Sphero Mazes!

Our grade 7 FRIM students were busy last week programming Sphero robots to navigate through a maze.  There was a lot of creativity, problem solving and fun taking place!

Virtual Book Fair!

Crescent's Park virtual book fair is now on!!

From November 2- November 13 you can shop online at our Virtual Book Fair.

All purchases directly benefit our school library, as a portion of proceeds are given back to the school for the purchase of books and educational resources.

Wednesday, November 4th is family night with free shipping on all orders from 6:00-8:00pm

Click HERE to shop!!

Knights of Reading

 

We are beginning our school wide home reading program 'KNIGHTS OF READING' this week.

Reading passports will be sent home by the end of the week and each night that a student reads at home for a minimum of 15 minutes, he/she can fill in one line of the reading passport.

Once 25 nights of home reading is completed, students can bring their passport to the library and get a prize!  Our goal is to read for a minimum of 100 nights this school year!

Click here for a copy of the grade K-3 reading passport.  

Click here for a copy of the grade 4-7 reading passport.

Welcome Back!

 

Welcome back to a new school year!

We have new Covid-19 protocols in place to help keep everyone safe.  These include hand washing before entering the library, no shared items, a plexiglass barrier at the circulation desk, and all books that are returned will be quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours before being placed back on the shelves.

The students are very excited for the opportunity to take library books home beginning this week. 

Happy Reading Everyone!

Summer Reading Club With Surrey Libraries

The Surrey Public Library is once again holding their Summer Reading Club and registration is now open!

Kids will track their reading over the summer and receive a medal for 49 nights of reading.  

Click here to register online 

The reading logs and stickers can also be picked up for those who prefer to have the physical booklet.

You can find all the information about the program and how to pick up materials on their website https://www.surreylibraries.ca/services/kids-families/summer-reading-club

Many branches of the library will also be offering curbside pick-up this summer, so be sure to check their website for information on how to reserve books and other materials you may want to borrow.

Happy Reading!!

Results of the Surrey Book Award Programs!

Students all over Surrey voted for their favourite book in 3 different categories and the results are in!

The winners are.....

Surrey Book of the Year- Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

Surrey Picture Book of the Year- Potato Pants by Laurie Keller

Surrey Narrative Non-Fiction Book of the Year- 

What Do They Do With All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz

Thank you to everyone who read this year's nominees and voted for your favourite!!

Clay Mates

Clay Mates by Dev Petty is a fun story about two pieces of clay that sculpt themselves into all sorts of shapes when the artist leaves the room.  Now they must attempt to fix themselves before getting caught!

Suggested Activities:
-Create your own characters out of PlayDough (click here for recipe)
-Draw your own Clay Mate (click here for template)
-Combine two different animals to make a new creature (click here for template)
-Write a story about some Clay Mates (click here for template)

Listen to "James and the Giant Peach" Online!

Award winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, with the help of famous guests, is reading Roald Dahl's chapter book James and the Giant Peach online.  It is quite entertaining! Check it out below.

Where Oliver Fits

Where Oliver Fits by Cale Atkinson is about a puzzle piece named Oliver who is searching for where he belongs.  He tries everything to fit in by changing his shape, his color etc., but in the end he realizes the importance of being himself.

Suggested Activities:
-Fill in each puzzle piece with traits that make you who you are ie. kind, honest, hardworking etc.
-Draw/describe the problem and solution in the story

The Good Egg

The Good Egg written by Jory John and illustrated by Pete Oswald is about an egg that is always good but begins to crack under the pressure of always trying to be perfect.  This is a great story to teach us about acceptance, and the importance of taking care of yourself and your own mental, physical and emotional well-being.  

Suggested Activities:

-Draw or describe ways that you can be a good egg 

-Make a list of self-care strategies that you can use when you feel stressed 

Leonardo the Terrible Monster

This week the students in Divisions 13-17 read Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems.

After hearing the story, they then created their own monster, named it and wrote all about it!

Read J.K. Rowling's New Book!

