This is a fun interactive game, much like an escape room, that uses primary sources to teach about the first Thanksgiving in the Colonies. It was created by the Plimoth Patuxet Museum. Click on the image below to load the game.  It takes approximately 20 minutes but is chocked full of great information. 

Audience- 

• K-3rd grades with an adult

• 4th & up independent activity

In case it has been a while since you studied primary sources...A primary source is an original document or object that provides first-hand information about an event or topic. Primary sources are created by someone who was directly involved in or witnessed the event, or at the time the event took place. They are the raw material for research and other studies, (LOC, 2020). 

Library of Congress, FAQs, Ask a Librarian, August 2020.

Hey, it's okay. It happens, BUT, it might not be truly lost for the ages. Let me share a few insider tips with you that may save you some $ before you need to head over to the lost or damaged library replacement website. ;)

I know, I know, those pesky auto-generated emails you receive from our system keep coming to prompt you to look for the lost book again and again. However, most of the time, your child's library book is just hiding. So here are my top two tips to help your child find their "lost", ahem, I mean hiding library book.

1.  I have noticed that about 80% of the time if students and their families look at the cover image of the lost book prior to their search, they are more successful in locating it. 

   • • • How to do this? Check out this link and type in the title of the book in the search bar. 

2. Bring a little structure to your search by using this checklist to guide you in your hunt. Obviously, most homes will not have a basement, but what other unique space might the library book hide? PRO Tip- Have your child check their classroom browse box, YMCA & cafe for the lost book. They can even ask a classmate to help them. 

IF the library book does not reappear in a week or two, or it is damaged, you can follow the steps to pay for its replacement at this link. 

Thank YOU for supporting your Scott Reader and our Library! <3

Librarians, teachers, students, and parents...we can all agree that graphic novels and comics have an engaging appeal! Whether saturated with splashy color or punctuated with stark black and white images, graphic novels and comics feature dynamic characters with a fast-paced story and punchy flow. These lively stories are seemingly the perfect formula to grab a reader's attention. However, sometimes graphic novels and comics get a bad rap as not having much to contribute to a reader's experience. While I will always advocate for children to read a wide variety of books, I offer a counterpoint...below, are a few virtues of reading graphic novels and comics I would love to share:

• Graphic novels and comics are ENGAGING- They serve to capture the imagination and motivate a whole host of readers, from the most reluctant to the most enthusiastic. Thus providing opportunities for readers to read what they like can help them progress and develop a more robust reading life. 

• Graphic novels and comics BUILD VOCABULARY- Language used in graphic novels tends to be more sophisticated, descriptive, and rich,  so readers may encounter unfamiliar words that end up building their vocabulary. 

• Graphic novels and comics provide opportunities for COMPLEX READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS such as INFERRING. Words and images in graphic novels weave together to tell a complete story, but one does not mirror the other. In other words, each action is not drawn and readers have to infer as to what happens between the gutters.