HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The MAPS testing is over. The assignments are finished. The projects are done. Now it is time to enjoy the holiday with family and friends while wrapping presents, watching holiday movies, and curling up with a good book. See you all in the New Year.

WE HAVE BEEN BUSY!!!!

Where did the month of November go? Somewhere during that month I presented to 7^th grade Social Studies classes a Research Road Map covering a variety of print and online resources available to them for their History Fair project. Mr. Little shared the Road Map with students so they have the access link and login information.

We also have lots of book checkout – 6^th graders got books with a courageous character for their unit, 7^th graders got books about respect and tolerance (fiction or nonfiction), regular 8^th grade classes choose ReadnQuiz books, and advanced 8^th grade classes choose mysteries.

I have also been visiting classrooms where new technology programs are being used like Google Classroom, Glogster, Geometer’s Sketchpad, and Nearpod. This has led up to my creating Google Classrooms for 6^th and 7^th grade students. In 7^th grade the students accessed, filled out, and shared with me a graphic organizer about Novelist which we used to assist with their respect/tolerance book selection. 6^th grade students viewed and responded with first impressions to the 2015 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award nominees using Nearpod (program which combines a PowerPoint presentation with survey responses). I used the presentation prepared by the Caudill committee and inserted 4 responses for each book – basically Yes, Maybe, No, and Already Read. The 6^th graders seemed to enjoy filling in the survey after I book talked each book.

HALLOWEEN ONE WEEK AWAY!

The Halloween Trivia Contest continues through October 31st. 6^th grade is still our best contestants, but a few 7^th and 8^th graders are catching on. Next week the IMC kicks off its first ever Try To Scare a Librarian Real-Aloud. Student may sign up to read a spooky story or book chapter to Mrs. Wilson or Miss Hagensee before or during study. So far two students have signed up to take out challenge.

6th graders will get a special Halloween treat on October 31st when Miss Hagensee visits the ELA classes with a special spooky story.

HALLOWEEN TRIVIA CONTEST ---- WOW!

The 6^th grade has taken the Trivia Contest by storm! Such enthusiasm!  And now the other grades are finding this contest. Currently 63 students have submitted at least one correctly answered question for a prize. And that number grows every day. Several students are coming close to answering all 60 questions. With 2 weeks left in October – and the contest – I will have to set aside a few special prizes for anyone who could finish all 60. And now in additional to the witch’s cauldron, there are now also prizes kept in a coffin.

Next week the IMC will start scheduling for the Try to Scare a Librarian Read-Aloud. Your challenge is to pick a story and read it to a librarian during the week of Halloween. Each reader will have 5 minutes to try to scare us. You can choose a short story, a folktale, or a book chapter. If you have a good scary idea, come to the IMC next week and sign up for a time before school or at study.

HALLOWEEN TRIVIA CONTEST

Welcome to a month-long celebration of all things Halloweenie! The IMC proudly announces the return of its Halloween Trivia Contest for the whole month of October. Currently there are 60 trivia questions about things related to Halloween. For every correct answer you get a prize.

WARNING #1 -- Your answers must match mine and I got all my answers from World Book Online (login and password available in the IMC).

Bring your completed trivia question form to me ONE QUESTION AT A TIME. I will check for duplication, then check your answer.

WARNING #2 -- You may only answer each question once for a prize.

If your answer correctly matches mine (and you have filled out the form correctly), you may pick a prize from the Witch's Cauldron. The cauldron is full of fun Halloween stuff like glow-in-the-dark spider web bookmarks, graveyard tattooes, pumpkin necklaces, treat-or-treat rings, creepy crawly things, skull and crossbones pencils, and more.

The 6th grade has already discovered the fun of our Trivia Contest. What they don't know is that they are practicing informational text skills while they earn prizes. More special Halloween events coming soon!

