Elementary Library

The elementary library is always a busy place. I am grateful that the reading program our school uses, “Foundations and Frameworks,” sparks an interest for pleasure reading in our students. 

During the first semester, the elementary library has had several fun activities for students to foster and support this love of reading:

The Scholastic Book Fair is always a big event. This year’s fair was a huge success! Thank you to all who supported this fundraising event. The rewards provided the teachers with two eBook subscriptions to use in the classrooms as well as several new books for the library.

Junior and Senior Kindergarten

We had a special guest come and share her chickens with the Junior and Senior kindergarten classes in October. One of our sixth grade students, Galin Burton, is an active member of a 4-H group. She raises chickens to show in competitions. Galin and her mother, Carol, came and shared about raising chickens and what goes into getting ready for competitions. The students learned a lot from Galin and enjoyed petting Galin’s chicken named 41.

First, Second, Third Grades

The library acquired an iPad cart over the summer. The first grade students have enjoyed using the iPads as a center time. Reading Rainbows is a favorite!

The second and third grade students used the iPads over several weeks as centers for an author study about Jan Brett. Each station had a QR code activity that pulled up on the iPad. Some of the activities included: a biography where Jan Brett told about herself and her work; Jan Brett giving step by step instructions how to draw a hedgehog; raising chickens (to incorporate Jan’s book, Hedgie’s Surprise);  and raising a pet hedgehog. The students enjoyed this ongoing lesson and learned a lot about Jan Brett as well as her favorite animals.  Second and third grade enjoy Reading Rainbow on the iPads, too.

Fourth Grade

I have shared a lot of Pour Quoi storied with these students. The fourth graders will begin creating their own version of a Pour Quoi, or ‘why tale’, on the iPads as a slide show with illustrations. We will email the completed stories to the preschool teachers to share on their Smart Boards with their students.

Fifth Grade

The fifth graders used the iPads for an ongoing project to ‘pen’ stories for the Pre-K students. I provided several wordless books. The students partnered up and used the camera on the iPad to snap a picture of each page of the book they chose. They then ‘penned’ the story. We emailed the completed projects to the Pre-K teachers to show on the Smart Boards to their students.

Sixth Grade

I read a book over the summer and knew I had to use it somehow with the sixth graders. I am holding a ‘book club’ each week with the students. I am reading the book, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, to the students. We have had some very good discussions about peer pressure and how to handle yourself in difficult social situations. I am pleased with the responses I get each week. Our sixth graders have a heart for the Lord and the underdog!

Cheri Saunders

Elementary Librarian