Spiders in Kindergarten

Students in Kindergarten are learning all about spiders this week! Ms. Alex and Ms. Le Anne's class visited the library this morning and got to hear a book called Be Nice to Spiders by Margaret Bloy Graham about a spider named Helen that goes to live in the zoo.  The zookeepers quickly learn that the zoo is a better place with spiders around.  We find out that the animals are happier, and the book even has a surprise in the end!

After reading Be Nice to Spiders, students enjoyed looking at the cool pictures and reading about some interesting spiders in some of our new non-fiction spider books.  Here are some pics of them reading these great books.

Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge

It's that time of year again...Time for the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge!  All kids in Pre-K through 5th grade will participate in this program.  Teachers have created accounts for the kids, and this week they will be logging into their accounts for the first time and logging their first minutes for the challenge.  We will have a huge celebration at the beginning of next school year.  Students can earn awards, free books, and even gift certificates for the Scholastic book fair in November.  The past couple of years, the top readers even got to throw a pie in Mr. Bryan's face!  What is in store for our next celebration?  Only time will tell!  Don't forget to log your minutes every day when you read.  Happy Reading!

Click on the link below to learn more about the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge.

http://www.scholastic.com/ups/campaigns/src-2016/parent

Fiesta San Antonio!

As you may already know, Fiesta is one very important tradition celebrated at Sunshine Cottage.  The students learn a lot about Fiesta and take part in many activities during our 3 day celebration.  This week, the upper elementary students are learning about the history of Fiesta in San Antonio.  They will be doing some basic research to answer some questions about this local event.  If you want to learn more about the history of Fiesta in San Antonio, click on the link below:

http://www.fiesta-sa.org/p/About/147

Fun with Flipgrid

Check out the videos that our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders have recorded over the last couple of weeks!   We're using a website/app called Flipgrid.  I post a video question and then the kids respond to my question with their own video.  They have had a lot of fun recording their videos, and it's great for them to be able to listen to themselves and their friends as they talk.  They also had to work together with their partners for one of the activities.  Cooperative learning is happening in the Sunshine Cottage library! :)

*Click on the off buttom next to Fullscreen in the bottom, left corner to increase the size of the Flipgrid.  You can hit the Escape key to return to the library page.
*Click on my picture to hear the question.
*Click on the small picture of the kids under my picture to take you to their video responses.

We "MOOSETACHE" You to Read This Book!

Second grade had fun today with a book called Moosetache written by Margie Palatini and illustrated by Henry Cole.  I'm not sure if they had more fun giggling at the moose in the book or giggling at themselves as they tried on the moose antlers and their own custom "moosetaches".  Take a look at our fabulous portraits, and if you haven't already read it, we "moosetache" you to please read this book!

Aarrrgghhh...Pirates!

Pre-K is very excited to be studying pirates this week.  During library time, students will discuss pirates, pirate clothing, maps, and treasure.  They will hear a story called The Lost Treasure of Skull Island by Martin Taylor.  Ms. Melanie and Miss Noel's class had a great time guessing what would be popping up out of the book as we read today.  They got to see pop-ups like snakes, sharks, monkeys, and even a skeleton pirate who was guarding the gold treasure!  After hearing the story, the kids enjoyed reading the library books that they checked out while sitting in the library lounge.

Last Stop on Market Street

This week, the students in grades 1-5 will be hearing the award winning book Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt De La Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson.  This book is the Winner of the 2016 Newbery Award, a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book, a 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book, and a #1 New York Times Bestseller.  Students will be responding to the book in several different ways. Some of the students will be able to use a technology tool called Flipgrid to do this. Flipgrid is new to all of us, and I'm looking forward to using it with the kids.  Check out our Flipgrid by clicking on the link below.

Flipgrid ~ Last Stop on Market Street