Category: Online Resources

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So much to be thankful for…

It’s hard to believe it’s Thanksgiving already.  I’m especially thankful that the library, with new safety protocols in place, is now open!  Students are visiting the library with their class once a week for story times, book exchanges and more.  Here is the current book exchange schedule:

Monday: Div 1, 2, 6

Tuesday: Div 3, 4, 5, 9

Wednesday: Div 13- 19

Thursday: Div. 7, 8, 20

During our storytimes we completed Peter Reynolds “creatrilogy” as we read “Ish” and “Sky Color”.  Classes also completed their response to our school wide read of “The Dot” with art and have created a gallery the whole school can enjoy.

Check our our gallery:

We also recognized Orange Shirt Day school wide with Project Heart and in the library:

 

Intermediate students have been learning how to use our Library Catalogue to find books and more.  There are Web Resources that students can access for school research or personal interest projects.  Students have also learned how to place books on hold and soon we will be adding student book reviews to the catalogue database.

As we begin the fall season, students have enjoyed one of my favourite books, “The Little Yellow Leaf“ by Carin Berger.  There are beautiful paper collage illustrations throughout this wonderful book about fall and finding courage with the help of a friend.

 

For Thanskgiving, some classes read “Bear says Thanks” by Karma Wilson.  Students responded by sharing many things they are thankful for including family, friends, food, books and being at school.  During these pandemic times it can often be difficult to feel thankful, but the students reminded me of all the many things we can still be thankful for.  For me, having students in the library again and helping them finding the books they want has made me very thankful.  Their joy, curiousity and enthusiasm fill me up.

I wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving!

Mrs. Araujo

 

 

 

 

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Welcome back! (sort of)

Hello everyone! I hope you and your family are well and managed to enjoy your Spring Break during these strange times.  Like many of you our family has been trying to find ways to be positive by staying active, staying connected and finding activities we can do at home.  I have been trying to stay informed, but not be overwhelmed.  It has been a challenge.  There is A LOT of information out there and it is important than ever to get your news from reliable and credible sources. (Image by Dariusz Sankowski from Pixabay)

One activity that I am always promoting is, of course, reading.  I am sad that the library will not be open tomorrow and I will miss the opportunity to lend you some new books.  If you have lots of books at home, please read and reread.  If you’re looking for something new, here are a few resources you might want to try.

  • Tumblebooks-  a resource from Scholastic that our school district funds and many students are familiar with.  Click on the link on the top right hand side of the blog.
  • WEB RESOURCES- reliable resources to support inquiry of a variety of topics.  Includes World Book, KnowBC, National Geographic and more. Click on the link at the top right on the blog or directly from the school website.  If you need a password, please contact me.  jennifer.araujo@burnabyschools.ca
  • Your Public Library also has many great, free resources. Please read the message below from the Burnaby Public Library

Hey Burnaby: don’t have a library card? Our branches are closed, but you can now call us at 604-436-5400 and get one for free!

Use it to stay home and keep reading with our expanding e-book and audiobook collections in Library to Go or on the Libby app. Browse and borrow from thousands of titles for kids, teens and adults, fiction and non-fiction.

Or use your library card to access online resources so you can stay on top of the news, learn a new language, develop new skills, listen to music, watch independent films, and more.

During our closure, you can sign up a new library card over the phone, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm.

 

 

 

Scholastic is also offering many resources for free during this time.  Free digital subscriptions are available here and they also have a Learn at home page with lots of great resources and ideas.

Epic Books is yet another resource for reading online.  You can sign up for free for 30 days and/or contact your child’s teacher to see if they have an account.

Also during the week of March 30, you will find details on our district website (www.burnabyschools.ca) about access to our newly created Continuing Learning Website. It contains self-directed activities for students at home.
You will receive additional information with links to access our new learning website this coming week.

Please also visit the Ministry of Education’s new website, Keep Learning, for suggestions for parents and caregivers to keep their children learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Stay tuned to the Library Blog for more information and more resources in the days ahead.  I look forward to supporting you as we all navigate these challenging times.

Jennifer 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

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Martin Luther King Day

On Monday, January 16th it was Martin Luther King Day.  Although this is celebrated in the US, it is also significant to Canadians and Canadian history.

Division 3 and 4 have been learning about the biography genre.  One of the biographies introduced last week was Martin Luther King Jr.  However, most students were unfamiliar with him and his accomplishments.

Today Division 3 heard Martin’s Big Words in the library.  It is a picture book biography that gives important background information to the civil rights movement and Dr. King. 

Click for more information on this title

We also looked at The King Center site and watched a clip of Dr. King’s famous “I have a dream” speech.  Click here to see the teachertube version.

Other great books related to this subject:

Click for more information on this titleClick for more information on this title

Come and see Mrs. Araujo in the library if you would like to check out these books on Martin Luther King Jr. or any other biographies.

 

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Reading online with Tumblebooks

Last week Division 8 came into the computer lab for their library storytime.  We listened and watched the very funny Let’s do Nothing by Tony Fucile on Tumblebooks.

