North Beach Elementary Library

New North Beach Website

2011-10-13T11:15:00.001-07:00

I should be starting this entry by saying "Welcome Back!" But that would have been appropriate in September when I had intended to start up with blog postings again! Despite my good intentions, I have not yet posted this year and the primary reason for this is that my time has been devoted to helping to get our new school website up and running as well as training and helping teachers set up their new web pages on that site. I have come to the conclusion that with keeping up with announcements and updates on the North Beach site, updating the library page as well as posting files on my "classroom" page, it might be too optimistic to also do an adequate job of maintaining a separate blog. But I like the formatting of this blog, and the fact that you don't need a password to see my postings (you will on the North Beach staff pages). So I am going to keep this live for now and see if once things calm down I can get back to posting here. In the meantime, there are lots of files and how-tos on accessing our library resources on the library classroom page. If you're wondering how to access Pebble-Go, Type to Learn, or district supported databases from home, you'll find everything you need there.
North Beach's new website: http://northbeaches.seattleschools.org
The Library page on North Beach
My staff page: http://mclane.northbeaches.seattleschools.org

2011-05-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

The deadline is almost here...

PLEASE MAKE YOUR DONATION BEFORE JUNE 7th!

The North Beach library still needs $700 to reach our goal.

Please consider making a donation today – it’s fast and simple.

Just go to http://www.funds4books.com/fundraiser.aspx?pincode=9aa5

You can also make an offline donation by using this form.

HOW IS MY DONATION USED?

For every $20 donated, we can purchase a new book or eBook for the library, ready to be checked out.

Most importantly, 100% of your donation goes to the library. Yes, every single penny of your donation will help fund new library materials for our students.

All the students and staff at North Beach will benefit from the additions made to the collection from the proceeds of this fundraiser. Thank you for your help!

If you have questions, please contact Kristine McLane, librarian, at kemclane@seattleschools.org or at 252-1527.

Offline Donations for Funds4Books

2011-04-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

If you would like to contribute to the Funds4Books Fundraiser but prefer not to make an online donation, please print off this form and send it to school with a check made out to "Funds4Books". Thank you!

Support the North Beach Elementary Library!

2011-04-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Starting today and running through June 7th, the library is having a Funds4Books fundraiser through Mackin Books. 100% of all Funds4Books donations goes directly to the acquisition of new materials for the North Beach Library!

With the proceeds of this fundraiser, the library will add a selection of eBooks that support K-5 Science curriculum topics, 2nd-5th grade Social Studies topics, and titles that are often in high demand and have long waiting lists.

In addition, we are hoping to raise enough funds to acquire the print versions of the 2012 Washington Children's Choice and Sasquatch Award nominated titles. All students K-3 participate in the Washington Children's Choice Award and are introduced to 20 outstanding recently published books. The Sasquatch Award is voluntary for 3rd-5th grade students and this year 42 of our intermediate students participated in reading the nominees and voting for their favorite title.

You can support this effort by going directly to http://www.funds4books.com/fundraiser.aspx?pincode=9aa5 . If you have any questions, please contact Kristine McLane in the library at kemclane@seattleschools.org . Thank you!

2011 Sasquatch Award Statewide Results

2011-04-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

North Beach students loved Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka, but the voters around the state disagreed and have selected Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix as this year's Sasquatch Award winner. Thanks to all of the students who participated!

Science Fair support

2011-04-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've shared some online resources with all 4th and 5th graders that may be helpful for them in preparing their science fair projects. The Grolier online reference suite includes the New Book of Popular Science, which has links to science fair project ideas, website links to science topics, and general background reference information. The WorldBook Kids online has a variety of science fair project ideas available on the opening page of the database. Both of these resources can be accessed via the Source or by going to http://www.seattleschools.org/area/library/stuindex.xml . If you have trouble logging in, please contact me at kemclane@seattleschools.org.

