Battle of the Books

Every year my students participate in Battle of the Books.  As a member of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, I have access to a list of age appropriate books and questions written great local SLMS.  The students get excited each year as do the teachers, and of course I do.   This year I had a fourth graders walk into the library and say, "Battle is my life!'

Battle of the Books last about 4 1/2 to 5 months.  Students work in teams to read 15 books.  Here, I require each student to read at least 5 books to be apart of the Battle.  After reading a book, a student must complete a memory jogger.  Each memory jogger requires the students to identify the title, author, characters, setting, problem, resolution, and beginning, middle, and end.  Memory joggers must then be checked and signed by their teacher.

Memory Jogger

After the 4 1/2 or so months, we BATTLE.  Teams compete in 10 rounds to answer questions about the books.  Each questions starts with "In which book..." and all answers are in the format of the title of the book and author.  Teams have 30 seconds respond and if they respond correctly they get 5 points for knowing the title of the books and a bonus 3 points if they know the author. If the team does not know the answer the question dies, there is no stealing, so I always encourage teams to guess no matter what.

Class teams compete against each and then we have a grade level battle.  As a small district we do not have other schools to compete against, but we are lucky enough to have 2 districts nearby that also participate in Battle of the Books.  Our winning teams come together and we have a Regional Battle of the Books. The students always become quite competitive against other towns.

To start things off I usually pick a theme to get the students excited.  Two years ago it was jousting, last year it was Battleship, and this year I chose Angry Birds.  I introduce or remind students what Battle of the Books is and how it plays out.

Introduction PowerPoint

With each title I read a short excerpt or show them a book trailer I find on TeacherTube, Youtube, or www.booktrailersforreaders.com.  No surprising the books that have trailers the students are always the most excited to read.

The third graders really enjoyed the Book Trailers, I think I'm going to have them make some next project.

Family Reading Night

(Better late than never)
Back on November14th , yes THREE months ago, my school held Family Reading Night.  Students and their families return to school for 2 hours of fun!
Each family was separated into one of four color coded groups and provided a schedule.  Each family attended the following events:

Meet the author:

This year we had author Wendy Pfeffer come speak with the families.  Ms. Pfeffer is the award winning author of over 48 children's books.  When looking for authors, I asked Wendy Pfeffer to come to help inspire students to read more non-fiction, Common Core related books. In Kindergarten the students all read "Sounds All Around" and "From Seed to Pumpkin" during their curriculum.  This year, second grade added her beautiful book, "Life In the Coral Reef" to their curriculum after learning about her visit.

Her visit was full of stories about how she writes, specific stories about her inspiration, and so much more.  Wendy Pfeffer was homely and listening to her speak was like listening to a family member tell a story that you are personally connected too.  Parents and students both loved hearing her speak and many had books signed at the end.  She hand wrote little notes to each child.  It was very nice of her.

Family Reading:

During the night, parents and students stop in the library to read together.  This is a great opportunity for students to show their parents our beautiful library and read their favorite books.  As a "reward" for coming, families are able to check out an additional library book beyond their usual circulation allowance.

Music and Storytelling:
One stop is in the music room.  This year our music teacher stayed and sang songs with the students and their families.  It is fun to go down to the music room and see the students excited to sing along with students of different grade levels.  This year the students sang and looked at pictures for an eye-spy interactive adventure.

Art Room:
Every year our art teacher develops an art project that relates to the visiting authors books.  Students love to stop in the art room and go home with something they created that night.

Thank You Doug Johnson at The Blue Skunk Blog

http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2013/12/12/72-of-librarians-seen-as-tech-leader-not-enough.html

Doug started his post today with the following I infrographic: 

http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/12/k-12/steal-infographic/

He continued to promote librarians as tech leaders. This is what I do everyday, or hope to do everyday.  

Doug asks why every librarian is not a tech leader and I don't have an answer. I am thankful that my School Library Media Specialist graduate program was really an Educational Technology program with library classes intertwined.  I chose my program for this reason. There were other options out there though that did not offer as many tech classes. My feeling is that they either haven't recognized the change that came OR more likely, they haven't taken the time to revamp their programs. 

