BookBytes

Here's what's happening @ EHUE Library

Q2, 2024-25

by M. E. Shenefiel, Librarian

In This Edition of BookBytes:

Spotlight On...

Wiggle Bots- Grade 4

Ancient Egypt Think Tank Challenges

Library Lessons Q2

Featured Resources

Mark Your Calendar

Library Stats at a Glance

Top 5 Titles

sparking curiosity, creating connections, empowering learners

Spotlight On...

sparking curiosity

This year, EHUE's building theme is "Lights, Camera, Action, Spotlight on Learning." Using this theme, the library display case in the hallway is updated weekly with a new "Spotlight On…" theme, which is also incorporated as a mini-lesson into library instruction. The weekly themes highlight a variety of authors, genres, events, and awards. Each week, the display is refreshed with a new topic, a short description, and a selection of library books related to the theme. The weekly theme is also used to booktalk a specific title for each grade level. To encourage engagement, students can earn Dojo points by identifying the weekly theme during class or answering questions about the titles and informtion featured in the display case. Using the display case as an instructional tool provides for more efficient use of instructional time.

Wiggle Bots- Grade 4

creating connections

Grade 4 students brought their science lessons on electricity and circuits to life with an exciting project in the Think Tank! After exploring the basics of circuitry in class, students had the chance to tinker, experiment, and unleash their creativity by designing their own battery-operated Wiggle Bots. Using the engineering design process, they brainstormed, built, and tested their bots, transforming everyday materials into either Scribble Bots, which created colorful art with vibrating movements, or Racing Bots, designed for speed and competition. This hands-on experience combined science, creativity, and problem-solving.

Play the videos to watch our Wiggle Bots in action.

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Ancient Egypt Think Tank Challenges

creating connections

Grade 6 Aquatics students dove into the world of Ancient Egypt by combining research with hands-on creativity in the Think Tank. After gathering information about Egyptian culture, history, and innovation, students applied their knowledge to interactive projects. They used LittleBits to engineer pyramid traps, crafted handmade papyrus and tomb paintings, and designed 3D Doodler death masks. The Museum of the Gods Sphero Challenge brought mythology to life, as students programmed Sphero robots to navigate a muesum featurung information about Egyptian Gods. Additionally, they created Pharaoh's tomb artifacts, showcasing their understanding of burial traditions and artistry. These engaging activities brought history to life, blending research, technology, and creativity. After showcasing their creations to their classmates, the creations will be on display in the library.

Library Lessons Q2

empowering learners

Review our Grade 4 library lessons here.

Grade 4

During the second quarter Eden Hall students honed their library skills with activities like navigating call numbers, and using Destiny to complete the "Snowy Sleuths Winter Scavenger Hunt." These hands-on lessons encouraged critical thinking and digital literacy while fostering independence. With time for silent reading, book sharing, and winter-themed breakouts, the library continues to be a space for learning and discovery!

Students also enjoyed exploring books, including Bob by Rebecca Stead, Tuesday by David Wiesner, and Brother Eagle, Sister Sky by Susan Jeffers and Chief Seattle.

Grade 5

Grade 5 students delved into the critical skill of evaluating sources for research. In Choosing Sources: Winter Animals students are tasked with deciding which sources to use for an imaginary project about how animals survive in winter through hibernation, migration, and adaptation. The goal was to select the two best sources to support their research, and explain why these sources were reliable and relevant. Each session combined learning with opportunities for book exchanges, silent reading, and fun winter-themed activities.

New titles featured this quater, included When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm, and The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

Visit the grade 5 library lessons page to learn more.

Grade 6

In collaboration with the grade 6 ELA teachers, students in the Grasslands and Desert teams began researching topics of their choice. The goal is to use their research to craft various pieces of writing for different purposes, including description, compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, or sequence/order pieces. To bring their research to life, students started building personal websites to showcase their findings. Guided by Mrs. S., they followed step-by-step instructions to create and publish their sites, incorporating their chosen topics and resources. During the third quarter, students will continue developing their websites while practicing skills in choosing and citing sources.

New book highlights this quarter included When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, Bloom by Kenneth Oppel, and Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell.

See our Grade 6 library lesson page here.

Featured Resources

New Non-Fiction Series Books

All images from Destiny

FINALLY- A series about the WNBA!

WNBA: A History of Women's Hoops, Creative Company, 2024. 12 titles.

From the Publisher: "Middle grade sports fans witness the buzzer-beating action of their favorite WNBA teams in these photo-driven narratives. Thrilling text and photos capture on-court professional women's basketball action through the years, highlighting superstars, championships, and phenomenal plays. "Legends of the Hardwood" sidebars focus on unforgettable moments or players in each team's history."

Living Wild Series, Creative Company, 2024. 21 titles.

Discover the amazing animals we share our planet with! This nonfiction series for middle-grade readers explores mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish with vivid photos and fascinating facts about their life cycles, diets, and habitats. Each book includes science-based information, sidebars, a range map, a glossary, and a folk tale about the featured animal, adding a cultural twist to the learning experience.

Explore AI, Powerkids Press 2025, 4 titles.

This high-tech series explores the past, present, and future of artificial intelligence. Each book showcases AI applications and explains how engineers have modeled AI on human abilities. With clear text, fun fact boxes, colorful photos, and illustrations, complex ideas are made easy to understand. The series also encourages readers to think critically and come up with their own ideas.