5 Ways to Turn Homework Help into Summer Fun - Online Database Fun

We usually think of our library’s online resources as homework help, but in summertime kids can use them to explore the topics they really love.

1. Animals- Who doesn’t love animals? Online encyclopedias include pictures and even video, along with articles on everything from aardvarks to zebras. Did you try using Kids InfoBits database?

2. Places- Young travelers can find out about, or just plain find, destinations near and far in geography and history resources. Global Road Warrior is just the place to visit.Scroll down until you find it in list of databases.

3. Celebrities- Whether they’re into sports, movies, or music, biography and news databases are keeping up with kids’ favorite stars. eLibrary Elementary is a place to start.

4. Family- Tap genealogy resources to clarify the family tree when visiting relatives. Figure out who’s a third cousin and who’s a second cousin once removed or find great-grandma in the 1930 census.Come into the library and use Ancestry or use Heritage Quest online.  

5. Weird stuff- News sites just for kids include many stories of the bizarre. Is it true that an accountant fell on a crocodile? Look it up at eLibrary Elementary.  

6. Local History - Going out and about in Rochester this summer? Check out images of local places on the Rochester Images database. 

7. Just interested in many things want a good place to start? Try Grolier Online. You can access information at an elementary, middle school and high school level. 

{Originally a Blog post by Rachel Wood, Arlington Public Library, ALSC Digital Content Task Force - accessed 7/28/14}

Cathy

American Girl Essay Contest

A very generous patron has donated the American Girl doll Caroline along with a carrying case and accessories. 

   
Caroline Abbot® 
As the War of 1812 begins, so does the story of Caroline Abbott's bravery. She loves sailing with her father, but when he's captured, Caroline must help keep the family's shipyard running. When she sees a chance to rescue her father, Caroline discovers that she must use her mind and heart to guide her decisions.

We are holding an essay contest to determine the winner. The essay applications are available at the Barnard Crossing Branch {2780 Dewey Avenue} or Greece Public Library {2 Vince Tofany Blvd.}  I would be happy to email you a copy of the application - send me an e-mail: chenders@libraryweb.org. 

Essays are due Friday, August 18th and the winner will be notified on Friday, August 25th. This contest is open to children ages 5-11. 

Cathy 

Jim Gill to perform here at GPL

Thursday, July 31st at 6:30 p.m. 

Limited to the first 120 audience members. 

 Get ready to sing, clap, dance and sneeze along during this visit by award-winning musician and author, Jim Gill. Jim is as enthusiastic as ever in his invitation to children, parents and grandparents to sing and play together!  There will be a time for autographs after the program.

Listen to Jim here talk about why it is important to play as a family. Here you can listen to Jim perform one of his favorite songs, The Sneezing Song.   

We hope to see you there.

Cathy

Children's Books that were made into movies

Have you read these books? 

Seen these movies? 

What is similar? 

What is different? 

The Lorax by Dr. Suess

                   

Where the Wild Things Are by Sendak 

         

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Barrett 

      

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Kinney 

                  

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Selznick 

           

Hoot by Hiaasen 

            

Cathy

Summer Reading Fun @ GPL

Fancy Nancy Scientist July 11, 2014

Gazebo Storytime July 8, 2014

GCSD Summer Reading Kick-off with Supervisor Reilich, July 14, 2014

Hoopdance! July 14, 2014

Pizza Bingo July 15, 2014

Some of our wonderful teen volunteers!

While I was away on vacation there was so much fun happening at the library. 

Cathy 

Why you should read a book vs e-book for children

Eight Reasons Why Print Trumps Digital for Reading

By Annie Murphy Paul on July 1, 2014 

1. No need to make choices. Lacking hyperlinks, paper books enable total immersion in reading—no need to continually pause and ask, “Should I click on this?”Given the focus on ebooks these days, could old-fashioned print books provide a superior reading experience? Actually, yes—especially for young children whose literacy skills are just beginning to emerge. 

Here are eight reasons to keep recommending traditional books:

2. No distractions within the text. Research suggests that the visual and aural gimmicks and game-like features embedded in many kids’ ebooks draw young readers’ attention from the written words, diminishing their memory of what was read.

3. No Internet temptations. The only thing you can do with a paper book is read it, while with Web-enabled ereaders, the temptations of the Internet are a click away.

4. Imagination required. Without the bells and whistles of ebooks, young readers must mobilize their own imaginations to fill in the gaps left by authors and illustrators: what a character looks like, for example, or the sound an animal makes.

5. Satisfaction of the senses. The smooth feel of paper and the rich colors of illustrations are largely lost in ebook reproductions. The distinctiveness of the reading experience is reduced, as well—such as when an oversized picture book is squeezed down to the size of an ereader screen.

6. Literary attitudes. Children accustomed to using digital devices for fast-paced entertainment may approach an ereader with the same expectations, while a printed book comes with an entirely different set of associations: a quiet focus on words and stories.

7. Easy to share. A printed book lends itself to being shared by children and adults, while an ebook may not be shared quite so easily. Research suggests that parents reading ebooks with their children are less likely to stop and ask questions or make comments, and more likely to issue commands (“Swipe the page now,” “Don’t touch that button!”).

8. Strong selection. The number of quality children’s books published in paper still vastly outnumbers those available in a digital format. Research suggests that the ebooks selected most often by children and parents are more akin to movies than to books, and thus of dubious value in promoting emerging literacy.

This article was published in School Library Journal's July 2014 issue.

Cathy

Science Experiments at GPL

To go along with our Summer Reading Theme: Fizz, Boom, Read! We will have weekly experiments you can try. We will also have instructions so you can do the experiment at home. Come see what we are doing. 

Week 1: Friction/Density

Week 2: Magnets

Week 3: Condensation

Week 4: Water Transfer

Week 5: Wind

Week 6: Growing Beans

Cathy

Read the Rainbow this month

Our book display  this month is Read the Rainbow.  

 Come in and choose from out rainbow of books! 

Cathy 

Fizz, Boom, Read!: Science Books to Read This Summer

Do you love science? Here are a few great nonfiction books to read this summer.



The Animal Book  by Steve Jenkins



Beyond the Solar System by Mary Kay Carson



Lives of Scientists by Kathleen Krull



National Geographic Kids First Big Book of the Ocean by Catherine D. Hughes



Things That Float and Things That Don't by David A. Adler



Manatees by Laura Marsh

Karen