We had a terrific, collegial meeting on November 18, 2009, at P.S. 86 in the Bronx. More than 15 people facilitated small group demos and discussions of teaching tools and recent conference highlights. This was our 1st annual un-meeting, and we look forward to doing another one next year.
Check out the library camp wiki to see how school librarians are using Jing, Delicious, Twitter, GoogleDocs, GoogleSites, and more.
NYCSLA VP and Local Network leader Cheryl Wolf is hosting the first Manhattan elementary network meeting. Please come to schmooze, share a lesson or book, and enjoy light refreshments.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
4-6pm
McKinley Library of PS 63 & PS 363
121 East 3rd Street, bet. 1st Ave. & Ave. A
Show of hands: how many people were driven to read/re-read A Wrinkle in Time in preparation for When You Reach Me? How about after you finished it? Do you think the Newbery buzz around this book is well-deserved? This seems like a great book to discuss here and with students, since it’s built like a little puzzle box. (It also seems like a difficult book to discuss without spoiling the end, so let’s see how we do here!) Do you think that the setting was true to New York City in the late 70s? How about the portrayal of a NYC public school? Any $20,000 Pyramid fans in the house? There’s a ton to talk about in this little gem of a book, so let the discussion of When You Reach Me begin!
Support school libraries! Join NYCSLA for an evening of books, fun, networking, and fundraising at Sycamore Bar in Brooklyn on Thursday, December 10, from 6-9 p.m. Take the Q to Cortelyou; Sycamore Bar is located at 1118 Cortelyou Road at Westminster Road.
Drink specials: Get the 641.23 (beer) or the 641.22 (wine)
Happy hour specials until 8 PM
$5-$25 donations will support NYCSLA’s work for school librarians and advocacy for school libraries. New or next-to-new children’s book donations will benefit Beth Israel Treatment Center.
Bring your friends, family, and library-friendly teachers from your school. Many thanks to intrepid NYCSLA member Cate Hagarty for organizing this event!
My, how this fall has slipped away! Apologies for the slightly belated reminder about the November book club selection… seems like just a few days ago we were opening up our libraries and greeting new students and now it’s time for conference and nearly Thanksgiving! Anyhoo, our November pick is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, another new book that’s making the rounds of mock Newbery awards. Here’s the beginning of the review from School Library Journal:
Sixth-grader Miranda lives in 1978 New York City with her mother, and her life compass is Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. When she receives a series of enigmatic notes that claim to want to save her life, she comes to believe that they are from someone who knows the future. Miranda spends considerable time observing a raving vagrant who her mother calls the laughing man and trying to find the connection between the notes and her everyday life.
What are your thoughts on The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate? This is one of the many books that has some considerable Newbery buzz growing. How do you think it measures up? Can you see your students being engaged by its setting, its episodic plot, and/or the natural history information? What do you think of Kelly’s portrayal of turn-of-the-century Southern life and the spectre of the Civil War that hangs over the book? Tell us what you think in the discussion below… again, the discussion is NOT limited to NYCSLA members.
We’re hosting a library camp or “unconference” for our November 18th general meeting and we’re looking for your expertise. Please consider signing up to facilitate a 30-minute session on 1.) a Web 2.0 tool, 2.) a recent conference you’ve attended, or 3.) a recent grant you’ve received. Sign up on the Library Camp wiki or email Sara at spaulsonyarovoy@schools.nyc.gov to facilitate.
The first NYCSLA meeting of the year filled the McKinley Library at PS 63/The Neighborhood School in Manhattan with new and returning members. This is what we did:
Thanks to principal Milo Novelo and librarian Cheryl Wolf for hosting us at their library.
For October, we’ll be reading The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, a middle-grade historical novel that’s getting good Newbery advance buzz. Vice-President Cheryl Wolf had a hankering to read this book when she heard about the opportunity to see the author locally at New York Public Library on October 21. (Turns out it’s during the day, though, so see if you can bring your class or hope for a webcast.) Here’s a description from the School Library Journal review:
As the only girl in an uppercrust Texas family of seven children, Calpurnia, 11, is expected to enter young womanhood with all its trappings of tight corsets, cookery, and handiwork. Unlike other girls her age, Callie is most content when observing and collecting scientific specimens with her grandfather. Bemoaning her lack of formal knowledge, he surreptitiously gives her a copy of The Origin of Species and Callie begins her exploration of the scientific method and evolution, eventually happening upon the possible discovery of a new plant species.
Discussion will open here October 28. Please join us!
Let the discussion of Graceling begin! This was one of Melissa’s favorite books of 2008 and a discussion is timely, since the prequel Fire is coming out at the beginning of October. Here are some questions to get the conversaton started, but feel free to comment on any aspect of the book that struck you:
Please add your thoughts to the discussion below. You don’t have to be a NYCSLA member to join in the fun (although we’d love to have you…)
