Kindergarten

Yesterday, Kindergarten happened upon me wandering outside dressed in Elizabethan garb. Ms. Smith brought the class over, and I shared the poem, “If You See a Fairy Ring” with them. Today, we talked about Shakespeare, who celebrated a birthday last Sunday, and who many consider to be the greatest writer of the English language. We learned that people in Shakespeare’s time spoke a different form of English, and judging from the pictures in the library, they looked pretty different, too. Next we read the story, Romeo the Rhino’s Rocky Romance a children’s version of Romeo and Juliet by Michael Ulick that uses tension between rhinos and ostriches to show how even though we are all different, together we make the world a more interesting place. Lastly, we played Common Ground, a Responsive Classroom game which allows kids to compare and contrast aspects of ourselves with others. We concluded with book browsing and checkout. Happy Reading!

Today in the library I introduced the Kindergarten to a transitional series of books that are perfect for emergent and beginning readers. Those of you with older children (or even YOU, yourself) might remember the beloved chapter book series the Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warren. Over one hundred! books are contained in this classic children’s series that brings to life the adventures of the Alden family. While The Boxcar Children series are targeted for readers in primary grades, there is a wonderful Early Reader set published in the 1990s that we have in the library. These are located under the window seat in the Meerkat Burrow area of the library.

Features that make this series perfect for the Kindergarten include vivid colorful illustrations, larger print and simplified plot.

We shared the first two books in the series today. If you’re looking for a new classic, check out the Boxcar Children Early Readers!

Kindergarten’s exploration of the deep blue sea continued today in the library where we shared four books as enchanting and colorful as the sea itself, each focusing on a different sea creature. Jim Arnosky’s Turtle in the Sea describes the life of a sea turtle and the dangers it must encounter to lay its eggs. In Clumsy Crab by English artist Ruth Galloway, Nipper the Crab finds a way to use his huge clumsy claws to save a friend. This book is a wonderful illustration of how our differences can be an asset. In our third book, Fishing for Methuselah, best friends and fellow fishermen, Ivan and Olaf compete to see who can catch the mighty and elusive fish Methuselah. And lastly, the classic Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle beautifully illustrates the unique beauty of the seahorse. We concluded with book browsing and checkout. Happy Reading!

Today in the library, we visited an old friend, Dr. Seuss. All across America, students are enjoying the works of this celebrated author and illustrator during the month of March. We shared the classic, If I Ran the Zoo, and then used this as inspiration for our own book, If Kindergarten Ran the Library. Please check your students take-home folders today for a copy of our class creation. You’ll find your student’s color drawing along with copies of the class’ contributions. Don’t be surprised if I take some of these suggestions to heart! Happy Reading!