Happy Holidays to one and All!!

I will be putting overdue notices in your mailboxes this week.  Please pass them out to your students.  Maybe the families can look for lost books over break?  If you would rather wait and hand them out with report cards, that would be fine too.  If any of the students have moved or there is some issue with their family, please let me know.  Thanks!

This week in the Media Center I will be reading either Who's Knocking on Christmas Eve? or Christmas Trolls.  Both books are by Jan Brett and have an activity to go with them.

I'm hoping that you are all done with the DRA kits!  Please return them to the Media Center when you are done.  We were loaned 3 kits from Dean, so I would like to return them before break.  Thank you!

Joke of the week:
A definition of Christmas:The time when everyone gets "Santa"-mental.
AND:
A Christmas thought:
STRESSED is just DESSERTS spelled backward.

Find more Christmas jokes at:  http://emailsanta.com/jokes_Christmas.htm  If you go there be sure to watch what happens when you move the mouse over the page--it's fun! :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and relaxing winter break!!

Also if you come down to the Media Center this week, there are some treats waiting for you....

This week in the Media Center

Tech news:  There will me no Media Monday, tomorrow, Dec. 12 due to Jessie's shower.  If people would still like to meet this month, please let me know!  Thanks!

For the K classes this week, I will be doing the retelling.  For the Dual Lanugage classes, please let me know how you would like to handle it.  In the past, I have seen the English speaking children, and the Spanish speaking teacher has done the Spanish speaking children.

For the PreK classes, I will be reading a holiday story.  For the Monday Bilingual classes I will be reading "Gingerbread Friends"  by Jan Brett.

Joke of the day: 
A class of schoolchildren from the city went on a trip to the country. One of them found a pile of empty milk bottles and shouted,
`Look, teacher, I've found a cow's nest!'

The Countdown begins!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving!  I certainly did!

This week in Kindergarten we will be talking about families.  I will read a book called, "Families are Different."  It is about a little girl who is adopted and all the different kinds of families there are.  Well, not all of the different kinds of families!  Anyway, then we will be doing a four-square about what the children's families like to do.  If you are doing in something special this month that I can be a part of, please let me know!  For example, Shari Manke and Mark Jones are reading winter Jan Brett books.  I will read other winter books by Jan Brett in the library.  I really don't mind doing different things for different classes!  It makes my days much more interesting!
In technology, we have finished learning all about WiggleWorks and the kids can do it totally on their own now!  On the Smartboard, we are finishing up "Jolly Phonics Fun!"  Please let me know where you are with Jolly Phonics.

PreK teachers, please let me know what your themes are this month, so I can read books that go with those themes!  For example this week, I am reading "Gingerbread Friends" by Jan Brett to Alyssa Reed's classes.  It is the sequel to "Gingerbread Baby."

In other technology news, if you are having problems with eschool, please let me know!  I can usually help!  If I can't help you, I know who to contact to be able to take care of the problem.  Actually, if you are having any technical problems, please come to me first, then I can call Donna if it is necessary.  Thanks!

Have a great week!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

This week I would like to give you a few tips on teacher checkout:
      Books can be checked out for as long as you would like, but be mindful of other teachers who might want to use the same books.
     Magazines now have a card that you need to sign before you take it out of the Media Center.  There is a little basket by the magazines to put the cards in when you take them out.  Has anyone seen the Teacher's Helper for December/January?  It seems to be missing....
    Listening centers (books and tapes) can be checked out as well. Please remove the card that is inside the bag.  If it has a bar code Linda or I will check it out to you.  If it doesn't, please sign your name on the card and give it to one of us. Listening CD/books are to just be checked out to you, the bar code is on the book.

Books for this week:  
Kindergarten:  Turkeys and Pilgrims
PreK:  Pilgrim counting book.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!   

Turkey Day is on its way!

For our Kindergarten friends, this week in the Media Center we are going to be talkin' turkey!  I have a fiction book, A Turkey for Thanksgiving, and a non-fiction book, All about Turkeys, that I will be reading.  We will  also be talking about fiction and non-fiction and where to find them in the library! 

Did you know that there are actually fiction books in the numbered section of the library?  It's true!  When Mr. Dewey set up the Dewey Decimal System, he had all the books classified.  Over the years, librarians have separated the fiction books out so they are easier to find.  Some fiction books, however, were left within the system.  Books like folk tales, poetry and literature are still found in the numbered section of the library.  Check it out!

For our PreK friends, I will be reading, Thanks for Thanksgiving.  This book is all about what kids are thankful for.  I chose this book because I won't see any of them next week because of the holiday!
As always if this doesn't work for your class, please let me know!  I will be happy to choose something else that would work better!

