As National Library Week comes to an end, I’d like to draw attention to a sad current trend in school libraries. Here is a map of school libraries in the United States which have been eliminated or reduced in some capacity. This is indeed a tragic state of affairs. Numerous studies have shown the importance of a school library in students’ academic lives. To find out more information about all this, visit the American Library Association website for an update.
Author: cindyindigo
National Library Week
Here it is: NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK!
How are you celebrating?
Taking a library book out to lunch?
Giving your favorite librarian flowers?
Inviting a friend to visit the library with you?
Reading your favorite library book to your Mom, Dad, or little brother or sister?
There are so many ways to celebrate National Library Week.
But if you aren’t able to visit your library this week, never fear. The American Library Association has a fun list of great web sites you can visit at home.
How am I celebrating National Library Week?
Today I volunteered in the library at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf. I had a wonderful time reading with Isaiah, Michael, and Giuad. I learned of North American exploration and settlement. I shared the fun adventures of Frog and Toad, and I enjoyed a poetic biography about Coretta Scott King.
So, what are YOU doing to celebrate NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK?
More FUN POEMS
Poems don’t always need to be serious. They can be tons of fun. Here is a light-hearted poem I created today:
KITTY ACROBATICS
My clumsy kitty, Henry,
Today was an acrobat.
He leaped from stair to chair
But landed flat upon his back.
He fluffed his tattered tail out
And twisted to a stand.
I pretended not to see his stunt
And giggled behind my hand.
My Henry is not graceful
Or light upon his four feet,
But he purrs most perfectly
And couldn’t be more sweet.
For more fun poems, look for these books at school or at your local library:
A LIGHT IN THE ATTIC by Shel Silverstein
ALMOST LATE TO SCHOOL: AND MORE SCHOOL POEMS by Carol Diggory Shields and Paul Meisel
ROLLING IN THE AISLES: A COLLECTION OF LAUGH-OUT-LOUD POEMS edited by Bruce Lansky
WALKING THE BRIDGE OF YOUR NOSE by Michael Rosen
April POETRY
I know it’s hard to believe April is here already.
But when I look out my window and see the trees and daffodils in bloom, I know it’s true.
And what a better month to celebrate poetry than in this colorful month of APRIL.
A HAIKU is a perfect poem to start the month off with. A short, simple poem which usually highlights nature–only three lines. The first and third lines each has five syllables and the second line has seven.
WHITE
A scrubbed puppy just
after a bath and just
before a mud puddle.
I gave this Haiku a title, but you don’t have to.
See how easy that is. Go ahead–give it a try!
Happy Easter!
Wishing all of you a most blessed EASTER!
March Adventures
Poet, Kenn Nesbitt, has a fun mobile poetry site you can enjoy wherever you are. Using a iPhone, Blackberry, or other mobile web brower, type in this link: http://poetry4kids.com/m. You’ll be able to read and hear Kenn’s silly poetry. You can also visit his online site: poetry4kids.com
Can you write your own silly poem? Why not give it a try. I bet you’ll be surprised with the results.
If you enjoy puzzles, challenge yourself to HIGHLIGHTS March Hidden Picture Puzzle. Can you find all the hidden pictures?
Have fun!
This blog has moved
This blog is now located at http://www.cynthiareegblog.com/
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.
For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://www.cynthiareegblog.com/feeds/posts/default.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Here is wee Henry James to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
For fun, visit my website and try to make your way through the
maze and reach the leprecaun’s gold before he does.
And you’ll be wanting to try your hand at writing a Limerick, for sure now. Here’s all you need to get you started, plus a clover leaf shape to write it on.
Congratulation to Kim Chatel, RAINBOW SHEEP Author
Kim Chatel, author of RAINBOW SHEEP from Guardian Angel Publishing, has just been asked to create some of her wonderful fiber art illustrations for Colin Thompson‘s new book for the Save the Children Foundation. Mr. Thompson discovered Kim’s illustrations at the Children’s Illustrated Art Museum in St. Louis.
Kim is the book trailer creator for all my Guardian Angel books, so you can see some of her handiwork on my website: Kitty Kerplunking, Doggie Day Camp, Hamster Holidays, and Gifts from God. And for a sneak peek at Kim’s RAINBOW SHEEP, visit this month’s edition of Guardian Angel Kids, an online interactive ezine for kids.
Congratulations, Kim!
More on Reading–Of Course
When I worked as a school librarian, we had Accelerated Reader for the students to use. This program certainly increased the amount the students were reading, helped them expand the genre of books they tried, and helped access their reading comprehension.
With that said, the program did have its problems. The ones I encountered included incorrect assessment of student’s reading level, consistency with the levels assigned to the books, students competing against one another rather than challenging themselves, or students pressured to achieve with little supplemental help from faculty or parents.
As a child’s literacy advocate, I am intrigued with a new reading approach from educator, Laura Candler. Ms. Candler has experience with the Accelerated Reader program but has devised her own reading strategy for students which she says works even better. It’s called EMPOWERING READERS. You can become part of her ongoing discussion group focusing on these reading strategies. And you can take a preview of the Ms. Candler’s work in progress to see if her reading strategies could work in your class or homeschool environment.
The preview is intriguing. And there is nothing I love better than to see children caught up in the reading adventure. You might want to take a look and see what you think. Would a reading workshop work in your class?