AR Kickoff, Goldie Socks, and more!

Things are rockin’ and rollin’ at the library! I’ve had some technical difficulties with my blog for the last several days, but now it’s back up and running. I wasn’t able to write about the happenings in the library lastweek, so here goes…

Last week was the first week for book check out! It was a very busy week with putting our routines and procedures into practice. We have a lot invested in the Accelerated Reader program and it is a priority for our district, so AR was the topic for our lesson last week. All of our students had taken the STAR reading assessment. This year, their “library card” is their AR folder. They bring their folder with them each week when they visit the library. Inside their folder is their barcode sticker and an AR chart wherethey graph their quiz scores. Their ZPD range is highlighted across the top of the page. All of our AR books have color coded stickers on the spine, according to their level. They also have a sticker on the front with all of the book information, exact level number, points, and quiz number.

Teaching the new 2nd graders how to match their levels from their folders to their books was such a challenge last year, so I was really dreading it. I guess I learned a lot along the way last year, because things went MUCH more smoothly. We did some demonstrations, looked at the stickers, and went step by step through the process of looking for books. Our students are allowed to check out two books each week. One has to be an AR book that matches their ZPD level. The other “fun” book can be anything they want. We have AR Enterprise, so we have access to all AR quizzes. I’ve spent a great deal of time focusing our collection on the reading levels and interests of our students, and I’m quite proud of what we have. I can always help a student find an AR book that’s on their level and within their interests. My highest readers are my biggest challenge because they plow through everything I have. Plus it’s not easy finding a 6th grade level book that’s appropriate for a third grader.

All in all, things went VERY smoothly. By the end of the week, my 693 patrons (which includes teachers) had checked out 1349 books! And this week is the fun part, getting them to bring those books back so they can trade them in for new ones.

SO this week in the library, I’m kicking off the Louisiana Young Reader’s Choice program with my third graders. I always talk it up with the fact that in second grade you weren’t old enough to do this, but now that you’re in third grade you get to participate! I introduce all of the books on the list, then we read one of the selections. I always read at least three of the books aloud during library visits throughout the fall so everyone can vote on the REAL voting machines in January.

The book that I’m reading this week is Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Lawson and Mary Netherly, illustrated by Jean Cassels. Click the link to see a great book trailer for this amazing stories. This story could lead into so many conversations on hurricanes (Katrina specifically), pets, friendship…the list goes on. The kiddos I’m working with now were 3 or 4 at the time of Katrina. Similar to 9/11, it’s still so hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that they have no recollection of these events that were horrific and life changing for me. I think every classroom in Louisiana should have a copy of this book in their class library. And even if you aren’t from Louisiana, it’s still an amazing read aloud.

With my second graders I’m reading my FAVORITE fractured fairy tale: Goldie Socks and the Three Libearians by Jackie Mims Hopkins. She’s also the author of the Shelf Elf books, which I to my third graders on week one. I adore Goldie Socks because I get to do my papa bear, mama bear, and baby bear voices. I think I love it more than the kids, and that’s A LOT! Last year, one of my second graders told her mom that she wanted to dress up as Goldie Socks for Halloween. Her mom was confused and thought she meant Goldilocks, and my precious angel had to set her straight! If you have not experienced this book, then you need to! Just for fun, here’s a picture from last year of me dressed up as Goldie Socks.

Amidst the School Climate paper I’ve been writing for my Curriculum class, I have spared a few moments for reading. I committed to reading three books, and I’m almost done with my second. I read My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr (WOW!) and will finish reading Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher tonight. I’m going to talk more about them in an upcoming post in honor of Banned Book Week. Oh, and have I mentioned that the fabulous Story Snoops will be blogging on an interview with me next week, too?!

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