Who wants to win a Kindle Fire?!?!

Read on for more info:

A Collaborative Approach to Summer Reading

This year, we are excited to offer a collaborative summer reading program with the Cobb County Public Library (CCPL) for grades 6-8. The theme for this summer’s teen reading program is “Beneath the Surface”.

The McClure Middle School summer reading program includes a suggested reading list* and a reading log. (Please note that these are just suggestions – students may choose to read any age and level-appropriate book.  Consult your public librarian for additional recommendations).

To participate, students should:

1. Read a book of their choice.
2. Fill in the online form linked here to record the title of each book read during the summer -or- turn in a copy of the reading log to their school media specialist during the first week of school.
3. To be eligible for additional prizes, turn in a copy of the log to any Cobb County Public Library branch, or use their online form. Any books read for the Cobb County School District program can be listed on the CCPL log.

Participants will be eligible for rewards and recognition. Each review will be used to enter you into the Grand Prize Giveaway of a Kindle Fire! Your chances of winning increase each time you submit a book review! (Up to 10 entries per person.)

Research consistently shows a correlation between summer reading participation and student achievement but only when parents, educators, and community members provide access to books and support with comprehension.  According to James Kim, assistant professor  at Harvard University,  “Voluntary summer reading programs** can work—but they work best when adults and teachers get involved by helping students to choose appropriate books and employ simple techniques to improve skill and understanding,”

For more information regarding these programs, contact your local school or public librarian.  Remember, books reveal what lies “Beneath the Surface!” For more information about summer events at the public library, please visit www.cobbcat.org/srp.

* Disclaimer:  The books on the suggested reading list are just suggestions so students may read any age-and level-appropriate book of their choice.  Please keep in mind that some content may be too mature for younger readers and therefore parental discretion is advised.  See your public librarian for alternate titles, series, and authors as needed.

**Student summaries should include the major points of the book without giving away the ending. Summary should be between 3-5 sentences and should be the student’s own original work.

***While we hope that all students will choose to participate in the McClure summer reading program, it is a voluntary enrichment activity which will not be graded.

Just kidding! It’s a media center, which is totally different! Check out these pictures of 7th grade Orchestra learning about vibrato through the internet and applying what they learned.

I have a new favorite book. Everyone should read it. Seriously. Read it. Read it now. What are you waiting for?

Wonder by R.J. Palacio was WONDERful! It had humor and characters that you feel like you really get to know. Its a touching story about a boy named Auggie who is entering school for the first time. He’s been home-schooled his entire life because of a severe facial deformity. Wonder is told though the voice of several of its characters which allows the reader to see an event from multiple viewpoints. I love when an author uses this device. It is always amazing to see something through someone else’s eyes and reminds me that what I am seeing is only part of the whole picture. I guarantee that you will love Auggie. Try this book out. And be prepared to think about how you treat people.

This book makes me want to be a better person. I hope it makes you feel the same way.

 Have you ever read a book and thought, “Man, that was AWESOME!”?  Well, now you can tell the world, kind of. This list is made up of items placed in the Awesome! Box in the Media Center. If you read something that you think is Awesome!, put it in the Awesome! Box in the Media Center and it will appear on this list was well as on the Awesome! List in Destiny. Check out something Awesome! today!

*Special thanks to the Somerville Public Library and Harvard Library Lab for this totally Awesome idea that was discovered via Pinterest! Yay for awesome!*

Parents, educators, and community members are all invited to join us as we highlight our media center program. This will be an informal drop-in event, so please come by if you are able. We’d love to see you and talk about how we achieved this accomplishment.

Oh, yes. We went there. We sure did. And we’re not at all apologetic about it.

The search is on for the biggest (most pages) Fiction and Nonfiction (Informational) books in our media center.

Contest ends March 29th. Winners announced April 1st.

Enjoy & check out this video we found on YouTube.

Now Mrs. Harpin’s wheels are turning.

Congratulations to Emily Goelz, our Lucky Winner!

Lucky the Leprechaun (c)General Mills

(This contest was inspired by Mrs. Harpin’s “Storytellers” t-shirt from Threadless. )

And the Winner Is…..with ALL 25 Books CORRECT…Aashna Patel! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY, Aashna, you are AMAZING! Come to the media center to pick up your fabulous prize!

Honorary mention goes to:

• Jacob Womack with 16 correct answers
• Eric Somarriba & Hope Kutsche with 15 correct answer each.