International Dot Day Celebration

What a great week we had in the library, celebrating International Dot Day ALL WEEK LONG!!  Each grade level made their mark in a little different way, from bookmarks with Kinder to iMovies to Skype visits.  It was definitely a full week, and a wonderful way to start the year.  The celebration is centered around Peter H. Reynold's book, The Dot, which encourages creativity and making your mark, whatever your mark might be.  As I shared with the students, it is a little book with a big message!  In addition to library activities, students were also able to use computers, iPads, and iPod Touches to create dot art.  This week, the fun continues during art classes, when students will create dot masterpieces!  Here are some pictures from the week!


One way to Make Your Mark!



5th Grade Skypes with Wisconsin Students!



2nd Grade Skyping with Iowa students

3rd Grade Skypes with Florida students



1st Grade iPad Dot art



Welcome Back, Curtis Readers!

What a fabulous first week of school we had last week!  I was able to see most all students in grades 1-6 and get books into their hands!  It was wonderful having a library full of excited readers, and I can't wait to start seeing students on a regular basis.  Please refer to the LIBRARY INFORMATION page to see what day each class comes to the library. 

I had a lot of fun the first day of school, going around to see what each teacher had chosen for the First Read of the New Year!  Here are some of the pictures from the different grade levels!

I am looking forward to a GREAT year!!  Happy Reading!

Elections & Worms

True to my word, here are a couple of books that are PERFECT for my younger friends! The first book is Babymouse for President by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm. Those of you who have followed the blog this summer will remember that I was lucky enough to meet these two at BooksmART in Dallas! I have been anxiously awaiting this new book, and it did not let me down. Babymouse has decided to run for student council president, and of course, her nemesis or rival, Felicia Furrypaws, is also running. At first, Babymouse has no direction with her campaign other than to win. She learns that making a lot of empty promises or trying to bribe voters won't get you very far. You will want to check this book out to see if Babymouse is able to win the election!  This will be a fun book to read as we prepare for the upcoming presidential election.  I know that I have some huge Babymouse fans at Curtis, and this book will be hard to keep on the shelf!

Holm, J.L., & Holm, M. (2012). Babymouse for President. New York: Random House


The next book I read was from the Marty McGuire series by Kate Messner & Brian Floca.  The first book is Marty McGuire, and I enjoyed reading it in May and then immediately passed it on to Mrs. Lemons to read to her class.  In this second book, Marty McGuire Digs Worms!  Marty & her best friend Annie work together on a class project for a competition that focuses on helping the earth.  After a failed attempt to make paper, Grandma Barb helps the girls with an idea to build a bench to hold worms for their cafeteria.  Marty is sure that the worms will take care of all the leftover food so there will be less trash.  She doesn't realize that the worms can't eat all of the leftovers for the whole school.  Her friends get upset with her when they can't put their food in the bin, and Marty is disappointed in how slowly the worms eat the food scraps.  Like Babymouse, Marty also has a "thorn in her side" in Veronica, one of her classmates.  Veronica is disgusted by Marty & Annie's project and thinks her petunia project is perfect!  Only time will tell if the worm bin wins the competition, and whether Marty has any friends left when it is all over.  If you haven't read Marty McGuire, start there, then check this book out!  It will be waiting for readers when school starts in August!

Messner, K. (2012). Marty McGuire digs worms! NewYork: Scholastic, Inc.

Bigger Than a Bread Box

I know I have spent more time recently sharing about middle grade books, and I promise I will share books for younger grades next, BUT I just finished this book and wanted to tell you about it!

What would you do if you had a magic bread box and anything you wished for that could fit in it would appear?  That is exactly what Rebecca has in the story Bigger Than a Bread Box by Laurel Snyder. 

When Rebecca's mom needs time to figure things out, away from Rebecca's dad, she packs up the car, with Rebecca and her little brother Lew, and they head to Atlanta, where Rebecca's Gran is waiting. Soon after arriving at Gran's, Rebecca discovers a bread box collection while hiding in the attic. As she is sitting there, she wishes she had a book. Looking in the last few bread boxes, she finds a book in a pretty, decorative one. Rebecca is drawn to the bread box and takes it with her to her room. Later, as she is in bed wishing for everything to be okay, wishing she was back home in Baltimore, she also wishes for gulls. You can imagine her surprise to find a couple of gulls in the bread box. Rebecca finds that anything she wishes for that can fit in the bread box, will suddenly appear. As she starts at her new school, she decides that wishing for a few things might make it easier to make friends. Eventually Rebecca begins to wonder where these items are actually coming from and realizes that by making some wishes, she is stealing. Throughout the story, you can feel the emotions that Rebecca is going through, from anger towards her mom, to insecurity about being at her new school, to sadness about missing her dad, to the love she feels towards her little brother, Lew.

