October 2022

Hello Cedar Trails Teachers!

Diwali is on October 24th! Happy Diwali!!

Five weeks are in the books now and I can feel kiddos finding their groove and becoming more and more comfortable with routines. We have one sweet pack of wolves!

October means all things pumpkin! The library will be hosting our 2nd annual Pumpkin Book Project! Students will have the opportunity to decorate a foam (preferred) or real pumpkin like their favorite book character. The pumpkins are due at the library by October 25, but I will accept pumpkins whenever they want to bring them to school. More communication about the PBP will be sent home to families in my monthly Library Newsletter.

In addition to the Pumpkin Book Project, the library will host our 2nd annual Booktacular! The Booktacular is a live Zoom event where you, the teachers, are invited to read your favorite fall-inspired book to students. The Booktacular will be Thursday, October 27th from 7-8 pm. Students are invited to dress up in their costumes for this event. I am looking for five to six teachers to share their amazing storytelling skills. Please sign up here to participate!

Thank you to those of you who came to Destiny and Donuts. If you missed it, you can access the PowerPoint presentation here. All of our Cedar Trails passwords are included in the slideshow and it is also housed in TEAMs under General-Files.

This month I am also introducing our Forty Book Library Challenge. Each month I will send home a Reading Challenge sheet (see left sidebar for handout). This allows students to read books at their own pace while encouraging them to try new genres and categories. You will notice that some squares have a gold badge in the check box. This means if they read this book they will earn a badge (a small collectible pin). The goal is for them to earn all of the badges and read 40 books by the end of May. These monthly sheets are designed to help them stay on track. If they read all of the badge books for the month, they will be poised to earn all of the badges. If they choose to check ALL the boxes for the month, they earn lunchtime with me in the library, where they will hear a story and earn a trip to my prize box. In addition to this, students who have read twenty books by the first winter break will have a pizza party with me in the library. Those who read all forty books by May will earn a special picnic where lunch will be provided for them. Students can also keep track of what they read using my tracker. You will notice they are differentiated by grade as some badges aren't age-appropriate for some students.

Want a fun way to celebrate on Monday, October 31? Sign up for a Breakout Edu in the library. I will guide you and your class through a Breakout activity of your choice! Use Sign Up Genius for a time slot!

I hope you are finding your Book a Day baskets helpful. Let me know if you have specific requests and I will do my best to honor them! Be sure to come to the library and check out books we have that support Disability Awareness Month and Hispanic Heritage Month (ends October 15).

Happy Fall!

Julianna