April is School Library Month and April 8-14, 2012 is National Library Week:
(More information will be posted here towards the middle of March. Read below to learn about the activities we did during our 2011 celebration.)
http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek/index.cfm
2011: The theme this year is Create Your Own Story @ Your Library.
and
April is also National Poetry Month:
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/41
There is not a theme, per se, just plenty of ideas, etc. to bring additional attention to and inclusion of poetry in our daily lives.
We have a contest and several activities planned. Students should participate according to their interests.
On Friday, April 1, we will kick off the celebrations with a video announcing all that is included below, including our School Library Month contest, Alpha Readers--students will be given a reading log in the form of Alpha Boxes and between April 1 and April 30, they must read or have read to/with them (whatever their A.R. setting is) a combination of the following whose titles must begin with the letter of the alphabet that they use it to fulfill.
Books--can be used for all 26 boxes, but must be used for at least 10 boxes. Please DO NOT quiz on books that are not in your ZPD and/or are below your book level goal.
Magazine articles--at least 100 words in length--can only be used for 4 boxes.
NCWiseOWL articles--at least 100 words in length--can only be used for 4 boxes.
Poems--at least 100 words in length--can only be used for 4 boxes.
Encyclopedia entries--any length--can only be used for 3 boxes.
Geographic coordinates of 5 countries (or page and grid information from a print atlas) that begin with that letter--can only be used for 1 box.
Why bother??? Related to the theme of Create Your Own Story @ Your Library, the varied reading required to complete the contest entry will hopefully deepen and enhance students' schema and vocabulary that they will have to draw upon when they attempt to write future narrative as well as expository writing pieces.
And...Students who return a completed Alpha Readers contest entry will be rewarded with one free book (not to exceed $5.00) of their choice during our BOGO book fair, have their picture taken for the newspaper, and will also be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $25.00 Walmart gift card.
What about copying off of another student??? April's Character Ed. focus is on Integrity--students will be asked to sign an honor statement when they submit their entry. Students should be able to back up the titles they include in their boxes with the information contained in the reading log on the back of the paper that will require parent or teacher initials.
During the week of April 11-15, National Library Week, we will have daily activities for students to participate in, if they choose to do so:
Monday, April 11: Make Believe Monday--Students are welcome to come for one of the read aloud/story times that will be held beginning on the hour and half hour starting with the first session beginning at 9 a.m. and the last session beginning at 1:30 p.m. Length of sessions will vary, but expect each one to last somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 minutes.
Tuesday, April 12: Bookmobile is here. Students should swing by the media center to receive a complimentary bag that they can use to keep up with their bookmobile books.
Wednesday, April 13:Whatcha' Reading Wednesday. Students are invited to add their comments to the Whatcha' Reading survey that will be open on all media center computers. The survey will work like an online book review. This activity may get switched to a Wild About... Day where students vote for a favorite author, genre, series, etc.
Thursday, April 14: National Poetry in Your Pocket Day, we will sponsor a Poetry in Your Pocket celebration to coincide with the national celebration. Interested students are invited to visit the display area in the media center between April 1 and April 14 at 9:00 a.m. to pick a favorite poem, copy it onto a piece of paper that they will then tuck into a paper pocket that they can also make in the media center or take with them to make later. Students who complete the Poetry in Your Pocket Activities are invited to assemble on the media center patio during their lunch time to share their poems with each other:)
Friday, April 15: Free-Time Friday--students are invited to come to the media center for 20 minutes during which, they use their media center however they wish, as long as they do not interfere with other students' enjoyment of the their free time. The first session will begin at 7:30 and the last session will begin at 2:30 p.m. (22 slots total, but 7 slots will conflict with your guided reading, enrichment, lunch, and recess blocks). Check with your teacher to find out when you should come.