Published Authors!

We are beginning a new chapter in 2017!  After taking a brief break from publishing a class book, the students at Jordan Bank will be back at it again.  The students began this week the first step of the writing process: Brainstorming.  We prepared a list of busy people that all the students know. Mr. Bob seems to be the busiest person at Jordan Bank!  All the classes agreed that their classroom teachers are very busy people.  Our publication date is May 1, so this is no small task.  Keep checking the blog for updates on our progress.

Makerspace Monday's in the Library

Makerspaces are the buzzword around the public and school library settings.  In case you have not heard according to the OEDb "makerspaces are do-it-yourself spaces where people gather to create, invent, and learn.  In libraries they often have 3-D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies and tools, and more."  (March 12, 2013)  Jordan Bank Library will be participating in Makerspace Monday's. This will be an opportunity for the students to create abstractly a connection to one of the library lessons instructed throughout the month.  Our first Makerspace challenge was to recall that our library is kept in a special order called "ABC" order.  The students were challenged using Wikki Sticks, clay, Duplo Blocks, crayons and markers, and scarves to show me they knew what "ABC" order looked like. I was very impressed with the results.  The children respected the rules and completed the task.  I look forward to more a new maker space theme in January.  In the mean time, you can help out by collecting coffee cans, paper towel and toilet rolls, and clean soda bottles.  

Pumpkins 2016-2017

The tradition continues at Jordan Bank.  We received over 30 pumpkins to be judged this year.  Miss. Moran our our teacher graciously judged the pumpkins in three categories: Best Book Character Look-a-Like, People's Choice, and Most Original.  The winners in each category received a gift certificate to be used at the Jordan Bank Spring Scholastic Book Fair.  Thank you to all participants.

 

 

Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest at the Library

This is one of the best times of the year at Jordan Bank Library!  The annual pumpkin decorating contest takes place during the last week of October.  The contest is a family event and we encourage all family members to participate in decorating- not carving, a book character pumpkin.  The participation form will be coming home this week.  If you misplaced this form, it can be found in the pages link on this blog.  The pumpkins are judged in three categories with the first, second, and third place winners receiving Scholastic Book Fair vouchers for our spring book fair.  Take a peek at some of our entries from previous years.

Welcome to School year 2016-2017

We have been off to a very busy start this year!  Our first book fair was a big success.  Children were eager to buy a book that they got to keep forever.  The children have been working very hard to understand how important it is to take care of their library books.  Children will be coming home in the next few weeks with a parent permission slip.  This document needs to be signed and returned in order for your child to take the Jordan Bank Library Books home. If you have misplaced this paper you can find it on the link on this blog.

Mrs. Lewin is Going to Summer School

During my summer break I have been taking continuing education classes in order to understand the learning process of kindergarten students at Jordan Bank much better.   One class in particular focuses on the need to keep young children active and moving for optimal learning.  How can this be done when there are great demands placed on curriculum and time management?  As the library media specialist I am committed to the school wide content standards but will also be incorporating this year more opportunities for children to learn through play and movement.  A big push in the library content area is to incorporate maker spaces into learning. Makerspaces, sometimes also referred to as hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. In libraries they often have 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies and tools, and more. Most importantly with age appropriate materials at Jordan Bank, the maker space will provide the necessary tolls that will benefit the developing kindergarten student.  Stay tuned to this blog for more information! 

Summer Reading

Yesterday Miss. Erin came to Jordan Bank to talk about the wonderful reading programs offered at the new children's library in Oxford.  The Oxford Area School District school libraries have collaborated with the public library to provide copies of required summer reading materials. When your child enters first grade for the start of the 2016-2017 school year, they will need to complete the activities listed for summer reading.
Information about the summer reading program can be found at:
http://www.oxford.k12.pa.us/curriculum/Summer%20Reading%20Grades%20K-12.pdf

Have a great summer and keep reading!  

Walking Field Trip To Public Library

What a wonderful way to collaborate with the Oxford Community! The children took a walk April 11-15 to visit the Oxford Public Library.  They met Miss.Erin, the children's librarian who showed them the new children's room and read aloud from two wonderful books.  Thank goodness for great weather. A big thank you to all the classroom assistants, and the parent volunteers who made the trek with us.  We are eager to see the new children's section when it is complete.

Clifford "BIG" Success at the book fair!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Scholastic Book Fair.  We were very successful and will receive over $1000 in Scholastic vouchers. All of the voucher purchases will directly benefit the Jordan Bank Library.  All teachers were able to reap the benefits of the book fair as we extended free books to each of them for their libraries. Be sure to ask your teacher which book they chose from the book fair, maybe it was one you selected too. Clifford made a special appearance and was warmly welcomed by a very special class.

FAR OUT!