A QUIET WEEK

This past week has been rather quiet in the IMC. That has given your librarians a chance to work on getting more materials ready for you to check out. While I have been working on getting the audiobooks ready with new bags and checking that all the pieces are in the bag, Mrs. Wilson has been working on her part of getting new books ready for the shelves and check out. Next week I will give those new books their final check to be sure they are shelf-ready and then you will have the opportunity ti check them out. Keep your eyes on the New Book Display by the windows for some great new additions to the IMC collection.

DON'T FORGET to return your summer paperbacks. Our racks are still pretty empty as we wait for the last summer checkouts to come in. Return them next week and avoid having your librarians track you down and nag you! Your grace period is almost over. Don't lose your IMC privileges from your overdue books.

6th GRADE ORIENTATION

This week 6th graders came back to the IMC for part two of library orientation. Last week we talked about 6th grade authors and book checkout at Lakeview, followed by checking out a realistic fiction book for their book report. In session 2 we compared and contrasted the Prairieview and Lakeview IMC and how they operate. Then working with a partner (or two), students filled in a map of the IMC identifying places from a direction sheet. This gave the students an opportunity to walk around the IMC and learned where things are located.

DON'T FORGET to return your summer paperbacks. Our racks are still pretty empty as we wait for the last summer checkouts to come in. Return them next week and avoid having your librarians track you down and nag you!

IMC RETURNS TO NORMAL BUSINESS

The fall MAPS testing is done. The fall benchmarking in AIMSweb reading is done. Now the IMC can return to its library business. With everything that was happening this past week, ELA classes from all three grades found time to come to the IMC and check out books. All but one of the 8th grade ELA classes also had the opportunity to try my new and improved scavenger hunt about IMC procedures. I haven't scored the papers yet so I don't know how well they did. Special thank-yous to Mrs. Boyer's 1st period ELA class for creating new questions (with answers) for me. Hopefully, very soon, 7th grade ELA classes will have their turn with the scavenger hunt. Next week 6th grade ELA classes will return

to the IMC for orientation so they will better understand how the Lakeview IMC works. If all goes well, they will have a map activity to help them learn their way around the IMC.

DON'T FORGET to return your summer paperbacks. Our racks are still pretty empty as we wait for the last summer checkout to come in. Return them next week and avoid having your librarians track you down and nag you!

YIPPEEEE!

The IMC open on Monday as a library! During the week ELA classes will be coming in for orientation and/or book checkout. There are a lot of wonderful new books, as well as many old favorites, to read this year. Of course we want each of you to review IMC procedures. I have some new and interesting ways to do that this year. And yes, the IMC will be open at study beginning Monday and before school beginning Tuesday. Now for the schedule: 8th grade ELA comes Monday -- 7th grade ELA comes Friday -- 6th grade ELA comes Tuesday.

That was the good news. Then there is the bad news. The IMC is closed all day Thursday (including before school and study for AIMSweb Reading benchmarking. After Thursday I am not expecting any more shutdowns of the IMC until mid-term MAPS in December.

WELCOME BACK...

...as we start a new school year. I hope you all had a terrific summer AND still had time to do a bit of reading. Please remember that all summer paperback checkouts and Summer Reading Logs are due next Tuesday, September 2nd. I know it may have been difficult for you to bring these items to the IMC since we're not really open yet. But all you had to do is drop your books into Book Return 2 located in the hallway across from the IMC main entrance OR bring books and Reading Logs into the IMC. That should only take a few seconds. If yu can remember to return your books directly to Mrs. Wilson on Tuesday, you are eligible for Spartan Stars. That would be a great way to start off the year!

Next week is MAPS testing. Since the IMC computers are used for testing, the IMC will not be open for regular business. Our official opening day for full service is Monday, September 8th. IMC Before School starts Tuesday, September 9th, when passes will be available in the gym to come and use the IMC beginning at the 7:35 bell. I forward to seeing all of you in the library so I can show off the great new books we have for you.

