Category: Reading

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Awesome authors!

There are two new fantastic graphic novels in the library:

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On Sunday night I had the opportunity to listen to the authors, Raina Telgemeier and Kazu Kibuishi, and meet them. It was a fabulous evening and I learned a lot about the creative process. There were so many kids there and they were all excited to meet the authors.

A few things I remember:

  • Raina draws everything in a rough draft before she submits it to her editor.
  • Kazu writes everything down like a script before he draws.
  • “Repetitive practice is the key to sucess.” Kazu
  • “Try not to make decisions based on fear.” Kazu
  • One of Raina’s favourite books as a kid was Calvin and Hobbes.
  • After both author have drawn their comics in ink, they have colourists who add the colour.

Three great things about the night:

  • My daughter got to ask Raina a question in front of the whole audience.
  • I met Raina Tegelmeier and she knows who I am on Twitter.
  • Seeing students and former students at the event.

rainakazu

Can you guess who some of these mystery readers are?

Come see me in the library to check out these new books and more!

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Welcome back!

September News from the Library:

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and read some great books. I know I did! Below are some of the books I read this summer.  They will be available to check out very soon.

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The library program has some exciting opportunities in store for your child this year:
• Our curriculum will be promoting the very best of children’s literature to your child with activities designed to help students enjoy the stories even more.
• We will be doing our very best to get (or keep) your children “hooked on reading” by recommending specific reading materials to each individual.
• At each grade level, students will be learning information literacy skills specifically suited to their developmental needs.
• The iPads will continue to be used for learning and exciting new projects!  We now have 24 iPads for students to use.
• We have a lot of special events being planned: author visits, DEAR day, book fairs, Literacy Week, the home reading club, and more!
• If you would like to volunteer to help in the library, please let me know. We’d love to have you.

Check out the library blog for more information and updates throughout the year. You can access it from the school website under the library tab or go to: http://goo.gl/PPPXu
Use your smartphone to find us too! (A great app for scanning QR codes is i-nigma)

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Questions? Comments? Please come and see me in the library. I’m looking forward to an exciting year!

Mrs. Araujo
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Dr. Seuss I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

 

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I read because it’s beautiful

One of the sessions I attended at the IRA (International Reading Association) Conference a couple of weeks ago was called “The Art of Teaching Reading”.  It was presented by Tim Rasinksi, a professor of literacy education at Kent State University.  He shared the importance of ensuring our students enjoy reading through song, poetry and more.

One of the poems he shared reminded me that I “read because it’s beautiful”.

Read It Because It’s Beautiful
by Karen Morrow Durica

Somehow a life without poetry seems…
Dismal
Empty
Flat—
Not much.

So each day in my classroom I read…
Sonnets
Haikus
Free verse—
And such.

An observer sat in my room one day…
Noted poem’s title
Evaluated delivery
Recorded “lesson” sequence—
Said dryly: “It seems

There’s no connection curricular-wise…
No anticipatory set
No vocabulary drill
No comprehension query—
Do they know what it means?”

I could have contrived a defense or two, but…
Spirits flowed with peaceful joy
Honesty prevailed
Simple truth explained—
“I read it because it’s beautiful,” I said.

She didn’t quite frown but recalled all the same, “We’ve…
Standards to meet
Timelines to keep
Pages to cover—
Important content to be read.”

I looked from her to my students’ gaze; they…
Had relished the words
Danced with the rhythm
Mused with the meaning—
Were richer in spirit than when we began.

I read it because it was beautiful. And beauty is…
Never superfluous
Never irrelevant
Always needed—
Always in my “lesson” plan.

I would love to hear your responses to this poem.  Why do you read?

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IRA Conference 2014

Hello everyone!  I am in New Orleans at the International Reading Conference.  Today I’m learning a lot about meaningfully integrating technology into teaching and learning.  There has also been a lot of information on inquiry as well.

A couple of quotes from the day:

“Collaboration leads to friendly controversy” Amber White

“What brings meaning to reading? How can technology enrich that meaning both online and off?” Larissa Pahamov

Fun new tech tools I want to try:

Vocaroo

Kaizena (Google drive add on)

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Got caught in a rainstorm on the way back from dinner. Very funny!

