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manhattan beach unified school district
Heidi snively - library RESOURCE specialist
310/546-8022 x5404
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Read-alouds and Presentations Week to Week by Grade Level 2018-19

Our students enjoy weekly visits
for a presentation crafted
to instill a love of reading, 

to enhance classroom lessons,
​and to inspire life-long learning.

Visits include checking out materials, practicing information literacy, and exercising digital citizenship.
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PRESENTATIONS CONTINUING MAR 2019 TO JUN 2019

​Week of February 18 - No School

Week of February 11 - TK - Happy Valentine's Day

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I Love Dogs! by Sue Stainton Lazy dogs, crazy dogs, yappy dogs, happy dogs... and one very special dog.
Clifford's First Valentine's Day by Norman Bridwell Emily Elizabeth describes all the Valentine fun that she and Clifford had when he was just a tiny puppy in her pocket.
Never Too Little to Love by Jeanne Willis How can a tiny mouse get the kiss he needs?
I Love Cats! by Sue Stainton 
A celebration of the many kinds of cats and the various things they do.
Activity Valentine lift-the-flap

At home activity Heart Mouse Paper Craft Instructions

Week of February 11
Kindergarten - Valentine

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Mr. Tanen's Ties by Maryann Cocca-Leffler The principal at Lynnhurst Elementary School is well known for his colorful and unusual ties, but his boss orders him to stop wearing them until he learns to love them too, and ties a knot of another sort.
Activity: Necktie Craft Instructions

Week of February 11
First Grade - Valentine

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Yuck, a Love Story by Don Gillmor 
​Austin has a hard time admitting he likes his new neighbor, Amy, but when her birthday comes he goes to fantastic lengths to get her an unexpected present.
Video 
Small Talk "Kids on Valentine's Day: What's this Love Thing All About?" 
Activity Coloring sheet with yucky fluffy slime recipe

Week of February 11
Second Grade - Valentine

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Video Zamami Island, Okinawa, Japan
​Shiro in Love by Wendy Tokuda Shiro started as an unwanted pup left in a garbage dump, but after he was rescued he became famous in Japan.
Activity Valentine's Day coloring sheet

Week of February 11
​Third Grade
​Happy Valentine's Day

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Set the Mood Classic Cuban music
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach
 by Carmen Agra Deedy When her grandmother advises lovely cockroach Martina to spill coffee on suitors to see their true personality revealed, the beautiful cockroach is in for a surprise.
Video 
Cockroaches: Public Enemy #1 Discovery Education Streaming Video (password protected)
Activity Cockroach coloring sheet

Week of February 11 
Fourth Grade
​Celebrating Love

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The Case for Loving by Selina Alko
Children these days would be shocked to know that before 1967 they could not marry a person of a race different from their own. This is the story of Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple who, in 1958, struggled with marriage laws. They fought the unfair laws and took their case all the way to the Supreme Court.
Video NBC Nightly News Report: the Loving Case (aired 2012)

Week of February 11
Fifth Grade
Valentine & Novel Study

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XO, Ox: A Love Story by Adam Rex A hapless ox and a graceful gazelle share an affectionate correspondence initiated by the ox that transforms as the conceited gazelle is won over by the ox's hopelessly romantic overtures.
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Schooled by Gordon Korman Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts will be written in cursive (link to chart). Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013.

Week of February 4
TK & K - The 100th Day

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The Very Kind Rich Lady and Her One Hundred Dogs by Chinlun Lee The very kind rich lady cares for 100 lucky dogs!
Video Will Zero the Hero visit Grand View on the 100th Day?
Activity Dog name coloring sheet

Week of February 4
1st Grade - Black History

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Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story by Ruby Bridges In 1960 Ruby Bridges became a pioneer in school integration at the age of six, when she was chosen to spend her first-grade year in what had formerly been an all-white elementary school.

Week of February 4
​2nd Grade - Black History

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Video Rosa Parks Discovery Education 
​(password protected)
Rosa Parks by Lisbeth Kaiser A brief biography of Rosa Parks, African American civil rights activist.
Activity Have courage and be kind coloring sheet

Week of February 4
​Third Grade - Black History

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White Socks Only by Evelyn Coleman Grandma tells the story about her first trip alone into town during the days when segregation still existed in Mississippi, and how her naive assumption about a sign earned her a whipping from an angry man.
The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson Though a literal and figurative fence segregates a town, two girls find a way to overcome the separation and become playmates at the dawn of the Civil Rights Era and Freedom Summer.

Week of February 4
​Fourth Grade - Black History

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Light in the Darkness by Lesa Cline-Ransome Risking a whipping if they are discovered, Rosa and her mama sneak away from their slave quarters during the night to a hidden location in a field where they learn to read and write in a pit school.
Words Set Me Free by Lesa Cline-Ransome A biography of the early life of Frederick Douglass, one of the first leaders of the antislavery movement. Discusses how he spent his childhood as a slave on a plantation, was sold at the age of eight to Hugh and Sophia Auld in Baltimore, and explains that learning to read was the key to his freedom.

Week of February 4 - Fifth Grade - Black History is American History

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Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine A fictionalized account of how in 1849 a Virginia slave (c1815-1897) escaped to freedom by shipping himself in a wooden crate to Philadelphia.
Henry Climbs a Mountain by D.B. Johnson 
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), refused to pay taxes to a state that allowed slavery and was arrested in 1846. The endnote explains that Thoreau assisted slaves in fleeing to Canada, and that both Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. were inspired by Thoreau's writings about peaceful civil disobedience.
Video Greensboro Four Woolworth's Lunch Counter AwesomeStories.com February 1, 1960, four black college students sat a segregated lunch counter in Greensboro, NC. Their peaceful protest inspired other people to organize sit-ins throughout the South.
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney Four young men who followed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words of peaceful protest and dared to sit at a "whites only" lunch counter.
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Schooled by Gordon Korman Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts will be written in cursive (link to chart). Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013.

Week of January 28
​TK - Penguins

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Video Penguin Cam Discovery Education Streaming Video 
​(password protected)

Sergio Makes a Splash by Edel Rodriguez Even though he loves water, Sergio the penguin is afraid to swim in the deep water until he learns how.
Activity Penguins coloring sheet

Week of January 28
Kindergarten - Penguins

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Video Penguin Cam Discovery Education Streaming Video 
(password protected)

The Emperor's Egg by Martin Jenkins Describes the parental behavior of Emperor penguins, focusing on how the male keeps the egg warm until it hatches and how the parents care for the chick after it is born.
Activity Penguins coloring sheet

Week of January 28 - First Grade - Groundhog Day

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Video History of Groundhog Day Discovery Education Streaming Video (password protected)Find out the story behind Punxsutawney Phil and the history of Groundhog Day.
Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox by Susan Blackaby Brownie is waiting for spring and meets a fox... will Brownie be able to talk her way out of becoming a mid-winter snack?
Activity 
Groundhog Coloring Sheet
At-Home Activity Ground Hog Pudding Cups Turn pudding, cookies, and simple trimmings into the cutest treat ever! ​

Week of January 28 - Second Grade - Dinosaurs

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Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? by Julie Middleton During a trip to the museum Dave keeps trying to get his dad's attention. The dinosaurs around him are springing to life!
What Happened to Patrick's Dinosaurs? by Carol Carrick Patrick imagines that at one time dinosaurs were great friends of people and were responsible for building the world we enjoy today.
Video United Kingdom: Birds Related to Dinosaurs Discovery Education (password protected) Scientists study the link between modern birds and dinosaurs.
Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea Roaar! Roaaaar! Nothing can stop him!
How to Be a T Rex by Ryan North 
Sal decides she is not going to be a teacher or doctor or lawyer when she grows up --she is going to be an awesome Tyrannosaurus rex.
Activity Draw Bob Shea's dinosaur (hint: start with a sideways rounded heart shape)

Week of January 28 - Third Grade - Curriculum Connection Ballona Wetlands

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Website Ballona Wetlands 
Heron Street by Ann Turner Over the centuries as people settle near the marsh by the sea, herons and other animals are displaced.
Secret Place by Eve Bunting A boy learns that the city with all its concrete and noise can also be a home for wildlife when he sees egrets, cinnamon teals, and mallard families nesting in a secret place between two walls.
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey Mother and Father Mallard search for the perfect home to raise their family in this Caldecott Award winner that illustrates the city of Boston in such detail that a police officer's shoe size can be observed.
Websites:
  • Google Earth Lit Trip
  • Ducklings on the Lake
  • Swan Boat History

Week of January 28
Fourth & Fifth Grade - California Young Reader Medal - Picture Books for Older Readers

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California Young Reader Medal About 
We're All Wonders by R.J. Palacio Auggie, from the bestselling novel Wonder (2012), returns as a picture-book protagonist who tries to do the normal things other kids do—ride a bike, eat ice cream, play ball—though he has serious facial deformities. 
Website Choose Kind

4th Grade The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig Feeling invisible in a class of students who exclude him from groups, games and birthday parties, Brian welcomes a class newcomer with whom he works on a school project in ways that help him to stand out..
5th Grade Schooled by Gordon Korman Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story. Schooled book trailer
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive. Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013

Week of January 21
​TK - Caldecott and Kindness

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A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka Daisy learns a valuable lesson when her favorite ball is ruined by another dog. Caldecott Medal 2012
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it. Caldecott Medal 2005 
Activity Kitten and Daisy coloring sheet

Week of January 21
Kindergarten - Caldecott and Kindness
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My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann Something always seems to go wrong when Rabbit is around, but Mouse lets him play with his toy plane anyway because he is his good friend. Caldecott Medal 2003
Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curato A 
little elephant has a hard time reaching a cupcake counter until he meets Mouse, who is even smaller and they team up for success.
Activity My Friend Rabbit coloring sheet

Week of January 21 - 1st Grade
​Caldecott and Kindness

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Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback A very old overcoat is recycled numerous times into a variety of garments. Caldecott Medal 2000
First Grade Dropout by Audrey Vernick When a young boy is completely embarrassed by a slip-of-the-tongue he vows to never return to school. Then his friend makes a mistake and the two learn it's OK to laugh at oneself.
At-Home Activity Sewing project

