Harold Martin and Maple Street School Libraries

Great Stone Face Winner Announced!

2009-06-17T11:11:00.004-04:00

There were no surprises this year when the Great Stone Face winner was announced - this book goes out of the library as soon as it is returned! Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney won overwhelmingly both at our school and for the entire state! Coming in second at Maple Street was Elephant Run by Roland Smith, and in third place was Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy.

Literary Lunch - Feast on Great Stone Face Books!

2009-04-05T14:44:00.016-04:00

Last week wrapped up another successful season of Literary Lunches - an annual event where students and staff shared the joy of reading aloud and being read to! Each week during the month of March, students were invited to come to the library during their lunch and their lunch recess to listen to books from the Great Stone Face Award List. Students love to hear staff members read aloud, and certainly were enthralled by the special voices and accents that certain talented staff members possessed!

Twenty-five chapter books are nominated for the Great Stone Face Award each year, and it is up to New Hampshire students in grades 4-6 to vote for the winner. Voting at the Maple Street School will take place on Tuesday April 14, during National Library Week.

The fourth and final week, we had special guest readers from the Harold Martin School. The fourth graders particularly enjoyed seeing their friends from their "old" school. Special thanks to Mr. Carozza, Mrs. Emerson, Mrs. Scammon, Mrs. Wilder, and Mrs. Pond for taking the time to join us. The Children's Librarian from the Hopkinton Town Library, Mrs. Maynard, also joined in the fun!

A big thank you goes out to our MSS staff readers - Mrs. Roberts, Mr. Stokes, Mrs. Follansbee, Mrs. Bewersdorf, Mrs. Duncan, Mrs. Aubertin, Mr. Alberici, Mrs. Jacques, and Mr. Bessette - and to Mrs. Raymond who coordinates the event.

Love Your Library!

2009-02-21T10:25:00.004-05:00

I was pleasantly surprised one morning to find a box of beautifully handcrafted bookmarks sitting on my desk. The bookmarks were created and generously donated by students in Mrs. Roberts' fourth grade and Mrs. Follansbee's sixth grade class.

The bookmarks were displayed in the library for two weeks, and then students and staff were invited to choose one to keep. Thank you to 4R and 6F for your thoughtfulness ... we heard many awesome remarks of appreciation as people admired your handiwork!

Web 2.0 Revisited/The Power of Twitter

2009-01-18T13:09:00.020-05:00

In addition to implementing a new library software system at our elementary libraries this year, another professional goal for me was to learn how to use some Web 2.0 tools. I knew the library software conversion would be time consuming, so my plan was to use a few Web 2.0 tools; think about ways they could be used to enhance student learning; and really put them into practice next year. I've dabbled with blogging, podcasting, and with social networking. I have learned so much, and somewhere along this journey, the way I learn has changed.

One of the biggest surprises for me, and the one that has impacted my professional learning the most has been Twitter. Twitter has allowed me to make connections with other professionals across the country, and the world. Some are fellow library media specialists (or teacher librarians as they are referred to in other areas), public librarians, technology professionals, teachers, college professors, administrators, authors, publishers, etc. This has allowed me to form a PLN (Personal Learning Network) larger and more diverse than would otherwise be available to me. If two heads are better than one, how incredible is having all these heads to help me? In 140 characters or less (which is all Twitter allows people to post at one time), my PLN keeps me informed of great web resources, new technology, best practices in education and in the world of libraries, current events/breaking news, and links to blog posts that challenge my thinking on a daily basis. In a nutshell, Twitter (along with other web 2.0 tools), has changed my world.

New Library Catalog Now Available!

2009-01-05T15:33:00.006-05:00

One of our biggest tasks at the library this year has been to transition from our old, outdated library software to a new library automation system from Follett called Destiny. In November, we prepared our library data for the conversion. In December, the library staff underwent a two day intensive training to learn to use the new program. As part of the conversion process, we took an inventory of library items, scanning as many barcodes as possible. This converted any barcode numbers that needed it to the new system.

