Library class updates

Despite this unusual year I have been meeitng with K - 3 classes regularly and we are making progress through the topics I would address in a "regular" year. Here's what we're up to:

Kindergarten: 

I see kindergarten classes weekly in person. Hopefully as the weather improves we can have some outdoor storytimes as we did in the fall. 

We have been reading the Bear and Mouse stories by Bonnie Becker. We're reading four titles in the series: A Visitor for Bear; A Bedtime for Bear; A Birthday for Bear and A Library Book for Bear. These are fun stories with repetition that the kindergartners now know to expect and reminders about being flexible and not making up your mind as to whether you like something or not before you try it! Bear is a particularly inflexible character so we can all learn some lessons from him about trying new things! 

First Grade:

I was seeing first graders over Zoom on their at home days, but now that they're all in person I can see them at school! We have read Caldecott possibilities and some nonfiction titles. Now we are reading some of my favorites like Alfie the Turtle That Disappeared and The Bear Ate Your Sandwich. We will read some insect-themed books soon, too, to coordinate with students' study of insects in class. 

Second Grade: 

We meet weekly on Zoom on students' at home days. We learned about the Caldecott Medal and read some books that might win the Caldecott. We also read a series of folktales called "pourquoi tales" because they answer the question how or why about something in nature. We read books like How Chipmunk Got His Stripes and Coyote Places the Stars. We have recently begun a series of four nonfiction books that are candidates for The Cook Prize. 

Third Grade:

We meet weekly on Zoom on students' at home days. This winter we learned about the Caldecott Medal and voted on our favorite Caldecott possibilities. We recently finished a sequence of mystery picture books including The Mystery of Eatum Hall and Grandpa's Teeth. Students were very motivated to pick out suspects, clues and red herrings! We are about to read a series of four nonfiction books that are candidates for The Cook Prize. 

Fourth and Fifth Grade:

Fourth and fifth graders are encouraged to participate in the Massachusetts Children's Book Award. Students read from a list of 25 titles and then we'll vote in April on our favorites. I have several students who are making great progress through the list! We own many as ebooks and audio books and students can certainly also request a print copy of any of the MCBA books. 

I have also seen fifth graders about once a month for book talks.