I’ve been busy over the summer, reading and getting ready for a new school year in the library.  I’m very excited this year that we will be participating in the Global Read Aloud.  It sounds like it will be an awesome way to begin our school year with everyone reading the same books we should be able to have some great book talks – both live and online with other classes as well as authors.  Here are some books that were on my summer reading list,

• Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
• I read all the Global Read Aloud books….more to come on that
• I read a lot of Cozy Mysteries with puns for titles – “Peaches and Scream” was one of them.

what did you read this summer?

“Like reading, …Coding gives children a creative way of looking at the world. It empowers them to make, rather than passively consume. It encourages them to work together.” – Sylvia Aguiñaga

Why should kids learn to code?

1. It teaches them how things work.  Kids are naturally curious, they want to figure things out.  Learning some basic coding makes them appreciate how all the electronics that are part of their everyday life work.
2. It teaches them math is not just something you do at school.  Coding requires mathematical thinking and logic.
3. It is fun to make things and see how they work instantly.
4. It is a great career path with lots of jobs and opportunities.

Some great websites for kids.

• App Inventor – http://www.appinventor.org
• Code.org – http://code.org
• Scratch – http://scratch.mit.edu/

Websites for Library Computers:

EBSCO:  (recognizes IP addresses from NVSD)

http://search.ebscohost.com

WORLDBOOK :  (recognizes IP addresses from NVSD)

www.worldbookonline.com

GALE VIRTUAL REFERENCE LIBRARY – password needed.

http://access.gale.com/erac/

Games:

http://www.mrs-lodges-library.com/play-shelver/

We are all busy learning about bears! Our school wide bear theme began with a visit from Maggie deVries, author of Fraser Bear – A Cub’s Life.  Maggie led us through the ideas, research and publishing and editing process of her books and shared some writing tips with us.  Now we are all busy learning more about bears, reading bear stories and novels and coming together as a Cove Cliff Community. 

Upcoming events:

• the North Shore Black Bear Society will be coming to talk to us about bears in our neighborhood
• we will be having a Teddy Bear Picnic with buddy classes
• primary students will have a bear activity day

Primary students listened to a book called The Bumpy Little Pumpkin, and talked about how both people and pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, and that is what makes them interesting! In the story there are 3 sisters who are selecting a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.  The two older sisters are not very kind to the little sister.  We talked about using kind words and words that make us feel sad (put downs.) We brainstormed words that we had been told that made us sad, just like the girl in the story. Next we will talk about words that make us feel good (compliments.)

Students have now all been to the library and had a chance to check out a book.  For now, until I get the library under control, students may check out only one book at a time.

We have been learning how to remove books from the shelf, how to use a shelf marker, and how to choose a just right book.

Read one page of your book.  If you can’t read 2-3 words it is just right.  If you can’t read more than 3 words it is too difficult, if you can’t read only 1 word it is too easy.

I have also set up a Cove Cliff Wish list on Amazon.ca which is linked here.   If you would like to donate a book to the library it would be most appreciated!