Nomination?

I got this email the other day. I am not sure what the catch is. But I am posting. Just to see.

Hi there,

An article you wrote in 2012 titled The Organized Librarian- lesson planning has earned your blog a nomination for a Fascination Award: 2012's Most Fascinating Librarian blog.

The comments posted in response to your post prove that your content not only inspires your audience, but it also creates discussion around your posts, both of which are requirements for the nomination of a Fascination award.

As a nominee of this award, you have full permission to display the "Nominated" emblem on your website. To learn more about the contest, the rules, or the prizes, click here: 2012 Fascination Awards Rules & Prizes.

To get started:

Accept your nomination by replying to this email by Thursday February 24th (11:59 PM EST).
Claim your "Nominated" badge to display on your blog: Nominated Badge


Voting begins February 27th at 12:01 AM (EST). The blog with the most votes by March 5th at 11:59 PM (EST) will win the grand prize, a $200 restaurant gift card.

Good luck and thank you for your participation!

Matthew Pelletier
Director of Public Relations
Accelerated Degree Programs









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Extra Snowday! -- School Library Monthly

We are enjoying a"snowday" today. It is cold but sunny here in NE Pa. I am thinking about reading some library articles that I brought home with me. I have a new professional Journal that I love It is School Library Monthly!
Check it out- it has great articles about a variety of topics of course all related to our work as librarians. There are lesson ideas, and columns about books. Also there are information about library professionalism, and great ideas for connecting students and books. I also like the back two pages where they have ideas for bulletin board and great ideas for special days and author birthdays for each month.
Check it out - Look at their website for details on ordering.

School Library Monthly

Battle of the Books & Power Point

Tomorrow I will begin the power point for the first round of this year's battle.
What I do is look at the questions and select the ones I want from the first two rounds. Each question is typed on a slide. The next slide the answer is typed- both title and author.
For the second round I go to the questions on the third and fourth pages.This year we are tentatively going to 'Battle" against a neighboring school who is also doing a school battle.

Gathering Grid- For research

If you go to this site- which is actually excellent. We received information on this at our Library Council meeting. Go down to the section that says Research and then follow by clicking on graphic organizers you will see the gathering grid. I tried to copy and paste but for some reason that didn't work.

Great Sourceiwrite

Student Research- class lesson

My fourth grade classes are doing research projects so I want to do some classes on the steps to research . I have used The Big 6 in the past and also the KWL chart. I just found another type of chart that looks good . It is called a Gathering Grid. Down one side is the subject and three questions and along the top are three columns with Source 1 , Source 2, and Source 3. Students write the questions in the question area and then find the answers .

Does anyone every use one like this?

When I find the link to the Gathering Grid I will post it here. This grid just looks like a little less work while encouraging students to use multiple resources. I think it would go along with the Big 6 model also.

Don't Forget to post or follow for the February Giveaway!

Blogging Ideas

Students in our 4-6 grades will be blogging soon!. One of our reading teachers started a lunch time book club for students- asked by Administration as part of her position. Each group selects a book and then reads and discusses it. These are kids who volunteered to be in this group. The teacher asked to help her set up a blog for the students to respond to the books and some questions she might have . We set up her blog the same as my school blog. She introduced it to the students- I was present during just one meeting. Any way the students are getting into it, and hopefully they will also go over on the library blog and write some comments in their.

New Facebook Page

I just began a new Organized Librarian FaceBook page. You will see some new content and also some of the similar posts you see here. I am hoping for more conversations and ideas!

February Giveaway!!

The book I have chosen for the February Giveaway is Collaborative Library Lessons for the Primary Grades. This book has many excellent lessons that can be adapted for students in grades K-3 depending on the lesson and the skill. Many of these lessons I have also used with 4th and 5th graders with just a few tweaks. Everything is there for you to use- standards, objectives, prep of materials and steps to the lesson and skill sheets.I would highly recommend this book to any librarian who teaches these grades( and grades 4-6) To be in the running for this book, simply do one or the other.: Follow The Oragnized Librarian, or leave a comment on any day in February! Hope to Chat with you!