It seems odd to describe a book with magic as "real" but that is exactly what you get with this book. This is a perfect read for 4th-6th grade students looking for a book about real life and magic all mixed up in one! Not to mention, the author, Laurel Snyder has volunteered to do a Skype visit with students at Curtis Elementary in the fall.  The book is in hardcover right now, but you could check it out from the Weatherford Public Library before school starts.  In September, the book will be released in paperback!

Snyder, L. (2011). Bigger than a bread box. New York: Random House.

Aliens & Bank Robbers!

I just finished two books that students in grades 4-6 are sure to want to read.  The first one is one of our new Texas Bluebonnet nominees, Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith.  Scrub is sent to spend the summer with his grandmother while his parents are working.  He hasn't spent much time with her, so it is a little awkward at first.  His grandmother runs the Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast, which plays host to some rather strange visitors.  Whatever is going on here has the sheriff very interested!  He spends a lot of time driving by the inn, questioning Grandma about the tourists and threatening to shut down the bed & breakfast.  Scrub meets a friend, Amy, who is very curious about space, aliens and Grandma's bed & breakfast. This makes Scrub very nervous and he works hard to keep Amy from discovering just exactly what is going on at the Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast.  Pick up this book to read all about how Scrub spends the summer helping his grandmother cater to out of this world visitors!

.  The other book I read was Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger.  You may recognize this name from another favorite, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.  This story begins with 12 year-old Lenny loaning his friend Casper $10 to buy a fake mustache.  Lenny become suspicious when a short mustached "man" begins robbing banks,and Casper seems to be missing during these times.  When Fako Mustacho launches a campaign to take over the country, Lenny must figure out a way to stop this craziness.  Lenny teams up with Jodie O'Rodeo, a teen TV star, to save the world from this mad man.  Is he able to keep Fako from being successful in taking over the world?  You will have to read to find out!

Texas Traveling & Reading

As many of you know, I am finishing up my graduate classes for my Master in Library Science degree.  This month, I took a Field Research elective class and traveled down I-35 in search of libraries and museums with a Texas connection.  Having been a 4th grade teacher for many years, AND a native Texan, this class provided an opportunity for me to make some discoveries!  I used one of the new Texas Bluebonnet nominees, Clete Barrett Smith's Aliens on Vacation for my theme, changing it, of course, to Librarians on Vacation! A friend and fellow grad student went with me, making it all twice as fun!   If you would like to read about my adventures, you can find more about it at Reading Across Texas! 

Now for a book to go with it!  I've been working on my Bluebonnet books, but made time to read Bold Women in Texas History by Don Blevins. This book would be a great resource for students in 4th & 7th grades, since Texas history is their focus, but it would also be a great book for anyone interested in Texas history.  It outlines the lives and accomplishments of eleven women important to Texas. Some were familiar names such as Bessie Coleman, Lizzie Johnson and Barbara Jordan.  There were several women unfamiliar to me, such as Mollie Kirland Bailey, a circus owner, nurse and spy!  Now that is bold!! I enjoyed learning about the lives of these women and discovering more about Texas in the process. Included in the book are short biographies about athletes, catttlewomen, artists, and politicians, all making contributions to the state of Texas as well as our country!  This was a very informative and entertaining book!

BooksmART at Dallas Museum Of Art

The Dallas Museum of Art hosts BooksmART each June which gives families a wonderful opportunity to interact with authors and illustrators, all for FREE.  The line up this year was AMAZING!!  The 2012 Newbery and Caldecott winners were there, Jack Gantos and Chris Raschka, as well as the creators of both the Babymouse and Squish series, Jennifer and Matthew Holm.  I was also very excited to meet Clete Barrett Smith, the author of one of the 2012-2013 Bluebonnet nominees, Aliens on Vacation.  It was a great day and I will definitely go back to BooksmART again next summer! 