 Author J.K. Rowling is releasing a new book called The Ickabog a few chapters at a time online for free!  This book takes place in an imaginary land called Cornucopia.  You can read the chapters that have been released so far at www.theickabog.com

J.K. Rowling is inviting kids between the ages of 7 and 12 to help illustrate the book, which will be published in November.  Each time chapters are uploaded, she will make suggestions of what to draw and parents can enter these drawings into the competition for a chance to have them featured in the book!

You can view the guidelines and enter the competition here.

Vote For This Year's Surrey Picture Book Of The Year

It is time to vote for Surrey Picture Book of the Year!!
Many of the nominated titles have been posted in past weeks.  Potato Pants was one that primary classes read prior to spring break, but I have recorded it in case anyone missed it or wants to refresh their memory!

The titles nominated for the Surrey Picture Book of the Year Award this year are:

• Potato Pants                                     
• Petra
• The Remember Balloons
• Found
• The Rabbit Listened
• Doll-e 1.0
• The Wall in the Middle of the Book
• The Neighbors
• Smoot
• Feathers

Students may only vote once and will choose one book to vote for as their favorite.  

Click here to vote (please note, you will need to enter your Surrey Schools username and password).

Primary students will be sent voting information by their classroom teachers.

The deadline to vote is Friday, May 29th

Thank you for your participation! I can't wait to see which book wins!

Smoot: A Rebellious Shadow

Smoot: A Rebellious Shadow written by Michelle Cuevas and illustrated by Sydney Smith is about a shadow that becomes unstuck from his boy and takes the opportunity to experience all the adventures that he has dreamed of experiencing.

Suggested Activities:
-Use a flashlight to create various shadows using your hands and body
-Match the shadow to it's dream (click here for template)
-Draw and write about what your shadow dreams of doing (click here for template)

Art Hub For Kids

Do your kids love to draw? Check out some of the directed drawings on Art Hub for Kids.  My kids are loving these and spend hours everyday engaged in drawing! Below is a directed drawing of a shark, but they have so many more....check out their You Tube Channel here!

The Neighbors

The Neighbors by Einat Tsarfati follows a girl as she climbs the steps to her apartment.  With each door she passes she imagines who may live there.  As you listen to the book, try and look at the clues outside each door and guess who may be behind it!

Suggested Activity:

Cut out and decorate a door (select one from the template or design your own).  Paste the edge of the door onto the house so that it can open and draw who lives behind the door.  Be sure to include clues around the door as to what may be happening inside (see example below).  Write a sentence to describe who lives in the house.  
Click here for activity template

Reading and Drawing with Dav Pilkey

Dav Pilkey, author of the Dog Man series has been posting weekly read alouds from his books, along with directed drawings, videos and related activities.  Check it out here!

E-Books Addressing Coronavirus

The New York City School Library System has put together a collection of free e-books about Covid-19 for kids.  You can see their entire list of books here.

The Wall in the Middle of the Book

The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee is great book that makes us think about the importance of not judging others before getting to know them.

Suggested Activities:
-Draw yourself on one side of the wall and something you are afraid of on the other (click here for template)
-STEM Challenge: Build a wall out of lego, blocks or other materials.  How high can you build it?
-Writing Activity: How did the Knight change his view (click here for template)

What Are Kids Reading?

The School Library Journal has put out a list of the top E-Book and Audiobook check-outs over a 2 week period last month.

Click here to see what made the list!

Surrey Public Library- Story Time Online

The Surrey Public Library has taken their pre-school story time online! Leslee from the Ocean Park branch can be seen singing songs and reading stories on their You Tube channel.  Check out the first story time below or click here to visit their You Tube page!

May the Fourth Be With You

Today is Star Wars day.  Check out the collection of Star Wars related activities in the link below that was compiled by TL Mandip Bains!

Doll-e 1.0

Surrey Picture Book of the Year Nominee Doll-e 1.0 by Shanda McCloskey is about a girl named Charlotte who loves to tinker with technology/spare parts and uses her talents to upgrade her new doll into a new and improved version!