Bookmark for At-Home Activity Sewing project Link

Week of January 21 - 2nd Grade
Welcoming Immigrants & Celebrating Heritage

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My Name is Sangoel by Karen Williams As a refugee from Sudan in Central Africa to the United States, a little boy is frustrated that no one can pronounce his name correctly until one day he finds a clever way to solve the problem.
Activity Students use a rebus to write their name

Jalapeno Bagels by Natasha Wing Pablo wants to take a treat from his family's bakery to school to reflect his culture, but he has a hard time deciding between his mother's Mexican sweets and his father's Jewish treats.
Website Los Bagels, a multicultural bakery
Recipe Los Bagels Bakery Chango Bars

Bookmark Chango Bars Recipe Link

Week of January 21 - 3rd Grade - Kindness and Caldecott

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A Hat for Mrs. Goldman by Michelle Edwards Making pom-poms to help Mrs. Goldman, who knits hats for everyone in the community, little Sophia is challenged to overcome her own limited crafting abilities when she discovers that Mrs. Goldman does not have a hat of her own.
Arrow to the Sun
 by Gerald McDermott An adaptation of the Pueblo Indian myth which explains how the spirit of the Lord of the Sun was brought to the world.Curriculum connection: Native Americans. Caldecott Medal 1975 
Activity Arrow to the Sun bulletin board art

Week of January 21 - 4th Grade - Kindness and Caldecott

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Ivan: the Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate Known as the Shopping Mall Gorilla, Ivan lived alone in a small cage for almost 30 years before he was finally relocated to the gorilla habitat at Zoo Atlanta in 1994 where he lived to the age of 50 (1962-2012).
Video Ivan at Zoo Atlanta 

A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz The renowned cat conservationist reflects on his early childhood struggles with a speech disorder, describing how he only spoke fluently when he was communicating with animals and how he resolved at a young age to find his voice to be their advocate.
Video A Boy's Promise at Panthera.org
Video Olvera Street where Leo Politi often sketched.
Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi A story of friendship between a little boy in the town of Capistrano and the gardener and bell-ringer at the Mission San Juan Capistrano as they welcome the swallows as they come flying in over the sea from Argentina on March 19, St. Joseph's Day. Caldecott Medal 1950

Video Will the Swallows Return to Capistrano? ​
Activity Song of the Swallows coloring sheet

Week of January 21 - 5th Grade - Newbery, Caldecott and Kindness

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Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books by Michelle Markel Before his name graced golden seals on the covers of books for children, John Newbery was a humble printer with big dreams. In lively language set in attractive, varying fonts, Markel describes the world of literature when Newbery was alive: there were plenty of adventure stories for adults, but kids were left with "preachy poems and fables" and "manuals that told them where to stand, how to sit, not to laugh, and scores of other rules." He loved reading as a child, went on to work as a printer, and then made a groundbreaking decision to write and market entertaining, silly stories for children.
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen A little fish makes off with the hat of a sleeping bigger fish, but his hopes of getting away with the theft may not turn out like he planned. Caldecott Medal 2013

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena When his grandmother teaches him to look with a discerning eye and notice the wonders all around him , a young boy learns to appreciate the beauty in what he has and how he can contribute to his community. Newbery Medal, Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Honor 2016  
Video Schooled book trailer
Schooled by Gordon Korman Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive. Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013

Week of January 14
​Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (b. January 15, 1929 d. April 4, 1968) 

Week of January 14
TK and Kindergarten - MLK

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Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo Focuses on highlights and accomplishments to help the very young appreciate Dr. King. 
Activity MLK coloring sheet

Week of January 14
First Grade - MLK

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Mir Tamim Ansary Introduces Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, explaining the historical events behind it, how it became a holiday, and how it is observed.
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Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev Sweetly affirming, a boy and his unusual pet create a space where all are welcome.
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Activity MLK coloring sheet

Week of January 14 - Second Grade - MLK

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Mir Tamim Ansary Introduces Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, explaining the historical events behind it, how it became a holiday, and how it is observed.
The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts Sally McCabe is a very little girl who speaks out about the unkindness she sees, and people start to pay attention.
Activity MLK coloring sheet

Week of January 14 - Third Grade - MLK

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My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers by Christine King Farris Growing up in the segregated South forced a very young Martin to learn a bitter lesson, and as a seven-year-old he embarked on a journey that would change the course of American history.
Video The Story of MLK by Kid President

Activity MLK coloring sheet

Week of January 14 - Fourth Grade - MLK

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My Uncle Martin's Words for America by Angela Farris Watkins ​The niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. recounts her uncle's work to promote racial equality and introduces key events during the civil rights era, focusing on key tenets of King's philosophy: freedom, justice, brotherhood and nonviolence.
What a Wonderful World based on the song by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss Illustrations and lyrics introduce a song, first recorded in 1967 by Louis Armstrong, which celebrates the wonders of nature, loving friends, and the promise of the future in a baby's cry.
Video Louis Armstrong sings What a Wonderful World with spoken word introduction. 

Activity MLK coloring sheet and Wonderful World coloring sheet

Week of January 14 - Fifth Grade - MLK

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The Famous Speech On August 28, 1963, the "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The March was partly intended to show support for civil rights legislation proposed June 11th by President John F. Kennedy.
Video I Have a Dream 
President Johnson Signs Civil Rights Act Kennedy did not live to see the civil rights dream come true. The Civil Rights Act was signed by President Johnson on July 2, 1964. It outlawed major forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, and women. It ended racial segregation in schools, the workplace, and public facilities.
The Cart that Carried Martin by Eve Bunting In an example of how focusing on a smaller element of a larger story can cut to the heart of its meaning, Eve Bunting tells the story of the cart borrowed from a junk store that carried the body of Martin Luther King, Jr. through the streets of Atlanta, Georgia, on the day of his funeral.

Novel Study (time permitting) Continue Schooled with reflection on similarities and differences between MLK and Cap.
Audio 
All You Need Is Love 
Activity All You Need is Love coloring sheet

Week of January 7 - TK
Happy Healthy New Year

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Pigs Make Me Sneeze! by Mo Willems Gerald believes he is allergic to his best friend Piggie and is concerned that he will need to stay away from his pal forever.
Farm Flu by Teresa Bateman When the farm animals seem to catch the flu one after another, a young boy does his best to take care of them.
Be Who You Are! by Todd Parr Encourages kids to be proud of what makes them unique, where they come from, and how they express themselves and see the world.
Activity Todd Parr coloring sheet

Week of January 7 - Kindergarten
Exploring Nonfiction

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Exploring Nonfiction Materials Review the differences between fiction and nonfiction. Engage students in a discussion about subjects they like to learn about. Explain that nonfiction books are organized by subject. Students tour the nonfiction side of the library.
Activity Fiction and nonfiction worksheet

Week of January 7 - First Grade - Sending Thank You Notes

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The Giant Hug by Sandra Horning Owen sends a real hug to his Grandmother through the mail. Discuss that it would be OK to say no thank you to a hug and that if no thank you is said, then that request should be respected.
Video Mail Myself to You by Woody Guthrie (1912-1967) featured in a 2003 US Postal Service commercial.
Activity Using butcher paper, children will help each other trace the outline of their bodies.
At home extension 
Make a giant hug from wrapping paper.

Week of January 7 - Second Grade - Curriculum Connection: Heritage Project​

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Activity Students turn and talk about what single item they would choose to take to start a new life in a new country.
Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel 
by Leslie Connor. The shovel a young immigrant brings to America spades gardens, clears snow, plants seeds, and exemplifies how choices follow us through life. Students will think about what choice they would make in similar circumstances, and how that choice might impact a lifetime.
Website Dan Yaccarino
Videos Book trailer 1 and book trailer 2

All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino. In a tale that honors those who helped make us who we are, a little shovel is passed down through four generations of the author's family.
Activity Discussion questions 
Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Pena In a story of homecoming that lightly touches on the pitfalls of working in another country, a young girl is finally old enough to accompany her brother into town, but he is annoyed at having his little sister tag along, He softens and comes to her aid when she thinks she's lost her chance to make a wish on a dandelion for her father to come home.

Week of January 7 - Third Grade - Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Doing the Right Thing

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The Busy Body Book by Lizzy Rockwell Presents a children's fitness guide that explains how the bones, muscles, heart, and lungs work to keep the body healthy and strong. MindUP
A Bike Like Sergio's by Maribeth Boelts Money is tight for Ruben's parents so the chances of him getting the bike he want's are slim until he finds a hundred dollar bill. Finders keepers? Or honesty is the best policy?
The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth Nikolai wants to be a good person so he seeks advice about three important questions: When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do? A simple re-telling of a philosophical story by Leo Tolstoy. Symbolism: a r
ed kite floats through the pages, appearing, disappearing, and reappearing, but never mentioned in the text. Sometimes only the string in Nikolai's hand is seen, and sometimes only the kite itself with the string trailing down. It is not seen at all during his adventures at Leo's home, but he has brought it there. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

Week of January 7 - Fourth Grade
Connection: Social Justice Book Groups

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Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights by Rob Sanders Nonviolent protests play a major part in history and this alphabet book explains the many ways people can take a stand to bring about change.
​If You're Going to a March by Martha Freeman Many of today's demonstrations have become peaceful, inter-generational outings and this book follows kids in four diverse families as they create signs to carry, travel to the event, listen to speakers, and march.

Week of January 7 - Fifth Grade
​Having a Healthy Outlook

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Little Brown by Marla Frazee Little Brown the dog sits alone against a chain link fence. Is he cranky because the other dogs won't play with him, or will they not play with him because he is cranky? Though there is no satisfying ending, there is much room for discussion about optimism vs. pessimism and making the first move in compromise.
​Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera Born in California in 1948 the son of migrant workers, Juan endures hardships that make him a stronger person, such as having to walk to the nearest town for water and entering school not knowing the English language. He finds that words are a constant that make him happy and give him the freedom to create. Ultimately, he becomes the first Chicano Poet Laureate of the United States (2015-2017), and in this brief autobiography he implores readers to "imagine what you could do."

