Braddock Eagle Library Blog

Ready for Research

Braddock Eagles in the 3rd grade have been learning about text features in nonfiction books and reference resources.  Students are now exploring topics to research on their own.  Fortunately our library has many great online resources for students to pursue independent research.

Online Databases

• Early Peoples - learn about ancient civilizations.
• Early World of Learning - click on a subject icon and learn.
• Grolier Kids - access to seven different encyclopedias, atlas, dictionary, magazine articles, and selected Web sites.
• PebbleGo Animals - fun database about all kinds of animals!
• World Book Kids - easy-to-read articles, multimedia, games, science projects, interactive tools, and activities.

Digital Libraries

• myON Books - great online non-fiction books.
• TumbleBooks - features online non-fiction books.

Citing Sources

It is important to give credit to the resources (books, databases, encyclopedias, websites) you used to find information. 

• Citatation Builder Notetaking Form - Download Citation Builder Notetaking Form - keep scrolling down to see all the citation options and choose the one you need.
• World Book Citations
• What is plagiarism?

 

KABLAM!

Hi.  My name is Melvil Dewey.  Nice to meet you.  How you doing?  If you need info, you know where to go.  Go to your library.  Download DeweyDecimalSystemRap for the rest of the lyrics.

 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all our Braddock Eagles and learnign community!  January is National Get Organized Month.  Here are some links to help get the year off to an organized and fun start.

• Jan Brett Calendars - calendars to color, that are interactive, and for birthdays.
• As the Calendar Turns - a colorful, changeable calendar you can make.
• New Year's Resolution Maker - pull the lever for some interesting resolution suggestions.

There are other opportunites for fun in January.  Check these days and links out.

• National Soup Month
• National Bird Day - Thursday, January 5.
• Word Nerd Day - Tuesday, January 10.
• Benjamin Franklin's Birthday - Tuesday, January 17.
• Poetry Break Day - Friday, January 13.
• Martin Luther King Day - Monday, January 16
• Thesaurus Day is on January 18.  How many synonyms can you think of for the word "cold?"
• Squirrel Appreciation Day - Saturday, January 21.
• Chinese New Year - Monday, January 23.
• Belly Laugh Day - Tuesday, January 24.
• National Puzzle Day - Sunday, January 29.

 

 

To the Book Fair and Beyond!

Braddock Eagles know that reading is out of this world!  Our Scholastic Book Fair is pulling into town on Friday, December 2, 2011.  You don't have to wait until then to shop, our Book Fair is also online!  It's so easy to shop, just click on our Braddock ES Book Fair Page and click on Shop the Book Fair Online.  All books will be shipped free to Braddock Elementary after December 9, 2011.  The online Book Fair is a great option for grandparents and other family and friends who live out of town.

Of course, Eagles  can come shop for books in the Braddock Elementary School Library from Friday, December 2 through Friday, December 9 during regular school hours.   Don't forget to come to Family Night on Thursday, December 8 from 6-8 pm in the Braddock Cafe!

 

• Book Fair - Friday, December 2 through Friday, December 9
• Online Shopping - November 21 through December 9
• Family Night - Thursday, December 8 from 6-8 pm

Just Right!

Choosing a book is an important skill to learn in order to become a good reader.  Just like Goldilocks, it is important to choose a book that is just right. 

• 5 Finger Rule Bookmark - Download 5 finger bookmark
• Choosing the Perfect Book Bookmark - Download Choosing the perfect book_schoolv
• How to Pick a Perfect Book Poster - Download How to Pick a Just Right Book
• Just Right Bookmark - Download JustRight
• Was This the Right Book for Me? - Download Assess

Order in the Library!

Braddock Eagles are learning about how to check out great books to read.  In order to do that, we need to know how libraries work. We are learning that fiction books are arranged in ABC order by the author's last name.  Here are some fun games to practice ABC order. 

• ABC Order: Authors 
• Alphabetical Animals
• Alphabetizing
• Alpha-Fishing
• Author ABCs: Xtreme Level!
• The Book Game!
• L is for Library
• Order in the Library
• Order Me Around

When finding great books, knowing the different kinds of books or genres can be useful.  Here are some fun games about learning literary genres along with basic library facts. 

• Books, Books, Books - play hangman to identify the book or genre.
• Books in the Library - answer true or false.
• Genres - read about the different genres, scroll to the bottom to play the game.
• Library Words - find the library terms in this hidden puzzle.
• Who Wants to Be a Library Lingo Millionaire?

Have fun and remember, practice makes perfect!

Rocking in the New School Year!

Pete the Cat is back - and this time he's rocking his new school shoes.  Everybody's favorite cool cat is checking out all the groovy places to go at school.  Here are some fun activities...because it's all good.

• Rocking in My School Shoes song - don't forget to move and groove along!
• Pin the Shoe on Pete - pin your shoe as close to Pete's front paw as you can!
• Coloring My School Shoes - rock your favorite color!
• Do My Shoes Match? - download this fun game.
• Rockin' Through the Maze- help Pete rock through the maze to catch the school bus...
• The Wheels on the Bus - sing along with Pete and his pals - meow, meow, meow!
• Activities to Go with Pete the Cat - lots of fun suggestions. 
• Harry the Dirty Dog - if you like Pete, you'll like Harry!  
• Dog's Colorful Day by Emma Dodd - another favorite!              

