Book Smart: Summer Reading Edition
News & Notes from the Morningside Library - May 2020
Summer Reading
Parents, Teachers, Librarians - You can access this summer reading resource I created to help you encourage reading this summer! Click here to access it using your (or your child's) Atlanta Public Schools email (@apsk12.org). The pack includes suggested reading lists, reading challenges, word-of-the-day calendars for June, July and August, a recipe for making ice cream in a bag, a directed drawing of a shark, a book shelf for recording summer reading, a scavenger hunt, a YouTube playlist of over 100 book trailers, and bookmarks. There's also a link to a digital version you'll be able to send to students that will open in Google Slides.
Sneak Peek at What's Inside
Book Shelfie Students will be able to record the books they read over the summer. | Read for 24 Hours Challenge Students can copy and paste the green dot to track themselves reading in 20 minute increments. Once the page is full, they will have read for a full 24-hour day! | BookFlixStudents can read the book, then watch the TV show or movie based on the book. As they watch one of the film adaptations on Netflix they can copy, paste and drag the red Netflix screen to cover the title on the television set. |
Read for 24 Hours Challenge
Students can copy and paste the green dot to track themselves reading in 20 minute increments. Once the page is full, they will have read for a full 24-hour day!
Genre Challenge Students can challenge themselves to read a variety of genres over the summer. They can drag one of the colored dots over each genre icon as they tackle a book from that genre. | Windows Challenge Books are like windows allowing us to catch a glimpse of what life is like for people different from us. As they peek inside each window, they can drag one of the plants to sit on the window sill. | Books Take You Places Try to read a book set in one of each of the seven continents (a suggested book list is included). As you "visit" the continent, drag a plane to its location on the map to track your trips. |
Genre Challenge
Students can challenge themselves to read a variety of genres over the summer. They can drag one of the colored dots over each genre icon as they tackle a book from that genre.
Windows Challenge
Books are like windows allowing us to catch a glimpse of what life is like for people different from us. As they peek inside each window, they can drag one of the plants to sit on the window sill.
Scavenger Hunt Students can upload pictures of themselves reading in a variety of settings and upload to this Google Slides presentation. | YouTube Playlist A YouTube playlist of over 100 book trailers for students to view to find their next great summer read! | Printable Bookmarks Teachers, these make great end of year gifts to mail to students. Students, if you have access to a home computer, you can print these yourself to use to mark your spot in your favorite books all summer long. |
Scavenger Hunt
Students can upload pictures of themselves reading in a variety of settings and upload to this Google Slides presentation.
YouTube Playlist
A YouTube playlist of over 100 book trailers for students to view to find their next great summer read!

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System Summer Reading: Imagine Your Story
This year's theme at the Pubic Library is "Imagine Your Story." Please join AFPLS online here to participate. This year’s program is 100% virtual and open to all ages, so be sure to signup and log your reading and activities online or in the Beanstack app. Also join us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for story time and much more!
Pre-Registration Begins May 15, 2020 via Beanstack.
Click here to begin listening! No Amazon account necessary!
Don't Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton
Last week we read, Don't Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton. Then we drew four of the endangered animals mentioned in the text - lions, tigers, sea otters and pandas. If you want to illustrate too, find my directed drawing play list here.

Directed Drawing After reading excerpts from, Don't Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton we drew four of the endangered animals. | Directed Drawing Sea otters, tigers, lions, and pandas are among the thirteen endangered animals mentioned in the book. | Directed Drawing Directed drawing boosts confidence as illustrators, allows students an opportunity to follow directions and practice fine motor skills, and express their own creativity. |
Directed Drawing
After reading excerpts from, Don't Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton we drew four of the endangered animals.
Directed Drawing
Sea otters, tigers, lions, and pandas are among the thirteen endangered animals mentioned in the book.