Back To The Library

Back To School

Back to school is a very hectic time, not only for parents and teachers but also for students. It can be
an exciting time but it is definitely a busy time for all. Remember that getting our kiddo's back to their fall schedules will help a lot.

 

Sneak Peek At The Library

 Our new door decoration for back to school, our school store for good behavior is fully stocked, our library is ready for check out and our mural of Where The Wild Things Are was finished in May by our friend Mrs. Christine Frakes. She is simply amazing.

Plans for Library Lesson

This month is a month of getting to know each other. We will talk about expectations, manners and rules for school and the library. We will then discuss just how to take good care of our library books.

Kinders will learn how to picture read and finally, we will check out our first books.

List of back to school books I use in the library 

For our K-1 students for the first few weeks of school.

A Bad Case Of Stripes

No, David!

David Goes To School

David Gets In Trouble   By David Shannon

Minerva Louise 

Minerva Louise At School

A Friend For Minerva Louise

Minerva Louise and The Red Truck   By Janet Morgan Stoeke

Tuesday By David Wiesner

Chalk By Bill Thomson  

Clifford's Manners  By Norman Bridwell

You're Finally Here By Melanie Watt

If You Take A Mouse To School By Laura Numeroff

Reading Challenge

I'm working on a reading challenge for our students. I will be posting here as soon as it is complete.

I will have a challenge for students but also for adults that might be interested. I will send the challenge home with students, adult challenge will only be posted here on the blog.

My Summer Reading List

My last blog post I indicated that I would share my summer reading list and I did a lot of reading.

A few of these titles were sent to me through Kid Lit Exchange or through publishers or authors.

           
                                                        

                                                                                               

                                                                     

                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                         

I hope these titles will spark your interest.


Happy Reading,

Tula Shamhart

Summer, Where Did You Go?

Summer Fun:

Where in the world did my summer go? Maybe. if I reflect a bit it won't feel like it flew by in a flash.

 My grandson, Carter will head off to another school in the fall. Our time together at school is over.  I will miss going to school with him and having him in the library with me. 1st grade was a year of growth and independence for Carter. What an awesome year he had!  I can't wait to see his growth next year.

Memorial Day and the week following started my summer break. My husband and I went to southern Illinois to visit mom (John's mom). It was a lot of fun to spend time with family and we made lotsa of memories. 

Here are a few pics from our trip.

 I spent some quiet time in the early mornings and evenings reading by the lake. One day we all went strawberry picking and the grand kids loved it. My grandsons got to spend some time with their cousin Mya.   My kids and grand kids left to come back home after the holiday weekend. John and I stayed and enjoyed fishing, shopping and visiting with family. It is always nice to go back home.

We spent time at the lake and even camped in early June when it was cool enough for a sweatshirt. Not typical Kansas weather but John and I enjoyed it tremendously. Even met some friends out at the lake which was nice.

We planted our garden in May and early June. What a blessing this garden has been. Spending time caring for it with my husband and grand kids, and enjoying all we have grown there in. Also, to be able to share with neighbors, family and friends has been wonderful.

 I spent time with friends shopping, movie going, a trip to Legoland and the Sealife Aquarium in Kansas City, a few weddings and graduations and I finally made it out to The Oz Winery with my good friend Susan. Lots of fun.

 Yet, that's not all, through out this summer I did some tutoring in Salina, KS. for 5 students who needed some extra help.  I was proud of each and every one of them and their families for helping and supporting them. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time at the Salina Public Library. They were so kind, helpful and supportive.

 Then John and I went to Colorado for our 11 days in Estes Park. We had quite an amazing trip. It started out with an eventful road trip. We drove from Abilene, Kansas to Estes Park, Colorado and somewhere around Goodland, Kansas we were struck with a piece of wood about a foot long.  It flew out of the bed of a truck. It struck our windshield and my life literally flashed before my eyes.

We were driving our truck and had driven roughly half way to Estes Park.  Our windshield was smashed.  We made the decision to continue to drive toward Estes, Park. As we did, we could hear the windshield crackling along the way. I was making calls trying to find a location to repair our windshield.  It was a Saturday before a holiday and nobody was available. Albeit, I was able to make an appointment for Monday in Loveland, Colorado to have it repaired. The closest place to where we were staying.