Week of January 7 - Fourth and Fifth Grade - 2019 CYRM Intermediate Novel Nominees

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About the California Young Reader Medal 
2018 Winners Grand View Library Book Contests  
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate Hunger is a constant for soon-to-be fifth grader Jackson and his family, and the accompanying dizziness may be why his imaginary friend is back. A giant cat named Crenshaw first appeared after Jackson finished first grade, back when his parents moved the family into their minivan for several months. Now they are facing eviction again, and Jackson is afraid that he won't be going to school next year with his friend Marisol. Jackson is quietly panicking due to the uncertainty, and he wishes his parents understood that he is old enough to know the truth about the family's finances. When Crenshaw shows up on a surfboard, Jackson, an aspiring scientist who is all about the facts, wonders whether Crenshaw is real or a figment of his imagination. Crenshaw tells Jackson that "imaginary friends don't come of their own volition. We are invited. We stay as long as we are needed."
Video Book trailer
Fish in a Tree by Linda Mullaly Hunt In this portrait of dyslexia and getting along, Ally Nickerson, who has passed through seven schools in seven years, doesn't know why reading is so difficult for her; letters dance and give her headaches. She acts out in class to disguise her difficulty which causes headaches for her teachers and it all seems pretty hopeless for Ally: frustrated teachers, snobby classmates, and mean girls until a new teacher arrives on the scene.
Video Book trailer
​The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Crippled by an untreated club foot and imprisoned at home by her mother in World War II London, Ada is surviving, but not thriving. Caring for her brother Jamie has made life tolerable. As he grows, he goes out and tells Ada about the world and her determination to enter it surges. When word starts to spread about the Germans planning to bomb London, Ada's mother decides to send Jamie to the relative safety of the English countryside, but not Ada, who the cruel mother treats like a slave. However, Ada has painfully taught herself to walk on her deformed foot, so when Jamie departs for the train filled with children being sent away to safety, Ada leaves home and limps along to the station with her brother. In Kent, they are assigned to live with bad-tempered Susan who lives alone and suffers from depression. The unlikely trio form a bond and Susan takes loving care of them in her own cranky way. Ada finally feels a measure of love and respect until the day when their little life is threatened by bombs, and Ada's cruel mother, drawing near.
Video Book trailer
Vote by March 27, 2019 Students in 4th and 5th grade who read all three nominees and fill out a CYRM worksheet, are invited to the CYRM Novel Voting Party slated for Wednesday, March 27, in the Library during their regular lunch time. Pizza and cookies will be served.

Week of December 21, 2018 - January 4, 2019 Winter Break
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOKS OF 2018
​Get Cozy with a Classic!  Season's Readings!  Feelin' Frosty? Chill with a Good Book!

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Week of December 17 - Track Santa Claus with NORAD

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NORAD What began as the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) became The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in 1958 when the United States and Canada joined to take on the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for North America. Aerospace warning includes the monitoring of man-made objects in space, and the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles.
A Tradition Begins The tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD hotline. The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.
Activity Track Santa with NORAD and wreath coloring sheet

Week of December 17 - TK
Welcome Winter & Merry Christmas

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The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming A cumulative story (and song) to warm up a cold winter day. Alive with swirling snow and lots of outdoor fun, the first ten days of winter bring special gifts for a special friend.
Click, Clack, Ho! Ho! Ho! by Doreen Cronin As Farmer Brown prepares the house for Christmas, Duck tries to play Santa--but he gets stuck in the chimney, along with all the other animals who try to help.
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Activity Track Santa with NORAD and wreath coloring sheet

Week of December 17 - Kindergarten
Welcome Winter & Merry Christmas

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The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming A cumulative story (and song) to warm up a cold winter day. Alive with swirling snow and lots of outdoor fun, the first ten days of winter bring special gifts for a special friend.
Dragon's Merry Christmas by Dav Pilkey Dragon has a merry time decorating a tree outdoors, making a candy wreath, and sharing his Christmas gifts with needy animals. See if you can spot the homage to Vincent Van Gogh.
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Activity Track Santa with NORAD and wreath coloring sheet

Week of December 17 - First Grade
Gift Giving

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Rabbit's Gift: a Fable from China by George Shannon The animals in the forest scurry to store their food away for the cold months ahead, but when Rabbit comes across an extra turnip and decides to have a special meal with his woodland friends, everyone is inspired by his act of generosity and soon demonstrates their thanks in their own special ways.
Marvin's Best Christmas Present Ever by Katharine Paterson. Marvin makes a special Christmas present. He wants the wreath he made to last forever, but the pine boughs are turning dry and brown as winter turns to spring.
Activity Track Santa with NORAD and wreath coloring sheet

Week of December 17 - Second Grade
Merry Christmas with Santa Claus

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McDuff's New Friend by Rosemary Wells On Christmas Eve, McDuff's persistent "woofing" leads to the rescue of Santa, whose sleigh has gotten stuck in the snow.
Little Santa by Jon Agee Little Santa loves the North Pole. So, when his family decides to move to sunny Florida, Santa is miserable. Lucky for him, a blizzard foils their plans. The only way out of the house is up the chimney. Up goes Santa to look for help, and along the way he meets a reindeer, a large group of elves... and the rest is history! 
Video Song Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Activity Track Santa with NORAD and wreath coloring sheet

Week of December 17 - Third Grade
Merry Christmas

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson The six mischievous Herdman kids lie, steal, and smoke cigars, and when they become involved in the local Christmas pageant, it becomes one of the most memorable Christmas plays the community has seen. ​
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How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss Up at the North Pole, Santa is unable to deliver presents one Christmas Eve.
Video Song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 

Activity Track Santa with NORAD and wreath coloring sheet

Week of December 17 - Fourth Grade
Merry Christmas

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The Night Before Christmas An illustrated presentation of New York clergyman Clement Clark Moore's famous 1822 Christmas poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," better known as "The Night Before Christmas."
Video Storm Surge Hurricane Katrina Discovery Education Streaming Video (password protected)
Cajun Night Before Christmas A reading of a Cajun version in honor of the librarian from New Orleans who lost her entire collection in Hurricane Katrina, but not her optimistic outlook on life.
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Song Jingle Bells at the Beach
Activity Track Santa with NORAD and wreath coloring sheet

Week of December 17 - Fifth Grade - Peace on Earth at Christmastime 

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December by Eve Bunting ​A homeless family's luck changes after they help an old woman who has even less than they do at Christmas.
Video The Christmas Truce of 1914 from Oh! What a Lovely War running time 3:39
Shooting at the Stars by John Hendrix On Christmas Eve during the trench warfare of WWI, in the bitter winter of 1914, a virtual miracle occurred. Enemies on both sides stopped fighting and began to sing Silent Night. On Christmas Day, enemy soldiers walked into the open ground between the trenches and shook hands. They exchanged biscuits and buttons and belts from their uniforms as souvenirs.
The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee Though a knight is confident that the wall in the middle of the book protects his side from the dangers of the other side, he fails to notice the danger lies on his own side of the wall.

​Video Song I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake
Activity Track Santa with NORAD and wreath coloring sheet

Week of December 10
TK - Bundle Up In Winter

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Video Segment Animal Behavior (Owl Cam) Discovery Education Streaming Video (password protected)
Little Owl's Orange Scarf by Tatyana Feeney Little Owl does not like his new orange scarf! Can he and his mom come up with a solution on how he can stay warm?
Video Owl Babies by Martin Waddell 
Three baby owls worry when they awaken one night and find their mother gone.
Activity Draw Little Owl and his scarf on bookmark-sized paper.

Week of December 10
​Kindergarten - Winter Playtime

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Snow Dance by Lezlie Evans Two sisters perform a dance to make it snow and when it snows all through the night they bundle up and head outside for a busy day of angel making, snowball fights, and sledding.
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner After nighttime falls and everyone is asleep in their beds, a group of fun-loving snowmen jump into action and have their own bit of fun while no one is around to see.
Activity Carolers coloring sheet

Week of December 10
​First Grade - Winter Weather

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The Blizzard of 1978 New England was hit by a nor'easter with hurricane-force winds approximately 86 mph with gusts up to 111 mph. A typical nor'easter brings steady snow for six to twelve hours, the Blizzard of '78 brought heavy snow for a full 33 hours. 
Blizzard by John Rocco After a massive blizzard, a boy becomes a hero when he manages to walk to the local store and bring supplies back to his neighborhood which has been snowed in for days. Based on the author's childhood experience.
Activity Carolers coloring sheet
At-home Activity Make a simple snow globe

Week of December 10
Second Grade - Winter Fun

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Lemonade in Winter, a Book About Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins Despite snow on the ground, icicles on window sills, and discouraging words from their parents, Pauline and her little brother, John-John, decide to open a lemonade stand.
Ant and Honey Bee, a Pair of Friends in Winter by Megan McDonald Brrrr! The leaves are off the trees, and frost is on the ground. It's time for bugs to hunker down and hide out for the winter. But Ant isn't ready to hunker down. Will Honey Bee welcome an interruption of her peace and quiet? Chapter 3 of 3
Activity Carolers coloring sheet

Week of December 10
Third Grade - Curriculum Connection Reading for Information - Jane Goodall

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Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell Little Jane loves her stuffed animal, a chimpanzee named Jubilee, and carries him everywhere she goes. Mainly, they go outdoors, where they watch birds building their nests and squirrels chasing each other. Jane reads about animals in books and keeps a notebook of sketches, information, and puzzles. Feeling her kinship with all of nature, she often climbs her favorite tree and reads about another Jane, Tarzan's Jane. She dreams that one day she, too, will live in the African jungle and help the animals. And one day, she does. 
The Watcher: Jane Goodall's Life with the Chimps by Jeannette Winter Goodall's passionate love of nature began in early childhood. As an adult, she moved to Tanzania, making the study and protection of the chimpanzees in the Gombe forest a focus of international fascination.
Video Segment Meet Jane Goodall Discovery Education Streaming Video (password protected)

