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Media Center
- Click here for information on the Gift of Reading program (updated for 2009!)
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Media Center News - Winter 2010
In the midst of the usual Library activities of story sharing, book searching, information digging and Internet exploring, a couple of special events occur every January. The annual Caldecott and Newbery Medals are awarded for the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children. It’s always a treat to share the news of the announcement with the students and to join in the celebration by featuring the award-winning books in story times and book talks. Another celebration is called for this month…hooray for Thesaurus Day! This provides a great opportunity to visit the books in our library’s reference section and to review the appropriate uses of each resource.
Other than the monthly literary-themed events we commemorate, things follow a fairly routine wintertime rhythm. As I look ahead to tomorrow, I see that I’ll be sharing Steve Jenkins’ Never Smile At a Monkey and 17 Other Important Things To Remember with 2nd Graders. This wonderful new nonfiction picture book is sure to solicit many gasps, chuckles and wide-eyed looks. I can hardly wait for the reactions. During the Grade 7 library visit, students will be reminded of our resources on Japanese culture and I’ll show them companion novels to Yoko Kawashima Watkins’ So Far From the Bamboo Grove, which they are all reading in Literature class. Kindergarteners will be treated to Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, author of crowd pleasers Little Pea and Little Hoot. Witnessing these youngsters eagerly select just the right book to borrow for the coming week is such a joy. Finally, 8th Graders will thumb through a display of books preselected for their Literature class Book Check 3 assignment.
An interesting website we’re visiting in library classes is James Patterson’s www.readkiddoread.com. The site offers age-appropriate reading lists, book reviews, author interviews and book-themed activities. A faithful friend to our school library is the Library of Congress website, www.loc.gov. Its Kids, Families link invites you to “log on, play around, learn something.” Try it at home…there’s so much to learn!
Of course, two very safe and age-appropriate websites to access, both here in the library and at home, are BrainPOP and Discovery Education. We are fortunate to have subscriptions to both. I hope your family takes advantage of them. To access these awesome resources from home:
Thank you to Mrs. Susan Lynch, who so kindly and efficiently coordinates the Gift of Reading program, and to all of the families who support the program by purchasing books for the Library. Each book on the Gift of Reading list is carefully chosen to support our curriculum, to expand our collection of high-quality children’s literature and to serve the interests of our patrons…your wonderful children.
Enjoy this winter wonderland!
Cecile Coté
Media Center News - Fall 2009
Classic children’s picture book character Amelia Bedelia is back, this time as a little girl. Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School by Herman Parish, nephew of original series author Peggy Parish, proved a truly entertaining way to begin this school year’s story times.
 Grade 4 students are joining the ranks of older library patrons as they learn to navigate their way through Alexandria, our electronic card catalogue and book circulation system. Already, Fourth Graders are able to review and manage their individual electronic records while checking out, renewing and returning items through the system. With each Library visit they gain ease and confidence with their new-found independence. Soon we will focus on developing their search skills with Alexandria’s Researcher software.
This week students in Grades 5 through 8 are learning how to access the Digital Catalogs of the C/W MARS (Central and Western Mass) and the CLAMS (Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing) Library Systems. A public library card will give one free access to valuable digital media: Audiobooks, eBooks and Video. Via SMARTBoard projection, I am demonstrating the process of downloading an audio book to an MP3 or iPod. While I stress to student that for me nothing measures up to holding the actual book in my hands, there are many occasions when that is not possible. During those times, an audio book is a terrific alternative. Is this not a fabulous use of those iPods?
 The St. Mary School Book Club is off to an awesome start. Due to the large number of students joining the activity this year, we have formed two Book Clubs: one a Grade 5 and 6 Book Club and the other for Grade 7 and 8 readers. Fifth and Sixth Graders will meet on Nov. 4 to discuss Loser by Jerry Spinelli, while Seventh and Eighth Graders will gather on Nov. 18 to chat about Jip: His Story by Katherine Paterson. Students are already familiar with other books by both of these Newbury Award authors so I’m anticipating very interesting meetings.