By the way, Curtis students, I got a copy of Babymouse, Queen of the World signed by Jennifer & Matthew Holm, AND I have two copies of Aliens on Vacation signed by Clete Barrett Smith. I will be giving these away to some lucky Curtis students, so check back for information on the giveaway!!

Summer Reading

I am working my way through the 2012-2012 Bluebonnet nominees and I hope that you will join me!  Visit Weatherford Public Library this summer to start reading these books before August!  Here are the 2012-2013 Bluebonnet Nominees!
 
Just recently, I finished Escape Under the Forever Sky by Eve Yohalem. Lucy, the 13 year old daughter of the American Ambassador to Ethiopia, is tired of being confined to her house.  She wants to have more freedom and decides to sneak off with a friend.  She is kidnapped and held captive.  Fortunately, Lucy has a fondness for learning, and through reading has become knowledgeable about the region, including plant and animal life.  Will this knowledge help her as she attempts to escape?  You will have to read the book to find out!

Before school was out, I was able to read Postcards from Camp by Simms Taback to some of the 2nd and 3rd graders.  This is a fun read because of the actual letters and postcards that you can pull out from the book.  Remember to put them back so that the next reader can enjoy the book just as much!  Anyway, the book is a series of letters and postcards from a father and son.  This is the first time the son has gone to sleepaway camp and he is sure he will not like it.  His dad ignores his complaints and pleas to be picked up from camp.  How does the son handle this? Check out the book to find out!

Library News for May

Don't forget that all library books are due Friday, May 18th.  Please look for any missing books in all of those hiding places (under beds, in closets, on bookshelves, under the couch, etc.) and help us get all books back on the shelves before summer! 

On Friday, May 18th, a librarian from Weatherford Public Library will visit Curtis to share with students all about their Summer Reading Program!  Don't take the summer off!  READ!!  :)  You can visit Weathford Public Library for more information on the summer reading programs for all ages!

While on vacation, snap a picture of you reading and email it to me at sford@weatherfordisd.com and I will post it on our webpage and Facebook page!  I can't wait to see all the places we are reading this summer!! 

If you haven't found our new Facebook page, check out the Curtis Elementary Library Media Center page on Facebook!

Beth Ann Rogers Literacy Initiative Grant



Photo courtesy of Derik Moore

Curtis Elementary Library recently was awarded the Beth Ann Rogers Literacy Initiative Grant from ATPE.  We are so very excited to have received this grant and will be considering ways to add to our collection using these funds.  Thanks ATPE for choosing Curtis Elementary Library!

Drop Everything And Read Day, 2012

Curtis Elementary will be celebrating National DEAR Day on Thursday morning.  The entire school will drop everything and READ!  Watch for pictures to come!  In the meantime, here is a short video of some of our Curtis family dropping everything to READ!!

Spring Break Fun!!

Spring Break at the Weatherford Public Library

Spring Break 2012 is just around the corner! For parents looking for activities to keep kids busy, and for kids not looking to sit around the house all day, there is a great alternative:  Spring Break at the Weatherford Public Library.

Monday, March 12 is for the creative genius in every child. ARTstravaganza is back! Two separate sessions offer experiences for different age groups. At 10:30 am, kids in 1^st to 3^rd grade can indulge in the most forbidden of arts – thumb-painting!  At 2 pm, children in 4^th to 6^th grade become art sleuths, learning about art through amazing forgeries.

Tuesday, March 13 is for the mad scientist in all of us. Wacky Science returns to prove that scientific inquiry isn’t just about stodgy old people in lab coats – it’s about the mess! Two one-hour sessions offer experiments appropriate to different ages. Kids in 1^st to 3^rd grade will learn about the properties of light at 10:30am. At 2 pm, children in grades 4^th to 6^th will solve a heinous crime using cool experiments.

Toddlers and preschoolers! Want to know what lies on the other side of the rainbow? On Wednesday March 14 at 10:30am, join us to celebrate the beauty of nature in Rainbow All Around Me. Children aged 4 to 6 will find books and activities best suited to their development in Preschool Storytime and kids from birth to 3 can enjoy great songs and stories just for them at Toddler Time.

