/authors and connect with something new! Surround yourself with lots of great choices and see what speaks to you! Here is a roundup of some wonderful resources to support your summer reading and learning explorations:
- FRSD Summer Reading - Our district web page is loaded with high-quality reading recommendations arranged by grade level and includes suggested books, websites, podcasts, and other fabulous resources. Make this your first stop! Be sure to check out RFIS student and teacher recommendations and student-created book trailers!
- Hunterdon County Library - Be sure to check the website often throughout the summer for updates on re-opening guidelines and services! Full access to the library's eBook and audiobook collection is always available from eHCL - Overdrive!
- Access eBooks and Audiobooks - Watch a video tutorial about accessing the library's digital collection using Destiny Discover and trial various limited time eBook offerings from publishers.
- The Association for Library Service to Children - These annotated lists for Grades 3-5 and Grades 6-8 feature a mix of fiction and non-fiction and are based on kid reader picks from across the country!
- Summer Content Series (Grades 5-6) - From Time for Kids, this special summer edition features varied content and guided activities to keep learning going strong over the next few months and beyond!
- Soar Into Summer Reading Collection (Grades 4-8) - This recommended list of titles from Reading Is Fundamental is supported with suggested activities on Literacy Central. Be sure to explore related resources including puzzles, read aloud videos, and author interviews!
- EBSCOhost - Expanded database offerings are currently in place. In addition to the state-funded databases regularly available through our school online resources page, the following collections are now accessible directly once you log into our school account: eBook K-8 Collection and eBook Subscription Cricket Media Collection. Both resources support viewing in full text/PDF format and saving content to Google Drive. Browse and save favorite content to your Drive by June 30th for guaranteed access throughout the summer!
- MackinVIA - This eResource platform provides access to eBooks and educational databases with just one login. There is a sampling of fiction, non-fiction, and graphic novels, many freely available through the end of 2020. Explore featured databases, including Country Reports, The Map As History, and DK Find Out! To get started, use the login information and link below:
- Lit Camp at Home Children's Read Aloud Series - This 7-episode collection of video read- alouds from Scholastic focuses on different character traits and incorporates songs, stories, and other language/literacy play. Perfect for engaging younger siblings! Visit their Read-A-Palooza page for an overview of summer offerings and links to the full read-aloud series. Watch Episode 6 in the video below featuring the trait of courage with a read-aloud from Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived series!
LitCamp at Home Children's Read-Aloud Series: Courage with Lauren Tarshis
Visit the Library Media Center's website for access to all online resources and student links.
Questions about logging in? Wondering how to use any of the resources? Just want a good book recommendation? Ask the Librarian!
Think before you speak. Read before you think.
- Fran Lebowitz
All clipart images used in this newsletter are in the public domain, no attribution required.