Have a wonderful fall,
Cecile Coté
Media Center News - Summer (from last year)
As I look back on this school year, many notable things come to mind. One I would like to profile is the multimedia experience our students enjoy when they come to the Library. This is largely due to the tremendous impact the relatively new phenomenon of multi-platform programs has had in the world of children’s book publishing. Before, when you bought a book that was what you got…a book. However with increasing frequency, many children’s books now have electronic companion pieces accessed via website, CD, DVD, and marketing collateral such as collector cards, action figures, and board games. It has become fairly common for publishers to package CDs and DVDs inside the covers of children’s books. Quite popular are DVDs containing animated video of the picture book complete with audio of the author reading the story. The Cardboard Piano by Lynne Rae Perkins is an example of one such author-narrated animated book that the children really enjoyed viewing.
 Author websites also enrich student experience. For example, while recently reading Terry Gilson’s Tillie Lays an Egg to our young students, the children were listening to the story, searching each page to spot Tillie’s egg, and glancing at the SMART Board which was streaming live footage of the real Tillie in her hen yard. Visit www.hencam.com to check it out. As a matter of fact, author Golson was kind enough to place a “Hello St. Mary School in Shrewsbury, MA” sign in the hen yard for the days Kindergarten through Grade 2 enjoyed the book. It gave us a chuckle to later discover that Tillie and “the other girls” had pecked at the St. Mary School sign with such intensity that Golson adjusted her policy on hardcopy hello signs and now sends an electronic hello footer to “visiting” schools.
A good example of a book in which the internet plays a very prominent role is Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carmon. Website URLs and passwords are strategically placed within the mystery book prompting readers to continue the story online. The reader switches back and forth from the written page to the website to view videos that advance the storyline. After sampling this format in the library, students have been scrambling to check out this and other multi-platform books. The 39 Clues Series is probably the biggest hit in this category. This ten-book fantasy adventure series features an online game in which readers compete for prizes. Clues required to advance in the contest are found in the books, trading cards, and online game play. So far, the first three books of the series have been published.
Our nonfiction collection also holds a good and growing number of books paired with CDs and DVDs containing a wealth of internet-based supplementary materials and links to appropriate websites. Multimedia resources on everything ranging from the tiny bug to the grand Shakespeare Globe Theatre are at your student’s fingertips in our Library.
One site I’d like to recommend to parents interested in determining the appropriateness of books and movies their children are interested in is www.commonsensemedia.org. This site is very user friendly and I turn to it often.
Many thanks to the terrific parents who volunteered in the Library this year. The students and I greatly appreciate your kind and capable assistance.
Enjoy a fantastic book-filled summer!
Cecile Coté
Media Center News - Spring (from last year)
As we await the arrival of spring, the usual rhythm of Library classes continues. Stories and special picture books are shared with the younger grades on a weekly basis. I can always be certain that a humorous and playful story is assured of capturing the attention and interest of the students, and destined to become a favorite that many patrons will scramble to borrow.
 Recently, I have recently been struck by something else. I have noticed that when I choose a book of a more serious nature which calls for one to listen with a compassionate heart, the children are completely receptive and attentive, almost spellbound. Two recent examples are Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth, and a 2009 Caldecott Honor Book, How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz. Both picture books, which contain stunning artwork by the way, relate true stories of people who overcame tremendous hardships to lift themselves and others to a hopeful future. What a joy it is to see the children moved by these gentle books and to hear their heartfelt comments.
Upper-grade students continue to sharpen their Internet literacy skills. The SMART Board allows us to take advantage of the many educational websites which feature interactive learning, review, and assessment activities. The hands-on aspect really engages students in the lessons.
With the Science Fair just around the corner, the Library has done a brisk business in reference materials addressing the topics of energy, electronics, magnetism, health, weather patterns, minerals, and so forth. It’s impressive to witness the efficiency with which our students conduct their searches, employing the wide range of research skills they have been developing and refining over the years.
Thank you to Margaret Curran and Kathy Canfield for all of their hard work in chairing the Scholastic Book Fair. Students of all ages look forward to shopping at the fair each year. Our Library is always gifted with many new books from the fair, which brings delight to our students as they eagerly descend upon the new titles.
Happy reading,
Cecile Coté
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