The library has never looked more colorful!  Join us this week for the Jordan Bank Annual Spring Scholastic Book Fair and have a far out adventure!  If your child received a gift certificate from the pumpkin decoration contest and you have misplaced it, no worries!  We have a list of the award winners.  Don't forget to stop by on Wednesday night with your families to shop the book fair from 4-7.

Peace, Love, and the Scholastic Book Fair!

The Scholastic Book Fair will be here from February 22nd-26th.  The library is a groovy place to be for the book fair.  We have great titles including Pete the Cat, Ranger in Time, Fly Guy, and many, many more high- interest, lower level books appropriate for Kindergarten and beyond.  The library staff will be hosting a Family Event on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 from 4-7 PM.  This event is a chance to bring all family members to the Jordan Bank Library-Media Center to help choose some amazing titles for family reading.  Children will visit the fair during their regularly scheduled library time starting Tuesday, February 23 through Friday, February 26.  Please know your child can shop at any time during that week as well.  So grab your platform shoes, mini-shirts, bell-bottoms, tye-dye, and fringe vests and join us for a Groovy good time at the Scholastic Book Fair!

Non-Fiction Informational Text

This week the children began understanding the difference between Non-Fiction and Fictional Texts. We examined two books, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, and Naked Mole Rats by Jody Sullivan Rake. The children were challenged as I read both aloud to recall:

1) Where does the naked mole rat live?
2) Does the naked mole rat like the sun?
3) What do naked mole rats eat?
4) How old do naked mole rates live to be?

We filled out our best guesses in an anticipation guide before becoming experts and listening to two types of read alouds, a fiction and non fiction book. The children made the connection that fiction books are read for entertainment while non-fiction books are read for information.

The children left library this week knowing that non fiction books are informational books that can teach us new information.

Library Skills Review

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Book Review

Dewey is Back!

Dewey has returned to the Jordan Bank Library!  The children really need to teach him how to properly take care of library books.  Can you spot three things that Dewey is doing wrong with his library book?  I think Dewey may wind up on the naughty list if he continues to treat his books this way. 

A told B, and B told C, " These kids know books have order in the library!"

The children began to learn how important it is to use a shelf marker in order to keep our library books in ABC Order. (AASL1.1.4) (CC1.1.A PK-K)  With the help of the Alphabet Boogie-Brain Break, Blue from Blues Clues, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom  by Bill Martin Jr., the children were asked to recall the name of the special order we keep our books organized.  We created a wall of fame outside the library with the list of the children who answered admit ticket correctly.

Stop by and see it.  It is filled with names!

Pumpkins Galore!

What a Great Pumpkin Decorating Contest!  Miss. Landers, our art teacher had a difficult time judging almost 30 entries.  Children won prizes in the following categories: Most Original Pumpkin, Best Book Character Look a Like Pumpkin, and People's Choice Pumpkin.  Congratulations to all of our Pumpkin Participants!

Book circulation and beyond!

What an exciting week at the Jordan Bank Library!  We begin book circulation this week.  Children will be introduced to finding an interesting book.  They will put this newly acquired skill to the test to find an interesting book they wish to borrow for the week.  Please remember that only children who have returned the permission slip for library book circulation will be taking a library book home.  If you have misplaced this form, you can find it to the right of our blog posting in pages.

Also this week in the library we look forward to entries for our annual Book Character Pumpkin Decorating Contest.  Pumpkins can be dropped off throughout the remainder of this week.  Judging will begin at noon on Friday with winners announced at dismissal.  Good Luck.  We love the creativeness of our families who enter this contest.

Book Fair Schedule

We welcome parents and families to our Scholastic Book Fair through out October 6-9th.
Our hours of operation are:
Tuesday 8:30-3:00
with Mrs. Black's and Mrs. Verikakis' class
Wednesday: 12:00-3:00
with Mrs. Baughman's, Mrs. Malinowski's, and Mrs. Clark's classes
Thursday 8:30-3:00
with Miss. Foster's, Mrs. Wilkinson's, and Mrs. Diamond's classes
Friday 12:00-3:00
with Mr. Baughman's, Mrs. Trotter's, and Mr. Nelms' classes

One of the most exciting times is arriving at the Jordan Bank Library!  It's Book Fair Time.  This fall book fair will prove to be the monster of all book fairs.  Children will begin previewing selected titles this week during library.  We will do book talks, and meet selected authors through the use of Scholastic promotional material.  The book fair proves to be one of the biggest fundraisers for the Jordan Bank Library.  All the money earned goes right back into purchasing library books and library materials.  Children will bring home a book fair selection guide during library this week.  Please know this is just a small sampling of the books available at the fair.  Shopping will begin the week of October 5-9.  Children will return to the library to purchase items during their regularly scheduled library time.  We will also be hosting morning hours on Tuesday and Thursday  October 6, and October 8,  if you wish to make purchases with your children.  Most of the Scholastic books are priced reasonably.  If you send at least $5.00 with your child(ren) they will be able to purchase an age appropriate, high interest reading book.