Monthly Archives: February 2014

We had a busy week this week, Valentines and Friendship books, guessing how much?, reading more of the newest Newberry Award winning novel Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, and wrapping our brains around dichotomous keys (check this dichotomous CANDY key out)!  For more information on what is happening in your child’s class during library time, be sure to follow the links above.

On a day like today I LOVE to share a few jokes:

Q: What do you call a very small valentine?
A: A valentiny!

Q: What did one light bulb say to the other?
A: I love you a whole watt!

Q: What did one pickle say to the other?
A: You mean a great dill to me.

Q: What do squirrels give for Valentine’s Day?
A: Forget-me-nuts.

Q: What did one snake say to the other snake?
A: Give me a little hug and a hiss, honey.

Each week the DBE Library posts a brief summary of what is happening at each grade level while students are in the library.  This librarian does not simply read stories and check out books.  While I do delight in that aspect of the job I am blessed with, I also am very keenly aware of the impact our work in the library can have on student learning within the four walls of our school and beyond. 

While the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) do not necessarily govern my desired teaching outcomes, I am keenly aware of how the work we do in the library relates to these new standards.  For this reason I have begun to include targeted CCSS for each weekly lesson.  In addition, I could easily point to numerous standards that each lesson touches upon.  However, for the time being I do still believe the content of the lesson and the learning outcomes are still of greater importance and I will simply be offering one grade level appropriate standard for each lesson. 

If you would like to learn more about the CCSS, Washington State’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction offers resources for families that help explain the standards in various formats.  Of course if you are really interested, there is “an App for that” called Mastery Connect – CCSS at your fingertips!