Highland Girls Read! part Two

5th Grade Book Clubs

Our book club has begun for the year and we read In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Betty Boa Lord.  We had lots to discuss from bullying, Chinese culture, baseball, and the difficult process of feeling at home in a new country.

We now have the task of choosing our next book.  Click on your first choice in the survey below.

Third Grade Explores Louis Armstrong and Mary Pope Osborne

Red Hot Jazz
PBS-Jazz

Brilliant Author Studies

     Kindergarten students are still studying Eric Carle.  We've read The Very Hungry Caterpiller, The Very Busy Spider, The Very Clumsy Click Beetle, 1, 2, 3, To the Zoo, Rooster's Off to See the World and Little Cloud.  We've made trains carrying animals and clouds floating in the sky to represent Carle's beautiful artwork.  We've also watched Eric Carle read The Very Hungry Caterpiller to us and watched a few of his stories on video.  By the end of this study Kindergarten students will really be able to recognize all things Eric Carle!!

     First Grade students are studying Nancy  Carlson, who lives only one state over in a Minneapolis suburb.  We've had a great time finding new characters in all of Carlson's books.  We've read Henry's Amazing Imagination,  I Don't Like To Read!, Harriet's Halloween Candy, Harriet and the Roller Coaster, Harriet and the Garden, and Louanne Pig Makes the Team.  Most of these books have themes that fit with the Six Pillars and making good choices so we've had some really interesting discussions!  We plan to graph the characters next week. 

    Second Grade students have enjoyed the art of Graeme Base for the last three weeks.  We've read Jungle Drums, Animalia and The Water Hole; all books of his representing the natural world and all its beauty.  His books have offered a new look at the world and students have  enjoyed discoving his books. 

    Third Grade students have studied author, Eve Bunting.  We've read a few of her fun books that focus on imagination such as Little Badger; Terror of the Seven Seas and Mouse Island but we've also read a few of her more thought-provoking books like Fly Away Home, Some Frog! and The Wednesday Surprise.  With these titles we've discussed Author's Purpose and come up with the problems of homelessness, divorced families and an irresponsible Daddy and how important reading is (literacy) issues.   What authors do you love?  Stop in and find a new author today...

First Full Week of Library

We read a lot of great books this week in the Highland Library.

Third grade students listened to Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book by Lauren Child, which in a mixed-up twisted way helped us to understand why it is so important to take care of books.  The characters don't like getting spilled on, written on, crossed out or cut out of our books!!  So beware if you  make a mess of your book the characters may just take their own revenge! 


If you are a first grade student you listened to me read Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell.  Molly Lou is small, sings out-of-key and has some lovely buck teeth but she's received good advice from her grandma about being proud of herself and it gets her through when a classmate teases her. 

Fourth and Fifth grade students learned how to use their shelf markers and the sections of the library.  Their focus was to find two good fit books for reading.  They were excited to pick new books and are ready for a great new year! 

Reading Rock Stars at Highland

We've started a new game in the library and I wanted to show you the rules and give you an idea of my objectives in creating this game.  Many students are sluggish readers, not willing to challenge themselves and I thought making it more active and with an intended goal (a private party) would stir up some excitement.  It is not necessary to participate but encouragement from all sides would be appreciated.  It only includes fiction titles and may include titles from your own classroom library.  As a teacher or staff member you could play along, earning pts as well to encourage students to keep going.  Each 3-5 grade class (except Christoffer's due to two late starts on Tuesdays) has been informed of the rules and many are now carrying around chapter books!!  Ask them about the book marks and what they are reading!!  Don't forget to look at the library flex time as a time when students can come in and change out finished chapters books as well.  We are hoping to create Reading Rock Stars!!!

Rules of the Library Game:

1. Every game has rules and you have to follow them to play fair.

2. This game is all about reading; we need to practice reading to get better at reading.

3. Read books I've already read and earn 5-10 points.

4. Read books I've not read already but want to and earn 15 points once you tell me about the plot.

5. You MUST READ the ENTIRE BOOK to earn points. Be honest-Cheaters never really win!!

6. 5th grade must earn 70 points to attend pizza party.  These are individual pts. not as a group.

7. 4th grade must earn 60 points to attend pizza party. Ditto

8. 2/3 grade must earn 50 points to attend pizza party. Ditto

9. Must save point sticker or bookmark in your book to earn points and discuss briefly with me.

10. Must be pre-approved book to be added to your points. (no random books from home-unless you check with me.

Scholastic Book Fair is here!!

The Book fair is beautiful and filled with wonderful books-do take time to come check it out.  Think about new books for your classroom and think about Christmas just around the corner for children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews!! 

Several teachers have asked me if I have any exciting incentives available for the book fair...It makes me happy to know some are joyously thinking of buying books at the fair!   The book fair helps our school purchase more books for the library and that is always a bonus. 

So here is this year's incentive:  If you buy $25.00 worth of books from the book fair you will get your choice of another paperback for $1.99. 

Click here to see Skippyjon Jones website!  Skippyjon Jones, Wimpy Kid, Fancy Nancy and lots of amazing nonfiction are available at the Book Fair!