Twice a year, our library is transformed into a Scholastic Book Fair (in conjunction with teacher/parent conferences). Students, teachers, and parents are welcome to visit at any time and peruse the book selection sent to us from Scholastic. Our library can choose to select 50% of our profit in books or 25% in cash. It's a "win-win" situation for everyone!

Audio Books in the Library

Thanks to the Snohomish Education Foundation, our students are now able to check out audio books from the school library. They are available in either CD format or MP3-CD format. The kids are excited about this new form of literature. And, it is our hopes, that this will spur them onto reading other titles in the series while exposing them to multiple types of genres.

Idita-Read

Idita-Read is an on-line reading incentive that follows the Alaskan Iditarod Dog Sled Trail Race (Anchorage to Nome). Three 6th grade classes in my school have been chosen to participate due to their connection with technology in the classroom. For every minute read, an eqivilant mile is posted on-line at "base camp." Students have up to 56 days to complete the trail (1, 311 miles) although the reading race can be shortened to whatever the teacher decides best meets the classroom needs. This is a great reading incentive and much can be learned in the process about Alaskan history and culture.

A big "THANK YOU" to the Snohomish Education Foundation for the $105 grant which allowed our students to participate in this unique reading experience.

Quintura for Kids

Quintura is a cluster search for kids. Students click on a topic within the cloud and a new cloud appears with sub-topics plus you get a list of web sites for your topic. If you click on a sub-topic, then you get sub-sub-topics on your main topic and a shorter list of web sites. It sort of works like Yahooligans. Try it out (P. Mohn, 2010).

Never Judge a Book by its Movie

I have so many kids that say, "I've seen that movie" when they look at a book in the library. I guess the big question is, "But have you read the book?" I don't know about you, but when I read a book and then watch its movie, I am usually disappointed in the movie. I think it's important to read the book before you watch the movie if at all possible. This way you can really enjoy the media as it was originally intended... in it's literary form.

Beach Party Read-In

Next week, our library will be transformed into a "Beach Party Read-In" for all of the kids at our school. I decorate with blow-up palm trees, beach umbrellas, grass skirt trim around the check out counter,etc., and, of course, Beach Boy music.

The students are asked to bring in the following:

1. Enough books to keep them reading for 1/2 hour
2. A beach blanket/towel/beach chair
3. Snacks
4. Where beach attire (school dress code compliant)

We lie on the floor and enjoy the music and literature with each other. It's a great way to celebrate reading and close up the library for the school year.

Listening Center

Our library has been awarded a grant from the Snohomish Education Foundation which enabled us to purchase 2 Califone Performer Plus Listening Centers for the library (1 for library use, 1 for teacher/classroom checkout). Students love to be able to sit and simply listen to stories when they come into the library.

We have found that this is an excellent technological resource that can assist and supplement literacy needs for students with visual impairments, students who are auditory learners, or students with learning disabilities that inhibit their ability to read at grade level and enjoy literature.

According to Dr. Susan B. Neuman of the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading achievement, "Audio books also give [students] an important introduction to listening-- a skill that she must master in order to learn to read" (Neuman, 2008). She goes on to state, "The more they listen, the greater the likelihood that they will learn new vocabulary words" (Neuman, 2008). Listening centers can also create excitement for literature that might otherwise be lost if a reading-challenged student is spending too much time trying to sound out difficult words.