Suggested Activities:
-Directed drawing of Doll-e (click here for template)
-Directed drawing of Bluetooth (click here for template)
-Draw and describe your own robot (click here for template)

Math Games To Try At Home

Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks is a website full of ideas for math games that can be played at home with cards and dice.  There are reproducibles and You Tube videos to demonstrate each game. Below is the video for the Knock Off The Clock game that can be used for addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.

Click here to visit the Box Cars and One-Eyed Jacks webpage for a full list of activities!

Free Audible Books

Audible is offering a small selection of their books free to students during this time.  You can see what is available by visiting the link below.  There are books in both French and English.

Free Audible Stories for Elementary School Students

Listen to the Magic Tree House Series

Starting this week, author Mary Pope Osborne will be sharing her Magic Tree House books online.  She will be reading her books, answering questions and has included craft ideas, activities and more!



https://www.magictreehouse.com/go/

The Rabbit Listened

This Surrey Picture Book of the year nominee by Cori Doerrfeld is a sweet story about empathy, kindness and the power of listening.

Suggested Activity:
-Draw and describe a time when you felt frustrated (click here for template)

View Canadian Films Online

Reel Canada is offering their collection of Canadian films online free of charge during the school closures.
They offer films for various age groups, and have both French and English titles.

https://www.reelcanada.ca

Found

Another one of our Surrey Picture Book of the Year nominees is the wordless picture book Found by Jeff Newman and illustrated by Larry Day.
Check out the video reading and suggested activities below.

Suggested Activities:
-Create a missing poster for any animal or stuffy 
-Draw your own wordless picture book (click here for template)

Surrey Book of the Year- Chapter Books

Check out this sway for where to read this year's Surrey Book of the Year nominees.  Read at least 5 titles and vote for your favourite at the end of May!

Surrey Schools Book of the Year

Nominees for 2019 - 20 with How to Access & How to Vote

Go to this Sway

Earth Day is April 22nd

Here is author Todd Parr reading his book "The Earth Book"

E-Books and Audiobooks at Home

E-Books

Click on image to visit webpage

Crabtree Publishers is offering their collection of E-Books free until June 30th.

If you haven't already checked out Epic Books, they have a great selection of e-books available.  My son found "Garfield" on there yesterday, which is definitely a popular title at our school library!




Audiobooks- Download the "Libby" app from the App Store.  All you need is your Surrey Library card to sign in.  If you don't have a library card, you can now sign up online!

The Remember Balloons

One of the books nominated this year for the Surrey Picture Book of the Year Award is
The Remember Balloons written by Jessie Oliveros and illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte.

Suggested Activity:
Draw and describe a special memory inside the shape of a balloon. Color, or glue coloured tissue paper over the shape.

The Remember Balloons Reproducible Activity

ACCESSING E-BOOKS

Watch the screencast below for detailed instructions on how to access e-books from our school library catalog!

Science World- Watch Documentaries Online

Now you can watch some of Science World's wonderful documentaries from home. Check out all of their available films here

Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs 

Wild Ocean

Dinosaurs Alive

Children's Authors Doing Read Alouds

The following link is an extensive list of authors who are currently doing daily or weekly read alouds or activities.  Check it out!

Children's Authors Doing Online Read Alouds and Activities

Surrey Picture Book of the Year

Each year, ten recently published picture books are nominated for the SURREY PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR award.

After reading all ten books, students vote for their favorite.  The votes are tallied for students all over the Surrey school district and the winning book receives an award sticker for the front cover.  It is a lot of fun!

Just before spring break, several of our primary classes read one of the nominated books called "Petra"

In the story, Petra (who is a rock) imagines she is all sorts of different things.....a mountian, an egg, an island, an elephant etc.

After reading the story, students in Div. 12, 13 and 14 imagined what Petra might be on her next adventure and completed their own 'Petras' using construction paper and various craft supplies.

Welcome to the Crescent Park Learning Commons Blog

This blog is a place where you can find helpful links and information about what is happening in the Crescent Park Learning Commons!