2011 Sasquatch Award Results

2011-04-06T11:56:00.000-07:00

North Beach First Place

3rd, 4th and 5th grade students also had the opportunity to participate in the Sasquatch Award. The top choice this year at North Beach was the memoir Knucklehead, by Jon Scieszka. Students enjoyed learning about the crazy antics this well-known author recounted about growing up in a large family in Michigan. In second place there was a tie between the science fiction thriller Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix and The Magic Half, a fantasy by Ivy and Bean author Annie Barrows. The statewide results should be announced later in April. Thanks to all students who participated!

2011 Washington Children's Choice Award

2011-04-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

First Place at North Beach!

The results are in! All K-3 students voted for their favorite book nominated for the Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award. In first place was Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle. Students were touched by this non-fiction account of an amazing dog encountered by a marine while on deployment in Iraq. More information on Nubs can be found here. In second place was Those Darn Squirrels, a humorous tale of a lonely old man who battles against the squirrels who claim all of the food he leaves for the birds he is trying to coax into staying for the winter. In third place, students selected Let's Do Nothing, about Frankie and Sal, a couple of boys who learn that "doing nothing" may not be as easy as it seems.

Updated Keyboarding Program Available!

2011-03-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks to support from the North Beach PTA, North Beach has just acquired a new keyboarding program that is accessible from home. Here are directions for accessing Type to Learn 4 from home:

1. Go to http://ttl4.sunburst.com/downloads/ and follow directions for downloading the Type to Learn 4 Web FULL VERSION for your operating program (Mac or Windows).

2. Once the program is loaded, enter the following information:

a. Username: firstinitiallastname (example: Kristine McLane would be kmclane; RJ Sammons would be rsammons.)

b. Password: welcome

c. Account Code: Please email me at kemclane@seattleschools.org to receive the account code.

Database available through the Seattle Public Library

2011-02-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

Recently I shared Bookflix with K-2nd grade students. This is a wonderful database that pairs fiction books with non-fiction books. It is available to you with a public library card. To access this resource, go to the SPL website and select Bookflix, then enter your library card number and enjoy!

2011-02-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

I’ve received several requests from parents on how to access our library resources from home, so I thought the following information might be useful to provide again. We have subscriptions to a variety of databases that are available through the district. All of these can be accessed here. If you are logged into The Source, click on Resources and password information is provided there. I am also happy to provide this information to you via email if you are having problems with access. Our subscription to PebbleGo, which is provided by the school, is up and running and can be accessed either through the North Beach Library Catalog visual search function, or by going directly to the database. Finally, if you would like to have access to downloadable audiobooks through NetLibrary, please email me at kemclane@seattleschools.org and I will set up an account for you, or come into the library and I can assist you with setting up an account.

Washington Children' Choice Update

2011-02-06T08:57:00.000-08:00

We are about two-thirds of the way through the list of books nominated for the

Washington Children's Choice Award. All K-3 Students will be voting at the end of March on their favorite book. Recently we read Ron's Big Mission, a fictionalized account of an incident that occurred in future Challenger astronaut Ron McNair's childhood. At the age of 9, when African-Americans were not allowed to check out books from the local public library in Lake City, South Carolina, McNair refused to leave the library until he was allowed to check out the books on advanced scientific topics that he was interested in. While Ron's Big Mission doesn't dig deeply into the issues of segregation in the 1950s, it presents the topic in a manner that's accessible for young students. And the students who were close to the age McNair was at that time were able to appreciate the courage and self-confidence he must have possessed to engage in this act of civil disobedience. I was not aware of this story prior to reading Ron's Big Mission, but I read more about Dr. McNair after reading the book, and he was an amazing, inspirational person who is now revered in his hometown. Last week, on the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, there were several news stories about him. I enjoyed this one, about how the library that refused to provide service to African Americans when McNair was a child has been restored and reopened as the Dr. Ronald E. McNair Life History Center to honor this exceptional American hero.

