Grade 3

Third Graders battled it out in the library today with a series of challenges set up to reinforce the alphabetical arrangement of fiction by author. Students have been divided into two teams (A’s and Z’s) and will compete periodically in challenges that develop their library and language skills.  This months challenges involved arranging themselves in alphabetical order by last name, birth month and middle name; looking up words in the dictionary and locating specific books in the fiction stacks. Teamwork and good sportsmanship abounded today with the teams’ scores separated by one point! We concluded with book browsing and checkout. Books are due back on 11/20. Happy Reading!

Third Graders had their passport stamped as they entered the magical world of Russian folklore this month in the library. The two groups read a variety of different folk tales centered around  Baba Yaga, a witch archetype found in traditional Russian folk tales. In Grandma Chicken Legs, author Geraldine McCaughrean  artfully weaves the classic Russian Baba Yaga story (about a witch who lives in a hut on chicken legs who flies in a bowl through the air) with the familiar Grimm’s version of Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel. Some students also read Babuskha Baba Yaga, a modern twist on the classic Russian fairy tale. Award winning author Patricia Polacco, who is of Russian heritage, tells a story that is, in traditional fairy tale style, enchanting, a little spooky and with a hint of surprise at the end. Students also had the opportunity to examine  some Russian cultural objects—matrioshki (colorfully painted nesting dolls), pysanki (decorated wooden eggs), khokhloma (native crockery) and had a chuckle as I donned my rubashka (shirt), sarafan (ornate apron) and covered my head with a platok (headscarf). We concluded with  book browsing and a hearty “Do Svidaniya” (goodbye). Books are due on 10.31.10. Happy Reading!