Recently we've added eBooks and audiobooks to our collection. You can find the always popular Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, as well as the entire Harry Potter series now in the catalog.
Brand new to the collection is also the audiobook and eBook for Kimberly Bradley's The War I Finally Won, the follow-up to The War that Saved My Life.
Not sure how to check out an eBook or audiobook, or you're looking for additional titles? Be sure to stop by the desk--we'd love to help!
Our Heartland AEA offers many databases and online resources for student research and projects. You can access all of the AEA's resources by CLICKING HERE. If you've forgotten how to log in, please talk with your librarian. Below are just a few of the examples students have used, along with two newer resources now available to us.
MackinVIA offers fiction and nonfiction eBooks and audiobooks you can access right from our school catalog. Also, you can go to MackinVIA.com to see their collection of thousands of online books. You can read and listen to all of these books with your smart devices.
In the past, students have used SIRS to find research to use in pro/con assignments. Now, Points of View is another database that students can use for these debating-type assignments. You can access both of these databases by clicking on the captions under the pictures.
New to the FLIX family of resources is FreedomFLIX. Like BookFLIX and TrueFLIX, this resource includes books, videos, related websites, and more! They offer books on a variety of social studies topics.
These are just a few of the many databases and online resources that are available to students. Need help using them? Stop by the library; we'd love to help you!
With the close of our recent Scholastic Book Fair, you may notice quite a few new titles in the library. Want to try one of them? Here's some information--and book trailers--for some of our new books.
Patina, by Jason Reynolds, is the second book in his Track series that includes the book Ghost. This book follows Patty, one of the teammates on the track team. An African American middle schooler who lives with her aunt and uncle, Patty's life has the life skills to bring her relay team together, to make it in her all-white girls' school, and make the best of her unusual family arrangement.
Legend series author Marie Lu has a new series in the works with Warcross. Main character Emika is a teenage girl who not only plays the international sensation video game, but also hunts down the people who illegally bet on the game. Check out the trailer:
Want to try historical fiction? Dean Hughes' book Four-Four-Two features the 442nd Combat Regiment from World War II--a unit made up entirely of Japanese Americans.
Main character Yuki and his family are forced to live in a Japanese internment camp in Utah, but Yuki chooses to enlist in the army to serve the country that holds him. He and his friend ship out to Europe, where their friendship only grows stronger amid all the prejudices and battles.
Other titles are read-alikes for books you may have already read. Any of these look familiar?
So why not stop by the library soon to look at our book fair purchases and maybe check out something new? Hope to see you soon!
Conferences are rapidly approaching, so that means it's time for our fall Scholastic Book Fair! Students will be visiting the fair during their reading classes to preview the fair, and it will be open on Tues. Oct. 24 and Thurs. Oct. 26 from 2:30 - 8:00 PM.
Can't make it? Why not order online! You can find hundreds of books at our online fair, and your purchases still benefit our fair and our school. You can CLICK HERE to access our online book fair.
Thank you for supporting this great literacy event and your DCG MS library!
Remember when you were in elementary school and it was check-out time in the library? Chances are you headed to the nonfiction shelves and found books that interested you. What about now that you're a middle school student? Many of our students have now gravitated to fiction books, but what if you found nonfiction that read like a novel? We have it!
Narrative nonfiction books often read like novels and relate to the topics you still care about. Take a look at our new library display featuring some of our narrative nonfiction books:
Included in the display are titles from categories like these:
• the Lincoln assassination
• sports events & figures
• modern American history
• World War II
• famous people
• nature & dogs
If you're looking for a nonfiction book or want to step away from fiction for a change of pace, why not give one of these narrative nonfiction books a try? Feel free to ask about other similar titles, too! Happy reading!
It's that time again--time for us to explore the state award books and start reading our way through the lists. To promote the titles and raise interest, this year's titles are featured in ThingLink images that connect to book trailers.
Let's start with the Iowa Children's Choice Award nominees:
You can also access trailers for the Iowa Teen Award nominees:
Enjoy the trailers--and when you're ready to try one of the nominees, be sure to stop by the library and check out a copy. Remember, you're eligible to vote for the building and state-wide winner when you read at least two books from either list.
With so many great books released in the last year, how about a look at a few that are historical fiction, like the Newbury Honor book Wolf Hollow? Readers will find themselves pulled into the story of Annabelle, Betty, and Toby; can we trust what we believe we've seen, and do we really know the people in our lives?
Other great historical fiction promoted throughout the year in the library include some newer titles along with some old favorites:
If you haven't read many historical fiction titles--or if you're eager to read some more--we're happy to help you with that next book to read!
Occasionally during the year we take the time to highlight new books or recommend old favorites using Pinterest. Both book trailers and cover images of many books are there if you're looking for something to read! Want to take a look? You can access the board by clicking in the caption below.
We are so fortunate to have access to a wide variety of databases from our area AEA, Heartland. Throughout the year, teachers and students alike use them for everything from pleasure reading to research to project creation support.
One database that students browse when looking for next books to read is NoveList K-8 Plus. When accessing our online catalog and library main page, students often use NoveList K-8 Plus, along with other book recommendation sites and tools, to guide their book selections. Students especially like that they can search author or series read-alikes.
Often, these available databases become part of our library lessons. Supporting students' many general research needs were databases such as Britannica Online, MackinVia, and Culture Grams. More specifically, however, students accessed NetTrekker to access information related to pro/con or persuasive writing and speaking presentations.
Students access AEA databases for research purposes.
As databases are updated and revised, we look forward to their continued use! Many projects await!
