February 2016

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Scary & Series Collections

By Rachel Small • Thursday, February 25, 2016 • 0 Comments

Thanks to our successful Scholastic Book Fair, I was able to purchase many books to fit into our new scary and series collections. I also purchased many more books to add to our gaming collection. Students are thrilled. I'm ecstatic to have the begun the genrification process.

Here is the draft document for the Memorial Learning Commons Genres & Topic Collection.

New Scary & Series Collections

Friday, February 12, 2016

Chinese New Year

By Rachel Small • Friday, February 12, 2016 • 0 Comments

Chinese New Year, otherwise known as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival is a time of year for families to get together and celebrate the new year. This year it is celebrated on February 7–13, 2016 and is the year of the monkey. The holiday is also celebrated in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Tibet, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The United States, Australia, and Canada have large Chinese populations; thus, celebrations as well.

We watched the following video, Fortune Tales: The Story of Chinese New Year:

Chinese New Year Quote

We read Chelsea's Chinese New Year by Lisa Bullard and Katie Saunders.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Award book Books Caldecott Finding Winnie Memorial Children's Book Discussion

2016 Caldecott Award

By Rachel Small • Thursday, February 4, 2016 • 0 Comments

The 2016 Caldecott Award went to, Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear written by Lindsay Mattick and illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Students absolutely love it.

The award was named for Randolph Caldecott who was an English artist & illustrator
who lived from 1846-1886. He hugely influenced the illustration of children's books. It is awarded every year "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children."

From the American Library Association's website:
Finding Winnie is an incredible account of the friendship and love shared between a soldier and the real bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. Blackall beautifully interprets this multi-dimensional family story through her distinctive Chinese ink and watercolor art, capturing intimate and historical details perfect for a child’s eye.

“Children will be enchanted by Winnie’s journey from the forests of Canada to the pages of the Hundred Acre Wood. Blackall offers a tour-de-force of visual storytelling,” said Caldecott Medal Committee Chair Rachel G. Payne.

Caldecott Medal Winners, 1938-Present