What's Going on in the Media Center

Fourth graders have been busy researching volcanoes and preparing lessons to share with Kindergarten and 1st grade students. After completing their online and print research, they began preparing essential questions and lesson plan packets that they will share with younger students in the near future. They are excited to switch roles and become the teacher for awhile. By the way, if anyone needs a lesson in how to write essential questions or layout lesson plans, I can refer you to quite a few fourth graders who can help you. Meanwhile, 2nd graders are completing their unit on writing fantasy stories. They will use these for read alouds during Kindergarten library classes. Third graders have finished up their Evansville History unit by developing an "Evansville Live" newcast. View an example below. Well, that's all for now. Shelly

New Non-Fiction Additions

With the educational movement to Common Core Standards, we find it all the more important to emphasize non-fiction reading via our A.R. program. Recently, we have added quite a lot of biographies and auto-biographies to our selection. Including those shown above: Through My Eyes; Unbroken; and Through My Eyes Young Readers Edition.

4th Graders Rock

The library was pleased to host a special reception honoring our winning 4th grade talking book report videos. 4th graders, teachers, and several parents attended this special showing of the top reports. The fun was topped off with a giant cake declaring "4th Graders Rock" which they do.

Book Recommendations

Just so you know: We are always seeking recommendations for new books. If you have a book, an author, or a series that would be a good addition to our libray, feel free to email me at shellymain@evansvillechristian.org.

Heroes Among Us Celebration

We are looking forward with eager anticipation to our upcoming National Children's Book Week/Veteran's Day Assembly on Friday, Nov. 11. The program will begin with a parade through the hallways and into the sanctuary at 12:45 p.m. and will include a tribute to our veterans as well as our top talking book reports and video book reports. It should be a day full of excitement to cap off our National Children's Book Week that runs Nov. 7-11.

Project Completions

Several learning projects have come to a close this week in media/library classes. Second graders finished up a nutrition unit where they learned about healthy foods. Today, they enjoyed a special healthy snack treat that contained three of the major food groups. Fourth graders completed their energy unit by videoing their Energy Game Shows today, and third graders (shown)finished up a human timeline of the history of Evansville. It is, indeed, a teacher's dream to be able to incorporate technology, print materials, and project based learning all while having a laugh or two with the students along the way.

Nooks Have Arrived

We have just added five new Nook ereaders to our technology section of the media center. We are in the process of loading books on them and sending home letters to 4-8th grade parents. The ereaders will be available for checkout. We will begin by allowing 4-8th graders to check them out with parent permission. If things go well, we will move down to 2nd graders eventually. However with 2nd and 3rd graders, parent will have to come to the media center to check them out with the child. Last year, we adopted a school policy regarding ereaders that they may be brought to school and used during AR reading time. This addition will allow some students who might otherwise never have that chance to do so.