The BIG problem is, administration programs do not include training on how to handle libraries and librarians. I am not sure how much technology is included in administrative and supervisor courses. Doug writes "On seeing a new box that plugs in, rather than asking “How fast is the processor?” or “How big is the hard drive?”, a librarian tends to ask “What is it good for?” Good librarians are neither technophiles nor technophobes. The librarian considers and teaches not just how to use technology, but why and under what circumstances it should be used."  As an teacher/SLMS I find principals, superintendents, and CFOs, view the technology requirements, the cost, and immediate needs unlike the librarian. They look to the IT department first and the librarian second or third if at all. 

So what do we do?

We change the training. We revamp the courses for librarians, principals, superintendents and other administrators. We hire technology coaches or technology instructors to assist the librarians. The future is here! We all need to be a part of it, not just 72% of us. 

School Violence Awareness Week in NJ

It is School Violence Awareness Week in New Jersey this week.  My elementary school is focusing on Peacemakers instead of school violence which is perfectly age appropriate.  The students and staff are dressing up all week long to show unity. 

Today, Monday, we are wearing team jerseys to "Team Up Against Bullying" (I am wearing Ravens)

Tuesday, is blue for "True Blue Tuesday"

Wednesday is "Peacemaker Pink Day"

Thursday, Be a Peacemaker – Wear white today

And Friday, I’m a “jean-ious.” I stand up for a friend against 

bullying. Everyone will wear jeans.

During the week each classroom votes on a peacemaker; a student in their classroom they feel has the personality and qualities of a peacemaker and they make these great outlines of these the child to hang in the hall (photo to follow)

In the Media Center, I'm almost always mid-project and do not become a part of these themed week except to dress up.  But this year, I am not mid project with THREE grades! I was so excited I must have started to plan about 4 or 5 lessons but ended loving one and plan to do it with Kindergarten, First, and Second Graders. 

First we will read parts of People by Peter Spier. After the students will compare and contrast their me and their teacher.  They will start with what they see and already know about us and then we will share some of our favorite foods, colors, and sports. We will focus on things that make us different and point out that we still get along and teach together nicely every week.

Students will then pair up and compare themselves to their partners. After I will use some of All Things Apple in 2nd's inference pictures.  The students will color in the character to look like them and then draw 3-4 things around it that make them special.

My example is digital but the students are going to do draw theirs with crayons and color pencils.

Award Winning Books

First and second graders are learning about books that have won awards.  At their age we are focusing on Caldecotts and Theodore Giesel Award winning books.

First we defined what it takes to win a Caldecott.  Students learned a new word, distinguished. I read "Kitten's First Full Moon" by Kevin Henkes aloud and we watched "Interrupting Chicken" by David Exra Stein on youtube. We took closer looks at the illustrations of "Extra Yarn" illustrated by Jon Klassen, "A Ball For Daisy" by Chris Raschka, and "A Sick Day For Amos McGee" illustratd by Erin L. Stead. (Take a look at the Amazon widget at the bottom for all the books I highlighted)

After the students looked at the illustrations of 40+ Caldecott Award and Caldecott Honor books.  In the second grade students were split into two teams and first had to put 20 of the Caldecott book in proper order based on their call number.  After looking through all the books, they chose their favorite and tried to mimic the illustrators style of drawing.  These came out amazing!

Download the worksheet here

The following week we looked at books that won the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award and Honor.  Unlike the Caldecott, we focused on the words and the pictures.

We read "I Want My Hat Back" by Jon Klassen and "Are You Ready To Play Outside" by Mo Willems.  We took a look at "Bink and Gollie", "Ling and Ting:Not Exactly the Same",  "Mercy Watson, Goes For A Ride", "Hi Fly Guy",  and "Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas".  

Students picked a single sentence to type into Tux Paint and draw a matching picture.  While our typing skills are not strong, it was important for students to understand the words are as important as the pictures when it comes to wining to be awarded a Theodor Seuss Geisel Award.

