Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is more than just a day to celebrate love. It’s a celebration of who we are as people. As humans we thrive because of our relationships with other people. We work together in groups to solve problems. We have teams to accomplish goals. We have friends to spend time with. We learn from others of all ages. 

The people around us make a difference to us every day.

Which is why February 14th is a great day to write letters and cards to friends and family members we appreciate. 

Valentine’s Day has a long history and there are many different traditions celebrated around the world. The United Kingdom began the tradition of sending flowers, chocolates and cards. In the area of Slovenia (in Europe near Austria and Hungary) February 14th is a celebration of spring. Men and women go out into the fields to being their work. In some countries in Central America February 14th is a traditional day to do acts of kindness for friends. 

Let's keep the kindness going this week whole week. Here are a few things that you can do:

Monday: Read about the traditions of Valentine's Day on Pebble Go.   
               If you need the user name and password, please email me. Please
               make sure you mention who your student is, because this log in is
               only for HES students. Once in the database, go in 
               to Social Studies, and then Holidays. 

Tuesday:  Make a card for a friend or relative. Click here are some great DIY 
                 Valentine Day cards.

Wednesday: Find a fun craft to do on PBS Kids.

Thursday:  Do like puzzles? Do this interactive word search from National  
                  Geographic Kids. 

Friday:  Do a Random Act of Kindness for someone. In fact, Random Acts
              of Kindness day is February 16th. 
              Here are some ideas for people of all ages.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HES_Media_SMCPS)

National Picture Book Month

I think November has to be a top five favorite month of mine, because it is National Picture Book Month. This celebration is a recent one for schools, libraries, authors and readers to promote literacy at all ages. Many times in the library we hear these words, "I want to check out a chapter book!" Chapter books are certainly wonderful, but often students want to rush to chapter books because they think picture books are too easy. 

In reality, many picture books are written for older readers at high reading levels. Books with illustrations working together with text can give readers a better understanding of challenging concepts.

During November I hope you'll challenge yourself to read a few picture books and enjoy the work of both authors and illustrators!  I've created a calendar for the month of November with author suggestions in orange and topics in black. Look for my tweets for celebrating great picture books through the rest of this month!

Let's read, share, and celebrate the power of picture books!

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (HES_Media_SMCPS)

Five Great Picture Books

I just LOVE Picture Books! There is so much enjoyment that children of all ages can find in a picture book. Even adults can find humor and topics that will really make them think. Below are five of my new favorites!

Triangle by Mac Barnett and 
illustrated by Jon Klassen

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.









Be Quiet! by Ryan T. Higgins

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.








Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.






Picture books are not always fiction (made up stories). They can also be nonfiction too!








Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatheford and illustrated by Eric Velasquez

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.










Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz, Amy Shrodes and illustrated by Sue Cornelison

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.



Check out these great picture books and many other at the HES Media Center and at the Public Library.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (HES_Media_SMCPS)

Technical Difficulties With Picture Book Post

If you are looking for my picture book post mentioned in the HES Media Center Smore Newsletter, I'm experiencing some technical difficulties with the post. I'm hoping to have it up by Thursday. Thanks for your patience!

Miss Hazuda (@HES_Media_SMCPS)

National Library Card Sign-up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month. Do you have a library card for your public library? Our school library will do our best to meet your library needs through the school year. However, our public library provides many additional services. You can check out more books, attend programs, and access additional online resources.

Some of our favorite books for younger readers about the public library include those about animals visiting the library including Book! Book! Book!, and Bats in the Library. Even Curious George likes visiting the library!

For the older crowd there are books like The Library Card, The Forbidden Library, and Help! I’m a Prisoner in the Library. Instead of getting stuck in the library we hope you’ll visit the public library during September. 

Click here to visit the St. Mary's County Public Library Homepage. You can find all kinds of helpful information at this site. I know that I'm on their site a lot, searching for books, using their resources, and many other things.

