Happy Spring Reading!

As March comes to a close, we say good bye to our March Is Reading Month activities with appreciation for our Dr. Seuss Birthday party, our awesome author visit and our amazing book fair luau!  The students loved Jonathan Rand's visit with us on Wednesday, March 21.  His message stressed the importance of reading and the hard work and reward we get from being writers.  He enjoyed the mural we made to welcome him.  Who knows-maybe he will name his next book after the "Mutant Mustangs"! 

Our book fair was a great success!  Miller students were very excited about our selection of books and I saw them making great book choices to purchase.  Family night took place on Tuesday, March 24 and was filled with activities.  Families participated in a coloring contest, book scavenger hunts, a guessing contest, and of course many, many books to browse through.   The winners of our contests won a $5.00 gift certificate to use at the book fair.  We want to thank all of the volunteers who made our fair possible by helping in setting up, running the fair, helping during family night, and packing the fair up.  The media center was able to purchase over $800.00 in books and also received $1,000 to spend on book sets and other materials.  

Many learning activities are going on in the media center this week.  5th grade students are preparing to write and film their own book reviews; 4th grade students are listening to "The Odyssey - The One-Eyed Giant" by Mary Pope Osborne; 3rd graders are reading and decoding a fun mystery called, "The Mystery of King Karfu"; 2nd graders are reading a true story called "The Man Who Walked Between the Towers" by Mordicai Gerstein, 1st graders will be hearing two of my favorite pig stories, "The Piggie in the Puddle", and "Hog-Eye", and kindergarteners got to sing and act out "Pete the Cat - Walking in my White Shoes".  Be sure to ask your students about the activities and books we are reading.  I'm certain they would love to tell you about them. 

My website to share this week is www.abcya.com.  This is an award winning site full of games and activities developed by certified teachers.  Keyboarding, reading skills, math activities and holiday games are organized by grade (K-5) and easily navigated by even the youngest student.  

Growing Reader and Newbery Challenge Deadlines!!

Many of you have been emailing me and asking teachers about the deadlines for our K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade Growing Readers program.  The last day to hand in your completed reading log is May 11.  We will be having our Ice Cream Sundae Celebration in the gym at 2:30 on Wednesday, May 23. 

Students participating in the Newbery Challenge reading program will have until Monday, April 2 to hand in their completed reading log.  We will having our Pizza and Root Beer Float Celebration in the gym at 2:30 on Wednesday, April 18! 

Stay tuned for my next post for some recommended book titles for your students:) 

March is Reading Month!!!

We started off March is Reading Month celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday.  We read a variety of books and participated in contests and activities.  Our contest winners received $5.00 gift certificates for our book fair which is quickly approaching.  I was able to read The Lorax to many of the students and had the chance to see the movie today.  It was wonderful and meticulously reflected the message and style of the book - I think Dr. Seuss would have loved it! Here is what we are doing this week:

 Students and I are continuing to celebrate March as we prepare for Johnathan Rand's March 14 visit!  Third, fourth, and fifth graders are participating in an on-line scavenger hunt during media center to search for information about this very entertaining and inspiring author.  Ask your students what they found out about him.  We are also checking out Johnathan Rand's Michigan and American chillers at a fantastic pace--the students are loving these highly engaging and adventurous books.  My younger students will be reading Rand's Freddie Fernortner books.  At the present time, all of the books in this series have been checked out!  Always a good sign that we have a great author coming.  If you would like to visit Johnathan Rand's website, you can find it at http://www.americanchillers.com/

Next week we will begin watching the Scholastic Book Fair preview video to see what exciting books the book fair will bring.  I have been busily reading the preview books I ordered and will be certain to pass on my favorites to the students.  Below is a short video showing the excitement that books fairs create for our awesome readers!   Remember to put March 19 - 23 on your calendar.  A special thanks to all the people who have volunteered to help us set up and work at our luau themed book fair.  We couldn't do it without you.  

Website Alert for fellow book lovers - www.goodreads.com is a website that some of my fifth grade students told me about.  It is an amazing site where you can build bookshelves with titles of books you are reading, have read, and would like to read.  There is a definite "Facebook" feel to the site as you can search and request friends, join friends for book discussions, and chat with friends about books.  Additionally, you can review books as well as search for books and book reviews.  I recommend checking this out.  Friend me if you do!  

For younger students just learning to read, I recommend checking out www.starfall.com.  It is an amazing resource of activities geared towards children who are developing the skills needed for reading as well as those who are beginning readers.  There is a variety of activities that will reach students of all interests and abilities.

Stay tuned - Next week I hope to post a video advertisement for the book fair created by our students using our iPads!