There is no better way to get ready for Spring Break weekend than to catch the blockbuster films that enchant kids and adults alike. Come to Best of the Box Office on Thursday March 15 for two opportunities to enjoy a family favorite lasting under two hours. At 10:30am, join us for the latest adventure of the most unlikely martial arts expert -  a wise-cracking panda that must confront an enemy from his past. At 2pm, a fairy tale classic is reimagined as only Disney can do it – everyone will love the story of a girl in a tower and the hapless thief she entraps in order to find the wonderful lights she spies every year on her birthday.

These programs are presented by Weatherford Public Library. Unless specified, no reservations are needed for youth programs; however, advance notice is appreciated to accommodate groups of any size. Please call 817-598-4150 or check our website www.wpltx.com for more information on the events planned for our library.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!! by Shawna Ford

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!! by Shawna Ford
Click above to go to a Dr. Seuss Wallwisher page!  Tell me what your favorite Dr. Seuss book is as we get ready to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday and Read Across America day on Friday!

From First to Sixth Grade- We are learning research skills!!

Students have been working on research skills in the library recently.  I was so excited to have first graders come in to learn about WebPath Express and how to evaluate websites.  We talked about different resources for research and looked at websites to determine which ones were appropriate for first graders. 

Fifth graders came into the library and compared the ease of use of a traditional encyclopedia to Britannica online.  They then worked in groups to choose a topic to research using both tools and created a Thinking Map to display their new knowledge.

Then Second & Third graders came in and practiced using Webpath Express and locating the library blog.  The students worked together to brainstorm topics and search for information about those topics on websites found through Webpath Express.  This is a useful research tool for students because the results returned are able to be sorted by grade level and are more appropriate for school research.

Book Fair is Coming! We LOVE Books!

We will have our book fair during the week of February 13-17 with several opportunites for you to visit the book fair with you family.  On Tuesday, February 14th come get "Breakfast and Books" with your child.  The book fair will open at 7:15 for families to shop.  Students must have an adult with them to visit during this time.  We will also have our Family Night on Thursday, February 16th when we will be open until 6:00 PM.    To help our teachers encourage a LOVE of reading in their classrooms, you can help add to the classroom library by purchasing a book from a teacher's Wish List. Look for notes to come home about all of these great events during our "We LOVE Books!" week! 

If you would like to shop online, just click here!  Scholastick Book Fair Online Shopping
The books will be shipped to the school for free and delivered to your child's classroom.  I look forward to seeing you during our book fair week!  If you would like to volunteer during the book fair, just let me know! 
Mrs Ford
sford@weatherfordisd.com

WallWisher-Bluebonnet Books

I have set up an online message board where you can tell me about your favorite Bluebonnet books. Leave a post-it and we will look at it during your time in the library. Remember to be short with your thoughts! There isn't much room on a post-it!! I can't wait to read your reactions to the Bluebonnet books we will vote on at the end of the month!  Just click the link below to find your way!

Curtis Elementary Library Media Center by Shawna Ford

Check Out Our "New Books" Shelf!

We have many new books in the library and these are easily found on the "New Books" shelf located near the circulation desk!  One new book that I've just finished is Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan.  It is a great story about a family going through some changes: the dad leaves the family for awhile to try to write a book.  Mom, Will & Elinor adopt not one, but FOUR dogs AND a cat, and they all try to adjust to Dad not being there.  Suprisingly, Elinor can hear the animals talk, which is where the magic comes in.  It seems that if you are old enough or young enough or even brave enough, then you can hear the animals talk.  Come check this book out and discover the magic that Will & Elinor and their family find!

New Shelves!!!

Stop by and see our "new" shelves and our new & improved library!!  I am very pleased with how everything turned out!  The new arrangement should make it easier for students to find just what they are looking for! 

Library Under Construction....Stay Tuned!

During the Christmas break we will be making some changes in the appearance of our library media center.  I am looking forward to a library where I can teach, challenge and inspire my students in a safe and nuturing environment!  I'll post new pictures soon!  A big thank you to WISD Maintenance Department for helping to make our library AWESOME!! 

Celebrating the Season!

Thanks to these creative 6th graders, the library is looking a little more festive!  They created this Christmas tree out of encyclopedias!  We are now ready for Lattes in the Library this week!