Award winning author/storyteller Margaret Read MacDonald visits North Beach

2011-02-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited that we will have the opportunity next month to host Margaret Read MacDonald at North Beach. She will be at the school all day on March 1st and will meet with all classes. Then she will be joining us at our Multicultural Potluck on the evening of March 2nd. Dr. MacDonald is an award-winning folklorist who has published dozens of books featuring tales from around the world. In preparation for her visit, we will be reading her books as well as other folktales, discussing different types of folktales, their origins, and the similarities among stories from different areas of the world. We started out last week reading Mabela the Clever, a tale from the Limba people of Sierra Leone, The Squeaky Door, from Puerto Rico, and we wrapped up the week with a discussion of fables and a reading of Bat's Big Game. There will be a flyer sent home in the upcoming week with information on pre-ordering Dr. MacDonald's books from the Secret Garden Bookshop. The proceeds from the sale of books in conjunction with our author visit will benefit the North Beach Library.

Help needed in the library!

2011-01-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

If you read the information from the library that was sent home with report cards, then you know that one of my goals for our students is to improve their abilities to find appropriate reading materials and to utilize the library catalog to find books they are interested in. In order to be able to help them improve these skills, I am in desperate need of consistent help on Thursdays and Fridays when students are doing the bulk of circulation. I would love to have 2, or even 3, parents available during all K-4 classes to assist students with checking books out, helping me check books in, helping students locate materials, and finally with shelving materials. Because of our rotating schedule, classes come in one week on Thursday, and the following week on Friday for checkout. If you are interested in helping out with your child's class (or with another grade if it works for your schedule!), or if you have questions, please contact Kristine McLane in the library at 252-1527, or at kemclane@seattleschools.org . No library experience is necessary for this opportunity to help our students! I see each grade level at the following times:

9:35-10:05 2nd Grade
10:05-10:35 1st Grade
10:50-11:05 Kindergarten
12:40 - 1:10 - Room 5
1:10 - 1:40 - 3rd Grade
1:40-2:10 - 4th Grade

Thank you!!

2011 ALA Awards Announced!

2011-01-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

2011 Newbery Medal Winner

Every January the American Library Association announces the top books for the prior year for children and young adults at its midwinter meeting. The Caldecott Medal is given to outstanding illustrations and the Newbery Medal is give to the most outstanding contribution to children's literature. The Coretta Scott King Award is given to African-American illustrators and authors for outstanding contributions to children's literature. The Robert F. Sibert Medal is awarded for the most distinguished informational book for children. Finally, the Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal is awarded to the most distinguished beginning reader book. I have recently created an Amazon.com wish list for books that would improve the library collection at North Beach. Most of the books currently on the list are the 2011 ALA award winners. A great way to honor a student's birthday or other special occasion would be to add one of these notable books to our library's collection!

Welcome Back!

2011-01-11T14:03:00.000-08:00

We've been back in school for a little over a week now and I need to provide some updates on several items. First, I'm thrilled to announce that the library's DonorsChoose grant was funded due to the generosity of people in our community and others who support literacy. We will soon be receiving several dozen new books to add to our library collection as a result of this grant.

We jumped right into our winter MAP testing schedule when we returned to school last week. All classes have completed the math assessments and tomorrow we begin the reading assessments. Look for further information on accessing test scores coming via the Beachcomber or from your child's teacher!

Wanted! Award Nominated Books and Leveled Readers!

2010-12-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

DonorsChoose.org has approved the North Beach Library's grant proposal Wanted! Award Nominated Books and Leveled Readers! for inclusion on their website. Thank you to the donors who have already contributed! Included on the grant are 32 books that will provide fabulous reading opportunities for students in grades K-5 here. Please help spread the word to friends and family about this opportunity to put high-demand books into the hands of our students! Our DonorsChoose direct link is http://www.donorschoose.org/northbeach.

An easy way to support the North Beach Library!

