Look What's Happening @ the GSE Library!

Look What's Happening @ the GSE Library

Look What's Happening @ the GSE Library

Look What's Happening @ the GSE Library

Look What's Happening @ the GSE Library

The spring Book Fair may be over, but that doesn't mean that there aren't exciting things happening in the Sonntag Library. Post-Book Fair means that the library is now buzzing with great new reads, constant check-outs, and a new round of great library lessons and read-alouds. Check out what's been happening!!

This week, Kinder Readers listened to Jennifer Sattler's hilarious read Chick 'n' Pug: The Love Pug. The Kinder readers laughed out loud as Daisy attempted to win the love of Pug (a dog who is more interested in naps). The Readers also reviewed all of the check out procedures and truly enjoyed checking out new books from the library shelves throughout this week! 

Want to check out this amazing book? Click here to find out more!  

If you are not a morning person like me, then you may be able to relate to poor Crankenstein in his next cranky adventure: Valentine's Day! 1st Grade Readers heard listened to A Crankenstein Valentine by Samantha Berger. 1st Grade Readers made predictions about what the story was about based on the cranky "Conversation Hearts" that were listed on the front end papers of the book. After the story, 1st Grade Readers checked out books and relaxed with a challenging word search. It was amazing to watch them collaborate with each other to find the hidden words!

Want to check out this amazing book? Click here to find out more! 

2nd Grade Readers enjoyed a great Texas 2x2 List book this week! There's A Lion in my Cornflakes by Michelle Robinson is a great read to use to teach the concept of "how to!" The students brainstormed ideas about what they would be willing to save up 100 coupons by eating a seemingly lifetime supply of cornflakes! The Readers were also challenged to draw these items that will be used in a display in the library soon!!

Want to check out this amazing book? Click here to find out more! 

3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Readers went bonkers over TEK: The Modern Cave Boy. In this book, a cave boy named TEK has a love for all things technology and just can't seem to be able to put this technology down. I used this book as an opportunity to review how one should read graphic novels. Even though this is not technically a graphic novel, this readers of this book must pay attention to all of the details author/illustrator Patrick McDonnell adds that make this story hilarious. In addition, each class reviewed the importance of digital citizenship. Most importantly, however, readers learned that in order to be a smart, responsible digital citizen, they have to just plain DISCONNECT from technology ever so often! ;o)

Want to check out this amazing book? Click here to find out more!  

With the library back up and running post-Book Fair, Sonntag Makers have been flooding the library to work with our growing collection of makerspace tools!! In the picture above, a group of 4th & 5th graders collaborate to make a video on iPads using our Stikbots! 

Sonntag Readers were also encouraged to write what they love about the library using heart die-cuts. These hearts are being added to the windows of the library! 

During the weekly Preschool Story Time, Sonntag Wee Readers enjoyed two great reads: A Crankenstein Valentine & Chick 'n' Pug: The Love Pug. After they heard these great reads, the Wee Makers made a bouquet of "flowers" for their favorite Valentine!! 

Look What's Happening @ the GSE Library

Happy December Sonntag Community! It has been a BUSY week in the #gselibrary. The Sonntag Library Makerspace has picked up SO much STEAM and 4th & 5th Graders have been flying in for some maker fun! 

This week the Kinder Readers were on the hunt for the tricky Gingerbread Man! In the library, the Readers heard The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. Even though many of the Readers have heard this story in the past, they were excited to learn about all of the little extra details the author/illustrator includes in her artwork: Hedgie the Hedgehog, detailed plot presented in the borders of many of the pages, and the inclusion of many favorite characters from other stories. At the end of the week, the Kinder Readers even went on a hunt for the Gingerbread Man all around Sonntag!! 

1st Graders heard the hilarious book Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright. The Readers brainstormed items that are cold, hot, and items that can be both cold AND hot!! It was fun to hear them make predictions!! There were things, like volcanoes (hot) and the moon (cold), that I had never thought of! 