One of the advantages of the new system is that it is web-based, meaning it is available 24 hours a day/seven days a week from school or at home. It is possible to search for materials in just one of the school libraries, or in both elementary libraries, or all the schools at once.

We are excited that the new catalog includes book cover art - a feature that gives this catalog more visual appeal. For those of you who prefer a more "Google" looking search, you might want to click on Destiny Quest. Destiny Quest also includes a list of the Top Ten items checked out from the library, as well as New Arrivals. The new software allows students to rate books, write reviews, compile lists, and generate citations. These are just a few of the new features, which are too numerous to mention here.

We are still tweaking the program, but you can click here to start using it. We will be teaching students, staff, and parents how to use the new library catalog program soon.

NH Ladybug Award Winner Announced!

2008-12-06T12:10:00.004-05:00

The ballots have been tallied, and this year's favorite Ladybug Award book among New Hampshire students in preschool through grade three is .... When Dinosaurs Came with Everything written by Elise Broach and illustrated by David Small. The winning book received 3,344 of the 19,518 votes that were cast. Click on this link to view the 2008 Results Flyer from the Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library.

The winning book at the Harold Martin School was Duck at the Door, with The Wizard coming in second, and When Dinosaurs Came with Everything in third place. Here are the winners by classroom:

Preschool - Duck at the Door

Blanchard AM - The Wizard

Blanchard PM - tied between The Perfect Nest and Woolbur

Boyko AM - The Wizard

Boyko PM - The Perfect Nest

1F - Would I Ever Lie to You?

1K - tied between Duck at the Door and Bebe Goes Shopping

1N - Duck at the Door

1P - Bebe Goes Shopping

2H - When Dinosaurs Come with Everything

2L - tied between Dog Needs a Bone and The Perfect Nest

2W - tied between When Dinosaurs Came with Everything and Help

2Y - Woolbur

3G - Duck at the Door

3J - Woolbur

3T - The Wizard

Christa McAuliffe Conference 2008

2008-12-03T01:38:00.004-05:00

A year ago, I went to the Christa McAuliffe Conference and heard Will Richardson speak. His keynote that day, A Web of Connections: Why the Read/Write Web Changes Everything changed the way I looked at education and inspired me to learn to use web 2.0 tools. I now maintain two web pages, two blogs, have learned podcasting, and have experimented a little bit with wikis. Last year's conference helped me to see the educational value of web 2.0 interactive tools.

Yesterday, I went back to the Christa McAuliffe Conference. David Warlick spoke About Our Students Our Worlds - Flat World/Flat Classrooms. He said teachers need to be master learners to prepare our children for a future we can not clearly describe. We must teach children how to teach themselves in an information abundant environment. Networks help students to find people who can help them to know how to do what they want to do. There is power in what a community of learners that are connected can do. He described these skills as key:

not just literacy, it's learning literacy

not just literacy skills, it's literacy habits

not just lifelong learning, it's a learning lifestyle.

I learned that all this can begin at a very young age when I heard Maria Knee's presentation Creating Global Communities. Maria Knee's kindergarten communicates and does projects with other classrooms from around the world. Mrs. Knee's class took a field trip to her house to learn how maple syrup was made. This knowledge was shared with a classroom in Australia. The 2M Gems shared a recipe and slide show from their Pancake Day, and a classroom from Canada joined in the fun. Students were able to share their thoughts by commenting in a blog.

This year's conference has helped me to see the power and importance of building and using learning networks.

Google Search Tips

2008-11-26T07:39:00.000-05:00

Want to search Google more effectively? Click on this link to view the great Google Search Tips video that Jeff Utecht posted. Or to read about them click here.

HMS Ladybug Winner Announced!

