A library is more than just books and a librarian is more than just a reader. The library at Abbett is an environment that draws learners in and helps them learn and discover. Students visit the library weekly and spend time learning about poetry, genres, research, current events, and more. After the lesson, students have the opportunity to check out books and spend some time engaged in a variety of activities with friends. Students may work on puzzles, create with legos, play games, read books, and more. Students also participate in monthly challenges and events that make learning fun and incorporate hands-on activities.
Second through fifth grade participated in the Ultimate Genre Challenge the month of March. Students were challenged to read books from a variety of genres to help them find some new favorites. Students that read from at least eight different genres were entered into a drawing for some games and prizes, including four $25 gift certificates to the Scholastic Book Fair.
Second and third graders spend the first ten minutes of library each week learning cursive. Second grade worked hard on learning the lowercase letters while third grade tackled the uppercase letters. Students that demonstrate cursive mastery are invited to a special lunch and movie in the library.
Third through fifth grade also participated in the Bluebonnet voting. Each year twenty books are nominated for the Bluebonnet award. Students in grades 3 through 6 are encouraged to read at least five of the books and vote for their favorite. Whichever book receives the most student votes wins the Bluebonnet Award. This year’s winner was The Legend of Gravity by Charly Palmer.
An important topic in science this time of year is life cycles and students can observe them in action in the library. Students love watching the ladybugs and caterpillars grow and go through metamorphosis and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of baby chicks that are currently incubating in the library. Students love to track the progress of the chicks by candling the eggs and getting an inside view of the development. The chicks will get to spend a week at the library before they get sent back to the farm to continue growing.
