Cedar Mountain Library

From October 31, 2011 through December 2, 2011, the students at Cedar Mountain School have had a chance to participate in the Mind Traveler's Library Fund Reading Incentive.  Students were required to read five books during that five-week period.  After they read the books, the parents signs off on a sheet to verify participation.  When all five books have been completed, the students return the completed form to Mrs. Andersen for final verification.  This year thirty-six students in grades 2 through 4 participated in the program.  They will receive a certificate for completing the program.  A random drawing will be held to select one second, one third, and one fourth grader who will be honored at the Board of Education Meeting in January as the Mind Traveler for their particular grade level.  Thanks to all who participated in the program.

Students in my second grade Book Club from Mrs. Merck and Miss Lethbridge's classes have just finished reading Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid.  As a follow up project, the students are designing their own comic books similar to the ones in the book.  The students enjoyed reading about Stink (AKA James Moody) and his sister Judy.  I hope they take out other books written by Megan McDonald from our library and read about the further adventures of Stink.

So far this year, we have 10 Book Clubs running simultaneously.  The books being utilized for second grade are Midnight on the Moon, and Muggie Maggie for Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Caporoso's classes, Muggie Maggie and Stink the Incredible Shrinking Kid for Mrs. Merck and Miss Lethbridge's classes, and Twister on Tuesday and Frindle for Mrs Baumgarten and Mrs. Lesch's classes.  The students have been enjoying these books.  Third grade class books to date have included The Lucky Lizard, Aliens for Breakfast, Spider Kane and the Mystery Under the May-Apple,  Henry and the Paper Route, and Henry and Ribsy. Fourt grade selections have beenMcGrowl It's a Dog's Life, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and A Year Down Yonder.  One group was introduced to The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane in its original book format.  After the first Book Club session, I swapped their books for Kindles so that the group could experience reading the book on an advanced form of technology.  This group has been reading far beyond the required assignment as they are truly loving the useage of the Kindle.  More students will be in the  Book Clubs when this session of selections is complete.  We will keep you updated on the books being read and students will be able to include their comments regarding the book selections and the use of the Kindles.  Since I only have 6 Kindles in the Library, only one group can use them at a time.

This year library lessons will be taught for 30 minutes every other week alternating with computer instruction.  Library will be on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of A week.  The rest of that week and the following week (B week), I will have Book Clubs, student research time, and be doing instruction in individual classrooms.  I look forward to working with all of the students in the building throughout the year.

This year we will be running a Book Club as part of our Schoolwide Enrichment Program.  I will be conducting Book Clubs on the second, third, and fourth grade level.  The participants will vary during the course of the year.  As a book club finishes up with a selection, a new club will form with other students from the respective classes joining in.  In this manner, many students from the class of varying reading and writing abilities will be able to join a book club during the course of the year.  Students will be submitting book reviews on this podcast and request that others read the reviews and comment on them.

The students in the Sock Monkey Reading Club have been busy all year working on many stories.  We have many books in progress (BIPs) as well as books already printed (BAPs).  We are completing a project with  studentpublishing.com in which the students are typing and illustrating one of their stories online.  When the project is completed, their stories will be printed, bound, and sent to them at our school.  We look forward to seeing the final products of their hard work for the year.  This group of students is outstanding.  Instead of playing during indoor recess times, they either work independently or as small groups creating their many Sock Monkey adventure books.  Many of the students have brought in their own Sock Monkeys on Fridays to share with the class.  One Sock Monkey in particular needs her own seat of the bus, as she is almost four feet tall.  I would love to have a Sock Monkey that big in my collection.

During the week of April 26 to April 30, the students at Cedar Mountain School will have a chance to purchase books at the Scholastic Buy One Get One Free Book Fair in the Library.  Students will be able to purchase books, crafts, science kits, and school supplies at 50% off the regular prices.  This is a great opportunity for students to purchase requested titles for their upcoming Summer Reading.  Parents are allowed to come to view and purchase materials as well.  The Book Fair will be open on Monday throuth Thursday from 9:15 to 11:15 AM and 1:20 to 3:30PM.  On Friday, the Fais is open from 9:15 to 11:15AM and 1:20 to 3:00PM.  Procedes from the Fair are in the form of vouchers from Scholastic that I will use to purchase more materials for the library and the school.