Sonntag 2nd Grade Readers are working hard to finish The Story of Diva & Flea by Mo Willems. We should be finished with this amazing story by the new year. Hopefully we will get all 2nd Graders into the 2x2 Reading Club! 

Sonntag 4th Graders finished up their graphic novels lesson by digging into 4 different graphic novels books. They answered a few quick questions regarding specific parts of each graphic novel. One of the questions even required the students to draw on their prior knowledge! El Deafo by Cece Bell was CLEARLY a favorite and has already left the library with one of the students! 

Sonntag 3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Makers are going NUTS for the Sonntag Library Makerspace!! Wow!!! This week, the Sonntag Makers were taken on a tour of the items that are housed in the Makerspace. Students are able to come in on their own time as well as after they check out their books during their library times to work with these creative items. 

Sonntag Makers are even helping to create a display on the library windows by making coffee filter snowflakes. The Makers are having SNOW much fun!! 

Sonntag Wee Readers heard two snowman stories this week! After the stories, the Wee Readers practiced their fine motor skills by building a snowman using glue, pretzel sticks, and mini marshmallows. 

Look What's Happening @ the #gselibrary!

It has been a BUSY week in the Sonntag Library! Look what Sonntag Readers have been up to!! 

This week, Kinder Readers listened to the story I'm A Turkey by Jim Arnosky. We talked about what it would be like to actually BE a turkey. We also well as sang our "Book Nook Song" as if we were actually turkeys and made our hands turn into turkeys (see above)... GOBBLE! GOBBLE!! After we heard the turkey story, the Kinder Readers completed a color-a-sight-word turkey sheet to practice their sight words! 

Sonntag 1st Grade Readers heard George Shannon's turkey story Turkey Tot. This story is a great example to use when discussing the Character Lab trait GRIT! In the story, every friend of Turkey Tot doesn't believe he can reach the yummy blueberries. However, Turkey Tot sticks with it and creatively creates a tool to help him achieve his goal. It's a great story and the Readers LOVED learning about Turkey Tot's journey! 

Sonntag 2nd Grade Readers are currently listening to another Mo Willems' great read The Story of Diva & Flea. Since this book is on the Texas 2x2 Reading List AND is a chapter book, I wanted the students to have an opportunity to hear this amazing story of two unlikely friends. The Readers looked in an atlas to see where the story was set (Paris, France) and even found a few of Mr. Willems' classic characters hidden in the pictures. The readers will be hearing this story for the next few weeks  and hopefully more students will join the 2x2 Reading Club! 

The last groups of Sonntag 3rd Grade Readers completed their final Book Tasting activities. It was such a joy to watch these Readers discover books they may otherwise not pick up. In addition, 3rd grade teachers discovered some great reads to share in their classes as read-alouds! 

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Over the next few weeks, Sonntag 4th & 5th Grade Readers have been and will continue to learn about the art of reading and enjoying graphic novels. It is one of  THE most popular book formats in the #gselibrary but it is also one of the most misread and misunderstood. It's been amazing watching these Readers get excited about learning the finer details of these books. In the coming weeks, the Readers will dive into a few graphic novels and complete some challenges with them. Hopefully this section will continue to grow in size & popularity! 

The Sonntag Library Makerspace is really taking shape. This week, a few 4th graders discovered Makey Makey. Oh, they went bonkers playing Tetris online!! It was so awesome to watch them tinker with different Makey Makey tasks! 

#sonntagmakes

What a great day to be in the Sonntag Library!! Last November, Sonntag students participated in a contest to see which class could earn the most Dojo points for amazing library skills. Mrs. Rogers' first grade class won top prize!! Today, her class came to the library and participated in an exciting makerspace activity!. The students built catapults out of rubber bands and Popsicle sticks.  They compared which objects (eraser tops, bottle caps, and cotton balls) would fly the furthest. The kids had a BLAST!!!