We continued our journey and arrived safely to our cabin at River Spruce Cottages, in Estes Park. It was beautiful, scenic and oh so inviting after our long trip.  Our camp hosts were Jim and Becky and they were simply amazing.

 We had a wonderful time, captured some beautiful scenery, seen some amazing sights and met some friendly people. We went hiking, saw several waterfalls, we got to see moose, elk. deer and bighorn sheep in their natural habitat.  We also went golfing on two amazing golf courses that had the most spectacular views. All in all it was an incredible trip where the mountains meet the clouds.

When we arrived home we were able to spend time with our grand kids and enjoy some time with my lab, Berkley.

Brielle is catching bubbles while I drink my coffee.

I had a wonderful opportunity to be a part of a reviewer group called The Kidlit Exchange. Authors and publishers give books and ARCS (advanced reader copies) for review. It is a wonderful book community and many of them are now friends.

I will post my summer reading list in my next post. 

Happy Reading,

Tula Shamhart

Spooky Stories, Costumes and Swaps...

In The Library:

In the library this week we read stories by Jack-o-lantern. I love to share Clifford's Halloween by Norman Bridwell Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian and of course The Halloweiner by Dav Pilkey, with my Kinders. The students loved them.  First graders got to Enjoy Boo! by Robert Munsch, which worked along with an author study of Robert Munsch we recently completed.  We also got to enjoy my most favorite book this time of year, The Perfect Pumpkin Pie by Denys Cazet. I had a few friends jump when we read this latest title. So much fun!

We also shared about what we might dress up like during Halloween. Here at Kennedy we don't dress up at school. In lieu of costumes we have a pajama day. I myself probably won't dress up unless I go out with my grandkids but I think I am going to stay home with my dogs, Hermione and Zoey and hand out candy treats.

I am preparing a voting lesson for my students to have fun with next week. We will all vote at Kennedy. Not for the Presidential nominee's we are all familiar with but for two other candidates...

After we have the opportunity to read Doreen Cronin's Duck For President.
We will tally each class and graph the entire school with our votes. Should be lots of fun.


This week has been a busy and fun week with the anticipation of Halloween looming.

Love My Kiddo's:

My first grade friends in Mrs. Berns class were so sweet. They earned a popcorn and movie party for their amazing behavior and they invited me...to share it with them. I was so excited. Then they went above and beyond to Thank me. I am so lucky to have such amazing friends.

 Beautiful Fall:

 Here in central Kansas we are enjoying some amazing weather. I was able to go out to the park and finish up my book and this was my beautiful view.

 Blessings come in many forms...

This photo is still my most favorite! I love the stem on this pumpkin it is the best! 

 I am anxious for November to arrive, to see family for the Thanksgiving holiday and to celebrate my grand daughter, Brielle's 1st birthday. I'm very excited! We have a lot going on at home and at school so tune in to see all the happenings in the coming weeks.

My Swaps: 

 Swapoween

This swap is an annual swap from Chaotic Goddess Swaps. I recieved a swap from my friend, Judy over at The Knotty Needle Blog she sent me the most wonderful package and card thanks so much! Here is a picture to see what she sent.

 I have several more swaps up and coming I will keep you posted on them.

I'm reading with an online book group The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee. I am also reading The One That Got Away by Leigh Himes and I am just about finished. I can't wait to get started on Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris I just received a surprise book in the mail from St. Martin Press. I can't wait to delve into this amazing thriller. All of these books are so completely and vastly different One is futuristic and another is chic-lit and one is a mystery/thriller. It's fun to delve into a variety of genres. Have fun and enjoy.

Share with me what you are reading and what books are on your "to be read list".

Happy Reading
Have a safe, fun Halloween, and let's welcome November.
Tula Shamhart

Falling Into A Good Book

In The Library

Fall Books & How I Use Them

Happy fall!  Football games, changing leaves, pumpkin everything, and the crispness in the air… fall makes me happy.  We created a fall bucket list and shared some of the things we most look forward to, in the fall. This is always a highlight for me. 

We also shared the life cycle of the pumpkin last week. I love sharing the video and the book Pumpkin Circle by George Levenson it starts October and our fall season. As we approach our trip to the pumpkin patch, reinforcing our understanding of fiction and non-ficition, our "How To Carve A Pumpkin" writing, along with our anchor chart pumpkins inside and outside, using adjectives.