2010-11-28T23:20:00.000-08:00

I saw a news story tonight that explained that Borders bookstores were offering $15 gift cards this weekend that customers making in-store purchases could then use on DonorsChoose.Org to support the school of their choice. It doesn't matter if the purchase is a book or simply a cup of coffee; the customer will still receive a $15 gift card. So tonight I took a book list I've been working with for a few weeks of books I'd really like to add to the library collection that are previous award nominees or that are leveled readers appealing to our younger readers, and I submitted a grant on the DonorsChoose website after updating my profile for North Beach. It may take a day or two for them to review my grant before it goes live - currently it tells me that my request is pending. But it will definitely be live shortly, and if you're interested in learning more about the grant, keep checking back at http://www.donorschoose.org/northbeach in the next couple of days! And if you're out shopping on December 4th or 5th, consider making a purchase of any amount at Borders and you'll be able to support the acquisition of new materials for our students! Thank you!

Genre Recommendations: Survival/Adventure

2010-11-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

Many of the intermediate classrooms are working on reading a variety of literary genres. I've compiled bibliographies for these genres and posted them on the library catalog, In the middle of the page, look under "Resource Lists" and see what titles are available. The Survival/Adventure list includes this year's Sasquatch nominated books "Diamond Willow" by Helen Frost and "Leepike Ridge" by N.D. Wilson as well as titles by Ben Mikaelsen, Roland Smith, Gary Paulsen and others. I will be working on acquiring additional titles for the collection that fall under the survival/adventure genre category during the year.

Genre Recommendations: Historical Fiction

2010-11-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

Many of the intermediate classrooms are working on reading a variety of literary genres. I've compiled bibliographies for these genres and posted them on the library catalog, In the middle of the page, look under "Resource Lists" and see what titles are available. The Historical Fiction list includes this year's Sasquatch nominated book "A Friendship for Today" by Patricia McKissack and several Newbery Medal and Honor titles. There are a variety of lengths represented in the books on the list, and the list is by no means exhaustive of what is available in the library. If you're unable to find something that will work on the list provided, please feel free to contact me in the library for further recommendations.

Genre Recommendations: Science Fiction

2010-11-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

Many of the intermediate classrooms are working on reading a variety of literary genres. I've compiled bibliographies for these genres and posted them on the library catalog, In the middle of the page, look under "Resource Lists" and see what titles are available. The Science Fiction list includes this year's Sasquatch nominated book "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix and last year's Newbery Award winner "When you reach me" by Rebecca stead. For those seeking out shorter reading options, try the Andrew Lost series by J.C. Greenburg, currently available only through the public library. I will be working on acquiring additional titles for the collection that fall under the science fiction genre category during the year.

Genre Recommendations: Mystery

2010-11-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

Many of the intermediate classrooms are working on reading a variety of literary genres. I've compiled bibliographies for these genres and posted them on the library catalog, In the middle of the page, look under "Resource Lists" and see what titles are available. Included in the Mystery list are well-known authors David Adler, Ron Roy, and Carolyn Keene among other less well-known writers. Many of the titles are a part of a series and there are other titles included in the series available in the library. I will be working on acquiring additional titles that fall under the mystery genre throughout the year.

Genre Recommendations: Fantasy

2010-11-15T19:14:00.000-08:00

What to do after Harry Potter and Percy Jackson? Many of the intermediate classrooms are working on reading a variety of literary genres. I've compiled bibliographies for these genres and posted them on the library catalog, In the middle of the page, look under "Resource Lists" and see what titles are available. Included in the fantasy list are titles by well-known authors such as Bruce Coville and Cornelia Funke, but any titles by these two would be outstanding choices. Unfortunately, we don't have Funke's "Ink Trilogy" available, and these are some of my favorite Funke titles. They can be accessed at the public library. We also only have one title by one of my favorite British authors, Eva Ibbotson, and none of the Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo, so I will be working on making these additions to the collection this year. In the meantime, I highly recommend these books if your child was a big fan of Harry Potter or fantasy in general. From Australia comes another fabulous fantasy writer, Emily Rodda. In addition to the Deltora Quest series that is listed on the bibliography, she is also the author of several other outstanding series that would appeal to a wide variety of readers: Fairy Realm, Rowan of Rin, and Rondo. As always, if you need further recommendations, feel free to call, email, or stop by the library for book recommendations.