Blogging Tips

I am introducing some of my staff to my school blog. I will also show it to some of my students soon also. I would like to get more conversation going between us about books and learning . Blogging could be used for so many things- writing, collaboration, book reviews, sharing of information, book discussion, maybe podcasts??
What do you do with blogs? I would love to hear.
Coming soon another Book Give Away for February!!

Great Website!

I just discovered this website/ wiki for librarians! It has many ideas for lessons that you can read, print out and use. I just found that I will do with K-2 graders for a book I always use at the beginning of school : A fine , Fine School by Sharon Creech.
I will comment on lessons that I use. Let me know if you use any lessons and how they went. I am excited to use more of the information on this site.

fcpslibrary.wikispaces.com

Article for Newsletter- Part 2

Here is the second section of my article for the school

Library Website

Students at SW elementary do not have to be in the physical library to receive some of the library services. The library website has information and links to the online card catalog so that students may see what books are available in the library. There are also links to the online databases provided by the district and also SC BOCES. ( World Book, Grolier, ect) Students can use these reliable links in their search for accurate information for school projects and personal interest.
Other links on the Website for student use are a library blog and the library wall wisher where students can leave comments and conversations about books.
The VoiceThreads link is where students can produce book commercials and book promotions of library books they have read or research they have conducted on a project.
There is also a student favorite portal that Mrs. Couture has developed over many years. This portal has many links to websites useful to students and staff.

Reading Motivation Programs

At SW Elementary, the library staff hold at least two annual reading challenges. The Caldecott Challenge is a 3rd grade reading grade reading challenge. For one month, students are to read ( or be read to) as many Caldecott Award Winning books as possible. The student and their parents keep track of books read. If there is a class where all students participate and read at least twelve tiles, the class receives a Pizza Party. Prizes are also given to the reader from each class that reads the most Caldecott Books.

The Battle of the Books is a team reading challenge for students in grades 4-6. Teams are formed in October. Students begin reading and keeping tack of 30 titles on the list. At the end of March, the first round is held where questions about each book are given. Teams with the Highest score go on to a second round, where a wining team and runners up are declared.
In the 94 library, (grade 4-6), there is a Student Starred Books Shelf. These are books that students give stars to because they have enjoyed them and they would recommend them to other students to read. Students like to recommend books and also can grab a quick book that they know will be a good one.

Article for Newsletter- Part 1

This is the first part of the newsletter that I had sent into our PR person last week. They are doing an 'Educational Issues" letter and wanted some input for that issue. I am always happy to do this because it gives information about what we do in the library

Sullivan West Elementary Library – Reading and learning is where it’s at!
For District News letter

At Sullivan West Elementary School, students and staff have access to two libraries for their use. Each library has colorful displays of posters and books to encourage and excite students about books, learning, and reading. The ’39 library is used primarily by students in grades PK-3. Students in grades 4-6 use the ’94 library which is next to the computer room on the first floor.

Classes and Learning
Students in grades PK- 3 have library classes once very six days. (We are on a 6 day A-F cycle). Mrs. Hector, SW library teacher’s assistant, holds K-3 classes and provides students with read a-louds, library extension activities, and book check out.
Mrs. Couture, School Library Media Specialist, works primarily in the 4-6 library. She teaches fourth grade classes with a fixed scheduled. They learn about different genres, arrangement of books, use of print reference tools, on line card catalog, online Databases, and research skills. On a flexible schedule, Mrs. Couture works with the teachers in grades 5 and 6 to integrate library and technology skills based research into ELA, science, and social studies curriculum. Students also check out books, and use the library computers to do word processing and projects.

School Newsletters-library services

I was asked by our building PR person to write an artilce about library services and whatt we do for the school newsletter. So last night I collected my thoughts to figure out what I should say. I am aiming this article toward parents and taxpapyers so they know what the library program is all about at the elementary level. I included information about the two libraries and also what we do to help and encourage the students to read and learn. Information was also given on our website and our reading incentive programs.
If any one is intersted let me know and I can place the article on here. Any time you are asked to do some publicity for the library, do so . Get the word out about what you do , more students, teachers, and parents will use and value your services.