Playaways, playaways, playaways! The library added 89 new playways to the library collection over the summer and students cannot get enough of these digital books. Even when the playways are unavailable students have been diving into the shelves looking for something great to read. It is exciting to see so much enthusiasm for literature! All King students have been down with their Reading and Language Arts teachers at least one time to review library expectations (Looking for Books, Checking Out Books, or Reading Books) and to check out. A refresher course on logging into library accounts is up next. Students can place requests for books, renew books and create book lists while in their King Science library account.

If you want to brush up on your library skills go to Quia Library Skills Games and Review. Here you can put books in Dewey Decimal order, practice alphabetizing skills, or attempt to become an expert, master or genius book shelver.

2010-2011 GOLDEN SOWER WINNERS and HONOR BOOKS
Selected by a record-breaking 70,365 readers across the great state of Nebraska!

Intermediate Winner

Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

Intermediate Honor Books

Swindle by Gordon Korman
Savvy by Ingrid Law


Young Adult Winner

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Young Adult Honor Books

Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee
Fakie by Tony Varrato

How To Eat A Poem
by Eve Merriam

Don't be polite.
Bite in.
Pick it up and eat the juice that may run down your chin.
It is ready and ripe now whenever you are.
You do not need a knife or fork or spoon
or plate or napkin or tablecloth
For there is no core
or stem
or rind
or pit
or seed
to throw away.

April is National Poetry Month. Bite into a poem at the library or find poetry online at Poets.org. In the Resources for Teens section you will find links to Poetry 101, Poems Teens Like, Writing Help, Online Resources and a Discussion Forum.

We rolled out the red carpet to premiere BOOK TRAILERS made by Ms. Prem's 7th grade Honors English class. Students spent the majority of third quarter creating the trailers for books like The Boy Who Dared, The Book Thief, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and many more.

Choosing the right book to read was the first priority. When they were finished reading, students had to write a summary and then use iMovie to create a book trailer. To complete their iMovie projects, students found pictures that represented the narration they wrote, recorded the narration, added background music, titles, transitions, credits and special effects. Students noted that several parts of the project were challenging, especially finding a quiet spot to record. Special attention was given to how image, voice, music and pacing were used to share the story.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

King Science was filled with parents and students for Family Reading and Math night this past Monday. Reading and math activities filled the cafetorium and the smell of pizza wafted in from the hallway. Students were able to choose books to take home, received a bag of educational materials and had the opportunity to sign up for an Omaha Public Library card. The evening concluded with a magical performance by Joe Cole and nine book baskets were given away. Funding for the event was provided by Title I. 

Several students recently had the opportunity to hear author Laurie Halse Anderson speak at Lewis and Clark Middle School. Not only did she talk about several of her books, including Golden Sower Nominee Chains, but she also spoke about her writing process. Anderson loves the stories found in history and does an extensive amount of research for her historical fiction novels. She also emphasized the importance of revision, revision, revision! Look for her latest book, Forge, in the library soon.

Sixth grade students had the opportunity to see science in action when Scenic Wind Balloon Tours launched a hot air balloon on the football field today. Students that created a balloon that safely dropped an egg to the ground were given a lift to the treeline (about 75 feet up).

For books on ballooning look for Hot Air Ballooning or Balloons and Ballooning in the library. You can learn the science behind ballooning at How Stuff Works: How Hot Air Balloons Work or the history of ballooning at eBalloon.

It's Golden Sower time....

Golden Sower Award Nominees are being introduced to all students. The Golden Sower Award is the Nebraska student choice book award.

Each year 10 books are nominated in each of the voting categories (Intermediate for 4^th- 6^th grade and Young Adult for 7^th+) for students to read. Students must read or hear a minimum of four nominated books to join other students from across the state to vote for their favorite in April. For a complete list of nominees visit the Golden Sower website.

Have you ever wished you had the power of the force? How would you use it? When the weirdest kid in 6th grade starts dispensing advice from his origami finger puppet his friends think it's just one more strange thing that Dwight is doing, until the advice comes true.  Tommy has to find out the truth - to believe or not believe he must decide - before asking the most important question of all. Is Origami Yoda real? Read The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger to decide for yourself.

To vote on the next origami Star Wars character visit the Origami Yoda website. You will also find links to instructions for making you own Origami Yoda. Watch Tom Angleberger's video instructions for folding Origami Yoda here.

I didn't have green paper but it still worked!!!