Jacksonville Public Library

Our class recently visited the Jacksonville Public Library. We encountered an owl in the story room that told us stories and sang us a song. We got to participate in stories and we also sang songs. After that we took a tour of the children's section of the library. The chairs look like leaves and there is a gigantic alligator couch! What fun places to read a book! When we left the library we went to Kids Kampus and had a picnic lunch. Kids Kampus has a great playground. What a wonderful way to celebrate our accomplishment of 100% of the students in our class obtaining library cards! I know that all of the students can't wait to try out their new cards!

Sharing Memories

Our class will be beginning an author study of Mem Fox. This author study will help students make personal connections to the world of literature. They will learn how Mem Fox draws upon the experiences from her life to create her stories. Her stories are full of rich language. The first book we read by Mem Fox was Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. Her inspiration for this book was visiting her grandfather in a home for old people. After reading this book, the students brought in an object to school that evoked a memorable experience. The student then shared the object and the memorable experience with the class. Here are our "special memories".

Independent Reading

Independent reading is a vital part of our daily Reader's Workshop. Independent reading work time is designed for students to have time and practice and apply strategies that have been taught and modeled by the teacher. Students read "just right books" from their independent book bags. The goal of independent reading is for students to become lifelong readers, actively engaged in text for many different purposes and for increasingly longer periods of time. Check out our favorite reading places!

Our Class Promise

Our class met on Friday as a community of learners to develop a class promise. We brainstormed behaviors that were important to us as a group. We then developed a class promise that we will recite every day. The students drew pictures of themselves demonstrating one of the behaviors from the promise. These drawings are displayed around the poster of the promise.

Wild About Books

The students at Venetia Elementary are WILD ABOUT BOOKS! Today the Kindergarten, First and Second Grade classes got together to hear September's Book of the Month. Mrs. Rubens, our new principal, read the students Wild About Books. All of the teachers shared a book that he or she is wild about. A special snack was enjoyed by all. A goal was set for all of the students to have a public library card by the end of September. The first grade classes will be visiting the Main Library at the end of the month as a culminating activity.