In Technology news, this week is a double dose!  First, Media Monday is this week!  Meet me in the reading room at 3:20 and I will share some tips about how to set up and use the Smartboard in your classroom.  I will also show you where to find fun activites!
Second, for our late start, I will be showing you the improvements on the report cards.  I know it's still a month away, but if I wait until December it will be too late!  I will also talk a bit about Performance tracker and how to access it.

If you have any questions, comments or fun suggestions, just let me know!

Have a great week!

November news

In Technology news:

All the computers have been moved.  You can log on to the laptops with the username of "studentv" and the password is dino2007.  We will be getting mice to go with the laptops in the near future.  For the time being, let the children use them--you will be surprised at how well they do with the touch pad!
Coming next week:  Media Monday!  It will be on November 14th at 3:30.  We will be working with the Smartboards.  I will show you how to set the movable Smartboard up in your classroom.  In addition, we will use the Smartboard to do some activities.

This week in the Media Center, Kindergarten will be listening to the story, "Trouble With Cauliflower."  Then they will be working on foods that they like and don't like.

PreK will be listening to the new Laura Numeroff story, "If you give a Dog a Donut."

As always, if there is something else that would fit better with what your classroom is doing, please let me know!  I really don't mind reading different stories with different classes!

Have a great week and enjoy your day off!

Happy Halloween!

This week in Technology:
Donna is planning on re-imaging all the computers this week!  So this means that you should make sure all your important documents are saved to your "h" drive.  You should also save your bookmarks to a folder on your "h" drive as well.  Why is it important to do this?  If you don't, something you might need will disappear.  If you need help with this, please let me know!  I will be glad to help!
The laptops have been passed out!  So far, we are doing the Kindergarten teachers.  Our district is working hard to get every teacher a laptop.  This week I will be working on removing and redistributing the desk top computers that the laptops replace.  Thank you for your patience!

This week in Kindergarten, I will be reading "Rhyming Dust Bunnies."  We'll see if the dust bunnies invade the Media Center again!  If you would rather I did not do this with your class, please just let me know.

In PreK I would like to read "The Monster at the End of this Book."  If this does not fit with what is going on in your classroom, just let me know!

Thank you to all those people who return their VCR/DVD/ TVs at the end of the day,  it really helps!

Have a great week!

One more thing...

A reminder for you:  Our Technology SIP goal for this year is that every teacher needs to try one new form of technology each quarter. Some of you need to try something new very soon! 

Mark your Calendars!

Mark your calendars for Monthly Media Mondays!  Our first one was last week, October 17th.  I will be repeating it today, October 24th.  So if you are available, come on down!! 
Monthly Media Mondays dates are as follows:
Monday, November 14th: Smartboard basics
Monday, December 12th: Smartboard lessons
Monday, January 23rd: Elmo and beyond
Monday, February 13th: Research for Kindergarten with PebbleGo (If I get the grant!)
Monday, March 12th:  Exploring IPad 2
Monday, April 16th: Mediacast.
I hope you will be able to join me in the Media Center on one or more of these dates.  If you have any questions or ideas, please let me know!  We will meet at 3:30.

This week in Kindergarten we will be reading:  Fall is for Friends or Leonardo the Terrible Monster.  The Dual Language classes will hear The Biggest Pumpkin Ever.  We will also be continuing with WiggleWorks.  This week we will concentrating on the writing portion.

In PreK, I would like to read The Monster at the End of this book, starring Lovable Furry old Grover.  If this doesn't work for your class, please let me know.

Have a great week!

Busy week in the Media Center!

It all begins on Monday, October 17th with "Monthly Media Monday!"  This month we will be looking at Groupwise.  We will talk about Groups, Junk Mail, Signature, and Folders.  If there is anything else you would like to learn about, please let me know!

On Tuesday, our inservice afternoon, I will be with our associates.  We will be working on GCN Training.

The Kindergarten classes will be listening to a story about trees.  It is called "Someday a Tree."  If they haven't already, they will be doing leaf rubbings.

In technology news, we are going to start WiggleWorks this week!  If you haven't already, please enter your students' names into WiggleWorks.  You can open WiggleWorks, click on your classroom and click on "add name."  You don't need to go into the manager unless you want to set the reading levels for your students.

PreK teachers:  Please let me know what your theme is this week!  Thanks!

Have a great week!

****Important Information!****

In the next few weeks Donna Hedrich, our computer technician, is going to re-image all of the computers in our building.  This means that everything will be wiped clean from your computer and re-installed, and upgraded.  Please make sure you have saved any documents into your own "h" drive.  If you do not know how to do this, please contact me as soon as possible!!

In other computer news, I will be putting in the new classes for Wiggle Works this week so you can enter the students and their levels.  Thanks!