Dr. White by Jane Goodall Based on fact, Dr. White is a cute little dog who makes his own kind of hospital rounds visiting very sick children. A health inspector, horrified at this breach in sanitary practices, orders the dog out. Then the man's own daughter becomes ill, and Dr. White proves his worth.
Activity Carolers coloring sheet

Week of December 10
Fourth Grade - Curriculum Connection - Informational Writing

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YouTube Video Slinky television commercial 1962
The Marvelous Thing that Came from a Spring by Gilbert Ford The toy was conceived during WWII, when an engineer noticed a spring he'd been working on could "walk" from a shelf. It gained momentum as a pop culture icon when his wife named the toy and marketed it.
YouTube Video Human Slinky 
Activity Carolers coloring sheet
At Home Activity Make a paper slinky

Week of December 10
Fifth Grade - Curriculum Connection - Biography & Water Cycle

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Video Snowflake Bentley YouTube Slides with a quiet guitar enhance the reading.
Snow Flake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin For almost half a century, Wilson Bentley caught and photographed thousands of snowflakes in his workshop at Jericho, Vermont, and made available to scientists and art instructors samples of his remarkable work

Snow Crystals by W. A. Bentley In 1931, the American Meteorological Society gathered together the best of these plus some slides of frost, glaze, sleet, soft hail, and dew on vegetation and on spider webs. Over 2,000 beautiful crystals reveal the wonder of nature's diversity in uniformity; no two are alike, yet all are based on a common hexagon.
The Secret of Water: for the Children of the World by Masaru Emoto Presents an environmentally friendly introduction to water, its uses, its importance, and invites children to learn about the connection between water and all living things.

Website snowflakebentley.com/bio 
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Week of December 3
TK
Happy Hanukkah

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Sammy Spider's First Hanukkah by Sylvia A. Rouss When the Shapiro family celebrates the eight nights of Hanukkah, Sammy Spider keeps his feet warm over the Menorah and yearns for a dreidel of his own.
Activity Happy Hanukkah coloring sheet

Week of December 3
Kindergarten
Happy Hanukkah

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I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Dreidel by Caryn Yakowitz A beloved grandmother spreads out a yummy Hanukkah supper only to develop an insatiable appetite that alarms her family, in a story augmented by parodies of art by such masters as da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Picasso.
Activity Happy Hanukkah coloring sheet

Week of December 3
First Grade
Happy Hanukkah

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The Magic Dreidels by Eric A. Kimmel When Jacob drops his new dreidel down the well a friendly goblin gives him magic dreidels that are stolen by the neighborhood busybody.
Activity Happy Hanukkah coloring sheet

​Week of December 3
Second Grade
​Happy Hanukkah

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Runaway Dreidel! by Leslea Newman In this rhyming tale a family's preparations for Hanukkah are disrupted by a wildly spinning dreidel that no one can catch.
Ant and Honey Bee, a Pair of Friends in Winter by Megan McDonald. Ant isn't ready to hunker down. Will Honey Bee welcome an interruption of her peace and quiet? Chapter 2 of 3.
Activity Happy Hanukkah coloring sheet

​Week of December 3
Third Grade
​Happy Hanukkah

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Hanukkah Bear by Eric A. Kimmel At 97 years old, Bubba Brayna does not hear or see too well, so when old Bear wanders into her house she mistakes him for the rabbi and treats him to a delicious helping of potato latkes.
Activity Happy Hanukkah coloring sheet

Week of December 3
Fourth Grade
​Happy Hanukkah

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Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
by Eric Kimmel A resourceful traveler must use his wits to outsmart a pack of ghoulish goblins if he wishes to celebrate a bright and cheery Hanukkah.
Activity Happy Hanukkah coloring sheet
Fourth grade class visits canceled due to annual vision and hearing screenings being conducted in the Library Thursday, 12/6.

Week of December 3 - 5th Grade - Happy Hanukkah and Novel Study

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Latkes and Applesauce by Fran Manushkin When a blizzard leaves a family housebound one Hanukkah, they share what little food they have with some starving animals who later return the favor.
The Parakeet Named Dreidel by Isaac Bashevis Singer. When David and Mama and Papa are celebrating Hanukkah one frosty winter evening in Brooklyn, Papa sees a parakeet sitting on the window ledge and it becomes part of their family. Many years later, David is at a party one night and tells Dreidel's story--only to discover that a woman at the party owned the bird herself as a child.
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Video Schooled book trailer
Schooled by Gordon Korman Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive. Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013
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Week of November 26 - TK - Welcome Winter Weather

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Video Segment Snow Chick: a Penguin's Tale preview 
Penguin and Pinecone
 by Salina Yoon Penguin finds a lost pine cone one day and an unlikely friendship blooms. Penguin discovers that love conquers distance and friendship grows stronger over time in this story of love and acceptance.
Close Reading Questions by Grace Nall on Author Website
1. Do the penguins love the forest? How can you tell?
2. Why do you think Pinecone dropped a pine cone in Penguin's sled?
3. Who do you think dropped the pine cone that penguin found on the first page? Why was it important to the story? Find the page(s) or text that supports your answer.
Activity Cut and decorate pine tree bookmarks from pre-folded paper demonstration video

Week of November 26 - Kindergarten - Welcome Winter Weather

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Recess at 20 Below by Cindy Lou Aillaud. How cold does it have to be before Alaskan kids stay inside for recess? For many schools, if it is colder than 20 below zero, they stay indoors; otherwise, it's outside for frosty fun! ​​Compare and contrast with Grand View Kindergarten playground (center field at far right).
Live Video The Manhattan Beach Pier

Video Putting on Snow Clothes First graders show how quickly they can put on their snow clothes all by themselves.

Week of November 26 - First Grade
Welcome Winter Feasting

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The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse by Mac Barnett When a mouse is swallowed by a wolf, he learns that a duck devoured earlier has set up a table to enjoy the food the gluttonous predator eats.
Activity Rainbow food choices coloring sheet

Week of November 26 - Second Grade
Welcome Winter Weather

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What Do Bees Do in Winter? Find out at Wonderopolis.org
Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold
 by Joyce Sidman Bees, moose, beavers, snakes, and more... discover how animals stay alive in the wintertime and learn about their secret lives happening under the snow.
Ant and Honey Bee, a Pair of Friends in Winter by Megan McDonald Brrrr! The leaves are off the trees, and frost is on the ground. It's time for bugs to hunker down and hide out for the winter. But Ant isn't ready to hunker down. Will Honey Bee welcome an interruption of her peace and quiet? (Chapter 1 of 3)
Connection What do you do differently when the weather turns colder?
Video Extremely Epic Blanket Fort
Fun Stuff Honey Bears Coloring Sheet and Busy as a Bee Activity Sheet ​​

Week of November 26 - Third Grade - Welcome Winter Handicrafts

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Knit Your Bit by Deborah Hopkinson When his teacher suggests that the class participate in a knitting bee in Central Park to knit clothing for the troops, Mikey and his friends roll their eyes--knitting is for girls! But when the girls turn it into a competition, the boys just have to meet the challenge. Based on a real "Knit-In" in 1918.
Leave Me Alone! by Vera Bosgol Cold weather is approaching, and sweaters must be knit for Granny's many children and grandchildren. Unfortunately, those young ones are enchanted with those balls of yarn as playthings. They skip rope, play ball, and leave the old woman quite exasperated.
How to Knit a Monster by Annemarie van Haeringen Greta the goat loves to knit, but one day her hobby gets out of hand.

Week of November 26 - Fourth Grade - Reading for Information - Biography

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Odd Boy Out by Don Brown Albert was a peculiar baby with a big head. When he was older he hit his sister, bothered his teachers, and didn't have many friends. In the midst of all this, he was fascinated with solving puzzles and scientific problems. The ideas Albert Einstein (1879-1955) came up with during his childhood as an odd boy were destined to change what we understand about the world around us.
Video N Is a Number: a Portrait of Paul Erdos (trailer)

The Boy Who Loved Math by Deborah Heiligman At the age of four Paul Erdos (1913-1996) could ask you when you were born and then calculate the number of seconds you had been alive in his head. But he didn't learn to butter his own bread until he turned twenty!
Website A Magical Answer to an 80-Year-Old Puzzle. Terence Tao, now a math professor at UCLA, was a youngster when he met Erdos.
Having an Erdos Number Paul Erdos published papers with 507 coauthors. In the mathematics community those 507 people have the coveted distinction of having an Erdos number of 1, meaning that they wrote a paper with Erdos himself. Someone who published a paper with one of his coauthors is said to have an Erdos number of 2, and an Erdos number of 3 means that someone wrote a paper with someone who wrote a paper with someone who worked with Erdos. Albert Einstein’s Erdos number was 2. The highest known Erdos number is 15; this excludes non mathematicians, who all have an Erdos number of infinity.
Activity Tessellation art with worksheet and video demonstration.
At Home Activity Paul Erdos International Math Challenge

Week of November 26 - Fifth Grade - Celebrating Picture Books and Novel Study

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The Skunk by Mac Barnett A man is followed by a skunk until the tables are turned in this simple yet sophisticated look at relationships.
Video Schooled book trailer

Schooled by Gordon Korman Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive. Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013

Week of November 19 - Happy Thanksgiving

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MBUSD schools are closed this week. Wishing you a Thanksgiving Holiday filled with good times, delicious food, and sweet memories. ​

Week of November 12 - TK - Thanksgiving Gratitude and Food Fun

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Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes At Thanksgiving time, children express their gratitude for the people and things in their lives.
Activity 
Thanksgiving coloring sheet
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The Beastly Feast by Bruce Goldstone All sorts of animals bring a variety of foods to share: bears bring pears, parrots bring carrots, mosquitoes bring burritos, mice bring rice, and so on!