Tumblebooks is an online resource that students can use to listen and watch great books online.  There are many books to choose from including Robert Munsch titles read by Robert Munsch! Click here to visit BPL’s page, Hear a Story, and explore Tumblebooks and other fantastic online reading resources.

Want to know how to access these great books from our library home page?  Check with students in Ms. Cole’s class or come and see Mrs. Araujo in the library.

Happy Reading!

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Searching the Web

Divisions 1 and 2 have been learning how to search for information online using a variety of sources.

We have looked at World Book Online.  A great reference that is available through our school district.  All students should have the password in their planners.  Please see Mrs. Araujo in the library if you need the password.

Webpath Express, available through Burnaby South’s library catalogue, is another way to search for sources of information.  It is available on the Library Home Page under Online Resources. Use Webpath Express in your research to find variety of sites that include site summaries and reading grade levels.

Need help finding what you’re looking for on the Internet?  Are you getting too many results?  Learn about Boolean searches using these sites:

Learn to Boolify

The Boolean Machine

How do you know whether a web site is reliable?  Use this checklist to help you:

Critical Evaluation of a Web site by Kathy Schrock

Any questions Division 1 and 2 students?  Please post them here or come and see me in the library.

 

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Welcome back!

Welcome back!  I hope you all had a relaxing summer and read some great books.

This year the library will be open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Please come and see Mrs. Araujo in the library if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.

 LIBRARY HOURS:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday:        8:45 am-3:15 pm

Lunch: 11:50am – 12:15pm  (Wednesday, Thursday only)

Borrowing Policies:               4 books for up to 2 weeks

1 video/dvd (2 video/dvds BCSD students) for 1 week

1 magazine for 3 days

Book Exchanges:                   Our schedule is under construction.

 Intermediate students are encouraged to use the library more independently for book exchange and may exchange their books before and after school, at lunch and during scheduled open book exchanges.

 The Scholastic Book Fair may be postponed this year.  Come and see Mrs. Araujo if you have any questions or check the Library Blog for updates

Monday, October 24th is Drop Everything and READ Day

Stay tuned for more details!

 

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Summer Reading and more

This afternooon South Slope/BCSD library will host our “Summer Adventures” storytime in the library after school at 3:15.  Students and caregivers will have a snack as they listen to stories read by some of our teachers.

Looking for some suggestions for summer reading…                                             

Check out the following:

Burnaby Public Library Book Lists grades 1 to 3

Burnaby Public Library Book Lists grades 4 to 7

100 Best Canadian Books for Children

OCEE Elementary School Summer Reading Lists

Want to try some online reading on your home computer, tablet or ipod?

International Children’s Digital Library

Storyline Online

Tumblebooks and BookFlix are also great online reading resources available through the BPL databases.

For more information about ebooks and online reading check out this article from School Library Journal:

Are Ebooks Any Good? Do digital books help young kids learn to read,or are they mostly fun and games?

Any questions?  Please come and see Mrs. Araujo in the library.  I would be happy to help you.

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Where Audio Books are Free

Looking for a good book to listen to this summer?  Check out this article and the links from School Library Journal Online.

By Lauren Barack <!– –>June 7, 2011

By Lauren Barack <!– –>June 7, 2011

Librarians and teachers who believe every audiobook comes with a price tag might want to surf Books Should Be Free, an online source offering a range of free titles that are downloadable in MP3 format.

For educators hoping to engage students this summer with reading projects-the audiobooks can help kids maintain their literacy skills and potentially trigger an interest to follow in a print format as the story is read to them aloud.

With titles culled from the public domain, the collection is understandably heavily steeped in the classics, from L. Frank Baum’s Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz to Cervantes’ Don Quixote and has levels that span the K-12 age group.

The website organizes options by subject matter, offering a large selection of fiction but also choices in history, philosophy, and poetry. There’s even a romance section-but think 19th century sighs rather than Harlequin Romance swoons. Ebooks are also available in more than 20 languages, and most titles can be sampled first before downloading.

Links direct users to quick summaries, as well as the complete text, sourced from Project Gutenberg and Wikipedia. And readers can share their thoughts on the various ebooks, which can be candid. Much of the offerings are recorded and digitized by volunteers, and voices can change mid-reading, which some readers have objected to online.

Still, as a go-to digital resource for affordable summer options, as well as titles to use in classroom reading groups, Books Should Be Free might be worth bookmarking.

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National Film Board of Canada

I am excited to announce we now have an online subscription to the

National Film Board of Canada.  Teachers will be able to show great films in their classrooms to enhance and support the curriculum.  Please go to the link on the Library Homepage under Online Resources or go directly to: http://www.nfb.ca/

I also encourage students and parents to visit the site at home.  Please come and see Mrs. Araujo in the library if you have any questions.

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Earth Day Countdown

April 22nd is Earth Day.   Check out Earthday.ca or Ecokids for great ideas on how to protect our planet.  We also have some great books in the library.  Come and see Mrs. Araujo if you want to check one out and stay tuned for more details about Earth Day events at our school.