Students who love mythology and Percy Jackson books met in the LMC today during lunch to view a live webcast with author Rick Riordan from "Mt. Olympus", actually the top of the Empire State Building in New York City. Arranged by School Library Journal, the visit featured questions from students and librarians all over the country, testing Mr. Riordan's knowledge of mythology. He also read from his new book, Blood of Olympus, that comes out on October 7 and thrilled our students with an announcement of a new free app he created, called Demigods of Olympus.
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4th grade classes are reviewing the features of non fiction that help a reader find and understand information. After perusing books in the LMC, students located interesting diagrams, photos and captions, glossaries, fact boxes, bold words and headings, and copyright pages. Then a pair of students chose one feature, took a photo of it with an iPad, and used the app Pic Collage to create a colorful poster illuminating and explaining that feature. These will be displayed in the classroom for reference. First grade students wrote, drew and recorded their own version of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, imagining that the pigeon came to Patton School and teaching him the Patton rules and responsibilities that keep us all safe and productive. Enjoy the video version of Mrs. Litberg's class "book": Third grade students worked as historians and detectives, making observations and reflections after carefully examining photographs of "how we play" from several decades. After taking time to observe, reflect, question and discuss the people, places, and actions shown in the photos, the student's task was to figure out why the Library of Congress put these photos together for an exhibit? The students considered what the photos' subjects had in common and what message the curator wanted to convey with these groupings. Students made detailed and perceptive observations and asked critical and interesting questions! Take a look at their concentration: This school year, we have instituted a new experience for our first and fifth grade students. Each week when the first graders come into the LMC to find and check out books, a rotating group of fifth grades students are on hand to help. The fifth grader's offer suggestions, help to search and find "good fit" books, and then read with the first grader's for a few minutes. Both groups of students enjoy and benefit from this exchange.
Ben joins a "science camp" when his mother gets a new job on a college campus and soon realizes this is not like any camp he has ever been to before. Led by a quantum physicist, Dr. Hughes, campers are working on learning the secret and powerful art of Actuation. Using quantum physics theory Ben is taught how to change reality through his imagination's power, and discovers he has quite a talent for it. At first they work on making clouds appear, turning rain into ice, and then thunder, until suddenly Dr. Hughes is kidnapped and Ben and his friend Peter are caught between two secret societies of "actuators" some who claim they work for the government to keep the world safe. Who can they believe and will they find Dr. Hughes? Read Quantum League, Spell Robbers by Matthew Kirby, for a wild and scientific ride! And more adventures to come... Grade 4 -6 As a tiny baby Minerva Mint was found in a travel bag in a London train station with a note that provided few clues to her identity but gave the baby the ownership of a huge run down house in Cornwall by the sea. The station secretary, Mrs. Flopp, adopts the baby and raises her in Cornwall when no parents show up to claim her. So begins Minerva's strange but interesting life. She is allowed to roam the seaside and cliffs, examine nature, live in a rundown mansion where all sorts of animals are welcomed, and learn on her own. But Minerva still yearns to solve the puzzle of her parents. On her 11th birthday, she meets Thomasina, who loves adventure and Ravi who has recently come to London from India. The three form an immediate bond, and a club "The Order of the Owls" determined to find out the secrets of Minerva's birth, and defeat the local bullies as well! Further adventures to come...MInerva Mint by Guerra. Grade3-5. Mrs. Goumas' class participated in our first every speed "dating" with books today in LMC. Tables were piled with books grouped by genre (mystery, fantasy, realistic, historical, graphic novels and non fiction) and students had one minute to find a book at one table, look it over, and then three minutes to begin reading the first chapter, after which they made a decision if it was a keeper... or not. Then tables were switched and more books were greeted and read. A great reading day for all and many new books were checked out. |
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December 2021
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AuthorI am the Library Media Center director at Patton School in Arlington Heights where I help students from kindergarten through 5th grade find terrific independent reading for enjoyment and information, and teach students the skills to use information and technology safely and productively and to connect, communicate and share with others. I have four grown children, a large black dog, (flat coat retriever) and a small striped cat. I am an obessive Chicago Cubs fan and I love to run. Patton LMC Summer Reading Blog |