Week of November 12 - Kindergarten - Mealtime Manners and Food Fun

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Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf by Judy Sierra Politeness and manners are always in good taste.
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The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson A clever mouse uses the threat of a terrifying creature to keep from being eaten by a fox, an owl, and a snake-- only to have to outwit that creature as well.
Activity Gruffalo Crumble recipe and coloring sheet

Week of November 12 - First Grade - Change Over Time and Step-by-Step Writing

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A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins Shows how food, technology, and families have changed throughout American history. Four families, in four cities, over four centuries, make the same dessert: Blackberry Fool. 1710 in Lyme, England. 1810 in Charleston, SC. 1910 in Boston, MA. Present day in San Diego, CA.
Activity Blackberry Fool recipe and coloring sheet 
Video Author/illustrator interview and recipe
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Time for Cranberries by Lisl H. Detlefsen A little boy helps his parents harvest cranberries on their family farm step by step: from flooding the field to preparing the vines for the picking machine to delivering the fruit to the receiving station.
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Cranberry Pie recipe and coloring sheet

Week of November 12 - Second Grade - National Monuments and Harvest Time

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One More Acorn by Don Freeman As winter nears, Earl the Squirrel searches for the acorns he stashed in the parks of Washington, D.C. Iconic author/illustrator Don Freeman began this story in 1963. His son completed it with help from an illustrator almost 50 years later.
Video Washington, D.C., tour
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The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz A lonely, oddly-shaped pumpkin is sad that no one chose him for Halloween, but he soon discovers where he belongs.
Activity 
Thanksgiving coloring sheet

Week of November 12 - Third Grade - Thanksgiving Traditions

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Tony Sarg (1880-1942)
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Felix the Cat 1927
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Superman 1945
Father of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Revealed by Stephen Brower A brief biography of Tony Sarg
Balloons over Broadway
 by Melissa Sweet The story of puppeteer Tony Sarg, the man who first invented the helium balloons that have become the trademark of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
After World War I, Sarg moved to New York City and quickly gained a reputation as a practical joker, the life of the party and a tireless worker. In his various ventures, the designer, inventor and illustrator worked on cartoons, children’s books, mechanical toys, advertising and of course, window displays and balloons.
Thanksgiving Day Parade History and Balloons of Today social.macys.com/parade 
Activity Thanksgiving coloring sheet 

Week of November 12 - Fourth Grade
Thanksgiving History

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Thanksgiving Is... by Gail Gibbons Provides information about the origins and meaning of Thanksgiving in America, and describes many of the symbols and traditions associated with the holiday, including feasts and parades.
Website The National Women's History Museum provides a brief biography of Sarah J. Hale (b. NH 1788-d. PA 1879

Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson Relates how Sarah Hale, a magazine editor and author, persuaded President Lincoln to transform Thanksgiving Day into a national holiday. 
Video Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary Had a Little Lamp by Jack Lechner Mary has a little lamp that she takes everywhere. One day Mary heads off to summer camp without her bendy-necked lamp and discovers that life without a lamp isn't so bad.
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Activity Thanksgiving coloring sheet

Week of November 12 - Fifth Grade
Thanksgiving Gratitude and Nonfiction

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Gratitude There is increasing research behind the importance of the value of gratitude -- its nature, its causes, and the potential consequences for health and mental/emotional well-being. See: Principal Message, Gator Gazette, November 13, 2016 issue
All My Treasures: A Book of Joy by Jo Witek. A little girl learns that life’s most precious treasures cannot be contained in a box in this story about the immateriality of happiness that reminds us to take pleasure in everyday moments.
Sometimes You Barf by Nancy Carlson Everything you ever wanted to know about throwing up, and why you shouldn't be embarrassed. 

Week of November 5
TK & Kindergarten
Self Awareness

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I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black When a bored girl meets a potato who finds children tedious, she tries to prove him wrong by demonstrating all of the things they can do.
Potatoes by Ann L. Burckhardt I
ntroduces potatoes and offers instructions for making a potato stamper.
​Activity Students draw a potato bookmark.

Week of November 5
First Grade
​Patience

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Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake by Michael B. Kaplan Betty Bunny likes chocolate cake so much that she claims she will marry it one day, and she has trouble learning to wait patiently until she can have her next taste.
Video A little girl mixes and bakes chocolate cake in a cup
Activity Patience mandala coloring sheet

​Week of November 5
Second Grade
Letter Writing

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Corduroy Writes a Letter by Don Freeman When Lisa notices that her favorite cookies have fewer sprinkles, her mother suggests that she write a letter to the bakery.
Activity After viewing the samples, students write a kind note of appreciation on a Teddy Bear to be included with Halloween candy for troops and first responders.

Week of November 5
Third Grade
​Curriculum Connection: Navajo and Veterans Day

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Navajo Code Talkers by Andrew Santella The Navajo language is ideally suited to be an unbreakable code. When WWII ended, the Code Talker program was kept a military secret for decades. It was many years before the Code Talkers could be honored for their service.
Video American Indian World War II Heroes Discovery Education Streaming (password protected).
Website Navajocodetalkers.org | Historical Perspective Page (begin 30 seconds in).
Website Nativevillage.org displays a dictionary of Code Talker terms.

Music Video Code Talkers by Jack Gladstone

Week of November 5
Fourth Grade
Honoring Canine ​Veterans

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Dogs on Duty by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent When the news broke of the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound, the SEAL team member that stole the show was a highly trained canine companion.
Video A salute to military working dogs.

Week of November 5
Fifth Grade
Honoring Canine Veterans

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Hey, Boy by Benjamin Strouse. The unfaltering love between a boy and his pet.
Nubs by Major Brian Dennis. 
A true story of a feral dog in war-torn Iraq who is befriended by an American Marine, then embarks on a treacherous journey to find him when the man is stationed seventy miles away.
Video WFLA News Channel 8 Iraqi dog rescued.
Recommended Reading  Letters from Wolfie by Pattie Sherlock, Saving Zasha by Randi G. Barrow, and Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata. 
Sergeant Reckless: the True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero by Patricia McCormick During the Korean War the ammo for the new "reckless" rifle proved too heavy for soldiers, so Lt. Eric Pedersen brought in a small, hungry horse when a mule could not be found. 
Though the marines had doubts about her ability to haul the heavy loads, it quickly became apparent that not only did Private Reckless have a large heart, she'd also consume anything including chocolate, Coca-Cola, and poker chips. Fears that Private Reckless would prove skittish in battle proved unfounded, and she soon became a valuable soldier, persevering in battles that would determine the course of the war. Eventually, Private Reckless was promoted to sergeant, making her the only animal to hold military rank, and was granted two Purple Hearts at the end of the war.

Week of October 29
TK
​Fall Leaves

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​​November is Picture Book Month Details
Video Leaves | Discovery Education Streaming Video (password protected)
Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall 
When fall comes, two children enjoy catching the falling leaves, stomping on them, kicking them, jumping in piles of them, and using them to make pictures. Includes a description of how leaves change through the year.
Activity Students will make crayon leaf rubbings.

Week of October 29
Kindergarten
​Picture Book Month

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November is Picture Book Month Details
Matthew A. B. C. by Peter Catalanotto Mrs. Tuttle has 25 children in her Kindergarten class and though they are all named Matthew they are all unique. When a new boy joins the class, it is obvious he is the perfect 26th student!

Week of October 29
First Grade
​Change Over Time

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November is Picture Book Month Details
​As an Oak Tree Grows by G. Brian Karas Relays the events of 200 years from the perspective of an oak tree, showing how much the world can change... even while some things hardly seem to change at all.
My Leaf Book by Monica Wellington Able to identify various trees by the shapes of their leaves, a young girl visits a park in the autumn to collect fallen leaves and pastes her collection into her own leaf book.
At Home Activity Show students an example of a leaf book and leaf rubbings.

Week of October 29
Second Grade - Picture Book Month

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November is Picture Book Month Details
Video M Is for Musk Oxen | Discovery Education Streaming Video (password protected)
A Is for Musk Ox 
by Erin Cabatingan Musk Ox takes over an alphabet book, explaining to Zebra why almost every letter can be used to describe musk oxen.

Week of October 29 - Third Grade
Curriculum Connection - Weaving

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November is Picture Book Month Details
The Goat in the Rug by Charles L. Blood and Martin Link
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Geraldine, a goat, describes each step as she and her Navajo friend make a rug, from the hair clipping and carding to the dyeing and actual weaving.
Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomi de Paola A Shepherd shears his sheep, cards and spins the wool, weaves and dyes the cloth, and sews a beautiful new red cloak.

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett Annabelle lives in a black-and-white world, so imagine her surprise when she finds a box filled with yarn of every color. She makes herself a sweater, but after she finishes, she finds that she has extra yarn left over. After knitting a sweater for her dog, her classmates, bunnies and bears, she still has extra yarn.
Video Dallas Yarn Bombers All you need is yarn... All you need is yarn... All you need is yarn, yarn... Yarn is all you need...
Activity Finger knitting | YouTube video

Week of October 29
Fourth Grade - Picture Book Month
​Thematic Connection to Tiger Rising

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​November is Picture Book Month Details
​The Tiger Rising by Kate Di Camillo. In this classroom read-aloud, Eleven-year-old Rob Horton finds a caged tiger in the woods behind the hotel where he lives with his father, and must decide what to do with his discovery. The twin themes of freedom and responsibility echo in Clara.
Clara by Emily Arnold McCully.  In 1741, Captain Van der Meer sailed to India and returned to Holland with a "mythical beast," an orphaned, one-year-old rhinoceros named Clara. Van der Meer grew to love his new friend, who rewarded his kindness with affection and trust. He took her throughout Europe, where even royal heads of state came to see her. As she grew, the problem of raising money to feed her became more challenging, but Van der Meer persisted, and they traveled together for 17 years, until Clara's death. Students will compare and contrast the two stories.

