Gonzalez Library Lowdown
December 2022
Happy Holidays from the Gonzalez Library!
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR IS THIS MONTH!
Get ready! This year's Book Fair is going to be epic! We've turned up the volume with more fun, more choices and more excitement, so kids will arrive curious and leave bolder, prouder, and stronger than ever before. Here's what you need to know about our upcoming fair:
Every dollar you spend will benefit our school directly
You can sign up for an eWallet, a convenient digital payment account, so your child can shop the Fair cash-free. Grandparents, friends, and others can contribute to the eWallet to help build your home library. Visit our book fair home page to set up you eWallet now!
For payment, we accept cash, credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, eWallets, and checks (made out to Gonzalez School for Young Children)
Save these dates and view our school’s Fair site:
Fair Dates: December 5th-9th
Times: 7:30 am-2:30 pm for students and families
Location: Gonzalez Parent Room
Book Fair Homepage: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/gonzalezsyc
We can’t wait to see your child at the Fair!
Storytime Books for the Month
Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins
Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he's their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can't seem to rid himself of his new companions. What's a bear to do?
Learning Goal(s): Migration/Hibernation, Books in a Series, Fiction/Nonfiction
Hotel Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins
When Bruce gets home from a southern migration trip with his goslings, he is tired. He is grumpy. And he is definitely not in the mood to share his home with the trio of mice who have turned his den into a hotel.
There's a possum pillow fight wreaking havoc in one room, a fox luring guests into a stew in the kitchen, and a snuggly crew of critters hogging the bed. Bruce growls and grumbles and tries to throw them all out, but the entrepreneurial mice just can't take a hint. Bruce is in a little over his head, especially once the goslings join the staff. Will this grumpy bear ever get his quiet, peaceful den back to himself?
Learning Goal: Books in a Series, Author/Illustrator
Santa Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins
Bruce is a lot of things. He is a bear. He is a grump. He is a pretty decent cook. And he is a mother.
One thing Bruce is not?
Santa Claus.
But that doesn't stop the whole forest from lining up to give him their Christmas wishes when he becomes the victim of mistaken identity--again.
Kids will howl with laughter as award-winning author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins delivers another hilarious story about this bear who just can't catch a break.
Learning Goals: Winter Celebrations, Books in a Series, Author/Illustrator
Reading Tip of the Month
How to Read to A Child That Can't Sit Still by Janssen Bradshaw with Brightly
This article can be found at www.readbrightly.com.
"For some children, sitting quietly while listening to a book is more tedious than fun. If your child struggles to pay attention or sit still while you’re reading together, here are some tips that may help:
1. Pick interactive books. Whether it’s searching for something on each page, like with an I Spy book, or touching parts of the picture, like with Press Here, a book that actively draws a reader in can help keep them engaged during storytime.
2. Let them do something with their hands. Pass out the crayons or play dough or give them a puzzle to do while you read aloud to them. If they can keep their hands busy and their attention focused on a task, they may be more willing to listen to the story.
3. Try different times of day. Some times of day work better for certain children. The afternoon, when they are wound up and ready to play, may not be the best. Try bedtime when they’re anxious to stay up a little longer, or at mealtime while they eat, or first thing in the morning snuggled up together in the grown-up bed.
4. Give them an overview of the story first. Some children struggle with books because they have a hard time following the plot. Before you start reading, explain to them what they can expect from the story and few things they may want to look for either in the storyline or the illustrations.
5. Don’t push too hard. Some children just need to mature a little before they are ready to embrace reading. Don’t turn them off to it by making it a consistently miserable experience. Give them some space, try again frequently, and model a love of reading for them."
To read the rest of this article and more from Brightly, click this.
Online Resource of the Month
Brightly
From Brightly website:
Brightly provides passionate parents, educators, and caregivers with the tools they need — such as tips and advice, book recommendations, Brightly Storytime, which features read-aloud and flip along videos, and more — to keep kids connected to books through every age & stage of life. We take pride in working with a diverse group of contributors, authors, and partners who cover a wide range of topics for readers of all ages in order to cultivate a love of books and reading in children.
