March Library Happenings

This month, third graders were introduced to the Dewey Decimal System in order to learn how the nonfiction section of the library is organized.  We learned all about the 10 Dewey classes and how this system makes it easy to find books about specific topics.  We compared this to how similar foods are shelved together at the supermarket!  Students then chose a Dewey category and created a super hero to represent and defend that section from the evil villain Mr. Chaos!  I was so impressed with their enthusiasm and creativity!  Stay tuned for some pics of the completed project. They are awesome!

Fourth graders read books about two sled dogs from the Great Serum Race of 1925; Balto and Togo.  We then used information from the books as well as from the Internet to complete a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two dogs.  This was a great exercise in integrating information obtained from multiple print and electronic resources.  To further connect to their study of the Western region of the United States, we also read The Salmon Princess: an Alaskan Cinderella.  To celebrate Women's History Month, we read You Forgot Your Skirt Amelia Bloomer!; a biography about a woman's rights advocate in the mid-1800s.  Ask your children how many pounds of clothing women were expected to wear in those days!

Fifth graders focused on nonfiction text features.  We had fun playing "Name That Text Feature;" a game where students were presented with certain information dilemmas and had to decide which nonfiction text feature would best help them get to the answer. To connect to their study of the American Revolution as well as to Women's History Month, we read Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution.

Sixth graders celebrated Pi day in the library by reading Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi.  This was a fun way to review circle vocabulary.  We also made some fortune tellers where students had to calculate the circumference of a circle given the diameter or radius.  In honor of Women's History Month, we read Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride;  a book about two strong, adventurous women in history:  Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt.  We then completed an online research activity utilizing mini-biographies about women in space and aviation history posted on the Smithsonian website.

Turtle in Paradise is Howe-Manning MCBA Winner!

Howe-Manning students in grades 4 through 6 recently cast their votes for the Massachusetts Children's Book Award (MCBA) winner.  Students were required to read 5 books from a list of 25 in order to vote.  The race was neck and neck between The Candymakers by Wendy Mass and Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm; but in the end, Turtle in Paradise got the winning votes from Howe-Manning students!

Howe-Manning voting results were submitted to Salem State University, where votes from all Massachusetts participating schools will be tallied.  The BIG winner will be announced on April 1st! Stay tuned!

Scholastic Book Fair 2013!

Awesome Book Fair Volunteers! THANK YOU!





Fifth Graders Looking at Books!



Library Transformed!




So Many Great Books!







The Great Howe-Manning Book Swap!

Baskets of Books at the Howe-Manning Book Swap!

In celebration of Read Across America week, the Howe-Manning library hosted a school-wide book swap for students in grades 3-6.  Students brought in gently-used books from home to trade in for other books of interest.  Books have been gathered and are arranged on tables by genre.  Students were excited about the exchange and it has certainly prompted some great dialogue about books and reading!  What a great no-cost way for students to update their own at-home libraries!  We will keep the book swap open indefinitely. 

The Scholastic Book Fair is Coming!

Get “READIOACTIVE” with Mrs. Boulanger by visiting our Scholastic Book Fair! Whether you visit the book fair in person or virtually, all purchases will help us earn “Scholastic Dollars” to update our library collection!

We will be open Monday, March 11th – Friday, March 15th from 9:00 – 3:30 in the Howe-Manning Library. We will also be open the evening of the Spring Art Walk on Wednesday, March 13th from 5:30 – 7:30.

Can't make it?  Visit the Howe-Manning Scholastic Book Fair homepage to place orders online from March 3rd - March 23rd. Online orders will be shipped to the Howe-Manning School free of charge!  

The following letter and schedule will go home in backpacks this week.  Hope to see you there!

Book Fair Letter Home by hmlibrary