There is a lot of library news to report! First, I'd like to mention that the L.A. County Public Library is having its annual bookmark contest again. The theme this year is "Read, Seek, Explore!" All students are encouraged to participate. The entrance form is available here as well as at the Pennekamp library. Submissions are due by October 19 and can be turned in at the public library, the Pennekamp library, or the Pennekamp school office. Please note, designs must be in black or very dark blue ink.

We had our first ice cream coupon winners in the library's "Mystery Person" ticket drawing. The winners are Lauren C. (grade 5), Makena H. (grade 5), Evan L. (grade 4), and Joe S. (grade 5). These students (among others) were recognized for the quality of their participation during class visits to the library. Great job, students!

Several students have asked me to post the link to the "Dewey Rap" shown last week to grade 3, so here it is. Please be aware that this video is found on Youtube and that not all Youtube content is appropriate for children.

This is the first week that kindergarten students will be checking out from the library! They are very excited! Family members, please try to help your child remember his or her library book on the day that his/her class visits the library: Cannon, on Monday; Rios, Vanderpool/Schneck, Vavao, all on Wednesday. A student in kindergarten or first grade can only check out one book at a time, so students must return the book they have in order to take another. Parents, did you know that you can check out 10 books at a time under your own name?

Grade 5 is choosing new book report books. The "Resource Lists" in our catalog have been created to direct students to materials suitable for book reports and other projects. Please click on the tab for "Public" lists if they do not appear right away.

Grade 3 is hearing Moonshot, by Brian Floca, to support their in-class work on the phases of the moon. If your child would like to know more about the Apollo 11 mission, consider looking at information online with him or her. NASA, National Geographic, and the Air & Space Museum all have great resources. You might also consult World Book Online, to which our school subscribes (through the support of the Pennekamp PTA). For the World Book Online username and password, please ask your teacher or contact me. Grade 4 is hearing about John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt's designation of our national monuments and parks. For all grades weekly readalouds, please visit that page of this website!

Thanks to the PTA for providing the funds and support that are necessary to the library's success. Clicking through from this website to Amazon (see banner below) generates funds for our PTA, whenever you then make a purchase. Try it! 

September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. This week kindergarten will be hearing picture books that retell familiar folktales (Little Red Riding Hood and the story of the Little Red Hen) using some Spanish words. My high school Spanish is quite rusty, but I will do my best! In the coming weeks grades 1, 2, and 4 will also be hearing books that relate to Hispanic Heritage Month.

TK/K is hearing books about counting. In the past, the TK/K students have enjoyed Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes during the week devoted to books about colors. This year we are trying a new one: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, the book and song!

Grades 1 and 2 are considering our change of season and the life cycle of plants.

Grade 3 will finish the Dewey Decimal System PowerPoint, and they will hear a song, too: the ever-popular "Dewey Decimal Rap." Please note if your children are looking at the video at home that a lot of YouTube's content is generally considered not appropriate for children, so it might be wise to supervise your children when they view any content on YouTube.

Grades 4 and 5 are finishing up The Librarian of Basra and Unspoken. We have been discussing how the art of picture books contributes to their effectiveness and the themes of these excellent, thought-provoking stories.

This is a regular week in the library, with no schedule changes expected. The is also Banned Books Week, which celebrates the freedom to read. Here's a short child-friendly video on why censorship is a bad idea:

It was good to meet this morning with new and returning library volunteers. All classes are now fully covered, so thanks to the many wonderful family members willing to step up and help the library. You are truly essential to the success of the library.

This week TK, K, and 1st are hearing books about the alphabet. Grade 2 will tour the library and if we have time see a short visual presentation about the differences between the spine labels of nonfiction and fiction books. Grade 3 begins to learn the Dewey Decimal System. Grade 4 and grade 5 are both considering books that are rich in opportunities for discussion: The Librarian of Basra, by Jeanette Winter; and Unspoken, by Henry Cole. 

In terms of the schedule, it's a regular week in the library. I do have to leave tomorrow at 3:00 to be at an appointment, and Wednesday the library will close at 1:45 so I can attend a districtwide meeting of library staff off campus.

I have returned from my various travels and am looking forward to seeing a full schedule of classes this week! The class visit schedule can be viewed on this website. This week we have early dismissal on Thursday, so classes that meet Thursday afternoon are invited to visit the library at a different open time.

Library circulation policies are the same as last year. Students are permitted to check out the same number of books as their grade level; so, for example, a first-grader may take one book and a fifth-grader may take five books. Parents may check out ten books at a time. Kindergarteners are also allowed to check out one book but will not begin checking out right away. The loan period is one week, but a book may be renewed three times, for a total of four weeks.

The library volunteer schedule is filling up! Parent volunteers are still needed for the following classes: Mrs. Horowitz, Ms. Hooper, and Ms. Fletcher. Please see me or your child’s teacher to find out more about volunteering in the library.

This week the lower grades will hear stories about libraries and reading. TK/K will be working with books related to their study of the five senses. Grades 3 and 4 will be learning about the organization of the library. Grade 5 will hear a story in commemoration of Patriot Day that will also give us a chance to talk about picture books in general and literary terms.

Welcome to another school year! I hope everyone had a fun and restful summer and that we all are ready for another year of learning and reading. I am anxious to get started, but family matters have me out-of-town until the library's "official" opening this year on Monday, September 9. After that date the library will be open every weekday from 8 and until 3, except for closing at 1:30 on a few Wednesdays when I have to attend off-campus meetings of district library staff.

Please come by the library and say hi whenever you have the chance! More information will continue to appear on this website as the year progresses, so I hope you will check back often. Have a great year, Dragons!