If you or your children don't have a library card, there are many ways to get one. Click here to visit the library card page on the Public Library website.  It gives you a few options on how to apply for a card.  You can apply online or in person.  If you want to apply in person there is also a form that you can download, so you can fill it out before you go.

Happy Reading!!



Miss Hazuda (@HES_Media_SMCPS)

Great Books for Back to School

Like any major event, back to school has a lot of great books. Here are some of my favorites. One of my new favorite is School's First Day of School by Adam Rex. I can't believe no one had ever written this book before. It is a fun one. But be aware it is a little bit long for some young kids. Other great books about school are The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, David Goes to School by David Shannon, and my all-time favorite, Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin. Check out the video below of Pete the Cat.

For the older kids some great chapter books about school are Adventure According to Humphrey by Betty Birney (the first in a series), Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson, Bad Kitty School Daze by Nick Bruel, and Amelia's Notebook by Marissa Moss.

All of the books that I've mentioned above are available at the public library and the Hollywood Elementary library.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HES_Media_SMCPS)

Happy Chinese New Year

Calendars are an invention of people. Time passes from day to day with the cycle of the sun rising and setting. Centuries ago people tried to measure time. They created the calendar as a measurement tool to keep track of how fast time was moving. However, just like there is more than one kind of pencil, or one kind of television, or gaming system, there is also more than one kind of calendar. 

The Chinese New Year begins this year on February 16, 2018. Just like our New Year is always on January 1st, the Chinese New Year is always on the first day of their calendar. One of the most interesting things about the Chinese calendar is that they identify each year with an animal. The Chinese say that people who are born during a Year of the Dog are honest, friendly, faithful, loyal, smart, stratightforward and have a strong sense of responsibility.

The Chinese people celebrate their culture in a 15-day celebration of the New Year. They celebrate with fireworks, parades, special rituals and foods.  Click here to watch a Youtube clip to see how some Chinese people celebrate the New Year.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, skip the fortune cookies, which are really an American invention, and try out a tangram puzzle. Tangrams are ancient Chinese puzzles. See below for printable Tangrams.  If you’re in the mood for something with a more artistic flair, download and color this Year of the Dog page. Click here for a link to a coloring page.

Don't forget to look for books on the Chinese New Year at the public library. We will have a few books available to check out at the HES library.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is more than just a day to celebrate love. It’s a celebration of who we are as people. As humans we thrive because of our relationships with other people. We work together in groups to solve problems. We have teams to accomplish goals. We have friends to spend time with. We learn from others of all ages. 

The people around us make a difference to us every day.

Which is why February 14th is a great day to write letters and cards to friends and family members we appreciate. 

Valentine’s Day has a long history and there are many different traditions celebrated around the world. The United Kingdom began the tradition of sending flowers, chocolates and cards. In the area of Slovenia (in Europe near Austria and Hungary) February 14th is a celebration of spring. Men and women go out into the fields to being their work. In some countries in Central America February 14th is a traditional day to do acts of kindness for friends. 

Let's keep the kindness going this week whole week. Here are a few things that you can do:

Monday: Read about the traditions of Valentine's Day on Pebble Go.   
               If you need the user name and password, please email me. Please
               make sure you mention who your student is, because this log in is
               only for HES students. Once in the database, go in 
               to Social Studies, and then Holidays. 

Tuesday:  Make a card for a friend or relative. Follow these directions at 
                 Instructables for a simple card or for a more challenging card.

Wednesday: Find a fun craft to do on PBS Kids.

Thursday:  Do like puzzles? Do this interactive word search from National  
                  Geographic Kids. 

Friday:  Do a Random Act of Kindness for someone. In fact, Random Acts
              of Kindness day is February 16th. 
              Here are some ideas for people of all ages.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!!

 Image from: My Cute Graphics

With the holidays fast approaching, all I seem to be doing is baking cookies! Not that I'm complaining, but sometimes I have to take a break from the cookie dough.  I've got a few good books that you can read and a really fun app for the younger kids.  