SUMMER READING PROGRAM STARTS

All current 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students are invited to participate in the 7th annual Summer Reading Program -- Dive Into Reading. 5th grade classes and 6th and 7th grade ELA are visiting the IMC from June 2nd through June 9th to learn about the program and kick off their summer reading by checking out up to 5 paperback books for the entire summer. Our Summer Reading Program consists of keeping a Reading Log of everything they read from magazine articles to graphic novels to ebooks and beyond -- as long as it is at least one page of text. Summer reading does not have only come from Lakeview books. Anything goes! Reading Logs are due on September 2nd. Then I will conference with every student who turns in a Reading Log and award prizes. While our prizes cannot compete with public libraries' and online programs' prizes, I think the students will enjoy their choices. Copies of the Summer Reading Program are currently available in the IMC. Once summer vacation starts, they will be online on the Lakeview Library webpage.

Since we have quite a large paperback collection, we offer students the opportunity to check out up to 5 paperback books for the entire summer. These books are due September 2nd, just like the Reading Logs. Unfortunately the IMC is not open during the summer so once the school year has ended, students will not be able to exchange their books for others. A box will be placed between the main doors of Lakeview for students who want to return their books early. I am in and out throughout the summer so I can check in any books returned to the box.

Also watch for my special summer blog where I talk about the books I am currently reading and invite students to comment on my choices and make suggestions of other titles I should read. Keep reading alive through the summer with out Dive Into Reading Program.

END-OF-YEAR COMING

Now that the benchmark testing is done, the IMC is preparing for the end of the school year. All IMC materials are due on Friday, May 23rd. (The only exception are the paperbacks checked out by 6th grade for their final book report.) During the week of May 27th, the IMC will conduct an inventory of all its materials. Based on the results of this inventory certain items may need to be replaced or re-purchased next year. Then beginning June 2nd the IMC proudly announces its Summer Reading Program and Paperback Book Checkout. Students are encouraged to keep a reading log (form provided) of everything they read this summer and return the log to Miss Hagensee in the fall for prizes. To get students started the IMC allows students to check out up to 5 paperback books for the entire summer with these books being due after Labor Day. These summer programs are open to all current 7th, 6th, and 5th grade students. All ELA classes for these grades will be invited to a presentation and checkout time in the first week of June.

THANK YOU...

to all the students who participated in our special School Library Month contests -- Puzzles for Prizes and Book Trivia. The students who turned in puzzles won a library book bag or a Crazy Prize (which were the most popular choice). Crasy Prizes are nice junk or stuff donateds to the IMC. Since the Book Trivia Contest awarded a prize for every correct answer found in NoveList, students had a variety of prize possibilities including special bookmarks, ribbons, eraser tops for pencils, special decorative erasers, pencils, and pencil pals (the MOST popular!). A very special thank you to the IMC Club members who helped write questions (with answers) for the Book Trivia Contest. For those of you who missed it this year, these contests will be back next April.

CELEBRATE!

April 13-19 is National Library Week. To celebrate the IMC is opening its doors before school (7:35 AM) for students to come and play book/library games. We have card games: Media Motion (played like Charades) and What's the Word? (played like 20 Questions). We have board games: Bookopoly (played like Monopoly) and Pirates of Plagiarism (played like Bingo). We have Name That Source (played like Trivia Pursuit) and Book Hunt (played like Scavenger Hunt). There are online games linked to the Lakeview Library webpage. Click on Student Links on our webpage. Then open the folder called Book and Library Games and have some fun.

All next week there will also be a Book Trivia Contest based on information found in NoveList K-8. On the Lakeview library webpage, open and log in to EBSCO Host for find the answers. A prize will be given for every correct answer.

Join us for a fun-filled week celebrating National Library Week.

COURAGEOUS CHARACTERS

This Friday 6th graders visited the IMC to select a book for their next book report. The current classroom unit is about courageous characters so our book talk began with a discussion of characteristics. After discussing with their tablemates, each group offered a characteristic to the class. Some of the descriptive words suggested were: adventurous, heroic, brave, determined, cunning, reckless, bold, confident, and selfless. Then each table was given a book I had selected and challenged to see if they could figured why this book was about courage. With a little help and coaching, students did a fine job of presenting their classmates with possible book report suggestions.