Using Destiny Quest has become an extension of the work we do with students throughout the year. When students were in Grades 3 - 5, using Destiny Quest was regular practice during scheduled library classes. Once students move on to the Middle School, using Destiny Quest becomes more individualized, and it has also become part of the language arts classes.
As students come and go from the library--and as they work in study halls--they sometimes sit at a library computer to respond to friend requests in Destiny Quest and send friend request themselves, sometimes making book recommendations when they do so. Students also add books to their virtual bookshelves, adding not only books they've read themselves, but also books they've enjoyed as read alouds.
Part of the language arts curriculum includes writing book reviews, and Destiny Quest--along with our online catalog--offer students an authentic audience for their writing. Full classes visit the library, where we talk about what makes a strong book review, and then students write two reviews in a quarter. Over time our online catalog has become a place where students can read peers' reviews and thoughts about books in the collection.
Many new books will greet students when they return in August. Want a sneek peek at a few of our favorites?
Popular author Gordon Korman's new book is realistic fiction and features Chase, who remembers nothing after falling from his roof. As he begins his school year, Chase comes to understand that the person he was before the fall isn't anything like the person he is now. Will the influence of his friends sway him to return to his juvenile delinquent/bullying ways? Or will he take the opportunity to restart and become a different person?
If you were a fan of Between Shades of Gray by Sepetys, this book will not disappoint! Like Between Shades of Gray, this book is also an Iowa Teen Award nominee set during World War II. The story follows several refugees near the war's end as they make their way to a port city to try to secure passage on the Wilhelm Gustloff, hopefully to find friends and family in other parts of Europe. You can see a trailer below:
Another Iowa Teen Award nominee that's a great read is the nonfiction title I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda.
Told from both Caitlin's and Martin's points of views, readers learn of the pen pal assignment that connected the Pennsylvania girl with a boy from Zimbabwe and read portions of the letters that changed both of their lives. While Caitlin initially believes Martin's life is similar to hers, she slowly comes to understand the poverty and harsh conditions in which he lives. This knowledge--along with the warmth they feel for one another--will change both of their lives.
See something you might like to pick up this August? They'll be available for you--stop by to check them out!
One of the tools we like to use in the library is QR codes. They're such a handy, easy, and convenient way for students to access information! We primarily use them to promote books by linking the codes to book trailers, like in this display. Students have also been able to access trailers as they browse the shelves.
Students have also used QR codes to access trailers related to our state award nominees. Cards showing the book covers and a corresponding QR code were at tables throughout the library, and students watched the trailers, then responded on a handout as to their interest levels in reading the books later.
Stay tuned--students will likely use QR codes again in the coming school year!
The state award nominees for the coming 2017 - 2018 school year were announced earlier in the year. Our DCG Middle Schools students are encouraged to read from the Iowa Children's Choice Awards nominees, as well as the Iowa Teen Award titles:
Over the course of the coming school year, students are encouraged to read at least two of the nominees from their lists, and should they complete the reading by late February/early March, they will be eligible to vote for the building and state-wide winner. Feel free to read any of the books over the summer, and stay tuned for many activities related to these great books!
This year our DCG Middle School students started using Chromebooks in a 2:1 environment (2 students for every 1 device), and with the increased access came the use of Google Classroom in the library.
A few of the library Google Classrooms
Every language arts classroom in Grades 6 - 7 had its own library Google Classroom where students could access everything from our library main page to that day's digital activity. Below are just some of the examples of how we used Google Classroom:
accessing and viewing book trailers related to state award books
using our library Symbaloo to find websites and databases for research
accessing state award voting forms
The ease with which students could access that day's work--and return to it as they liked--made all the difference. This was especially true as we worked to promote our state award nominees throughout the year. Early last fall, students visited the library to view a Prezi presentation featuring book trailers for the Iowa Teen Award nominees. Then, students accessed a handout via Google Classroom to track their impressions of the books and make note of whether or not they'd like to read it.
Now that students are more familiar with Google Classroom, they likely return to school with a better understanding of how we'll use it in the library. What a great tool to manage classes, share resources and assignments, allow for technology integration, and engage students!
Now that we're officially on summer break, it's time to bring back the weekly themed blog post. This year it's "1-Thing Wednesday," and the focus will be on just one thing related to the library, the school year, or the tech world. To kick off the very first 1-Thing Wednesday, let's take a look at the summer reading programs at the local public libraries.
Librarians from the Grimes Public Library spoke with students at the end of May about the summer reading program, and visiting the Grimes Public Library website will provide all kinds of information, as well as allow you to watch a promotional video:
The summer reading program began on Mon. June 5 and will run until the end of July. Here's what their website had to say about the summer reading program:
Live in Dallas Center and want to participate in the summer reading program there? They, too, kicked off their program early in June and are excited to sign up readers all summer long! If you're looking for a way to beat the heat, hang out with friends, or try something new to read, why not visit the public library near you and sign up!
Seventh graders were in the library again today to listen to the last round of book talks for the year. Serendipity prevailed, and many of the new books that were ordered in April arrived just yesterday, and in the nick of time made it into today's book talk presentation.
The final slide in the presentation specifically promoted 4 of the new titles added just today:
With just a week and a half left to check out books, stop by today to pick up one of the new titles. Or, make a note to pick them up at your public library over the summer! They'll all make for some great summer reading!
On May Day, how about a look back at April, National Poetry Month, when we celebrated by creating blackout poems and book spine poems. All of the seventh grade language arts classes passed through the library over three days to "write" poetry.
Students also stacked library books into poems in a book spine activity. After students pulled books to use, poems began to emerge. Take a look below!