One of my favorite cookie books has to be The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. I never get tired of reading her version of the Gingerbread Boy. She is one of my favorite authors. I read this too the Kindergarten and First Grade students last week and then we watched Jan Brett draw the Gingerbread Baby. This was a really treat!  She makes it look so easy!  Each year I try and practice, but drawing is not my thing!

There are a few great cookie books that can be found at the Leonardtown Public Library.  Even if they are in there right now, they can always be put on hold.  The first two written by Lisa Campbell Ernst, The Gingerbread Girl and The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers. I discovered The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup last year. I have not personally read Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krose Rosenthal, but it looks like one I will be reading real soon. And I can't forget a great cookie one by Mo Willems, The Ducking Gets a Cookie?! What are your favorite cookie books or do you have a great cookie cookbook? Please share in the comments.

An app that I discovered last year, Cookie Doodle, is a a fun app!  It allows the user to "make" cookies.  The user can either use premade dough or mix the dough themselves. Then they bake the dough and can use cookie cutters to make shapes. Finally they can decorate the cookies.  Last year we had a lot of fun with this app.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

National Picture Book Month

November is National Picture Book Month. This celebration is a recent one for schools, libraries, authors and readers to promote literacy at all ages. Many times in the library we hear these words, "I want to check out a chapter book!" Chapter books are certainly wonderful, but often students want to rush to chapter books because they think picture books are too easy. 







In reality, many picture books are written for older readers at high reading levels. Books with illustrations working together with text can give readers a better understanding of challenging concepts. For example, Carole Boston Weatherford's book Freedom on the Menu tells the story of the Greensboro Sit-in. Doreen Rappaport's biography Eleanor, Quiet No More chronicles the First Lady's transition from childhood to the White House. Photographs like Nic Bishop's in his book Frogs capture wildlife in action-an experience many children don’t have.

Reader understanding of all of these topics are enhanced because of their illustrations. The picture book format provides the right balance to make the topic more accessible for students. 

During November I hope you'll challenge yourself to read a few picture books and enjoy the work of both authors and illustrators!  You can print this calendar in color or black and white with picture book suggestions. Let's read, share, and celebrate the power of picture books!

If you are reading any great picture books, please share with me! Starting today I'll be sharing a great picture book with all classes. Enjoy the video below. Authors and illustrators answer the question: What is a picture book?

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Choose Kind

R.J. Palacio's book Wonder, published in 2012, kicked off a campaign of kindness in schools and libraries. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. Wonder is best suited for 4th and 5th grade readers, but kindness is for everyone! Below is the book trailer for this book.







Now R.J. Palacio has written a picture book for our PreKindergarten- 3rd grade students called We're All Wonders. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I love this book just as much as the chapter book! Please help our community by spreading the message of kindness. We could all use a little more kindness in our lives.




The book Wonder is now a major motion picture! The release date for the movie Wonder is November 17, 2017. I am counting the days into I can go to the theater and watch the movie. I think I'm going to have to reread the book before I go see it! Below is the movie trailer. I get goosebumps each time I watch it!

Are you ready to make a difference and to spread kindness to others? Visit the Choose Kind Tumblr and take the pledge to Choose Kind!

If you want to find some other books that highlight kindness, these books can be found at the public library.

PreK-2nd Grade

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodsen

I Broke My Trunk by Mo Willems

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

3rd-5th Grade

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco

No Talking by Andrew Clements

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

During the month of October we can make a difference! Let's finish the year with random acts of kindness towards each other. If you need ideas to get started, here are links to printable calendars for October, November, and December.

Share in the comments how you are choosing kind!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month. Do you have a library card for your public library? Our school library will do our best to meet your library needs through the school year. However, our public library provides many additional services. You can check out more books, attend programs, and access additional online resources.

Some of our favorite books for younger readers about the public library include those about animals visiting the library including Book! Book! Book!, and Bats in the Library. Even Curious George likes visiting the library!

