GCS School Library Media News
December 2016
Pirates invade WB Beam
WB Beam Intermediate celebrated our fall “Bookaneer” Book Fair with lots of fun pirate activities. We began with a Bookaneer Contest, in which our students created book trailers for several of our library books. The students who chose to enter the contest were the very first ones to use our new green screen room! I received a Ron Ensley Grant in the spring called “Lights, Camera, Collaborate”, and I was able to purchase state of the art lights, green screen, blue screen, and i-pad to set up our green screen room. It is really awesome and we all were very excited to use it for the first time! The top three book trailers in fourth and fifth grades were awarded $15.00 of Pirate Money to spend at the Book Fair. Check out a few of our trailers:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
During the actual week of the Book Fair we had daily activities that the students and staff could participate in such as: Talk Like a Pirate Day, Create your own Jolly Roger Contest, What would your pirate name be?, Arrgh you Reading/Pajama Day, and Pirate Pride.
We also hosted a “Be a Pirate Family Night” and invited the students and their families to come dressed like a pirate. We served dinner and had a special appearance by Captain Jack Sparrow who took pictures with our students in front of the green screen. Students, families, and staff all had a wonderful time together!
Jan Brett visits Asheville
The holidays are a time when there is so much going on for all of us. I had the opportunity to hear author Jan Brett speak in Asheville. She is promoting her new book Gingerbread Christmas. She explained her love of gingerbread characters and revealed that characters that appear in her books often are based on animals that she has at her home. We were all introduced to her pet chicken, Sonny Boy Slim, who is in the book and pulling the sleigh. She demonstrated and explained how to draw Sonny Boy Slim. I am very happy with the new copy that will be added to the Carr media center collection. The students loved hearing the new story too. This is a wonderful book to include in our holiday reading.
Great Things Going on at York Chester
Fifty-five students qualified to attend our AR reward party at the end of the first 9 weeks. They were treated to pizza, drinks and prizes. Students had to reach their individual AR goals in order to qualify. We do an AR reward party at the end of every nine weeks, with our AR auction at the end of year being our final celebration!!!
We have 37 mentors in our school that meet with their mentees in the media center. Many of them take advantage of the games and crafts available in our Maker Spaces carts. On Fridays each week, teachers can choose 2 students each class period to come to the media center to use our maker spaces carts as a reward for their hard work.
Our Book Fair is Dec. 3-9 and we are having a Pastries for Parents event on Thursday morning in the media center. Students and their Parents can come enjoy donuts and muffins and browse the Book Fair together.
Submitted by Denise Gould, York Chester Middle SLMC
East Gaston Combats Fake News
Submitted by Shay Whitlow, East Gaston High SLMC
The Remarkable Riderless Runaway Tricycle
There is a story that I discovered several years ago that my students and I love. The remarkable riderless runaway tricycle is the name. No, it is not a holiday themed story. Sharing it with my students this week I was able to witness the awe and wonder on their faces that are most often seen this time of year.
When students view this story they don’t notice that it is set in the late 1970’s; that the style of clothes and haircuts are different from today. They are caught up in the story of a kid riding a tricycle and then losing it. They watch in wonder as the tricycle takes on its own personality and has an adventure with many people in the community. Throughout the story I hear students say; “How do it do that?”, “Maybe there is an invisible person on it.”, “Oh no, they’re going to catch him!”. If you are looking for a story that will spark the imagination, start conversations, and get kids thinking of possibilities, this is the story for you.
The Remarkable Riderless Runaway Tricycle Weston Woods, 2002. Full Video
Discovery Education. Web. 2/12/2016. http://www.discoveryeducation.com. - See more at: https://app.discoveryeducation.com/learn/videos/01FEE8DB-3D19-4632-998D-69CBABF31C42?hasLocalHost=false#sthash.D0NVKBZt.dpuf
Submitted by Patti Updike, Carr Elementary SLMC
YA Notable Books from North Gaston
Just got some money to spend? Need some ideas for Young Adult books for High School? Try some of the following:
Of course, you can always use the NC Young Adult Book Award books linked here.
But there are some newer books that are just arriving on bookstore shelves.
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Fans of Gregory Maguire’s Wicked, and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, will likely also find Heartless a terrific read. Catherine is beautiful, eloquent, and almost certainly bound to be Queen - that is, until she meets Jest, the court clown. Defying her parents, her courtship with Jest may very well end her chances of getting that marriage proposal from the King. Just as Maguire tells the stories of the villians, Meyer embraces the Queen of Hearts and tells the “real” story about how she became so villainous.
Dead Girls Society by Michelle Krys
"The Society. Weird. Sounds like spam, but you know what they say: life is short, read spam."
Cystic-fibrosis isn’t a cake walk, so Hope has learned. The Society email seems too good to be true. Based on an increasingly dangerous dares, Hope is set on a course of certain destruction unless she can figure out who is behind it all. Fans of Lauren Oliver’s Panic or Nerve by Jeanne Ryan should truly enjoy this read.
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M.R. James (adapted by Lean Moore John Reppion)
The horror genre was redefined by M.R. James, a British supernatural author. Moore and Reppion adapt some of his stories (from a collection by the same name) into graphic format. Those new to the genre can look forward to an exciting and unsettling read. Four of James’ stories are retold in volume 1.
How about some non-fiction?
Dear my blank: Secret letters never sent edited by Emily Trunko
Anyone who is a Tumblr aficionado will appreciate this take on letters that people have written or need to write but never intend to sent them. The topics are relevant to teens, involving popular culture, and real teen issues (sub “high school-mature content” here). Well illustrated and timely, social media lovers will be fall for this collection of advice and thoughts of journaling teens.
The Osamu Tezuka Story: A life in Manga and Anime by Toshio Ban
Who doesn’t love Anime and Manga? Originally published in serial format, this collection of over 900 pages is worth the read, giving a detailed account of the “God of Manga and Anime” life and work. Written as a Manga, the story unfolds with Tezuka “trapped” in rooms as he draws with his editors waiting like sharks just outside. The story reads quickly and will be loved by Anime and Manga fans of most any age.
Submitted by Robin Jordan, North Gaston High SLMC