Check It Out!
Stinson MS Library Newsletter December 2023
Get Wrapped Up in a Good Book!
~Mrs. Fosmire
Gingerbread Contest
Decorate a gingerbread man to look like your favorite literary character. Keep your gingerbread ornament for yourself or decorate the library tree with it! All donated gingerbread men will get a candy cane in return.
Click here to get your digital copy of the gingerbread man or stop by the library to get a copy.
Winter Holidays Around the World
The Elves & The Shoemaker
Listen to this tale of the Christmas spirit read by Chrissy Metz.
Hour of Code Week December 4th - 10th, 2023
Dewey Decimal System Day!
Dewey Decimal System Day is observed annually on December 10.
December 10, 1851 is the birthday of Melvil Dewey (1851-1931) inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification.
The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), or Dewey Decimal System, is a proprietary library classification system first published in the United States by Melvil Dewey in 1876. It has been revised and expanded through 23 major editions, the latest issued in 2011, and has grown from a four-page pamphlet in 1876 with fewer than 1,000 classes to a four volume set.
The Decimal Classification introduced the concepts of relative location and relative index which allow new books to be added to a library in their appropriate location based on subject. Libraries previously had given books permanent shelf locations that were related to the order of acquisition rather than topic. The classification’s notation makes use of three-digit Arabic numerals for main classes, with fractional decimals allowing expansion for further detail. A library assigns a classification number that unambiguously locates a particular volume in a position relative to other books in the library based on its subject matter. This makes it possible to find any particular book using the number, and to return it to its proper place on the library shelves. The classification system is used in 200,000 libraries in at least 135 countries.
The major competing classification system to the Dewey Decimal system is the Library of Congress Classification system created by the U.S. Library of Congress. All Northside ISD libraries use the Dewey Decimal Classification system in our libraries.
Holiday Maker Spaces
Join us in the library before school this month to participate in our holiday themed maker spaces! We have a tree building challenge, a peppermint stacking challenge, play-doh creations station, LEGO scene creation stations, and a make your own ornament station!
November Recap
November was an eventful month in the library, filled with engaging activities and educational experiences. In ELA classes, students delved into the intricacies of using the library catalog, mastering skills such as accessing accounts and saving favorite books for future visits. Meanwhile, Emerging Bilingual (EB) students embarked on a lively Dewey Dash, a relay-style race that made learning how to locate library books on the shelves an exciting challenge.
With a focus on Nonfiction November this month in the library, students had the opportunity to preview high-interest nonfiction books, actively participating in the "Take Note of Nonfiction" infographic activity. ALE students enjoyed the tale of A Plump & Perky Turkey by Teresa Batman and put their creativity to the test by disguising their own turkeys to protect them from becoming Thanksgiving dinner.
Several advisory classes embraced team building and collaboration through maker space activities, fostering a sense of camaraderie. Mrs. Fosmire helped out by chaperoning the 7th-grade field trip to the Alamo and Briscoe Western Art Museum. It was such a fun day, filled with learning and experiencing new things through the eyes of our students! The library also served as a hub for various events, hosting a Veteran's Day Program, the Brandeis mentor program, and the AVID Breakfast.
Mrs. Fosmire and Mrs. Williams collaborated in presenting on our campus summer reading book study, emphasizing diverse stories and authentic relationships with students. As the month concluded, 6th graders embarked on an interactive scavenger hunt through Social Studies classes, using the Culturegrams database to explore North America and enhance their data interpretation skills.
Book Club enthusiasts explored the fantasy genre and shared insights on recent reads, while Maker Space Club continued to be a crowd-pleaser with over 75 students attending before school to unleash their creativity. Coding Club members delved into real-world applications, mastering coding techniques to create ticker messages transferred to micro bits.
November also featured a month-long challenge in the library, inviting students to unleash their creativity by crafting Fall-themed haikus. In exchange for their poetic efforts, students were rewarded with a piece of candy. The response was overwhelming, with over 200 students participating in the challenge. The resulting haikus showcased the students' incredible talent and added an extra touch of literary flair to the bustling month of activities. November was a month of exploration, collaboration, and learning in the middle school library.
Stinson Middle School Library
Email: Paige.Fosmire@nisd.net
Location: 13200 Skyhawk Drive, San Antonio, TX, USA
Phone: (210) 397-3634
Twitter: @NISDStinsonLib