In Kindergarten, students have graduated to checking books out from the many shelves that have great fit books. In order to learn what shelves hold what books such as where are the books about sports, animals, Superpets, Star Wars, dinosaurs, dogs etc, students completed two "shelf scavenger hunts". In pairs they found the place a type of book is located, chose one, and gave it to a teacher. Later they could check out one of those books or find a different one. In First and Second Grade, we delved into several Monarch Award books. We read and discussed After the Fall by Dan Santat which tells a different and more complete version of Humpty Dumpty, and then students completed a related activity. First graders used pictures from the story to retell it and compared After the Fall to the original Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme, while second graders watched another version of Humpty Dumpty in a "Fixed Fairytale" video and compared and contrasted it with the After the Fall version. Next we read Coyote Moon by Maria Gianferrari with first grade, who loved the beautiful and action packed pictures of a mother coyote searching for food for her pups who are sleeping and playing. Students drew pictures comparing the coyote family activities to their own family. Second graders read and discussed a non fiction Monarch Award selection, John Deere, that's who by Tracy Nelson Maurer and we examined real photos of John Deeres' first plow and an 1820's blacksmith shop like Deere's when he created the new plow. Next students chose another picture biography about an invention to read in groups. Students learned and laughed with the Whole Story of the Donut, Balloons Over Broadway, Pop! the Invention of Bubblegum, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Earmuffs for Everyone or Miracle Mud, and then compared the inventor and invention they read about with John Deere and his plow. Third graders are celebrating Illinois' bicentennial with research on what has been Born, Built or Grown in Illinois, contributing to its rich history. Students chose their topic - people who have contributed to Illinois (Born), important buildings or inventions (Built) or beautiful natural sites and agriculture (Grown) to study and then will create individual Google Tours to share their learning. Fourth graders read two Bluestem Award nominees, both literary non fiction, I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark by Debbie Levy and Game Changer: John Mclendon and the Secret Game by John Coy. Students discussed, compared and contrasted the characteristics, goals and methods of Justice Ginsburg and John Mclendon in helping to right wrongs in our country and bring about more equality. Fifth graders study the three branches of government, learning the responsibilities of each branch and the checks and balances on all of them. In LMC, students researched how a law is passed in the Legislative branch, and once they understood the steps, created an infographic to show that process.
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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 |