2008-11-21T14:23:00.000-05:00

After a month of reading and deliberating, students at Harold Martin voted for their favorite Ladybug book on Thursday. Mrs. Alibrandi and Mrs. Scammon (alias Library Ladybugs), picked up the ballots and delivered Ladybug cookies to classrooms. On Friday, students and staff wore red and black in honor of Ladybug Day, and Mr. Carozza announced the Ladybug winner for the Harold Martin School.... Duck at the Door (with 48 votes) with The Wizard coming in second (with 34 votes). A total of 241 votes were cast.

Back in October, Mrs. Alibrandi and Mrs. Scammon visited classrooms and acted out one of the stories, The Perfect Nest. The other nine books that were nominated for the award were also introduced. Only preschool through third grade students in New Hampshire can decide who wins this award, so students learn to take voting seriously, and that their vote counts. They are told to make up their own minds, and to be informed voters. They also learn about literature - they start to recognize author and illustrators from year to year, and to make connections with other books they' ve heard. It is wonderful to hear students at different grade levels have conversations about the various books, and to see students go back and revisit Ladybug books from previous years. For more information about the Ladybug Award click here.

September Classes at Harold Martin

2008-09-21T20:45:00.000-04:00

September is the month to introduce or remind students about the rules and procedures for using the library (for more information see About the Libraries on the Library Web page).

First grade students listened to a story called I Took My Frog to the Library and then placed the animals mentioned in the story in the places named in the library. To learn about book care, they heard a story called The Shelf Elf and then looked at posters and saw examples that illustrated the book care rules mentioned in the story.

Kindergarten students acted out the first part of We're Going on a Book Hunt. They learned how to select books using the "Special K" box or using "shelf keys" to keep the library shelves in order. To learn about book care they heard a story about "Mr. Wiggle" and saw examples of books that have been mistreated. They've been given plastic book bags to carry their book home, and were encouraged to find a spot at home to keep their library book out of the reach of pets, and younger brothers and sisters who may not know yet how to treat a book.

Second grade students listened to a story called I. Q. Goes to the Library, which reviews sections of the library as well as book care rules. They were shown objects related to book care and had to determine whether the object belonged in the Yes, Yes Always box or the No, No Never box. In addition, second grade students learn how to select a "Just Right Book" (ask them about the Five Finger Rule). Students in Mrs. Helm's class learned about the Features of Nonfiction - and then had a scavenger hunt to find the features in a nonfiction book and labeled them with post-it notes. They will begin researching Backyard Animals next week, and will learn a closed-book notetaking technique.

Third grade students will be coming in to do a Fiction Book Hunt. This provides the opportunity to quickly review library rules and procedures, and then to make sure that every third grader can find books in the "Everybody," "I Can Read," and "Fiction" section when given a set of call letters. This is also a great way to check for a student's understanding of alphabetical order. In a follow-up lesson, students will be given call numbers and asked to find nonfiction books.

September Classes at Maple Street

2008-09-16T18:56:00.000-04:00

Where's Waldo? Fourth grade students searched for Waldo as they worked in cooperative groups to learn about various sections of the library. As they read about what each section contained and how it was organized, they picked up a clue to decipher a code which revealed where Waldo was hiding. They've also learned the basic rules and procedures for using the library, and have used the computerized Accelerated Reader Program which is designed to check comprehension of their independent reading.

Fifth Grade students have reviewed library procedures and browsed for books.

Sixth Grade students have learned about a book selection technique called CAN IT BE FOR ME? Each letter in that question stands for something to think about when considering which book to read. In another lesson, students were given tips to search the internet, and told about the library's subscription internet resources for doing research (World Book, Grolier, Ebsco, -see previous blog post). Last week, we looked at some of the features of nonfiction books which help to make information easier to find and understand (e.g. Heading and subheadings, types of print, sidebar, comparisons and cutaways, etc.).