 

 

 

Catch an Amazing Tale this Summer!

Get ready to enjoy “Amazing Tales” during the 2011 Summer Reading Program at the Fairfax County Public Library. You can register online or in person at your local library branch beginning June 21. 

Preschoolers through high schoolers earn a coupon book with great prizes including free and discounted items by completing their reading and going to their local library branch by September 3.

Activities are planned for families, preschoolers, school-age youngsters, teens and adults throughout the summer. Pick up a copy of the Summer Reading Program calendar at your local branch or search the calendar of events on the website.

Be sure and visit George Mason Regional Public Library on June 21 to register and learn all the details. Read for fun this summer!

FCPS & FCPL Summer Reading Fun

• myON Books
• Tumblebooks
• Tumble Readables
• Amazing Tales – be sure to sign up for the FCPL Summer Reading program. 

More Summer Reading Fun!

• Imagination’s Destination – Barnes & Noble Summer Reading.  Eagles can earn a free book if they read 8 books over the summer. 
• Read for the World Record! – activities,  games, and challenges to stop the “summer slide!”
• Reading Adventures– ten weeks of summer fun from Reading is Fundamental (RIF)
• Reading Rockets– check out these great links for preparing for summer reading.
• Building Up Books – students can create summer reading lists.
• KidsReads – a great resource for finding new books and other things connected to reading.
• Guys Read - fun reads for guys!
• Read Kiddo Read 
• Children’s Book Committee Best Books of the Year - PDF’s by age group are available online.
•  Book for Children and Young Adults – Cooperative Children’s Book Center
•  ALA/ALSC Notable Books for Children
•  School For Children Summer Reading Lists
• Reading Activity Calendar – from PBS Raising Readers is available in Spanish and in a printable version.
• Reading Tracking Sheets – some fun tracking sheets sure to inspire kids to keep track of the books they read all summer long. 

Fun Online Reads!

• Wonderopolis – check in daily to see what new wonder or question is answered.
• DOGOnews  - a terrific current events site designed for kids.  Be sure to try searching for news  around the world by using a map.
• Meet Me at the Corner – virtual field trips for kids by kids. 
• TOONBOOK – kids can read and reread their favorite graphic novels.
• Online Storytime by Barnes & Noble – a new story is featured each month.

 “Reading is a skill for life, and, as with any skill, practice is key. Studies have shown that children who read more become better readers. Children who read over the summer months often gain, rather than lose, important skills. When children become better readers, reading becomes a more enjoyable experience, and they want to read more. Whether your child is just beginning to learn the letters of the alphabet or reading Shakespeare, reading every single day, even in the summer, will keep reading enjoyable and skills sharp. “ 

"Keeping Literacy Alive over the Summer” (Stecker)

Bio-Cube

Did you know that Eagles in the 3rd grade are biographers?  Third graders are researching a figure from their social studies curriculum to fill out a Bio-Cube about their famous person.  The ingredients for a good biography include: education, childhood, dates, personality, facts about life, and how the subject influenced the world. 

Follow the steps of the recipe below to create your own Bio-Cube!

1.  Famous People - pick an interesting person you want to learn more about.

• Cesar Chavez
• Thomas Jefferson
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Abraham Lincoln
• Thurgood Marshall
• Rosa Parks
• George Washington

2. Record - you will record information about your person's life using these helpful documents to record your research:

• Bio-Cube Planning Sheet (Download Bio-cube_planning) - a graphic organizer to record your research.

3. Research - choose a reliable online resource from below!  

• FCPS Databases - try America the Beautiful
• myON Books - Cesar Chavez, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington biographies can be found here. 
• Famous Virginians & Americans
• America's Story from America's Library
• BBC Historic Figures
• Mulitmedia Biography
• White House - Presidents

4. Bio-Cube - when you have filled out your graphic organizer, plug the information into the Bio-Cube program and see what happens!

 

Author Visit & BOGO Spring Book Fair

On Tuesday, March 10, 2011, book author, Jane Pinczuk, will visit Braddock Elementary School, and talk to parents and students about storytelling, her process as a writer, and to share her latest book for children, The Music in Me. 

Jane Pinczuk is a professional writer with more than 20 years experience in newspapers, magazines and television. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post and The New York Times, among other publications. 

Ms. Pinczuk is also a professional children's theatre entertainer, pantomime, and dancer as well. Her performances have been seen at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Wolf Trap Center, Montgomery County Public Schools and other local venues.

• Parent Coffee with Jane Pinczuk - 10:00 am in the library.
• Student Presentation - 1:00 - 1:45 - 3rd grade and Mr. K and Mrs. McIntyre (4th grade)
• Student Presentation - 2:00 - 2:45 - 5th grade and Ms. Herrity, Ms. Ley, Ms. Loepere (4th grade)
• The Music in Me Order Form - Download The music in me

Braddock Elementary School will have copies of The Music in Me for the students to purchase (Download The music in me) if they would like, and Ms. Pinczuk has graciously offered to sign them for the children.  We will also have copies of books for sale at the BOGO Spring Scholastic Book Fair, May 13 – May 20, 2011.