Searching Seattle Public Library Resources from the North Beach Catalog

2010-11-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

If you are trying to determine if our school library has a particular title and you are unable to locate the book you're looking for in our catalog, you can quickly determine if the materials you're looking for are available through the Seattle Public Library by clicking on the One Search tab after receiving your search results. I would be happy to show you how to use this function any time I'm not teaching if you want to stop by the library.

Nubs: The true story of a mutt, a marine, and a miracle

2010-11-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

In honor of Veterans Day, most classes have been able to hear the story of Nubs, a very special dog that was rescued by Major Brian Dennis, a marine serving in Iraq. Nubs is a heartwarming story that demonstrates perseverance, loyalty, and dedication by the marines who served with Major Dennis and most of all, Nubs. The true story details the story of how Nubs crossed the Iraqi desert in pursuit of Major Dennis and his men after they were sent to the Jordanian border to assist with training Iraqi soldiers. Because they were not allowed to have pets with them and Nubs had continually followed them and sought out Major Dennis wherever he was stationed, the marines saw no other option then to raise the funds to send Nubs to the United States to live with Major Dennis and his family. Nubs is one of this year's Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award Nominees and is by the same authors as last year's winner, The Two Bobbies. You can see the book trailer on co-author Kirby Larson's website, and see an interview with Major Dennis on the Today Show to learn more about this inspiring story.

Educational Technology Standards/Technology Gift to North Beach!

2010-11-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

Last week I was out of the building for 2 days, and will be again on November 15-16. Lots of people have been asking what I've been doing on those days. I am a member of the Washington State Educational Technology Assessment Development Group. In 2008, Washington State adopted new Ed Tech standards for students. The legislature mandated that assessments be developed that address the standards. Since January I've been working with a group of about 12 educators from around the state to develop these assessments. I plan to pilot one of these with 3rd graders later in the year as soon as it's available. If you're interested in learning more about Educational Technology in Washington State, go to http://k12.wa.us/EdTech/Assessment/edtechcbaBackground.aspx . I am continually working on developing and improving lessons that will support student achievement of these standards and to fulfill the library information and technology program's mission to "ensure that all students are effective users and producers of ideas and information".

After I initially wrote this posting, I learned that the school has been given a gift by an anonymous donor to assist with updating and enhancing the technology available to our students and teachers. I am incredibly grateful for this donor's generosity and am excited to work with Mr. Sammons and other teachers to determine the best possible manner to utilize these funds so that our students are acquiring the skills they need to be prepared to participate in a 21st Century economy and democracy. Thank you!!

Database info is available!

2010-10-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

In grades 2-5, we've been working on how to access information on the World Book Online and World Book Online Kids. In grades K-1, we've been working on how to locate our favorite books using a variety of methods in Tumblebooks. I have made bookmarks available to students that contain all of the login information for our databases. If you would like another copy of this info for home reference, please feel free to stop by the library and pick one up. It has been fun to see the enthusiasm students have to practice their developing searching skills during their recesses, and if you ask them to show you how to access one of these resources at home they simply need the bookmark to provide all of the website address and login info.

PebbleGo

2010-10-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

North Beach Elementary School has a one-month trial subscription PebbleGo, the award winning K-3

database for reading and research, featuring two distinct databases for K to grade 3 students:

· PebbleGo Animals

· PebbleGo Earth and Space

Both databases feature built in reading and research tools, and are expertly leveled for emerging readers.

Audio supports navigation, and all articles include narrated text and highlighting.

To access this resource at home, please contact me at kemclane@seattleschools.org, or 252-1527.

It's Applesauce Season!

2010-10-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

Our current Washington Children's Choice nominated book is Applesauce Season , by Eden Ross Lipson. We have been reading about and trying different types of apples. The book includes a recipe for homemade applesauce that I've given to teachers, but in case your child can't find it, here it is again:

· 6 lbs. apples, three varieties or more

· 2 or more cups liquid – water, cider, or juice (or more as needed)

· 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar (or less or more as needed)

· ½ tsp. butter

· Dash of salt

Optional: If you can find a quince, wash, cut and add it to the pot. It will make the sauce pink and sweeter.