Phones:  if you are still having difficulty with your phone, please let me know!  Also, a word of warning!  When dialing 911-the call goes straight to the emergency center, so the emergency personnel will know what classroom it came from.  So when dialing out of the building, you need to dial "9" then "1" then the phone number.  Just be careful that you don't accidentally dial 911! :)

On October 17th at 3:30 I will begin  "Media Monday."  This will be a time when I will present training on the different pieces of technology in our building.  For our first meeting, I will be talking about Groupwise-our email program.  I will cover making groups, junk mail handling, archiving emails, and any questions you might have about Groupwise.

In the Media Center this week, I will be reading either "Daisy the Fire Cow," "Dot the Fire Dog," or "No Dragons for Tea."  All books about Fire Safety.

I will be giving the teachers over due notices this week.  Many of them will have books overdue from last year.  Please ask the parents to search for these books!  If they cannot find them, they will need to pay for the book.  Thank you for helping me in this matter! 

Have a great week!

Last Week of September!

This week the Kindergarten classes will be doing a variety of things.  Please let me know which goes best with what you are doing in your classroom.  We can read, A Tree is Nice, and see Tree video on the Smartboard, or read Today I feel Silly, or read books about the farm, if you are doing Farm Concert in your class.  Let me know what would be best.  If I am not doing the tree video, I will be doing Jolly Phonics on the Smartboard.

For the PreK block grant classes, I will be reading Pumpkin, Pumpkin. For the Tuition-based classes, I will be reading Daisy the Fire Cow. 

For all classes, I would like to start WiggleWorks with your classes next week.  Please enter the names of your children into WiggleWorks under your class name.  If you would like to enter the levels for your children that would be great as well.  Please do not let the kids enter their own names, as this causes problems on the record keeping portion of the program.

Have a great week!

This week in the Media Center

This week in the Media Center, Kindergarten will be hearing a story about their body called Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin Jr.  The Dual Language classes will hear a story about the 5 senses.  On the Smartboard the children will play a memory game with rhyming pictures.  I would like to know when you have completed the first two units of Jolly Phonics so we can play another game on the Smartboard.  Please let me know if you would rather I read something else!

We had a busy time with the PreK last week!  I was able to find the students from last year, so we have more library cards now!  Hopefully more of them will be in our system this week!  Please let me know your themes so I can pick stories that go with them.

A BIG thank-you goes out to Cindy Mueller and Rosa Figueroa!  They were a big help in the Media Center on Friday!  YOU TWO ARE AWESOME!  Thanks so much!

Have a great week!

The week of September 12.

This week in the Media Center most of the Kindergarten classes will hear "I'm Gonna Like Me"  by Jamie Lee Curtis.  They will also learn some mouse manipulation skills as they play with Kidspiration on the computer.  They will be finding pictures of things they like.  After checking out their books, they will be using white boards to practice writing their names.  If you would prefer I do something else in the Media Center with your kids, just let me know!  I want their time here to be relevant to what is happening in your classroom!

This will be a BIG week for PreK as they get to check out their first books!  I will read "Going on a Book Hunt" to them.  They will also receive a paper to take home that will help them remember how to take good care of their books.

Just a note on this blog:  if you want to leave a comment, go to the box below and click on the word "comments."  This will allow you to leave a comment, and state who it is from.  The comment will then show up in my email, so I can decide to publish it.

This week in the Media Center

For Kindergarten this week we will again be testing--math this time!  This week it will go a bit differently as there are more tests and it will take a bit longer.  What this means is that the children will be tested during their normal media center time.  I will be reading "L" is for Library and doing our 5 Little Monkeys reading on the bed chant.  As always if you feel that I should read something else, please let me know!
Thanks!

This week we welcome PreK to the Media Center!  This week we will talk about how to take care of the books we take home, and next week we will check out books!  We will see 2 classes at a time in the media center.  One class will listen to a story with me, and the other will check out books.  Then we will switch!
The schedule is as follows:
Monday (will start next week)
10:45-11:05:  Julie Blevins and Melissa Gethner
Thursday:
12:25-12:45:  Megan Wilson and Katie James
12:45-1:05:  Beth Miller and Alyssa Reed
1:05-1:25:  Carol Woolbright and Ally Fessler
1:25-1:45:  Julie Blevins and Melissa Gethner
Friday:
10:05-10:25:  Megan Wilson/Katie James
10:25-1045:  Beth Miller
10:45-11:05:  Carol Woolbright and Ally Fessler
We will begin by having the children check-out books on top of the shelves like we did last year, but then mid-year we will teach them about shelf markers and let them try it on their own!  So glad you can come!

I have another request!  We somehow ran out of baggies!  We could really use some more--especially the ones that just have the zip closure.  The ones with the slide don't work very well as many of our books won't fit in them.  We also received some with twist ties, these don't work very well either.  Thank you so much!!