Week of October 29
Fifth Grade Picture - Book Month
Student Activism & Novel Study

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November is Picture Book Month Details
What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers To explain the abstract concept of citizenry the author focuses on commonalities and how even young citizens can contribute to society.
Grant Opportunity MBEF 2018-19 Clinton Family Social Inclusion Grant Application (deadline 11/1)
​
Video Schooled book trailer
​Schooled by Gordon Korman. Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
​
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive. Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013

Week of October 22
TK - Witches

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Two Little Witches: a Halloween Counting Story by Harriet Ziefert Count ten trick-or-treaters on a Halloween night and watch them disappear at the spooky old house.
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Halloween Bugs by David A. Carter Behind each spooky door lurks a different Halloween pop-up surprise....Trick-or-treating becomes spine-tingling fun with the ghostly, ghouly Bugs inside! 
Activity Witch coloring sheet

Week of October 22
​TK - Witches

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Excuse Me... Are You a Witch? by Emily Horn Herbert doesn't have a home but he loves visiting the library where it's warm and there are lots of good books to read.
Taffy Finds a Halloween Witch by Donna Lugg Pape Taffy is a little orange cat who wishes to be a black cat in order to be good enough for a witch to take home and love.
Activity Witch coloring sheet

Week of October 22 
​First Grade - Skeletons

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Just a Minute by Yuyi Morales
​When Senor Calavera comes calling on Grandma Beetle, she forestalls him by performing a series of tasks that result in her own birthday party.

Activity Draw Pinky the cat step-by-step

Week of October 22
​Second Grade - Creepy Tales

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Ambient music The Invaders by Jerry Goldsmith
Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds Jasper Rabbit cannot resist pulling tasty carrots to munch out of Crackenhopper Field each time he passes by, until he starts thinking there are creepy carrots everywhere. ​
Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Aaron Reynolds Jasper is frightened by his underpants.
Activity Make a creepy carrot bookmark with orange and green paper and creepy stand-up underwear with a folded half sheet of green paper. Examples
Video The illustrator explains his inspiration

Week of October 22
Third Grade - Ghosts

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Leo : a Ghost Story by Mac Barnett Leo is a friendly house ghost--but when a family moves into his house, and tries to get rid of him, he leaves and roams the city looking for a friend.
Video YouTube Cracking ice cubes out of a tray
Cold Feet by Cynthia DeFelice When Willie McPhee, the finest bagpiper in all of Scotland, falls on hard times and is in danger of freezing, he takes a pair of boots from a man who --he thinks-- no longer needs them. Now though his feet are warm, something worse than freezing lies ahead.
Video YouTube Highland bagpiper in the snow 

Activity Haunted house coloring sheet

​Week of October 23
Fourth Grade - Halloween Customs & Symbols

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The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury When young Pipkin becomes ill and is whisked away into the mysterious darkness of the Halloween tree, his friends must race through space and time to save him. With a peculiar old man named Moundshroud to guide them, the kids encounter the many earlier manifestations of the holiday known as Halloween. Run time 1 hour 10 minutes. Resume at minute 52:31 for the conclusion.

Week of October 23
Fifth Grade - Classic Caspar & Novel Study

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Video Caspar the Friendly Ghost (1948) Caspar finds it hard to fit in when he wants to be friendly rather than fearsome. In this original Caspar cartoon, the friendly ghost searches for a playmate. Spoiler alert: have a tissue handy!
Video Schooled book trailer
​Schooled by Gordon Korman. Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
​
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive. Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013

​Week of October 15 - TK
​Pumpkins

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It's Pumpkin Time! by Zoe Hall A brother and sister plant and tend their own pumpkin patch so they will have jack-o-lanterns for Halloween.
​How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor With increasing absurdity as pumpkins grow bigger and bigger still, giant pumpkins decorate American landmarks.
Activity Pumpkin bead bracelet

Week of October 15 - Kindergarten
​Pumpkins

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Pumpkin Heads! by Wendell Minor Pumpkin heads and jack-o-lanterns abound when Halloween rolls around.
Coloring sheet Pumpkins

​Week of October 15 - First Grade - Black Cats

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Night's Nice by Barbara and Ed Emberley A little kitty (can you spot him?) explores the wonders of nighttime.
Moonlight the Halloween Cat by Cynthia Rylant One special night of the year for one special cat.
Max at Night by Ed Vere. 
Unable to go to sleep without closing his nighttime ritual, Max the kitten embarks on a journey to find the moon and say goodnight.
Coloring sheet A purr-fect Halloween

Week of October 15 - Second Grade
Scary Stories

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A Not Scary Story About Big Scary Things by C.K. Williams This unusual monster story shows that confidence and courage can tame our fears.
I Want to Be in a Scary Story by Sean Taylor Monster wants to be the star of a scary story, but scary stories can be very scary...especially for their characters! 
Coloring sheet A purr-fect Halloween

Week of October 15 - Third Grade
​Scary Things

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The Fun Book of Scary Stuff by Emily Jenkins. A little boy makes his dogs' hair stand on end by telling them about all the things that scare him.
My Teacher Is a Monster! by Peter Brown. Bobby has the worst teacher. She's loud, she yells, and if you throw paper airplanes, she won't allow you to enjoy recess. She is a monster! But over the course of one day, Bobby learns that monsters are not always what they seem.
Show What You Know Quiz Part 3 This online worksheet will allow students to demonstrate a basic understanding of how to look up materials and locate them in the library.
Activity Folding and flying paper airplanes

Week of October 15 - Fourth Grade
Halloween Traditions & Symbols

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The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury When young Pipkin becomes ill and is whisked away into the mysterious darkness of the Halloween tree, his friends must race through space and time to save him. With a peculiar old man named Moundshroud to guide them, the kids encounter the many earlier manifestations of the holiday known as Halloween. Run time 1 hour 10 minutes. Resume at minute 32:07

Week of October 15 - Fifth Grade
​Creepy Things & Novel Study

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Shapes by Miriam Schlein Lots of things are round, and lots more are square, but people and animals are never exactly round or square.
Video Library Facebook page
Published in 1952, this book was deleted from collection. It's illustrations are disturbingly eerie. Thanks to GVPTA, we enjoy new books!
Video Schooled book trailer
​Schooled by Gordon Korman. Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
​
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive. Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013

Week of October 9 - TK - Fears

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The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams A little old lady must deal with a pumpkin head, a tall black hat, and other spooky objects that follow her through the dark woods.
Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas A ladybug invites us to play a game of Let's Pretend.
Activity Draw scary face bookmarks

Manhattan Beach Library Read Dav to Dogs 10/10 2:00-4:00 p.m.

​Week of October 9 - Kindergarten - Fears

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What Was I Scared Of? by Dr. Seuss A traveler is terrorized by an empty pair of pants in this silly, slightly spooky story that also delivers a lesson about tolerance.
Can You Make a Scary Face? by Jan Thomas A ladybug invites us to play a game of Let's Pretend.
Activity Draw scary face bookmarks

At-home activity Make glow-in-the-dark slime 
​Manhattan Beach Library Read Dav to Dogs 10/10 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Week of October 9 - First Grade - Hispanic Heritage Month

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YouTube Tortillas de Agua, San Pedro, Sonora, Mexico
The Tortilla Factory by Gary Paulsen 
Shows a cycle of life--from seed to plant to tortilla, as workers till the soil, operate factory machinery, and drive the trucks that deliver the tortillas back into the hands that will plant the yellow seeds.
Tiny Tortilla by Arlene Williams Juan Carlos discovers that with patience and the right touch he can transform a tiny ball of special tortilla dough into unexpected shapes.
Coloring Sheet Tortilla Elephant Ears Recipe 
Manhattan Beach Library Read Dav to Dogs 10/10 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Week of October 9 - Second Grade - Monsters

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One Hungry Monster by Susan Heyboer O'Keefe A small boy tries to control ten insatiable monsters demanding food and creating chaos throughout the house at bedtime.
Coloring sheet Applesauce Cinnamon Oat Muffin Recipe
Just Dessert by Polly Powell In the middle of the night a young girl encounters a few scares on her way to an extra piece of cake.
There's a Wocket in My Pocket by Dr. Seuss A boy tells of a whole houseful of unusual creatures.
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Manhattan Beach Library Read Dav to Dogs 10/10 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Week of October 9
Third Grade
​Information Literacy

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I, Fly the Buzz About Flies and How Awesome They Are by Bridget Heos Last week we learned about spiders and this week the humble fly gets equal time. Flies go through metamorphosis just like butterflies, and when flies eat solid food they throw up on it first!
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Show What You Know Quiz Part 2 This online worksheet will allow students to demonstrate a basic understanding of how to look up materials and locate them in the library.
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Manhattan Beach Library Read Dav to Dogs 10/10 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Week of October 9
Fourth Grade
​Halloween

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The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury When young Pipkin becomes ill and is whisked away into the mysterious darkness of the Halloween tree, his friends must race through space and time to save him. With a peculiar old man named Moundshroud to guide them, the kids encounter the many earlier manifestations of the holiday known as Halloween. Run time 1 hour 10 minutes. Play to minute 32:07
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Manhattan Beach Library Read Dav to Dogs 10/10 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Week of October 9
Fifth Grade
Novel Study & Cursive

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Video Schooled book trailer
​Schooled by Gordon Korman Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
YouTube What Your Handwriting Says About You
Activity Journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive. Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter, by William R. Klemm, Ph.D., Psychology Today, posted March 14, 2013.
​
Manhattan Beach Library Read Dav to Dogs 10/10 2:00-4:00 p.m.

LA County Public Library Bookmark Contest ​Entries Due October 13
Print Entry Form

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Week of October 1 - TK and Kindergarten - Spiders

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Aaaarrgghh! by Lydia Monks A clever spider is lonely and longs to become a family pet!
Song There's a Spider On the Floor, On the Floor with rings
Activity Draw spider bookmarks
Extend Natural History Museum Spider Pavilion 9/16-11/25 
KINDERGARTEN
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle The farm animals try to divert a spider from spinning her web, but she persists and produces a thing of both beauty and usefulness.
Song There's a Spider On the Floor, On the Floor
Activity 
The Very Busy Spider coloring sheet 
Extend The Natural History Museum Spider Pavilion 9/16-11/25

Week of October 1
First Grade - Scarecrows

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The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown Early one morning, a little scarecrow whose father warns him that he is not fierce enough to frighten a crow goes out into the cornfield alone.
Activity Scarecrow coloring sheet 

Video Segment Intelligent Crow YouTube.
Clever Crow by Cynthia DeFelice
 Emma outwits a crafty crow, but the wily bird (who just can't resist shiny objects) tricks her right back!
Video Segment Playful Crows YouTube.
Activity Make b
ookmarks with stir sticks and aluminum foil.

