Read for the Record

On October 8^th, classes that visited the library participated in an annual event called “Read for the Record.”  It is sponsored by Jumpstart, an organization that promotes early literacy.  Each year Jumpstart selects a picture book to be shared with as many children as possible all over the world on October 8th.  This year 2,019,752 children heard the story The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle on the same day!  Fifty-five CJL students were among the millions who enjoyed a great picture book and helped to set a world record at the same time!

Which series do you like better?

After selecting new books during their weekly library visit, Miss Mallon’s second graders conducted surveys about popular

book series.  First students selected graphs, each listing two different book series. Next they asked their peers which series they liked better. After obtaining eight or more opinions, the students interpreted their graphs.  Here are the results:

• More people like I Spy books more than Where’s Waldo? books.
• More people prefer Mr. Putter and Tabby books to Rainbow Magic books.
• More people chose Amelia Bedelia than Frog and Toad books.
• Pigeon books are more popular than Black Lagoon books in Miss Mallon’s class.
• In Miss Mallon’s class, Star Wars books are more popular than Bone books.
• On one survey more people selected Ivy+Bean books over Junie B. Jones books, but when different people were polled, the results were the opposite!

Mrs. Sturtevant’s students conducted surveys during their book visit, too.  Here are their results:

• Like Miss Mallon’s class, most students prefer I Spy books to Where’s Waldo? books.
• More students like Mr. Putter and Tabby books than Rainbow Magic books.
• The Pigeon books are more popular than the Black Lagoon books.
• Star Wars books are more popular than Bone books.
• Unlike Miss Mallon’s class, more students in Mrs. Sturtevant’s class say they like Frog and Toad books better than Amelia Bedelia books.
• More students chose Junie B. Jones books than Ivy + Bean books.
• More students like Henry and Mudge books better than Max and Ruby books.
• Arthur books are more popular than Biscuit books.

More kudos

This week more classes earned awards for returning their library books on time.  In kindergarten, the Blue, Brown, and Purple Rooms filled with their chart with 100 stickers and earned a surprise.  Mrs. Sturtevant’s second graders received the Golden Shelf Elf Award and a small prize for filling their book return chart.  Keep up the good work, students!

Good library habit rewarded

Each K-2 classroom is rewarded for returning library books promptly.  It is our hope that students return their library books on time so that others can enjoy the books.  There is a slightly different incentive program for each grade.

 Kindergartners add a sticker to their class chart every time they return a book.  Each week the students count the number of stickers they have accumulated so far.  When the chart is full (100 stickers), the class earns a surprise.  So far the Pink, Yellow, Green, Red and Orange Rooms have filled their charts and earned their first prize (bookmarks and balloons).

 The first graders also work as a class to fill a chart.  Their chart holds 20 stickers.  The class can earn up to 5 stickers each week.  (They lose one sticker for every overdue book the class has.)  I.Q. Mouse, a character in a book read during their first visit to the library in October, sends a letter and awards a prize to the first graders when their class chart is full.  This week all three first grade classrooms filled their first chart.  Great job, first graders!

Golden Shelf Elf Award

Second graders work to fill their chart with 20 stickers just as the first graders do.  Their correspondent, however, is Skoob the Shelf Elf.  Skoob is the main character in a book introduced during the class’ first library visit of the year.  When second graders fill a chart, they get to display the Golden Shelf Elf Award in their classroom as well as earning a small prize for each class member.  Miss Kimball’s class recently earned the first Golden Shelf Elf Award of the year.

CJL Math Night

CJL’s annual Math Night was held Thursday, October 22^nd.  The library’s contribution to the event was an estimation station.  We provided a jar of objects for each grade level, but students could submit an estimate for any or every jar.  Here is a list of the counts and the winners:

• Kindergartner Makayla’s estimate was closest to the 16 fake teeth.
• First grader Sophie made the nearest estimate to the 66 rods.
• Second graders Oriah and Xavier tied with the closest estimate for jar of 110 pattern blocks.
• Third grader Samantha’s estimate was closest to the 136 rocks.
• Fourth grader Aaron’s estimate for the jar of 157 dinosaurs was the closest.
• Fifth grader Jacklyn made an guess might close to the 255 cubes.
• Fifth grader Alex made the closest estimate for the sixth grade jar of 348 rubber bands.

The winners received math-related books as prizes.  Congratulations, winners!