For the older crowd there are books like The Library Card, The Forbidden Library, and Help! I’m a Prisoner in the Library. Instead of getting stuck in the library we hope you’ll visit the public library during September. 

Click here to visit the St. Mary's County Public Library Homepage. You can find all kinds of helpful information at this site. I know that I'm on their site a lot, searching for books, using their resources, and many other things.

If you or your children don't have a library card, there are many ways to get one. Click here to visit the library card page on the Public Library website.  It gives you a few options on how to apply for a card.  You can apply online or in person.  If you want to apply in person there is also a form that you can download, so you can fill it out before you go.

Happy Reading!!


Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Great Books About School

It's hard to believe it's almost time to go back to school. I'm still wondering where the summer went! I hope everyone had as great a summer as I did. I got to travel to Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park with my parents. We are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary here are two of my favorite pictures that I took. The first one is Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park. I also got a really cool picture of a coyote in mid howl. The other three pictures are from Glacier National Park. 

          

Like any major event, back to school has a lot of great books. Here are some of my favorites. One of my new favorite is School's First Day of School by Adam Rex. I can't believe no one had ever written this book before. It is a fun one. But be aware it is a little bit long for some young kids. Other great books about school are The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, David Goes to School by David Shannon, and my all-time favorite, Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin. Check out the video below of Pete the Cat.

For the older kids some great chapter books about school are Adventure According to Humphrey by Betty Birney (the first in a series), Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson, Bad Kitty School Daze by Nick Bruel, and Amelia's Notebook by Marissa Moss.

All of the books that I've mentioned above are available at the public library and the Hollywood Elementary library.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Books About Summer

Summer is always such a fun time for me to get caught up on my reading! I try to read books that I want to get for our library, but also ones that I can recommend to former students!




I also like to read books that have to do with the season. So below you will find some of my favorite summer books! All these books can be found at the St. Mary's County Public Library.

I love poetry books. Acrostic poems are some of my favorites. Summer: An Alaphbet Acrostic by Steven Schnur does not disappoint. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. After reading this book a great follow up activity is to make your own acrostic poems. They don't have to be about a season. They could be about anything! Names, favorite sports, favorite foods, etc. are all great topics for acrostic poems. If you like this book, make sure you look for all the other seasons.




A great picture books about summer are Clifford Keeps Cool by Norman Bridwell! Click here for a summary on Goodreads. Clifford has always been a favorite character of mine since I was in elementary school! Reading these books always brings back great memories of reading with my mom!





I'm not usually a fan of chapter books that have animal as main characters, but I just love the Humphrey books. Betty Biney has written a great summer book, Summer According to Humphrey. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This is book number six in the series. I hadn't realized that there are twelve books about Humphrey! I've got a few books to read to catch up! But these don't need to be read in order. It might help with knowing the characters, though.

If you have some great books that you have been reading, please share them in the comments!

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Summer Reading

www.mycutegraphics.com

I can't believe that it is already late July! Where has the summer gone? I know that I have not done a great job of keeping this blog updated last school year. There was just so much going on last year, before I knew it the year was over. My goal is to update once a week this school year. I will be also posting some events from last year as well. I'm going to try to do some "Throwback Thursday" posts.

This summer I've been doing some reading. Of course, most have been books that are going in our library. But I managed to fit in three grown-up books on vacation. I read one of the books on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton. To see the list of other books on the lists see the links below. They will be available for check out to the students this coming school year. If they read 5 or more books, students can earn a spot on the Black-Eyed Susan Wall of Fame.

BES Picture Books

BES Chapter Books (4-6)

BES Graphic Novels (4-6)

 Hope everyone is having a great summer and doing lots of reading! Keep checking back for more updates! If you have read a great book, please post it in the comments.