I also, love getting out books about the season with my students. I want to foster a love of reading with them. How reading is more than just words on a page. It offers a different approach to the goals we are working on; vocabulary, figurative language, sequencing, etc. For some of our young students here at Kennedy this helps them build on their developing vocabulary and their ability to communicate more effectively.

Here are 2 wonderful stories for the changing season that I like using in my Library.

LeafMan by Lois Ehlert

This is a very short, beautifully illustrated picture book. It captures the vivid changing colors of the leaves of fall. Great opportunities for fall craft extensions here.

 One of my students brought this leaf man in after we shared the story.

Sequencing: Discuss the order of leaf man’s travels. East-West-South-North. Name what he saw heading east (chickens, marsh, ducks, geese, fields). Then what he saw heading west (orchards, prairie meadows, cows) and so on.

Vocabulary: pile, plans, marsh, drifting, orchards, prairie, meadows, gliding, flock, lonesome, rustle.

Writing: Use the prompt, “If I were a leaf man, I would go…” (have them include what they would see and feel along the way).

Compare and contrast: The different types of leaves by shape, size, color etc. Have the students bring in 2 or 3 different leaves from home and discuss the differences and similarities.

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson 

Gorgeous watercolor illustrations capture you in this sweet story. When I read this treasure, children are mesmerized and almost melt listening to the words. This story about a sweet little fox is one of my favorites to use during the fall season.

Social/Emotional: Opportunities to discuss feelings. On the first page the word “worried” is used. When do people feel worried? Illness, bad weather, etc. Fletcher is trying to care for the tree- a great opportunity for teaching empathy (discuss his body language- how his head hangs down and how they can read body language with friends). Encourage your students or child to talk about who they take care of and how (a pet, friend who is sad). Friendship – Fletcher says he will stay with the tree holding on to the last leaf left (what does someone do to show friendship to others).

Adjectives: Wow, this book is filled with vivid descriptions. “crinkly whisper,” “dusty gold,” “swirling leaves,” “pale stars,” I could go on and on. Write down some fall nouns and have your students think of vivid adjectives to modify them ( _____ pumpkins, _____ trees, _____ weather). Thinking of alternative color words is relevant in the fall. Find some leaves and challenge them to describe with more meaningful color words: yellow (golden), red (scarlet), brown (chocolate).

Vocabulary words: bounded, crinkly, dull, rough, ruffled, flutter, rustle, swoop, pale, glimmer. I always work on synonyms and antonyms to develop vocabulary deeper.

Figurative language:  personification is on nearly every page- “I think my tree is sick.” “The little leaf shook itself free…” “The wind and the squirrel are stealing our leaves.” “The branches nodded.” “The leaves shivered and shook…”

I hope you can incorporate some of these ideas as you read books about fall!

Me and my family

My family went to the pumpkin patch with our grand kids and  had a wonderful time. I love watching the grands experience something for the first time and or share these moments with them. Here are a few pics...

What I'm reading

The weather here in Kansas has been simply amazing and I love being able to read on my porch or patio. My latest, most current book I'm reading is Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand. It is the third installment to the Winter Street  series and it has to be said that I love it! If you are looking for a warm, cozy page turner this fall/ winter season this series will not disappoint.

I'm also listening to the audio book of The One Who Got Away by Leigh Himes

 I had to pick this chic lit audio book up, I read the blurb below and knew I had to try out this new author's work.

Book Blurb:

 In this debut novel, a freak accident allows a wife and mother to explore the alluring alternative of the Road Not Taken.

Abbey Lahey is a married, harried working mother of two, struggling to make ends meet in a blue-collar suburb of Philadelphia. When a freak tumble down a Nordstrom escalator lands her in an alternate reality, Abbey finds herself happily married to the one who got away--a dashing Philly blueblood she met briefly years earlier--and living a Cinderella life of privilege and luxury.

It's everything Abbey ever dreamed of. Or is it? At first dazzled by the clothes, the penthouse, the nannies, and the glittering social functions, Abbey begins noticing troubling flaws in her new fourteen-carat life...and wonders what happened to the people she left behind. Torn between two vastly different realities, Abbey takes increasingly dramatic steps to reclaim herself--whoever that may be.

Happy Fall and Happy Reading!

Mrs. Shamhart