Great First Week!

Well after a slow start due to the fact that the circulation computer didn't have any students in it, we finished strong with Thursday and Friday classes checking out books!  The kids were so excited to take home a book!  Please help them keep their books in the baggies!  We are going to try something new, if the books come down to the Media Center in their baggies, we will take them out and keep the baggies in your classroom cubby.  That way, when library day comes, most kids will have baggies for their books.
This week Kindergarten classes will talk about how to take good care of their books.  We will be reading "What Happened to Marion's Book?"
We will begin Library for PreK beginning next week, September 5th. 
Would anyone like an overhead projector for their room?  I have 4 that can be checked out to keep as long as you would like.  It makes a great center activity!  You can use magnetic letters or the wet erase markers (Vis a Vis) on a transparency.
Donna has been working hard on trying to get computers to everyone!  If you have any problems with your computers, please let me know!  Remember:  Student login is as follows:
user name: studentv
password: dino2007
If you log on as workstation only, you will not be able to get to the Kindergarten programs.  It also makes the filter stronger than if you log on as yourself.
If you need anything from the Media Center, please send me an email. I have a tendancy to forget things if you just ask me in the hall.  Or, better yet, come on down to the Media Center, I would love to see your smiling face! :)

Have a great week!

Welcome back to school!

I'm trying something new this year--I have a blog.  Instead of emailing everyone every week, I will simply post my news on this blog.  At the beginning I will send you the link in an email.  I hope everyone will read it, and maybe even comment on what you find here.
To begin this year:
You should be sitting at a computer right now reading this post.  I hope you will find your time in the Media Center today informative and fun!
Kathy Rubino, our wonderful network person, has been working very hard on our Circulation system over the summer.  Unfortunately, she is not quite finished, therefore, I will not be able to check out books to your students until next week.  I can check out books and materials to you (staff), if you are already in our system. 

If you have a problem with technology, please let me know.  Either send me an email (if you can) or write me a note.  I will either help you, or notify our technology specialist, Donna Hedrich.  She is a great asset to our building and keeps all of our technology running smoothly!

 If you are having problems with your phone, please let Linda know.  She is our contact person for the phones.

Would you like to use the Smartboard with you class? 

The Reading Room is sometimes available, come sign up in the Media Center.  We also have one on wheels that can be set up in your classroom.

We also have VCRs, DVD players, the Digital Document Camera (ELMO), overhead projectors, and LCD projectors available for checkout.  There is a sign-up calendar on the circulation desk.  Just put your name on the date, with the item you wish, and I will deliver it to your classroom in the morning. (I will also help you set them up, if necessary)  I would really appreciate it if  you could return the equipment to the media center at the end of the day.

 Library Media Center Procedures:

Each Kindergarten class comes to the library for 60 minutes.  During this time we will do both literacy and technology activities.  The children will be allowed to check out one book. They can check out a new book when they bring back the previous book. 

We are trying something new this year!  At the beginning of each day, the library media center will be open.  If a child is finished with their book and would like a new one before library day, they will be allowed to check one out (if they bring the book they are finished with).  They will still need to bring back this book on library day to get a new book.

The  PreK classes will come for 20 minutes.  At that time, they have a story and then check out books. 

This year we will again be using the cubby system for returning books. 

When returning books to the Media Center, please send one or two children down with the books.  They will then place them in your class's cubby.  Please send them down each day as the children bring them.

There are a few things I would like from you:

• two classroom symbols
• gallon size zip-lock plastic bags--enough for your class
• dry erase markers--if you have some to spare
• does anyone have a large Bee that I could put on my Bee Bucks Behavior Board?

Materials available in the Media Center:

¯ Big Books

¯ Books and tapes

¯ Professional bookcase

¯ Magazines

¯ Puppets

¯ Backpacks

¯ Videos, DVDs

¯ Equipment

¯ WiggleWorks supplementary materials

¯ Classroom books and tapes

¯ Individual CD players

¯ CD Books and tapes

¯ Playaways

¯ Mini Computers

Media Center Philosophy: 

I feel that the library media Center should be an extension of the classroom.  For that reason I am interested in what you are doing in your classroom so I can extend, enhance or reinforce that learning for the students.  I would like to collaborate with each one of you to make the most of your Media Center time.  For the PreK this means that I will choose books to read to go along with your projects.  For Kindergarten, if you have any special projects, such as research or non-fiction writing, I will be happy to assist you. In conjunction with these projects, the children will be able to check out additional books if needed. 

Happy Reading!

 

 

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog at Verda Dierzen ELC's Media Center!  On this blog you will find out about all the exciting things going on in our Media Center.