Miss Hazuda(@HESMediaCenter)

National Picture Book Month

November is National Picture Book Month. This celebration is a recent one for schools, libraries, authors and readers to promote literacy at all ages. Many times in the library we hear these words, "I want to check out a chapter book!" Chapter books are certainly wonderful, but often students want to rush to chapter books because they think picture books are too easy. 

In reality, many picture books are written for older readers at high reading levels. Books with illustrations working together with text can give readers a better understanding of challenging concepts. For example, Carole Boston Weatherford's book Freedom on the Menu tells the story of the Greensboro Sit-in. Doreen Rappaport's biography of Eleanor Roosevelt (Eleanor, Quiet No More) chronicles the First Lady's transition from childhood to the White House. Photographs like Nic Bishop's in his book Frogs capture wildlife in action-an experience many children don’t have.

Reader understanding of all of these topics are enhanced because of their illustrations. The picture book format provides the right balance to make the topic more accessible for students. 

During November I hope you'll challenge yourself to read a few picture books and enjoy the work of both authors and illustrators!  You can print this November calendar with picture book suggestions. Let's read, share, and celebrate the power of picture books!

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Scholastic Book Fair

My students know that two of my favorite times of the whole school year is Book Fair time! This year our Fall Book Fair will be October 24th-October 28th. We will be open during Fall Festival that will be taking place on Thursday, October 27, 2016 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. 

I think I get so excited about Book Fair because I love getting new books! There are a lot of great titles that will be available. Check out the link to our home page to see the great books and a lot of additional information. You can also download the Book Fair App. Click here for more information.

Here are some of my favorites!

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.

Click here for a summary on Goodreads.

Can't wait to see you at the Book Fair! If you need suggestions, I'm more than happy to help!

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

October Already!

It had been a while since I have been able to post anything on the blog. The new school year was off to a fast start and I barely had time breathe! And then I got sick! I have not been that sick in many many years. I'm still not 100% yet, but I'm on the road to being there soon! 

I think fall is finally here! I went out to dinner last night with my parents and it was a lot cooler once the sun went down. October is one of my favorite months due to the change in the temperature, the leaves beginning to change color and it is almost time for Book Fair!

The Fall Book Fair will be October 24th through October 28th. We will be open during the Fall Festival from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Keep an eye out for another post about the Book Fair. The flyers will be coming home soon, as well as the All for Books sheet.

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)

Books About Libraries and Books

My Cute Graphics

For as long as I can remember I have LOVED reading!! Some of my favorite memories of my parents taking me to the public library when I was growing up. I had three books that I always checked out, The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop, A Tree is Nice by Janice May Udry, and The Secret World of OG by Pierre Berton. The first two I have always been able to find a copy of and reread. The last book, The Secret World of OG, I kind of remember the story. But I couldn't remember the title or the author. It took many years, but I finally found it and was able to find a copy online. I couldn't wait to reread it, though I was a little hesitant because I didn't want to ruin the memory. I was pleasantly surprised that the reread didn't spoil the memory, in fact it brought back all the wonder and excitement I felt when I first read it!


This next book holds a special place in my heart because of the cover. When I first read the book The Library by Sarah Stewart I had to share it with my mom. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. Her first words on seeing the cover were "She reminds me of you"! This book is one of my favorites about books and libraries. Elizabeth, like me, didn't like to play with dolls or skate. All she wants to do is read. Growing up I always had a book with me no matter where I went. I'm still like that today. Right now I can think of three books I have in my car, just in case.



I was so excited to find a new book about a library, The NOT So Quiet Library by Zachariah OHora. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. Oskar and Theodore, like me, love going to the library. But one Saturday their trip to the library isn't as peaceful as they want it to be. See if you can figure out what might be happening at the library from the cover. It took me a bit to spot the hint. Sometimes after reading many books about libraries they all start to seem the same. This book is something new and fresh for me. I can't wait to share it with the kids next year!


See the titles below for some other great books about libraries and books.

     



     

     

What are some of your favorite books?

Happy Reading!!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)