To learn more about Brightly, visit https://www.readbrightly.com/
Celebrations for the Month
Read a New Book Month
Universal Human Rights Month
Learn a Foreign Language Month
2nd: Special Education Day
3rd: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
4th: Wildlife Conservation Day AND Cookie Day
5th-9th: Scholastic Book Fair Week (in Parent Room)
5th-11th: Computer Science Education Week
5th: International Volunteer Day
6th: Saint Nicholas Day
7th: Letter Writing Day
8th: Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day
9th: Christmas Card Day
10th: Human Rights Day AND Dewey Decimal System Day
13th: Santa Lucia Day AND Cocoa Day
15th: Bill of Rights Day
16th: Christmas Sweater Day
16th-24th: Los Posadas
18th: Bake Cookies Day
18th-26th: Hanukkah
19th: Family Volunteer Day
20th: Go Caroling Day
21st: Winter Solstice (Yule)
23rd: Roots Day
24th: Christmas Eve
25th: Christmas
26th-Jan. 1st: Kwanzaa
31st: New Year's Eve AND Universal Hour of Peace
December Storytime STEAM Challenge for Home
Nanook & Pryce: Gone Fishing
Written by Ned Crowley
Illustrated by: Larry Day
Harcourt: 2009
Video Link of Book: https://youtu.be/1DH3_1dL2os
Summary from Publisher:
Life is full of surprises.
One day you go out ice fishing for breakfast, and the next thing you know, you are adrift on the high seas, escaping sharks and giant squid, wriggling out of fishnets, dodging hungry pelicans, and having more adventures than you can shake a fishing pole at. Accidental tourists Nanook, Pryce, and their fearless dog Yukon's hilarious cruise around the world will have you laughing out loud.
Materials Needed:
- Ice Cubes
- Glass of Water
- Salt
- Food Coloring (optional)
- String or Twine
Challenge:
STEP 1. Add half a dozen or so ice cubes to a cup and fill with water.
STEP 2. Lay the string over an ice cube.
STEP 3. Sprinkle salt over the string and ice. Wait 30-60 seconds.
STEP 4. Gently pull the string. The ice should come along with it!
There’s a couple of things to keep in the back of your mind when you are doing this ice fishing experiment. First, the length of time the string sits on the ice can make a difference. Experiment with different time increments.
Second, the amount of salt used can affect the melting of the ice. Too much salt and the ice will melt too fast. Or too little time on the ice, the string won’t have time to freeze to the cube! Measure the amounts of salt you use and compare.
THE SCIENCE OF ICE FISHING
Why does everyone use salt to melt ice? Adding salt to ice will lower the ice’s melting point. Salt causes a physical change by altering the properties and temperature of the ice cube. However, if the surrounding temperature is still freezing, the ice will re-freeze (reversible change) and freeze the string along with it. Now you have ice fishing!
If you would like to show off your hard work, you can take a picture of your challenge and share it with your teacher via Seesaw or post it on Facebook with the hashtag #PupsRead and @gonzalezsyclibrary. If you post a picture of your STEAM Challenge for Home on Facebook with the hashtags, your child will receive a free book!
Found at: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/ice-fishing-winter-science/
How to Translate This Newsletter
Did you know that there is an option to translate this newsletter into another language? There are more than a hundred languages to choose from, including languages like Arabic and Spanish.
At the top of the newsletter to the right. you will see a button that says "Translate." Click on Translate and choose the language you prefer from the drop-down menu. Click on Done and enjoy reading! See the image to the left to see where you can find the Translate button in this newsletter.
Amanda Qualls, School Librarian, MLS
Gonzalez Schedule
Monday mornings
Wednesdays
Fridays
Email: aqualls@dentonisd.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/g.dentonisd.org/gonzalezlibrary/homecasa
Location: 1212 Long Rd, Denton, TX, USA
Phone: 940-369-4385
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gonzalezsyclibrary
Twitter: @GonzalezSYCLib