CAUDILL VOTING

This week 6th graders have voted for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award 2014. To be eligible students have read or listened to at least 3 of the 20 nominated books. 76 students were eligible and voted. All votes were sent to the state Caudill committee and in about 2 weeks we should learn the official results. Complete local results are posted in the IMC windows. Here are the local results the top three books at Lakeview:

First Place -- TIE -- A Tale Dark and Grimm - and - Wonder

Second Place -- Close to Famous

Third Place -- The Running Dream

Students are invited to nominate books for the 2016 Caudill Award up to spring break. Please bring your nominations to Miss Hagensee.

MORE RESEARCH

8th grade ELA classes were in the IMC this week doing a pre-research survey of materials. They are starting to work on their persuasive speeches. Their job for this week was to select four or more topics of interest and search for books, magazines, newspapers, databases, and websites to check for position statements and availability of resources. Today in the classroom students made their final selection of a topic and position. Next week they will begin researching their specific topic for the speech. I had the honor of introducing students to two series of books that present both sides of an issue -- At Issue series and Opposing Viewpoints series. The IMC has a large number of books from these series on topics usually selected by our students. The IMC also has entries from a number of other book series on controversial topics, but these two are the most clear in defining positions. In today's world of the Internet and Google everything, students sometimes have to be reminded that there are books ready to help them.

CRAZY JANUARY

What unusual weather we are having this January! Due to much snow and very cold conditions we have be closed 4 days for bad weather. Of course, these conditions have messed up everyone's schedule including the library. In the days we have had school the 8th grade Social Studies students have researched people and groups for a Political Spectrum project. Using print and online sources groups of students have investigated anarchist, liberal, conservative, moderate, and reactionary points of view. Just this past week 8th grade ELA classes have worked on an analyzing advertisements. Tucked in between all grades have checked out books for book reports and many students have taken quizzes at our new online book report website, ReadNQuiz.

Also this past week grade level Spelling Bees were conducted in the IMC to determine 2 finalists per grade to compete next Thursday in the District Spelling Bee. Congratulations to our finalists and thank you to all who participated.

ReadnQuiz

ReadnQuiz is our new online computerized book report program that is replacing Accelerated Reader. I have now introduced RQ to all the ELA classes. RQ is accessed by the link on the Lakeview library webpage. If anyone has difficulty logging in, please let me know and the problem will be fixed. Like Accelerated Reader, RQ presents 10 questions about each book with 4 possible answers. Students select the best answer based on what they remember about the book. As with AR, I highly recommend that students take their RQ quiz as soon after they finishing reading the book as possible. Teachers have requested that all RQ quizzes for book reports be taken at school and the supervising teacher sign the score page printout. At the end of the quiz the score page can be printed using Control-P. If the quiz is for points to earn prizes, no printout needs to be made.

I will continue the prize rewards just as I did for AR. Both AR and RQ points will be included in a student's total so no one loses anything in the transfer to the new program. Point totals are taken at mid-term and end-of-quarter. Students who have earned 25 points or multiples of 25 points will receive a coupon for prizes that can be redeemed with me.

Other similarities with AR include:

Quizzes can be taken only once (unless a teacher allows more tries).

Once you start answering questions, you cannot go back.

You must login to take a quiz.

You can check your record in the My Stuff section when logged in.

You may always ask for words in the quiz to be defined, for answers or questions to be        rephrased, or for the quiz to be read aloud to improve your quiz result.

The red running book sticker will mark books that have RQ quizzes. (Please note that during    this transition period, students should not rely only on the stickers. Please check each book in  RQ if it is for a book report.)

Differences include:

A two-question survey about your feelings for the book before you start the quiz.

The Find a Book section to locate which books have quizzes available.

Quizzes written by teachers and librarians across the country are added daily.

Optional survey for each question to help the designers make the quiz better.

Many of our new books have RQ quizzes which do not have AR quizzes.

Quizzes reflect a more overview, comprehensive test of the book.