Our library classes are off to a quick start this year, with eight third grade classrooms, and 6 classrooms in both 4th and 5th grades. Students are maximizing their book check-outs with books to take Accelerated Reader quizzes on as well as “choice books.” If you’re interested in finding out which titles in our library have quizzes, please check out the PDF lists on our “Readers @ Work” page.

This year’s Indian Paintbrush Award nominee list is quite exciting, and students have been clamoring to read 3 or more titles from the list so that they’ll be able to vote for their favorites in March 2009. We’ve ordered duplicate copies of the titles to help meet high demand.

So far in this year’s library classes we’ve discussed library policies & procedures, learned how fiction and nonfiction are organized, and practiced using the library’s online catalog (Infocentre) to look up a book. Our goal is to help students become independent library users.

In other reading news, several 4th grade classes have visited the library for a “genre talk,” learning about realistic fiction. They were able to check out a realistic fiction novel & many have already completed a classroom project based on what they’ve read. Our next genre will be mystery!

Hard to believe it’s October already, and we’re just getting started! Local author Christian Burch will visit our 5th graders October 14th & 15th to promote his new book and talk about writing. All 3rd grade classes will travel to the Teton County Library to view the Arapaho photo dictionary exhibit “Netniintoonoo ‘The Place Where We Live’” in preparation for our 3rd grade research project on tribes of Native America.