National Library Week

We are about to enter the final grading period of the year and things are getting busy around the campus. This year sure has flown by. It is National Library Week and I just wanted to take a moment to share how much I LOVE my job. I enjoyed teaching 1st and 2nd grade, but my heart was just waiting for the chance to get my dream job of librarian. I snuck reading books into all subjects as a classroom teacher. If we were learning about fractions-I'd find a book to read the kids about fractions!

Last year, I finally got my chance to have a library of my own and read to kids ALL day! It has definitely been everything I hoped for and more. It brightens my day when a student asks me for a book recommendation and then comes back to say how much they enjoyed the book. I love reading to the students because I love seeing their reactions to certain parts. Their comments about books are very insightful.

This year, we have also introduced a library makerspace and the students literally jump for joy when they know they get to use the materials. I had planned on switching out makerspaces, but the students are still so excited that I am going to save our new stuff for next year. Coding robots, circuits, stop-motion-action figures, and more will be added in August. I think the groans when I say "time to clean up!" will be even louder next year.

Overall, the thing I love the most about being a librarian is being surrounded by books. It comforts me to know that in a world of technology, we still have BOOKS! Don't get me wrong-I want my students to be 21st Century learners and I am our campus i3 technology representative. However, it's just refreshing to know that if the power went out or the wifi went down, then we could all just grab a book and READ!!!

Thank a librarian this week and thank the library aides because shelving and book repair are tough jobs. Happy Library Week!!

Read Across America Week

We sure had a fun week in the library! There were daily quote contests, a QR code trivia contest, guest readers, and a parade. Some classes paired up and read to make new reading buddies. We also had our spring book fair going on. I am so happy to announce that we surpassed our goal and will be able to purchase many new things for our makerspace. The students love being creative during makerspace time and I am excited to see what they will create with the new activities.

Did you know that a nice witch from Hogwarts and Mary Poppins teach Prek?

Check out one of our great volunteers Mrs. Luna reading to 1st graders!

QR Codes in the Library

For the month of February, we are celebrating how much we love books. The teachers submitted their favorite book for children and I created a wall display with QR codes. Students and teachers have to use a QR reader to see if they guessed correctly. We are so excited to share the wall display with visitors who stop by to celebrate Read Across America week with us on February 29-March 4th. Have you got your costume ready for the big storybook parade on March 4th? Super specials do!

Decoding the Future

Our school participated in the Hour of Code week in December. We also had a UTD graduate student teacher 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders MIT Scratch coding in an afterschool club. All 4th graders have received introduction lessons to Code.org. Some of the students choose to practice computer coding during makerspace time while others choose to build. That's the great thing about makerspace time...it can many things to many people! Check out some of the action below...

I am also still on my quest to work through all 20 of the Bluebonnet nominee books. I am happy to report that the last two have been pretty good. Crenshaw was a carefully crafted story that will make your grateful for what you already have. Circus Mirandus weaves an intricate story from long ago into the current time period. I still prefer A Handful of Stars right now, but we'll see.

"Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover"

"Don't judge a book by its cover." This is a statement that I strongly stand behind. There are tons of good books that I probably would have never read if I only looked at the cover. I like to give books a try, but I also completely believe in not finishing a book if it's just not for you.The first two books below have really intricate and interesting covers, but that was deceiving. In my quest to read all 20 of the Bluebonnet nominees for 2016-2017, I hit a roadblock (or two!) with The Fog Diver and Ratscalibur. They seem like good books, but they are just not for me. I read several chapters and could not get interested in the stories. However, I did find a really great book in the mix yesterday with a pretty basic cover. A Handful of Stars is awesome. I even cried a little at the end out of happiness! Definitely check that one out next fall when they are on display.

Bluebonnet Books 2016

Good morning readers! I have been working my way through the new list of Bluebonnet books. So far, I have read Nightmares and Hamster Princess. I enjoyed both of them and they were fast reads. I can't wait to read the sequel to Nightmares when it comes out! I am creating questions to ask about each book for a new contest next school year-stay tuned. :) Next up to read for me is A Handful of Stars. What are you reading? Meanwhile, makerspace Monday has been fun today with several interesting things being made.

Welcome to Reading Ray

Good afternoon,
Welcome to our library's new blog. I will be sharing what is going on throughout the year in our library. This week we focused on nonfiction materials like dictionaries, glossaries, and periodicals. The students are very excited to use this resources on upcoming research projects. We are also eagerly awaiting the winner of the Bluebonnet Award. Our school voted for When the Beat was Born. The students are still loving makerspace time and creating awesome things!