DOT Day and MORE

Last week I celebrated Dot Day with the Kindergartners.  We started out reading and discussing"The Dot" by Peter H. Reynolds.


After We discussed what the words 'dot' and 'day' meant.  The students looked at a Google Map and we talked about what the word 'international' meant.  Some students shared stories about themselves or families traveling to some of the countries I pointed out.

This was only my second week with the students and their first time taking a book home, so I created a quick worksheet for them to create their very own dots and take home.  They absolutely LOVED creating their own dots and asked to create more.

To learn more about Dot Day go here: http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/

First grade:

First grade read the story "Miss Brooks Loves Books: (and I Don't)" by Barbara Bottner.  If you have never read this book, you are missing something.  The librarian loves books and does many things such as dress up for reading time to let the kids know about her love for books.  When she asks the kids to choose a book they love and dress up for the class during Book Week, the main character and narrator cannot find a book she loves, she hates all books.  Then, she finds Shrek. 

Second grade:

Each year I start second grade out with "coloring the library". The students enjoy the activity.  They get a map and we color it section by section.  It takes at least two classes to describe the books in each section and color the map.  We end with the Reference Section and use a dictionary to define the word "variety".  We discuss the definition and how it applies to the library.  Once complete, students are required to select a variety of books when they are choosing books to take home.  While I hate to limit what they can and cannot take home, I like students to be introduced to different kinds of books and the library is the best place. 

We also break and read  "Stella Louella's Runaway Book" by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Third and Fourth Graders  continued their QR hunt.

**My post is 9 hours later than planned thanks to these guys**

Back to School and QR Codes

While I do not head back to school until after Labor Day, I know many teachers around the country have started heading back this week.  Each year I wonder how to start the school year.

Being in the computer lab and the library my students have me each and every year.  The rules and procedures stay pretty much the same.  My problem is clear, how do I go over the rules and procedures with students who have now had me or two, three, for four years already and keep both of us interested.  In past years I have tried using a video.   The video was interesting to the students but I found myself wanting to stop it and expanding on what I already said in the video.  In younger grades I tried a PowerPoint game but the game took longer than expected and students were fixated on the score and not the content.

The last two years I had third graders create signs to hang around the library and act out parts of the rules and procedures.  The skits were adorable and humorous. While that seems to be the best method for that age, months later, each group only remembered their assigned rule or procedure.

Last year I tried QR codes with the fourth graders.  Using http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ I created QR codes and spread them around the computer lab and library.  In groups students used iPads and the app Scan to scan and read the rules and procedures. They wrote the rules on a worksheet that told them the locations of all the codes. The students learned what a QR code was and were encouraged to bring them in when they found them.  Students mostly brought in ads but I did get a Heinz Ketchup bottle and a Taco Bell wrapper. FUN.

This year I've learned.  Students will have a worksheet with questions like the one below.  (Theirs will not have the answers.)  Instead of just seeing the location of the code they have a question to answer. Instead of Kaywa, I used http://qrphoria.com/ to create my QR codes.  QRPhoria is an amazing site with a lot of options for customizing QR codes though it is still SIMPLE to use.  With technology, I often feel that is the key.  Keep it simple but make it look amazing.

First you choose the context you want to show once the QR code is scanned.

Next add the information. It may be text, contact information, a url, etc.

Then you get to choose a style.  There is the traditional QR code if that is what you want, but you can get more creative and have scribbles, tile work, or one of the 13 other styles. Here you pick colors too. 

::It is here I usually have my iPad or iPhone and I scan to make sure the QR code colors and style work easily for my students before moving on::

If you are not sure, QRPhoria will give you some ideas, so do not worry.

If you are trying to keep it simple skip down to save.

 The next step, encoding is for redundant data.  As the creator you must decide how much redundant data you want in your code. The lowest is L, which allows the code to be read even if 7% of it is unreadable. Then M at 15% and so on.

 If you have a certain look for your code you can draw and erase but I warn you, be careful!

Last SAVE! The size depends on how big you plan to make it.  I always save big, just in case.