Week of October 1
Second Grade - Monsters

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When a Monster is Born by Sean Taylor What happens when the monster comes to school, eats the principal, wanders into town, and falls in love? He becomes the parent of a baby monster, who may grow up to be an under-your-bed monster in this circular tale of possibilities.
Quit Calling Me a Monster! by Jory John A little monster resents being labeled as a monster.

Activity Trace hand print bookmarks from monster-green paper. Embellish with pointy fingernails before cutting out.

Week of October 1 - Third Grade - Reading for Information: Spiders and Info Literacy

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Spinning Spiders by Melvin Berger Describes the characteristics of spiders and the methods they use to trap their prey in webs.
I'm Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton A humorous introduction to spiders.
At Home Activity String figures such as Running Dog 
​Extend The Natural History Museum Spider Pavilion 9/16-11/25 

SMART Exchange Sort nonfiction call numbers into correct Dewey order.
Show What You Know Quiz Part 1 This online worksheet will allow students to demonstrate a basic understanding of how to look up materials and locate them in the library.

Week of October 1 - Fourth Grade - The Sinister Side of Reading

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The Ink Drinker by Eric Sanvoisin A strange breed of vampire sucks the black blood of literature and changes a book-hating boy...forever.
The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury When Pipkin becomes ill and is whisked away into the mysterious darkness of the Halloween tree, his friends must race through space and time to save him. With a peculiar old man named Moundshroud to guide them, the kids encounter the earlier manifestations of the holiday known as Halloween. Shown in three parts (total run time 1 hour 10 minutes). Trailer today.

Week of October 1 - Fifth Grade - Response to Literature Journals - Cursive Practice

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My Hippie Grandmother by Reeve Lindbergh Flower Power Forever! A tie-dyed grandmother has a cat named Woodstock, a guitar-strumming boyfriend, an organic garden, and a very proud granddaughter in this ode to free spirits of all generations.
Schooled by Gordon Korman Although he knows a lot about Zen Buddhism, nothing has prepared home schooled Capricorn Anderson for an A-list bully, a popular girl, and middle school politics. The shifting points of view capture a pitch-perfect "fish out of water" story.
Video Schooled book trailer
Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells Max wants super-special ingredients for the birthday cake he's making for Grandma, but the grocer cannot read Max's handwriting.
YouTube Improving Your Cursive Handwriting
Activity Students journal responses to writing prompts about Schooled will be written in cursive.

​Week of September 24

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Water Filters for Nepal Grand View students will hold "Penny Wars," a friendly competition across the grade levels to collect change that will help provide water filters for an area of Nepal struggling with a lack of clean drinking water due to summer monsoon rains. ozofsalt.com.
Library Activity While in Nepal helping provide water filters, Mrs. Oliak will deliver Courage Cards to the children made by our students with drawings of school, friendship, flowers, or animals. Inside, students will write a message of courage such as Dream Big, We Love You, Stay Strong, Believe In Yourself. They may also include a few lines about themselves such as their first name, age, why they like school, what they want to be when they grow up.
Wyland National Art Challenge - Water Is Life Entries accepted October 1 - December 1, 2018 Details

​Week of September 24 - TK - Apples

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One Red Apple by Harriet Ziefert Chronicles the life cycle of an apple: from fruit growing on the tree, to market, to picnic, to seed, to sapling and tree, and finally to a new apple. A joyful introduction to the amazing and delectable way the earth provides food.
Little Mouse's Big Secret by Eric Battut Little Mouse has found a delicious-looking apple and doesn't want to share a bite. So he buries it, and no matter how many of his friends ask what he hid, Little Mouse won't tell.  But when a tree sprouts from the seeds of the fruit, there are enough apples for everyone-and Little Mouse realizes some secrets are even better when they're shared.
Activity Apple bracelet made with a green pipe cleaner and red pony beads.

​Week of September 24 - Kindergarten - Apples

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Our Apple Tree by Gorel Kristina Naslund A whimsical look at the life cycle of the apple tree. Two sprites guide the tree from spring, when the apple tree blossoms, through summer, when the fruit grows, to fall and the harvest. ​​
Activity Fall leaves coloring sheet

Week of September 24 - First Grade - Apples

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The Apple Doll by Elisa Kleven Lizzy's best friend in all seasons is her apple tree. When school starts, Lizzy sees how her apple tree can help her overcome her shyness and make new friends.
At-home activity Apple doll

Week of September 24 - Second Grade - Apples

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Applesauce Season by Eden Ross Lipson Describes a family's applesauce-making ritual: the buying, peeling, cooking and stirring; the wait for the sauce to cool and the first taste.
Coloring sheet Recipe 
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Week of September 24 - Third Grade - Reading for Information

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Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton Besides making yummy honey, they help plants grow fruits and vegetables.
Video Dewey Rap A fun, silly way to learn about the Dewey Decimal System.

Week of September 24 - Fourth Grade - Water, Apples, Tolerance

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Water Is Water by Miranda Paul Highlights the various forms water takes throughout the year including autumn fog and rain, frozen ponds and falling snow, steam from cups of cocoa, and snow melt turning dirt to mud.
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting It's hard to be the new kid in school, especially when you're from another country and don't know the language. But a field trip to an apple orchard helps Farah feel connected. 
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson What if you're cruel to someone and never get the chance to make it right? This deeply personal story takes us full circle back to water. As a lake is rippled when a stone is tossed, a cruelty has repercussions than can never be undone. ​
​Grant Opportunity MBEF 2018-19 Clinton Family Social Inclusion Grant Application

Week of SEP 24 - Fifth Grade - Banned/Challenged Books: Celebrating the Freedom to Read

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A Book Worth Banning Is a Book Worth Reading A list of several titles that have been banned or challenged.
Video Puppet Book Banners A brief discussion about why the American Library Association supports and celebrates the freedom to read.
Little Red Riding Hood This adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood landed on the naughty list, though the illustrations merited a Caldecott Honor (1984).
Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell When a wolf cub and a little girl are lost in a storm, kindness and cooperation save them. In the end, it's all about keeping an open mind.

Grant Opportunity. MBEF 2018-19 Clinton Family Social Inclusion Grant Application

Week of September 17

Mrs. Jones subs for Mrs. Snively... click photos to enlarge.
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Week of September 17 - TK and Kindergarten Visits Canceled (No School Wednesday)

Presentation would have included Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons for TK, and Livingston Mouse for Kindergarten.

Week of September 17 - First Grade - Books and Reading

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I Am a Story by Dan Yaccarino A celebration of the art of storytelling traces how it has evolved from cave paintings and the invention of the printing press to the digital technologies that inform and unite today's diverse world. Sharp eyes will take note of the starry transition from cave people to contemporary folk as astrological signs reappear as constellations, with a tiny red bird on each page to remind us that stories give flight to our imagination.
I Don't Like to Read by Nancy Carlson Henry the mouse likes everything about first grade except reading, but with some extra help at school and home, he is delightfully surprised.
Nibbles the Book Monster by Emma Yarlett Nibbles the Monster enjoys books a little too much!
Activity Tiny Birds coloring sheet

Week of September 17 - Second Grade - Empathy

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A Letter to My Teacher by Deborah Hopkinson Written as a thank you note to a cherished teacher, the ending brings the love of learning and teaching full circle.
Activity Students draw a picture of themselves with their teacher and write a note including a personality trait that they know their teacher will enjoy, and a behavior that they hope to improve during second grade.

Week of September 17 - Third Grade - Using the Catalog

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Video Dewey Rap A fun, silly way to learn about the Dewey Decimal System.
Demonstrate the Catalog Show the path to get to the search page from the Catalog tab at grandviewlibrary.info. Demonstrate an author search using Shel Silverstein as an example and show on the map where to locate the various books in their various locations. Show the path to get to Destiny Discover from the icon at grandviewlibrary.info or from the menu at the left on the Catalog page. Searching books with Destiny Quest is still an option from the menu at the left on the Catalog page.
Computer Activity Students take turns searching for books using the computers. Some may wish to continue the Scavenger Hunt.

Week of September 17 - Fourth Grade - Curriculum Connection - Seeds and Plants

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The Pea Blossom by Amy Lowry Poole A retelling of the poignant Hans Christian Andersen tale.
Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal 
Little Pea hates eating candy for dinner, but his parents will not let him have his spinach dessert until he cleans his plate.

Week of September 17 - Fifth Grade - Making Your Mark

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Red: a Crayon's Story by Michael Hall An amusing but affecting story about staying true to oneself in this tale about a blue crayon in a red wrapper.
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. A delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us. International Dot Day is September 15-ish.
Activity With crayons, students will personalize a square sheet of paper containing the outline of a semi-circle for a bulletin board display.

Week of September 10

Mrs. Jones subs for Mrs. Snively... click photos to enlarge.
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Week of September 10 - TK - Self-Reliance

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Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney Baby llama creates bedtime drama!
Small Bunny's Blue Blanket by Tatyana Feeney It's laundry day: will Small Bunny's blanket ever be the same? 
Activity Students will draw Small Bunny and his blanket on a card stock bookmark after being shown simple shapes and lines.

Week of September 10 - Kindergarten - Making New Friends

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Halibut Jackson by David Lucas Because Halibut Jackson is so shy, he makes special outfits to blend in wherever he goes.
Video Camouflaged halibut

Take-home activity Wrapping paper camouflage fish. Bring yours back to school to be displayed in the library hall!

Week of September 10 - First Grade - Responsibility

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Where Are My Books? by Debbie Ridpath Ohi A little boy finds that though he put his book back in its proper place, it turns up missing.

Week of September 10 - Second Grade - Finding the Next Favorite Book

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Charlie Cook's Favorite Book by Julia Donaldson A circular tale in which each new book character is reading about the next, beginning and ending with Charlie Cook.
A Library Book for Bear by Bonny Becker Bear is quite certain he has all the books he will ever need right at home and there is no need to visit the library.

