It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

We have a had a busy, learning and fun-filled, last few weeks at BES!  In the Media Center we have met The Library Gingerbread Man, Moosletoe, and Mr. Willowby and his Christmas Tree.  We have talked about each of the characters and the problems they faced in their books.  We then discussed their solutions and even came up with some of our own!  I love to hear the kids imaginations!!

The conductor from Polar Express even came to visit our kindergartners and give the first gift of Christmas!

Please don't forget that yearbooks are on sale and that 5th grade ads are due January 15, 2015.

Mrs. McElroy

Read-a-thon Time!

BES will be having a Read-a-thon on Friday, November 21.  Each student is asked to pay at lease $1 and they can wear their pj's and read!!  A time has been set aside for each grade level to spread out in the gym with their book boxes and enjoy books!  All proceeds from the Read-a-thon will go to crate a BES scholarship at Adult Literacy Barrow.

Adult Literacy Barrow is an organization that helps adults forward their education by completing their GED or other basic education courses.  The organization also offers free English classes.

BES wants to BOLDly impact our community by helping educate all our members!!

For more information please visit the Adult Literacy Barrow website:  http://www.adultliteracybarrow.org/

Picture Book Month

November is Picture Book Month.  "Picture Book Month is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November." via Picture Book Month website.



Image via http://picturebookmonth.com/

We actually call them everybody books at BES because, well, everybody can read them.  Last week in the MC we read two great picture books in the lower grades.  The Three Little Bears ABC's and Z is for Moose.  We worked on letter recognition with Pre-K and Kindergarten, and talked about how we can read books using pictures!  If you have a reader that isn't confident because they "don't know how to read", using the pictures is a great way to get them hooked and start the reading process.  The Daily 5, which we use at BES, teaches the three ways to read a book are:
Read the Pictures
Read the Words
Retell the Story

I challenge you to read a picture book everyday during the month of November with your BES readers!

Mrs. McElroy

Creepy Times in the MC

With last week being Halloween things got a little creepy in the MC.  We read Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, which is a Caldecott Honor Award winner.  Creepy Carrots is about Jasper Rabbit who like all rabbits loves carrots.  Until one day...they start to follow him!  Creepy Carrot is a fun read for any age!

Check out this video by the illustrator Peter Brown.

Even Penny our reading dog got into the Halloween spirit last week

Mrs. McElroy
Image from http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OVCQP0?btkr=1

BOOK FAIR, BOOK FAIR, BOOK FAIR

We had an AMAZING Book Fair this week!!!

Thank you to everyone who supported our book fair and especially to all the wonderful volunteers that helped out!  The book fair would not have been the success it was without everyone's support and help!

I hope all our students enjoy the books they purchased and are developing a deep love of reading!!

THANK YOU!
Mrs. McElroy

Johnny Appleseed

Friday, September 26 was Johnny Appleseed's birthday, and we celebrated all week!  We started each class by reading a poem about Johnny Appleseed and identified site words:

via: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FDdWtBY9rFg/Ui50sz813dI/AAAAAAAAGig/_baPdhlpzcQ/s1600/johnny+appleseed+citizenship+poem.png


We also read a nonfiction book about Johnny and filled our "pot" with facts, we read about apples and how they grow, and we even had a couple of "pots" to wear!

International Dot Day

Last Monday, was International Dot Day, but we celebrated all week in the Media Center!  Dot Day is based on the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds and began on September 15, 2099 when teacher Terry Shay introduced the book in his classroom.  It has become a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration.  Mrs. Reid read the book to each student via YouTube...click here to watch. 


To celebrate in the Media Center, students retold the story and we talked about how we can make our mark in our school, in our families and in the world!  We had some great ideas!!  I got to visit some classrooms so we could decorate dots!

Mrs. McElroy

The Books are ALIVE!!

BES had its annual reading parade on Friday, September 5.  Students that completed their summer reading and turned in their logs were able to walk, but everyone could join in the fun of dressing up!

Mrs. Reid told the walkers that we don't have dress up as characters for the characters to come alive, all we have to do is read the book!  

That is what I love about reading...I can be someone else, go to places I have never been, and meet people I would never have the chance to meet all through BOOKs!!!

Tail Waggin' Tutors

BES is fortunate to participate in the Tail Waggin' Tutor program through Therapy Dogs International (TDI).  As explained on the TDI website, "The main objective of this program is to provide a relaxed and "dog-friendly" atmosphere, which allows students to practice the skill of reading."

And, this is exactly what we do!  A student from each grade level is chosen, by the grade level teachers, to come read to the reading dog each Monday for 15 minutes.  The students love it and are proud that they get to come read to Penny!  This year we will have a second Tail Waggin' Tutor and we are excited to add Bentley to the BES family in November!

Tail Waggin' Tutors can also be found in the local libraries.  Bentley is part of the Tail Waggin' Tutor program at the Winder Library and Penny is part of the Reading to Rover program at the Athens-Clarke County Library.

For more information on the Tail Waggin' Tutor program you can visit the TDI website.  To find out about Tail Waggin' Tutors or Reading to Rover at the local public libraries please visit the following websites:
Piedmont Regional Library System
Athens-Regional Library System

READ ON....Mrs. McElroy

Reading Club

Does you child like to read?  Do they like to compete?  Well....we have the club for them!  BES will have a Reading Club!!!  The Reading STARS Club has been created with the goal of competing in the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl (HRRB) in February 2015.  Helen Ruffin was a media specialist in Dekalb County who began using the Georgia's Children Book nominees to encourage her students to read.  The first competition was held in March 2003.  The Reading Bowl uses friendly competition to foster students love of reading, turn students on to reading, and to improve comprehension students skills.  The Reading STARS is open to 4th and 5th grade students and will meet every other Tuesday morning at 7:15.  We will focus on the Elementary Booklist which can be found on the HRRB website.

If you have a student that is interested signups will be this week!!!  Students can sign up with me in the Media Center from August 25-August 29.  We will then have a brief meeting next week for all students interested and students will bring home a letter and a permission slip.

Week One

Week 1 is complete!  This week your STARS visited the Media Center and read/sang Pete the Cat Rocking My School Shoes, if they are in kindergarten - 2nd grade....or The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore in the upper grades.  Both of these books are great for the beginning of the year....or really anytime of the year!!  On a side note, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore has a short film based on the book that won and Academy Award!!!

We also had a brief orientation and talked about rules for the Media Center using the easy to remember acronym READ.  See if your STARS can remember any of the rules, and just a hint..."D" is the best rule of all!!

To help extend the Media Center into your home checkout the two YouTube videos linked below for the books we read this week.

Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce

Mrs. McElroy

Reading With Your Child

It's baaaack...school starts TOMORROW!!  BES' awesome staff has been preparing all week (and summer) for your sweet kids.  We are working hard to create loving, creative, and interactive learning environments at school, and I know you as parents want to help at home.  It is so important that your child reads EVERYDAY, yes....EVERYDAY.  Why you ask?  Well....



For tips on reading with your child at home check out the Seussville website: http://www.seussville.com/Parents/tips_reading_child.php

Image from Perry & LeCompton Unified School District: http://www.usd343.net/vnews/display.v/ART/5060992ac7eb2

Mrs. McElroy

Welcome!

WELCOME to BES Reading for the STARS!!!

My name is Erin McElroy and I am beginning my second year as the Media Specialist at BES.  This blog will be used to communicate with BES parents and community about what your STARS are reading!

Be on the lookout for what is new and exciting at BES and in elementary reading!!

Mrs. McElroy