As with last year I will use QR codes again for teaching the Dewey Decimal system and I hope to come up with more ideas throughout the year.

If my students were older they would have their own cell phones or iPads and I would put QR codes on the books leading to book trailers, author's websites, lists of new books to our library, and so much more.

What are kids reading?

One of my favorite parts of being in the library is book report time. It is not because I like to see students being tortured but because I get to push students into reading some of the best books in the library, books they would not normally take out.  For example, in May when the fourth graders were selecting books for their fantasy books reports one of best readers came to me with the book that had a brightly colored paperback cover and an author I've never heard of. While I love reading new things there are so many great fantasy books for her. After sitting with her for less than 5 minutes she could not decide between "James and the Giant Peach", "The Borrowers", and "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh". 

While I touch many students each school year this way, I always wonder what they reading. Hey my motto is "as long as you're reading". While I don't like them to take out 2 World Record, Lego, Captain Underpants, or similar books at a time, they know I just want them reading. 

This week a read a related blog post on NPR's Monkey See blog, "What Kids Are Reading, In School And Out". The article was easily relatable even with its issues. Are we as teachers hindering the students by allowing them to read whatever they want. No! 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2013/06/11/190669029/what-kids-are-reading-in-school-and-out

First, accelerated reader is not the best source. While my district doesn't use it, yet, I can't imagine it being an accurate representation of a students comprehension level. If/when we do adopt AR, I will not level my library in fear of students coming in looking for leveled books instead of "good" books. "The Hunger Games" on a fifth grade level?! Maybe for vocabulary, sentence length, etc., but what about content. Clearly AR doesn't factor that in. 

The article should have focused on the fact that students aren't reading outside of school! If I can student interested in reading and its at a book below their level I'm encouraging them to take it out. Every year I do a battle of the books with second graders using advanced picture books and I read Chris Van Allsburg's "Just A Dream" to third graders to remind the students that picture books are for all ages! Just keep reading I tell them!

As teachers it is our responsibility to introduce students to the classics books and help them decipher, understand, and relate. If schools really have stopped assigning these books then the article does make a good point. Maybe I'm being naive or maybe I'm just optimistic but I find it hard to believe a student can go through a public school system without reading Shakespeare and the classics.  

One of my summer reading books is "the Book Whisperer" by Donalyn Miller. (My summer reading list will be a different post.) I'm sure ill have a lost more to say after I read the book but my summer just started today. 

Welcome, the first week in the library

It is September and I am happy to be back.  My first lessons with the students are the ones I hate the most.  These lessons are going over the rules and reminding students of the routines.  It is hard to keep the students interested yet the information is important.

Last year I showed a video:

This year:

Fourth graders used the iPads to scan QR codes and write down rules and routines.  I used Kaywa to create the codes and hung them all around the library.  Students kept track on a chart to make sure they scanned each code. The students had so much fun and we were able to learn about new technology.  The following week students brought QR codes from all over the place.  One student took a ketchup bottle fro a restaurant to show the code.  I cannot wait to use QR codes again.

Third graders brainstormed the rules and routines with me.  They were then assigned a rule and created posters to hang around the library and computer lab.  Students were excited that their posters were going to be the poster rules this year.

Second graders I read "Stella Louella's Runaway Book" by Lisa Campbell Ernst. This is not a book I've read before but the students LOVED it. Classes were able to identify the stress and sadness that Stella the main character felt when she couldn't find her book.  Every students came up with a spot in their house to put their library books.

We read it over two sessions because we also color coded our library with the different sections as an introduction to the year.

The first graders came in and I read "Its A Book" by Jane Smith.  This is the first year they are having library and computers together so the book is extremely appropriate.  After, they completed a worksheet game called "No, No, Never, Never and Yes". You can download it here. Every students came up with a spot in their house to put their library books that was not near food, younger siblings, or going to get mixed in with their own books. 


To the Kindergarteners I read the story "Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing" by Judi Barrett.  After I showed the PowerPoint below about animals not borrowing books. Download the PowerPoint here