The students in Sock Monkey Reading Club (SMRC as we refer to it) have been very busy creating many books.  We have BIPS (Books in Progress) and BAPS (Books Already Printed) flying all over the room.  Students have been trained in how to assemble the book pieces.  Instead of indoor recess, the students choose to work on their books.  We are in the process of having some professionally printed.  Other stories will be shared here on our site for you to read and comment on.  We certainly are getting into the holiday mode with many seasonal stories being created.  Several children have their own personal Sock Monkeys and they enjoy dressing them up and bringing them to class for our Friday afternoons.  We had a "life or death" situation today when Erik's Sock Monkey was attacked on the school bus today and one of his nostril threads became unattached from the face.  I was able to repair him and saved Erik from a disaster.  We certainly hope you enjoy our stories.

Our Scholastic Book Fair will be held from November 9 through November 29, 2009.  Students will have the week of November 9 through 13 to preview the books available and make a Wish List.  Parents are encouraged to review the list and may also come in to review the books the children have selected.  During the week of November 16 through 20, 2009 the students will visit the Library with their homeroom and may make any book purchases at that time.  Parents will be visiting the school that same week for Parent Visitation and Conferences.  Special visitors are welcome to shadow their child in school on Wednesday.  Parents, grandparents, and friends are invited to visit the Cedar Mountain Library during this week to see the selection of books available at the Book Fair.  I have included a link that will take you to the Cedar Mountain Book Fair Home Page where you can see specific times and events for the fair as well as link to preview some of the highlighted feature books.  Thank you for your continued support of our Book Fair.  The link is http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/cmlibrary

Now that a new school year has started, I will be working with Mrs. Merck's class again with our Sock Monkey Reading Club.  Students from last year's class are still writing books about Sock Monkey adventures.  Parental feedback has been very positive.  Everywhere I walk through the building carrying a Sock Monkey or my specially made SM carry bag, students stop to talk about the SMRC.  For those of you who don't know what SMRC is, it stands for Sock Monkey Reading Club.  Already several students in Mrs. Merck's class have started and finished writing books.  One is about a SM that has to overcome bullying and teasing in her school.  The other one is about a SM who has diabetes and what is involved in keeping healthy.  Two Sock Monkeys from students' homes came to visit our class today.  I also brought along the original Sock Monkey, named Mumphy, and his sister, Mumphette, to share with the class.  The original one is about twenty-two years old and has already been remade once.  Mumphette is still in very good shape.  We read the story Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie today by Cece Bell.  The students' creative minds are starting to turn in the direction of creative writing and we have only been in school for three weeks.  I will keep all of you updated on our progress throughout the year.

Mrs. Merck’s second grade class will be posting their comments, feelings, and reactions to our Sock Monkey Reading Club.

I think Sock Monkey Reading Club is fun because you get to make Sock Monkey.  You get to read with them. You get to take them home. You get to take them wherever you what. You get to make them with instructions.

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Sock monkey club is AWESOME! I’m making a Sock Monkey story. It’s about a Sock Monkey who wants to be a ballerina. I have my own sock monkey and her name is Samantha. Have FUN with your Sock Monkey!

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I think Sock Monkey   Reading Club is awesome!!!  This club is great because we can do all different kinds of things like writing sock monkey stories and playing with sock monkeys. We can also take our sock monkeys home. When we are reading and writing we can take them to our seat .!!!!!!!!!!! Everybody in my class has a great time with sock monkeys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I think Sock Monkey club is awesome!!!  This club is great because I make Sock Monkey books. I also made a Sock Monkey.

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I think  Sock Monkey  reading  club  is amazing  because  it  is  so  much fun.  Plus  we  even  got  to  make  one  of  our  own.  It is  easy  to  make  and  we  even  make  books.  I hope  you  make  a   reading   buddy  too. 

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I never knew about Sock Monkeys before I moved here.  Now I do.  I have 1 now.      

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I LOVE Sock Monkey Club! J I made about 10 mini books.  I also have 2 Sock Monkeys named Eddie and Frank. Eddie stars in many books.   P. S. I never knew there was such a thing as Sock Monkeys before.

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Sock Monkey Reading Club is wonderful.  We are making a   book about Sock Monkeys in class. I liked making a sock monkey.

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