Category: Student Projects

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30 Second Book Talks

Division 2 have been reading up a storm and they’re getting ready to share their love of books with the world.  Students chose books they love and then were asked to write a 30 second book talk script to “sell” their book.  Before they began writing students watched many book talks online and created criteria for their scripts and book talk. Now for the really fun part! Students are now recording their book talks using the Tellagami app.  Today the library, the atrium and the hallways were filled with students recording.

Stay tuned for updates and information on how you can watch and listen. 

Please click the link to read more news about what’s happening in the library. April2017newsletter

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Literacy Week 2015 is here!

Literacy week is back!  Tomorrow is our official start and we have lots of fun events planned throughout the week to celebrate literacy.  Our theme for the week is “What is your quest?” We will be reading Aaron Becker’s amazing wordless picture book, Quest. Last year we read his book, Journey, and we are all excited to find out what happens in this sequel.

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On Monday we have our Celebration of Learning Assembly at 9:30am,  First, we will recognize Reading Club and 100 nights of Reading.  Next, Readers’ Theatre plays will be performed by BCSD students and the Staff of South Slope.

On Wednesday we have invited some very special guest readers and ASL storytellers to visit all the classrooms starting at 1pm.

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On Thursday dress up as your favourite character from a book. Here are some fun costumes from last year.

On Friday come back to the gym at 12:15pm for more Readers’ Theatre performed by our leadership students and Drop Everything and Read.

It’s looks like it’s going to be an amazing week.

What is your Quest?  What does literacy mean to you?  I’d love to read your comments below.

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A busy week in the library!

It has been a busy week in the library!  Here are some of the things we’ve been up to.

Divisions 5,6,7,8 and 17 are well into their Canadian Picture Book of the Year project.  We are reading all five of the books nominated for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book award and then voting for our favourite. So far we have read How To by Julie Morstad, Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend by Ruth Ohi, and this week we read My Name is Blessing by Eric Walters and illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes.

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My Name is Blessing is a powerful story about a boy author, Eric Walters, met while visiting Kenya.  The students were moved by this true story of an orphan with a disability, and shared that, while some parts of the story were very sad, they thought it was beautiful.

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The Kindergarten students have also been reading a Canadian author, Genevieve Cote.  The students have really enjoyed the characters of Pig and Bunny in one of her series.

me and you without you starring me and you

 

 

 

We have written letters to Genevieve Cote and will wait patiently and hopefully for a reply.

Finally, Divisions 5 and 6 are coming to the computer lab to learn some digital literacy skills.  They have learned how to log on, add tools to their desktop, bookmark a website and navigate some online story web sites.  They were hard at work this week listening to stories online on Tumblebooks and had fun at the same time!

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Read any good books lately?

Students in Divisions 4 and 5 have been busy writing book reviews for our online library catalogue called Destiny.  First students read many different reviews and created criteria for a good book review.  Then students chose a book from our library and wrote a review.  Next, they edited it with the help of peers and teachers and finally posted it online.  These reviews are now available to all students and staff in Burnaby on the Destiny catalogue.  The reviews have also been posted in the hallway and in the library.  Here are just a few:

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Have you ever been hungry between meals but there is nothing in the snack cupboard? I know I have! Well, now you can fight back against the urge of hunger with Snack Attack! It gives you over 80 things to snack on after school, on game day or practically anywhere! This book has a truckload of food you and your friends can snack on anytime, anywhere! It goes all the way from cheeseburger dip to Australian meat balls and so on! It even has some amazing desserts you can have after (or before) some of the yummiest dinners ever by your mom! My favourite recipe is probably the cherry chocolate chip cookies. I have tried them and they are delicious!!!! The amazing soft center and crispy edges mixed with the soothing flavour of melted chocolate and then there’s an explosion of flavour when you hit a cherry!! If you like humour, dessert and cheese burger dip, I totally recommend this book to you and only you!!!!

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Do you ever feel like you’ve lived a day over again? Well this is the perfect chapter book for you. This book is by Wendy Mass. It’s a great mystery and realistic fiction book. Amanda and Leo were born on the same day, same hospital and right beside each other. They have always celebrated their birthdays together. On their 11th birthday they don’t celebrate together and that is when they have to live that day over and over again. My favourite part of this book is on the second day when Amanda finds out that she is living her birthday over again. I recommend this book to grades 4-12 and to anyone who likes a bit of humour, action and mystery. Enjoy!

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Have you been involved in a terrible tragedy? Will’s involved in one in this dramatic story by Eric Walters. Will, a grade 9 student, will be spending the day at his father’s workplace, the World Trade Center. Will’s dad works on the 85th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. But a plane hits the North Tower. Will’s Dad tells everyone on the 85th floor to evacuate but Will and his father stay to check to make sure everyone gets out. Then a plane hits the South Tower. Will and his father are above the floors where the plane hit. James (Will’s friend) is worried because his dad is a firefighter and went up to save people, but he hasn’t come back. Does everyone survive? Read it and find out. My favourite part is when Will is scared going up the elevator because Will’s dad told him that the elevator goes really fast. It made me laugh out loud. If you are interested in historical fiction, you will really like this book.

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Writers, writers, everywhere!

Last week Division 10 invited me to their first author’s circle.  Students in Ms. Shuster’s class have been very excited about writing and have been publishing their books using the ipads.  They have also been donating their books to the library and inspired me to create  a new display of student writing.  After seeing the display, many classes have offered to share their writing too.  I can’t wait to see what they’ve written.

Along with student books, we also have some new books in the library that I think will inspire any writer.

This wonderful story by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld is about an exclamation mark struggling to fit in. Read it and learn just how important, and funny, punctuation can be.

Have you ever had writer’s block? Well, then you’ll love Abby Hanlon’s new book about Ralph; a struggling young writer who can’t think of anything to write.  His teacher tells him “stories are everywhere” and Ralph looks for them, even on the floor.  After reading this book to a few classes, I would recommend it to writers and aspiring writers of all ages.

Come check out the student display and these new books now!

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And the winner is…

Just before the winter break, Divisions 5,6,7,8 and 9 voted for the Canadian Picture Book of the year.  (see earlier post Nov. 24th)

And the winner is…Spork! 

This book about a “spork” who is neither “spoonish” nor “forkish” won the hearts and minds of most of the students.

“I chose this book because the book tells you you should like yourself who ever you are.”   Vanessa Div. 6

“I like the story and drawings.  It started out plain and then it had more colour.”    Reya Div. 6

“Spork is weird and the other kids ask me why do I have curly hair.”   Enoch Div. 7

“I liked how it ended.  It had a happy ending.”  Ethan Div. 6

Check out more comments on all of the books on the display just outside the library doors.

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Why do we remember?

Divisions 1 and 2 have created a wiki to help answer the question: Why do we remember?
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Students interviewed family members, friends and teachers to get their perspectives on war and remembrance. Classroom activities included watching films on war, reading fiction and non fiction texts, discussions, participation in the Remembrance Day assembly and more. After their interviews students were asked to respond using a method of their choice (eg. poetry, visual art, essay, movie, slide show, etc).

Click here to see the wiki and read some of the incredible stories the students uncovered.

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Helping the Homeless

Division 1 and 2 are researching how they can help the homeless.  They have chosen organizations to investigate and support. Stay tuned for more information on their project.