Library Resources 24/7

2008-09-03T17:50:00.000-04:00

Need information to complete a homework assignment? By the end of this week, Maple Street students should have received a handout listing the usernames and passwords to gain access to library resources from home. Click here to access the Resource Links on the Library web page. Here's what's available:

World Book Encyclopedia - in addition to 26,000 encyclopedia articles, it includes a dictionary; maps; 10,000 pictures; sound and video clips; links to 7,000 web sites; magazine articles and special reports; timelines; "Today in History"; and "Surf the Ages" containing imaginary web sites as if they were written in Ancient Times, the Middle Ages or Modern Times. At the bottom of the World Book home page, you can click on World Book Kids for younger students, or click on World Book Advanced for more in depth articles, and primary source materials.

Grolier Encyclopedia - Grolier has two different "looks," Grolier Online Kids (for students grades 3-5) and Grolier Online Passport (for older students). It includes articles from the following encyclopedias: Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, the New Book of Knowledge, Popular Science, Lands and People, and America the Beautiful. Also included is the Encyclopedia Americana for older students - it has greater detail but is more difficult to read. Grolier contains links to 50,000 web sites; 250,ooo magazine articles; has news, feature stories, and world newspapers; a dictionary; atlas; pictures and video clips; and a feature showcase (right now it's on Global Warming and Climate Change).

Maple Street Links - I will be updating these throughout the year. These contain links to recommended web sites related to units that classes are studying.

Ebsco - these resources are provided courtesy of our state library. Look here to search hundreds of magazines (click on Student Resources, or for professional materials click on Teacher Resources). Looking for Literature Resources? Click on Novelist K-8 for book discussion guides; book talks; author biographies; recommended reading; grab and go booklists, and picture book extenders.

Newsbank - Online access to the Concord Monitor and Union Leader as well as many other newspapers and magazines.

All these resources are available to Harold Martin students as well - but some of the passwords are different. These will be available at Open House and will appear in the principal's newsletter.

Confused? See Mrs. Alibrandi during Open House for a quick demonstration to get you started.

New Library Web Page includes Podcasts!

2008-07-31T06:57:00.000-04:00

I am exploring the world of podcasting this year, along with Harold Martin's principal, Bill Carozza. Bill plans to use podcasts to keep parents and community informed about school news and educational topics of interest. I will be podcasting brief book talks for students. Both of us hope to get students involved in doing their own podcasting.

Check out the newly redesigned Hopkinton Elementary School Library Web Page. Just click on Podcast to discover what's there.

Bill's podcasts are part of the HMS Principal's Pages.

Mrs. A's Awesome Book Choices

2008-07-04T16:09:00.000-04:00

Often students want to read, but have difficulty in selecting something of interest. Research has shown this is particularly true of boys. I have started a second blog called Mrs. A's Awesome Book Choices where I will let students know what I've been reading. If you've read something great, please let me know!

Internet vs. Books - Why Books Are Still Important

2008-07-03T15:29:00.000-04:00

The Internet offers so much information, good, bad, and otherwise. Some have speculated that the Net will bring about the demise of the book. But books are still very important for our students. I believe students need to be readers and thinkers before they can become skilled researchers. In his article, Is Google Making Us Stupid, Nicholas Carr reflects on how the Internet is changing our brains - it is changing the way we read and think, and even the way our brain is wired.

Many people are doing more reading because of the Internet, but it is a different kind of reading. It tends to be more skimming and browsing, rather than being focused on the information contained in long articles. While Carr appreciates having access to "an incredibly rich store of information," he also laments that the Net seems to "be chipping away his capacity for concentration and contemplation." Carr believes that books support deep sustained reading, which leads to deep thinking. The more we can provide students with the opportunity for deep sustained reading, the greater their ability to question and think about what they have read - an essential skill in today's world.

Web 2.0

2008-07-03T15:24:00.000-04:00

Join me this summer as I explore some Web 2.0 tools, the first of which is this blog. I'll be looking at ways to make use of these tools to facilitate student learning, and to improve the delivery of library services and resources. Watch this YouTube video The Machine is Us/ing Us to understand why Web 2.0 is so important, and how it is impacting the way we do things: