Check It Out!
MTRSD Elementary Libraries- November 2023
From Sanderson Library...
The library is full of learning! Recently, K-6 students had their first lessons in digital citizenship. Digital citizenship includes learning how to use technology responsibly and how to make smart choices online. Over the course of this year, students will have 5 digital citizenship lessons that will cover age-appropriate topics such as media balance, online privacy, digital footprint, communication and cyberbullying, and news and media. Our first lesson focused on media balance and well being. Some classes read Unplugged by Steve Antony to talk about making healthy choices about our screentime.
Last week, 4th grade enjoyed a very special treat in the library: a virtual visit with McCall Hoyle, author of Stella, which Ms. Lagoy had been reading aloud in class. Stella is about a former service beagle who has to find the courage to overcome her fears and use her nose to save a girl’s life. Stella has won several awards and is also on this year’s Massachusetts Children’s Book Awards list. Ms. Hoyle was just as animated and interesting as her book! During her presentation, she emphasized how we all possess unique gifts. Ms. Hoyle also encouraged students to embrace their mistakes because “we learn more from our mistakes than we do when things are easy.” It was a wonderful presentation and the 4th graders were a top-notch audience.
Finally, 3rd graders have been busy creating characters as part of their ongoing Storyline project, where they are creating their own fictional library through an ongoing story that unfolds a little more each week. In order to create their library, students have to think about who they are creating the library for. Each student created a fictional character and wrote a profile of their character’s hobbies, interests, and what they like to do at the library. Now they are ready to begin designing their library!
News from the BSE Library!
News from the BSE Library
Welcome to November! Our tall library windows, framing vibrant maple and oak trees, once again provided our learning space with the perfect backdrop to seasonal stories in October. Whether reading a humorous tale like The Leaf Thief, by Alice Hemming, to practice recognizing story elements, or enjoying the gorgeous illustrations of Oak Leaf, by John Sandford, we’ve been lucky to have a front row seat to the changing seasons.
In addition to appreciating fall stories, classes have continued to practice being independent seekers of information in the library. For example, grades 4-6 are playing games to learn about book genres, and are learning to search our online catalog, Destiny. The past month in the BSE library has also been busy with the first digital citizenship lessons of the year for students in grades 2-6. With an emphasis on media balance, classes discussed what it feels like to make healthy media choices, reflecting on feelings about their own digital media use. To learn more about our curriculum, go to www.commonsense.org/education. HAPPENING THIS WEEK! All classes at BSE got to hear The Word Collector, by Peter Reynolds, during library classes in October. This Wednesday, November 8, the BSE community is excited to host our first ever ‘Word Parade’, with students parading in costumes to celebrate unique words of their own choosing. We hope caregivers can join us at 1:45pm for this event, but if you can’t, please stay tuned for photos! Finally, I’d like to take a moment to recognize our loyal BSE library volunteer, Dena Willmore, who has been spending a few hours weekly for over a year now, helping with various projects. The students and I are so grateful for her work, as she gets new books processed, and does odd jobs galore that help us enjoy books and reading!
News from the Colrain Central School Library!
The Library has been alive with activity lately - robots, reading buddies, Storywalks © and the election for the Mayor of the Colrain Central School Library.
Robots Rolled into 4th and 5th Grade (more classes to follow)
4th and 5th graders got to learn about computers, coding and robotics with the Sphero Bolt robots. They began with learning about the basics of what computer coding looks like and what it does, then learned through exploration and testing their own code (one of the best ways to learn). All grades will get to experience coding lessons and robots in the near future.
Reading Buddies as Learning Tools
Kindergarten through Third Grade have reading buddies (special stuffed animals) that they meet up with each week. These cozy friends are also great learning tools. They’re helping students learn how to make good transitions between activities and classes; how to sit and listen; and they also help the students connect to the lessons and students’ emotions..
Storywalks ©
A Storywalk © is a picture book that has been taken apart, laminated and mounted around an areas so that readers walk and read while engaging with the story. Throughout the year, we will have several story walks that support the EL curriculum units for grades K-2. We began with the book All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold from the 2nd grade unit on schools around the world. Our second book is David Jumps In by Alan Woo, which is part of the kindergarten unit on toys. It was fun to get outside, read, and move!
The Mayor of the Colrain Central School Library
The first Tuesday in November is Election Day in many places in the United States.. Some classes heard the story I Voted by Marc Shulman and all classes learned about what a candidate is and how elections work when they met our candidates, Penny the Dog and Chloe the Cat (the candidates are actually our Librarian, Talia’s pets). The candidates introduced themselves and their platforms and all students cast a ballot for Library Mayor. It was a close race, with Penny winning by only two votes! We’ll share more about what the library looks like during Mayor Penny’s term.
November is Indigenous People’s Heritage Month
Books by Native American authors are out on display and all classes will hear the book, We Are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell. The central theme of this book is that Native Americans are real people living today and we can all benefit from learning about who they are.
Local events!
Upcoming Events at Buckland Public Library!
Ages 8 and above
LGBTQ Friendly Playgroup All ages, unstructured time together 1st and 3rd Saturdays monthly 10-11 a.m.
Word Play Writing Group Tuesdays 10:30 – 12:30 Free, but registration required. Call 413-625-9412
Crafternoons Every Tuesday 4:30-6:30 Self directed time with other children and caretakers to use the crafts in the Community Room.
Free Puzzles Every 4th Saturday, all day
Events at the ARMS Library!
LEGOs Play Time - Ongoing Weekly
There are miniature cities, fast cars, and intricate inventions being created every Wednesday at the Arms. We have lots of LEGOs, of all sorts.
Our LEGO builders tend to meet at around 5 p.m. downstairs.
Upcoming Events at the Colrain Public Library!
Read to Lamby Saturday, November 4th 11AM!
Ms. Betty's November Craft