Week of September 10 - Third Grade - Navigating the Stacks (Info Literacy Part 3)

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DVD The Lure of the Library Students learn the conceptual structure of the Dewey Decimal System and the content of the ten major sections. Supports students in developing research skills by showing the functions of the catalog and call numbers.
Activity Dewey Decimal Scavenger Hunt.
Library Map Show the map and demonstrate finding one of the E area call numbers from one of the cards.

Week of September 10 - Fourth Grade - Curriculum Connection - Seeds and Plants

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A Seed is Sleepy by Diana Hutts Aston A contemplative look at the world of plants full of rich descriptions, complex science concepts, and artful cursive writing.
Rooting for You by Susan Hood One little seed is afraid to come out of his shell. There may be monsters out in the big world, and there are definitely obstacles!

Week of September 10 - Fifth Grade - Inclusion Grant Opportunity
Making New Friends - Being a Forever Friend - Creating a World of Friendship

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Big Mean Mike by Michelle Knudsen Mike is proud to be the toughest dog in the neighborhood, so when tiny, fuzzy bunnies start showing up in his big, mean car he sees them only as a threat to his reputation. But they are SO adorable!
Tarra & Bella: the Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends by Carole Buckley Proving that best friends come in all shapes and sizes, a lone elephant at a sanctuary in Tennessee befriends a stray dog.
Video Clip Tarra & Bella

Grant Opportunity MBEF 2018-19 Clinton Family Social Inclusion Grant Application Open to MBUSD students and staff. Due November 1.

Week of September 3 - Kindergarten & TK - America's Assembly 9/11

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America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates A photographic essay set to the words of the patriotic verse that was later set to music by Samuel Augustus Ward.
Video Music with lyrics

​The Peace Book by Todd Parr An introduction to the meaning of peace and the importance of living in harmony with people of different cultures and backgrounds from all around the world.

Week of September 3 - First Grade - America's Assembly 9/11

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America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates A photographic essay set to the words of the patriotic verse that was later set to music by Samuel Augustus Ward.
Video Music with lyrics
​America Is... by Louise Borden Celebrates the diversity of America, where millions of people from many different walks of life share the lakes, mountains, prairies, forests, and deserts that make up our great country.

Week of September 3 - Second Grade - America's Assembly 9/11

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America the Beautiful by Katherine Lee Bates A photographic essay set to the words of the patriotic verse that was later set to music by Samuel Augustus Ward.
Video Music with lyrics 

We Came to America by Faith Ringgold A celebration of America's diversity that explores the nation's unique blend of culture, history, ideas and determination.
Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers Presents facts about the Statue of Liberty, describing its creation in France, assembly in the United States in 1886, and the symbolism of its right foot which appears to be breaking free from chains.

Week of September 3 - Third Grade - Dewey Decimal System (Info. Literacy Part 2)

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1: Website & Map -- 2: Dewey Decimal System -- 3: Video "The Lure of the Library" -- 4: Catalog Demonstration and Scavenger Hunt -- 5: Quiz Show What You Know Part 1 of 2 and Scavenger Hunt -- 6. Quiz Show What You Know Part 2 of 2 and Scavenger Hunt.
Students will earn the privilege of using the library computers by part 4 of the 6-part practicum designed to allow them to demonstrate their awareness of library procedures and their ability to execute simple catalog searches.
Website page Library map

Website page Dewey classification chart
PowerPoint The Caveman's Guide to the Dewey Decimal System created by Mount Erie Elementary School, Anacortes, Washington
Note: presentation is one week ahead of schedule in place of America's Assembly tie-in (America the Beautiful and Emma's Poem)

Week of September 3 - Fourth Grade - ​America's Assembly 9/11

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This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie Celebrates one of America's treasures, the folk song originally written to call attention to the plight of Americans hit hardest by the Depression of the 1930s and that honors America's beautiful geography, the diversity of its inhabitants, and the indomitable spirit of its people.
Video Music with lyrics

The Art of Freedom: How Artists See America by Bob Raczka Focuses on diversity in the U.S. including farms and cities, baseball and jazz, hard work and sacrifice, native peoples and immigrants, ending with a final comment, "America is a work in progress," that brings history and art together.
If America Were a Village by David J. Smith ​Presents a metaphor for the United States, simplifying it as a village of one hundred people in order to assist with understanding of ethnic origins, religions, family profiles, wealth, occupations, belongings, and other demographic details.
Only One Neighborhood by Marc Harshman Looks at the individual buildings in one neighborhood and the variety of goods and people they hold, and shows a larger vision of the world as populated by many cities and countries--all united by a single wish for peace.

Week of September 3 - Fifth Grade - ​America's Assembly 9/11

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The Man in the Red Bandanna by Honor Crowther Fagan When Welles Crowther was a young boy, his father gave him a red bandanna, which he always carried with him. On September 11, 2001, Welles, his bandanna with him, performed enormous acts of heroism that saved numerous people from the upper floors of the World Trade Center South Tower.
September Roses by Jeanette Winter Two sisters find a good use for the roses they have grown when their plane from South Africa is delayed by the events of September 11, 2001, causing them to miss a flower show.
14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy In a reversal from the usual international aid story, a remote Maasai village in Kenya shows their sorrow and solidarity for America in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks by donating fourteen sacred cows.
Peace Begins with You by Katherine Scholes Explains how and why peace has a place in our lives and discusses national, international and environmental issues, with suggestions for ways children can help protect peace.
Video What the World Needs Now Is Love Music by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, and recorded by Jackie DeShannon, 1965.

Week of August 27 - TK & Kindergarten - Fun in the Library

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Itsy Bitsy Spider
Is That Wise, Pig? by Jan Thomas 
Mouse and Cow are making soup, but Pig keeps trying to add strange ingredients.
If You're Happy and You Know It
Skidamarink

Week of August 27 - First Grade - Being Responsible

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Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book by Alexander Stadler Beverly loves her book so much that she forgets to return it on time. A lighthearted way to introduce 1st graders to the new privilege and responsibility of taking a book home to enjoy. 

Week of August 27 - Second Grade - Finding the Perfect Book

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Goldie Socks and the Three Libearians by Jackie Mims Hopkins Goldie chooses a "just right" book when she uses "the 5 finger rule" inside the cozy home of three bears.
Strategies Click for presentation tips from a blogger librarian.

Week of August 27 - Third Grade - Library Website & Map (Information Literacy, Part 1)

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Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley With new expectations to be met, fall can be a tough season for a lot of us.
1: Website & Map -- 2: Dewey Decimal System -- 3: Video "The Lure of the Library" -- 4: Catalog Demonstration and Scavenger Hunt -- 5: Quiz Show What You Know Part 1 of 2 and Scavenger Hunt -- 6. Quiz Show What You Know Part 2 of 2 and Scavenger Hunt.
Students will earn the privilege of using the library computers by part 4 of the 6-part practicum designed to allow them to demonstrate their awareness of library procedures and their ability to execute simple catalog searches.
Explore www.grandviewlibrary.info  
Take Home Library map 

Week of August 27 - Fourth & Fifth Grade
Reviewing the 
Resources Found in the Library and at grandviewlibrary.info

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Library Map Review general layout.
Melvil Dewey (1851-1931) The education reformer and librarian who developed the organization system used in libraries around the world.
The Caveman's Guide to the Dewey Decimal System Melvil Dewey divided all knowledge into ten basic categories by pretending to be a caveman thinking about the world.
Library Website Visit grandviewlibrary.info and click around to explore the resources available 24/7. Children should be supervised by a responsible adult when using the Internet.
Reference Databases On site and remote access to World Book Online is provided to Grand View families and staff by GVPTA. Email Mrs. Snively at hsnively@mbusd.org for the log-in ID and password. On site and remote access to Encyclopedia Britannica is provided to all California K-12 students by the CA State Library Project. Find these and more under the Resources tab at grandviewlibrary.info.

First Day of School Wednesday, August 22

The library will be open at 8:00 a.m. the first day of school for students to check out books. 
Class visits begin the first day of school. See the class schedule.
Students in grades 3-4-5 are welcome to visit the library every day during first recess beginning the first day of school. 

Week of August 20 - TK & Kindergarten -  Getting to Know Each Other

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The Itsy-Bitsy Spider A playful song to help us focus.
Teachers Rock! by Todd Parr A celebration of the ways in which teachers change the world, from encouraging creativity, to making students laugh, to helping them form friendships, always wanting everyone to succeed and making the classroom a great place to be.
If You're Happy and You Know It A chance to sing and move.
My Bus by Byron Barton Fun with grouping and number play, with a surprise ending.
Be a Grand View G.A.T.O.R. Simple guidelines for a great school year together.
Skidamarink This ever-popular song was written in 1910 for a Broadway show.

Week of August 20 - First Grade - Back to School

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School's First Day of School by Adam Rex 
​It's the first day of school and everyone's just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself.
Activity TeachingBooks.net Alternatively, toss a beach ball to randomly select students to share their favorite color, food, etc.

​Be a Grand View G.A.T.O.R. Simple guidelines for a great school year together.

Week of August 20 - Second Grade - Back to School

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Excellent Ed by Stacy McAnulty
Ed, the Ellis family dog, has many talents, but none of them matches the excellence of the five Ellis children's in this story that reminds us everyone is excellent at something.
​Ragweed's Farm Dog Handbook by Anne Vittur Kennedy
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Ragweed blithely breaks all his own farm dog rules, collecting biscuits as he goes.
Activity TeachingBooks.net My Special Handbook reproducible.
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Be a Grand View G.A.T.O.R. Simple guidelines for a great school year together.

​Week of August 20 - Third Grade - Back to School

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The Bad Seed by Jory JohnRules of the House by Mac Barnett
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A naughty seed with a bad attitude, bad temper, and bad manners vows to change his life for the better, but his efforts are met with skepticism by his friends.
​Be a Grand View G.A.T.O.R. Simple guidelines for a great school year together.

Week of August 20 - Fourth Grade - Content to Come

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We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins 
It's the first day of school and Penelope is not having much success at making new friends until the class pet steps in to save the day.
​Be a Grand View G.A.T.O.R. Simple guidelines for a great school year together.

Week of August 20 - Fifth Grade Misses Due to Short Week