Book Speed Dating

In the October 2012 issue of Library Media Connection, Librarian Tish Carpinelli from Cape May, NJ, wrote about speed dating with books, an activity she does with her high school students. With a few modifications, 7th grade LA students participated in book speed dating just this week. Four students sat at each table and looked at more than a dozen books and rated them, considering if they wanted to be in a "committed long-term relationship" with the book. :) If students couldn't decide on "a date" by the end of the period, they might go on a "blind date" with a book. Many students found "dates" to take home to read, and all students received a Hershey's kiss--because the perfect date ends with a small kiss!

Library 12 Days of Christmas

Considering the holiday season upon us, we in the library have created a 12 Days of Christmas contest to get you thinking about books and authors. Be sure to watch the announcements on the TVs each day to get the clues. You can check out the explanation below:

If you have questions--or want to check one of your guesses--just stop by the library to talk with Mrs. Ellis. Happy holidays, and good luck!

Reading Road Trip!

At the blog Epic Reads, you can find a map of the United States that shows book covers reflecting the setting of every state. The map includes classics like The Wizard of Oz (set in Kansas), Iowa Teen Award nominees like I Am Number Four (set in Ohio) and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (set in Washington), and new releases like The Raven Boys (set in Virginia). Take a look at the map--it's pretty interesting--and see how many you've read. Maybe it's time for a "road trip" to read more of them! 

Fall Book Fair, Oct. 24 - 26

The Fall Book Fair is coming soon, and you can shop early! Click here to shop the online Book Fair for DCG Middle School, and be sure to stop by at the end of the month to shop in person.

Banned Books Week, Sept. 20 - Oct. 2, 2012

Banned Books Week, now in its 30^th year, is “an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. . . . By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship" (American Library Association). 

Click here to access a timeline about banned books in the United States.

Below are images of the library display to recognize Banned Books Week:

E-Books Online

ABDO Publishing offers e-books online, and middle school students are now able to browse their selection to read online. To access their free e-book selection, click here. You will need to enter a username and password: username: Dalla550; password: shelf. Once you have access to the site, you can browse their fiction and nonfiction titles, including graphic novels. Enjoy!

Google Docs is Here

Students in sixth and seventh grade now have Google accounts that offer many possibilities! By logging into their individual Google accounts, students are able to create documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and more. Students' work saves automatically, and because the work is all online, students can access their work from any computer that is connected to the Internet.