Wash and cut up apples and put in a heavy saucepan. Add liquid and cover. Cook at medium flame until completely soft and foamy – about 20 minutes.

Remove from flame, uncover, and let cool briefly, but while still warm transfer the apple mixture to a food mill placed over a large bowl. Grind down thoroughly. The sauce will be loose, even runny. It will thicken as it cools. Season to taste. Serve warm or cold.

Online Student Resources Available

2010-10-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to this week's PTA meeting, I wanted to provide more information on the resources I discussed. All of the online resources can be accessed by going to http://www.seattleschools.org/area/library/stuindex.xml . There are links to CultureGrams and TeachingBooks.Net on the right side of the library blog. All password information is available in the library. Please stop by or email me if you have questions!

Wanted: Library Volunteers!

2010-09-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

The library has many opportunities available for parents and community members to support the maintenance of a thriving library and technology program. We need help shelving books, checking books in and out, assisting students with locating materials, book repair, book covering, labeling of books, creating library displays, organizing library materials, and assisting students while they are using computers in the library. If you think any of these might be of interest to you, please contact Kristine McLane by email or call the library at 252-1527 and let me know what you are interested in doing to support the library. Thank you!!

Upcoming Author Events

2010-09-26T22:33:00.000-07:00

Providing children with the opportunity to meet authors and illustrators sparks an excitement for reading and writing. There are several opportunities for students to meet and interact with authors coming up at the Secret Garden Bookstore. Laura Numeroff (If you give a pig a pancake), Tad Hills (Duck & Goose), and Michael Wright (Jake goes peanuts)are all due for visits in early October. I am also excited to tell you that Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery, co-authors of The Two Bobbies, are visiting the store on October 13th at 7:00 p.m. I shared their book with many of our students during the bookfair and it really struck a chord with many of them. Since I heard from so many parents about how much the students enjoyed this true story of a dog and cat who survive Hurricane Katrina together, I wanted to pass the information about Mary and Kirby's presentation on to you. For more information on author events, go to the Secret Garden website.

Search the library catalog from home

2010-09-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

Half of the intermediate classrooms have begun to learn how to utilize our library catalog to search for and locate books they are interested in. The rest of the 3rd-5th grade classes will begin to learn this skill next week. Students can use this resource from home as well. Just click here and begin your Quest for a great book to read!

Shelfari books

2010-09-23T23:18:00.000-07:00

The books featured on the right side of the blog are nominated for the 2011 Sasquatch and Washington Children's Choice Awards. These awards provide K-5 students from across Washington State the opportunity to enjoy quality literature and to vote on their favorites. During the book fair I shared many previous winners with the students and they especially enjoyed the 2010 Washington Children's Choice winner, The Two Bobbies, by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery. I look forward to sharing this year's nominees with North Beach students and learning what their favorites will be!

Book fair thank you!

2010-09-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

I am overwhelmed with the generosity of the North Beach community. Thank you to all of the amazing volunteers who gave their time to make the Secret Garden Bookfair such a success. I would also like to thank the many generous donors who purchased books to add to the library collection. The students will enjoy these for a long time. It was wonderful to meet so many parents and family members during the book fair week. With the proceeds of the book fair the library will be able to update several areas of the collection, purchase award nominated books, and add titles that are in high demand by the students. Thank you for the warm welcome to North Beach!

NetLibrary

2010-09-23T23:11:00.000-07:00

The library has many online resources that are available to our families. One of the newest resources is NetLibrary. Through NetLibrary, we have access to the entire catalog of children’s and young adult audiobooks that are part of NetLibrary’s (Recorded Books) collection. After creating an account (this must be done at school), users can check out up to 10 audiobooks for a 3 week period. You can listen on a home computer, transfer audiobooks to a portable listening device, or burn audiobooks to compact discs. If you would like to establish a NetLibrary account, please contact me in the library and I'll set one up for you.

Welcome to North Beach!

2010-09-23T07:29:00.001-07:00

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