Events, Genre, Media Literacy

Usborne Book Sale Ends Friday, Media Literacy Week, and Genre Spotlight on Historical Fiction

It’s November 1 and it’s time to start thinking ahead to Christmas plans! The HHCS Usborne Online Book Fair is scheduled to end on Friday Nov.5, so act now!! Take a look- you will be so impressed with the selection! Start browsing now with the online catalogue- HHCS Usborne Book Sale.  After shopping online, fill out your order form here- 2021 HHCS Usborne Book Fair Order.   Follow along for Facebook updates here – Facebook Event- HHCS Usborne Book Sale.  And finally, if any questions, and to pay your invoice, email Deanna McAllister here – anotherstoryplease2021@gmail.com.

 

A heads up- the AR due date is coming up soon on November 18! Please check in on your children to see how they are coming along with their reading goal for the Accelerated Reader program.  Check in with the homeroom teacher if you are not sure how to access your child’s information on Accelerated Reader/Renaissance.

 

Recently it was Digital Citizenship week, and then last week, the week of October 25-29, was Canada’s Media Literacy Week!  I’m a bit late but wanted to share resources on this important topic.  Check out these videos with your kids at home.

Common Sense Media’s Tips for Decoding Media Messages: (from http://commonsense.org)

With so much media and information coming at us through the television, phones, social media, and more, it’s more important than ever for kids to understand the basics of media literacy. When kids can identify different types of news and media and the methods and meanings behind them, they’re on their way to being critical thinkers and smart consumers.

Encourage healthy skepticism.

Help them analyze the messages around them — from toy packaging to news headlines — and question the purpose of the words and images they see.

Play “spot the ad.”

When you see advertising on TV or on a billboard, ask kids to figure out what the ad is selling. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes it’s not. Help them explore why certain pictures, sounds, or words are used to sell certain products.

Explore different sides of a story.

Use real-life examples to help kids understand how people can view the same situation with totally different perspectives. One child might experience a game on the playground as fun, while another might feel like the rules are unfair. When appropriate, tie this example to a news story.

Discuss fact vs. opinion.

Play around with ideas and decide which are facts and which are opinions. Ask: How tall are you? What’s the best food in the world? Do rocks sink or float? Do you like dogs? Point out that both facts and opinions show up in the news, but opinion is usually labeled.

Choose a variety of sources.

Show kids how you get news and information from different places, and explain how you make your choices. Use words like “credible,” “trustworthy,” “respected,” and “fair.” As kids get older, introduce the ideas of bias, satire, and clickbait.

 

This week I decided to also highlight the genre of historical fiction books.  Check out these amazing lists of historical books for every age and from many diverse areas of the world and times in history.

26 Best Historical Fiction Picture Books You Need to Read

Why Historical Fiction Is Important for 21st-Century Kids

 

45+ Thrilling Historical Fiction Books for Kids

 

The Best Historical Fiction Chapter Books for Kids

Best Historical Fiction Books for Kids 8 & Up

If your child’s homeroom teacher doesn’t already have an Epic account, feel free to use mine! Instructions:

Have your students open up their web browser and

  1. Go to www.getepic.com/students
  2. Enter class code 
Authors, Events, Scholastic Book Club

October Scholastic Digi-Flyer, Usborne Book Sale Continues, and Spotlight on Author Gary Paulsen

Take a look at the October Scholastic Book Club digi-flyer! Your order will ship to your home and you can order online whenever you’d like!  When you enter the ‘class code’, your order earns 20% back for new books for our school library.  Orders over $40 are free shipping.

Use this for the Class code – RC391237

October Scholastic Digi-Flyer

The HHCS Fall Online Book Fair with Usborne Books continues! Are you taking advantage of this amazing fair? Take a look at the catalogue of gorgeously illustrated picture books, graphic novels, chapter books, nonfiction books, board books, activity books, sticker books, and more! Get some Christmas shopping done early and support the HHCS library!  Start browsing now with the online catalogue- HHCS Usborne Book Sale.  After shopping online, fill out your order form here- 2021 HHCS Usborne Book Fair Order.   Follow along for Facebook updates here – Facebook Event- HHCS Usborne Book Sale.  And finally, if any questions, and to pay your invoice, email Deanna McAllister here – anotherstoryplease2021@gmail.com.

Author Gary Paulsen passed away recently at age 82. He was the author of a vast number of books for middle grade and young adult readers, focusing on themes of nature and wilderness and coming of age.  His most famous book, a modern classic, is Hatchet, the story of a 13 year old boy named Brian who survives a plane crash in Canada’s north.  Check out this interview with Gary Paulsen and a book trailer for Hatchet.

Hatchet Cover
www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com

Digital Literacy, Events, research skills, Special Days/Weeks/Months

Book Character Potato Pictures, Online Book Fair Launches Wednesday, and Digital Citizenship Week

Here is the link to my presentation for families about Digital Citizenship again, in case you missed it in a previous post. It includes links to a Family Media agreement, research sites for kids, e-books about digital citizenship, and online games for practicing digital citizenship.  Take a look!
Have a wonderful week HHCS!
Authors, Events

Upcoming Fall Online Book Fair, Author Focus on Gordon Korman, and Don’t Forget the Book Character Potato Contest!

Last week I received some early bird entries for the Book Character Potato contest!  They are so adorable and make me smile every time I re-enter the library.  Enjoy this sneak peek here and I’ll have more next week!

 

 

Big news! We will be having a Fall Online Book Fair for HHCS! It will be launched on the same day as Parent-Teacher Interviews- OCTOBER 20! I am excited that we will be partnering with USBORNE BOOKS.  Our very own HHCS staff member, Deanna McAllister, is an Usborne rep and will be helping us to run this sale!  Look for information coming soon about where to look at the online catalogue and order your choice of amazing books.  HHCS will receive a percentage of sales back- to go towards keeping our library collection exciting and fresh!

Usbornebooksathome.ca

This week I thought I would highlight the author Gordon Korman.  This author has written over 90 books for kids and young adults.  I remember reading his first book, This Can’t be Happening at McDonald Hall, when I was a child and marveling that Korman had written the book at age 12 and had it published at age 14!  Gordon Korman’s books are a great recommendation for kids who just aren’t sure what they want to read.  This Canadian author has written comedic books about the adventures of Bruno and Boots, adventure books such as the Island series and 39 Clues series, and many others that have become modern-day classics. I am currently reading aloud the book Restart to the grade 6 classes – here is an interview with the author!

titanic 1

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Apps and websites, Authors, Events, Special Days/Weeks/Months

Book Character Potato Contest, New Ada Twist Show on Netflix, and Books About Terry Fox

Hi HHCS!  See below for exciting details about a fun contest in the library coming up soon for this fall! This would make a great Thanksgiving weekend project!

Ada Twist, Scientist is now on Netflix!  Ada Twist, Scientist is a book by Andrea Beaty, the author of many books for children including Rosie Revere, Engineer; Sophia Valdez, Future Prez; Iggy Peck, Architect, and the upcoming Aaron Slater, Illustrator.  These books are all in picture book form but the characters also reappear in the Questioneers chapter book series that continues the adventures.

Check out the author’s website for activity printables and more!

http://www.andreabeaty.com/activities–resources.html

We observed Orange Shirt Day at school last week.  It was a good day of learning.  Here’s a few photos I have to share with you, if you haven’t seen them on the school Facebook page already.

The primary classes at HHCS are participating in a Terry Fox jog-a-thon.  Here are some resources if you would like to continue discussions about Terry Fox at home with your children.

Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope to see lots of potatoes at school next week!