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Reading Buddies at BPL this summer

Reading Buddies at McGill and Metrotown Libraries this summer!

Would you like your child to have more reading practice this summer? Will your child be in grade 2, 3 or 4 this September?
This summer, Burnaby Public Library will be running two five-week long Reading Buddies programs. For more information, contact the Bob Prittie Metrotown Branch (604-436-5420) or the McGill Branch (604-299-8955). Or visit us online at www.bpl.bc.ca/kids. Registration begins May 30th.

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Happy Easter and Happy reading!

Hope everyone is having a great long weekend.  Just thinking about my favourite read alouds from last week.

The first one was If not for the cat by Jack Pretlusky.  The clever book of haiku poetry provided many classes with riddles to solve and syllables to clap.

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Next was another hilarious book from Jan Thomas, The Easter Bunny’s Assistant. Skunk’s “exciting” antics made everyone giggle- a lot!

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See everyone on Tuesday when the book fair opens in the library!

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The Reading Club needs you!

On February 19th we reached 100 nights of reading.  On Thursday, February 27th we will recognize all the staff and students who have participated in the Reading Club.  We will give away some great book prizes to some lucky winners, too.

Unfortunately, we are down in our number of participants this term.

One of the many reasons we run the Reading Club is to support families.  We want to help families model the importance of reading by making it an essential part of their day. You can help by reading to your child, listening to your child read, or reading yourself while your child is reading.  Make this an enjoyable time of day and let your child choose their own reading materials as much as possible.

Pick up the forms anytime from the library.  It’s never too late to join!

We will reach 200 nights on April 10th.  Everyone who completes 250 nights of reading will be able to place their name in a book in the library.

[gview file=”http://blogs.sd41.bc.ca/southslope-library/files/2014/02/20-minutes-1.pdf”]

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Journey wins Caldecott Honor!

During literacy week we all read the book Journey by Aaron Becker. It is an stunningly beautiful wordless picture book that celebrates the imagination.  This week it was announced that Journey had been awarded the prestigious Caldecott Honor.  Congratulations, Mr. Becker!

Watch the video below to learn how the book was made:

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Reading Opens Doors!

Last week we celebrated Literacy in a big way at South Slope/BCSD.

It all started with our Celebration of100 Learning assembly on Monday, Jan. 21st. First, we recognized all the staff and students who completed 100 nights of reading in our reading club.

Next, we were treated to three special Readers’ Theatre performances.  BCSD students performed Red Dragon, Red Dragon based on Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Leadership students performed a very funny pindexlay called, Claynocchio.  And finally, South Slope staff was very cool in their shades while they performed, Pete the Cat and his Magic Sunglasses.

On Tuesday everyone was invited to dress up as their favourite character from a book.  Can you guess who these staff and students are?

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All week the school participated in Drop Everything and Read times every day.

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On Wednesday, we had special guest readers for every classroom from the Burnaby School district and the community.

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Every classroom all read the book, Journey by Aaron Becker.  Journey is a wordless picture book that invites readers to use their imagination and embark on incredible adventures.  Many classes have displayed their responses in the hallways.

journey

 

 

 

reading Jan 2014

 

Our theme this week was Reading Opens Doors.  What doors has reading opened for you?  Do you have a favourite book that changed you or took you on an incredible adventure?  I’d love to read your responses here or come and talk to me in the library.

 

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Red Cedar and YRCA titles released!

This year the students in Grades 4-7 have some great titles to choose from for the Red Cedar and YRCA (Young Readers’ Choice Awards).

Nominees for the YRCA Junior Division grades 4-6:
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Nominess for the YRCA Intermediate Division grades 7-9:
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Red Cedar Non Fiction and Fiction Nominees:

[gview file=”http://blogs.sd41.bc.ca/southslope-library/files/2013/12/Red_Cedar_2013.pdf”]

For more information about Red Cedar click here and for more information about YRCA click here.