Summer Reading

Summer Reading
I love encouraging students to read everyday all summer (actually all year).  While presenting the ALA Youth Media Award winning books, I encourage students to read daily all summer long.  In promoting the Caldecott winners and honors, I share that this outstanding illustrator award is in honor of Randolph Caldecott, a nineteenth century English Illustrator.  This award celebrated it's 79 anniversary this year.  This means that there are 79 Caldecott winning books that students could read!  What a fantastic manageable reading goal while gaining great appreciation for the art in the illustrations of each book.  Here is the list of Caldecott Winners and Honors since 1938, many of which can be checked out at the local public library.  This year, I will promote this with students in grades 3-5.  

The Theodore Seuss Geisel Award honor Dr. Seuss and recognizes authors and illustrators of the most distinguished American books for beginning readers.  The 2017 Geisel winners and honors and past winners provide fantastic lists of books for students in grades K-3.

Students will receive these lists among others during the month of May to promote and encourage summer reading.

Children's Book Week - May 1-7, 2017

Children's Book Week - May 1-7, 2017

As read in the Children's Book Week (CBW) website, "CBW is an annual celebration for young people and the joy of reading. "  "CBW was established 98 years ago and is the longest-running literacy initiative with the belief that children's books and literacy are life-changers." 

The downloadable and printer friendly 2017 Children's Book Week Poster was designed by the award-winning children's book illustrator, Christian Robinson.  This year's slogan is "One World, Many Stories."  The back side of this poster includes: Official events, celebrations, and activities.  Here you can download and print bookmarks illustrated by artists.  As a part of CBW, children and teens can vote @EveryChildaReader.net for the Children's & Teen Choice Book Awards.

2017 Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards K – 2nd Grade Finalists

2017 Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards 3rd – 4th Grade Finalists

2017 Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards 5th – 6th Grade Finalists

2017 Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards Teen Finalists

With only seven weeks of the school year left,  CBW is a great way to start thinking about and adding these lists to students summer reading lists!  Encourage students to have a reading goal this summer or join the summer reading program at the local public library.

April is School Library Month

April is School Library Month

April 2017 is the 32 Annual School Library Month. How is School Library Month celebrated not only during the month of April, but all year long in SDSM school libraries?

• The school libraries provide materials for teachers and students that will encourage growth and knowledge (accessing print and digital materials through Destiny, online databases - PebbleGo, KidsInfoBits, CultureGrams, Discovery Education, and evaluating websites);
• The school libraries provide materials that will promote a reading culture through author and illustrator visits, increasing knowledge about children's book awards (Wisconsin's Golden Archer Award, Newbery Award, Caldecott Award, Coretta Scott King Award, Pura Belpre Award, Theodore Seuss Geisel Award, Sibert Award, and Schneider Family Award);
• The school libraries provide books to encourage children to read for pleasure;
• The school libraries continue to evaluate the library collection through deselection and selection of the library collection to better meet individual needs, varied interests, abilities, and diverse characters and stories for the students served in the school district;
• The school libraries are a fun place for students to go where library centers encourage students to collaborate, problem solve, communicate, and expand learning opportunities.
• The school librarian continues to develop relationships with students, teachers and staff to collaborate with teachers to teach digital literacy and information literacy.

As you read through these opportunities consider collaborating with Betsy Daniels at the high school or me at the elementary and middle schools.  Betsy and I want to continue to promote that school libraries empower students. My dream for the SDSM school libraries is to develop the energy and a culture of reading as seen in this video Traveling school librarian spreads enthusiasm for reading as John Schu does as he travels across the country sharing the message to students, teachers and parents to allow students to read what they want.

More Ideas for National Poetry Month

More Ideas for National Poetry Month

Introducing poetry through books such as those written in Verse Novel like Kwame Alexander, Jacqueline Woodson, Karen Hesse, and many more is a great way to change the culture of engagement in students as readers, but poetry is also a wonderful way to express thoughts, ideas, and feelings.  This post suggests three website resources brimming with poetry, poetry, and more poetry!  Enjoy the month of April celebrating National Poetry Month with your aspiring writers!

The first website is from Scholastic - Celebrate National Poetry Month where you can bring Poets such as Jack Prelutsky and Karla Kuskin into your classroom to celebrate.  Scholastic also has ideas and poetry printables for inspiring poets in your classroom for students in K-3 and 3-12.

Read Write Think: April is National Poetry Month! shares lesson plans and student interactives for grades K-12 to introduce a variety of poetic forms to your students. If you are looking for even more poetry ideas, Read Write Think offers four more websites to explore.

Poets.org offers a plethora of materials for teachers including 30 Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month to Poet's Glossary and finally celebrate with April 27, 2017 - Poem in Your Pocket Day.  With this you can celebrate poetry all year round.