Happy holidays!

No matter what you celebrate, I'd like to wish you a very happy holiday season! Here are some fun holiday links. Enjoy your holiday break!

See you in 2013!
Ms. Emili

All about Hanukkah (History Channel):

http://www.history.com/topics/hanukkah

All about Christmas (History Channel)

http://www.history.com/topics/christmas

History of Santa Claus:

http://www.history.com/topics/santa-claus

Christmas games, crafts, recipes, and more:

http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/christmas/christmas.php

Holiday activities and games:

http://www.goodsitesforkids.org/Holiday.htm

Holiday craft videos:

http://www.ehow.com/video_8269911_christmas-holiday-crafts-kids.html

North Pole- games and holiday recipes for kids

http://www.northpole.com/

Christmas crafts:

http://crafts.slides.kaboose.com/326-christmas-crafts

Homemade Christmas ornaments:

http://crafts.slides.kaboose.com/260-homemade-christmas-ornaments

Christmas word searches:

http://holidays.kaboose.com/xmas-word.html

All about Kwanza

http://holidays.kaboose.com/kwanzaa/index.html

Winter and snowmen crafts:

http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/seasons/winter/

New Year’s crafts:

http://crafts.kaboose.com/crafts/new-year/happy-new-years-crafts.html

Christmas recipes:

http://recipes.kaboose.com/holidays/christmas-recipes/christmas-recipes.html

New Titles Animoto

Hey there!
It's been a while...We've gotten a ton of new books this fall. Check out just a few of our new titles in this Animoto video. See you in the Media Center!

Lunch Bunch is back! The first one will take place on Monday, October 15. Sign up in the Media Center. Miss Linda from the Matawan Aberdeen Public library will be visiting to talk about some great new books and teach you how to do a craft. Don't miss out! Last day to sign up will be Thursday, the 11th!

Welcome!

Hello MAMS students and staff, 

I hope you had a wonderful, relaxing summer. I'm excited to see you back in the Media Center this year, 7th and 8th graders, and I'm looking forward to meeting all of our new students and teachers! We have a few major changes this year regarding the schedule. Please see below for important library information. See you soon! 

Happy reading, 
Ms. Emili


*SCHEDULE: Because we no longer have Advisory, students will have to come in during study hall or lunch. The Media Center schedule changes from day to day depending on which classes are in. From now on, there will be two ways to find out when we are open each day: 1. The schedule will be posted on a bulletin board outside of the library and 2. Teachers will be emailed the schedule to share with study hall students. Also, if the CLOSED sign is on the door, we are officially closed and you'll have to return to class. NO STUDENT SHOULD BE IN THE LIBRARY IF THERE IS NOT A TEACHER PRESENT.

* To visit the library during study hall, you must have a library pass signed by your teacher, with the time you left your classroom. No pass = no library. No exceptions. 

*If you would like to come during lunch: check the board outside the library on your way to the cafeteria to see if we'll be open. If we are open, stop into the library to ask for a pass and Ms. Emili or Mrs. Weissman will fill one out for you. Students are to then go to the cafeteria, finish their lunch, and show their pass to one of the teachers on lunch duty. Students may come to the library to get a book or use a computer for the rest of their lunch period. Once in the library, you will stay there until the period ends. 

*If your books are due and the library is closed during your lunch/study hall periods, you may return books to the book drop in the hallway (even if they are overdue, this year). 

*Sixth graders will not be able to visit the library until their Language Arts class has come in for orientation. I will notify teachers when orientation is complete.



 

Poetry slam videos

Hi Mrs. Buonomo's classes,
Here are the poetry slam videos that we watched on the first day. You might have to watch them at home, if YouTube is blocked in school. Definitely watch a few before Friday- you might pick up some pointers for performing your poem. Enjoy!

                                             
                                                               "I wanna hear a poem"

Poem: "Well, Thank you"

                                                                     Sara Kay: "Hands"

                                               Marshall Soulful Jones: "We Live In A Digital World"

                                                                    iCon: "Voices"

                                                          Sara Kay: "If I should have a daughter"

                                                           Taylor Mali: "On Girls Lending Pens"

                                                            Eric Darby: "Scratch and dent dreams"

                                           Taylor Mali: "Why falling in love is like owning a dog"

5/30: Buonomo, poetry

Hi Mrs. Buonomo's students,

Here are some links to help you as you get started on your poetry slam poems. Good luck!

Rhyme Zone:

http://www.rhymezone.com/

Find rhymes, near rhymes, synonyms, antonyms, similar sounding words

Lexemic

http://rhymes.lexemic.com/

Another rhyming site

Rhyme Brain:

http://rhymebrain.com/

you might want to check out the Alliteration Aid!

Taylor Mali’s Tips for Performing Poetry:

http://web.mac.com/tmali/Bakers_Dozen_/Start_%3E.html

(He did the poem “On Girls Lending Pens” that we viewed)

How to Write Slam Poetry: Tips

http://www.ehow.com/how_2058321_write-slam-poetry.html

How to Write a Slam poem

http://www.ehow.com/how_6909687_write-slam-poem.html

upcoming Skype with Torrey Maldonado

Ms. Hawrylko's 3-4 class is getting ready for a Skype author visit with Secret Saturdays writer Torrey Maldonado on Wednesday. Stay tuned for pictures and a post-visit wrap-up! In the meantime, check out Mr. Maldonado's website here: http://www.torreymaldonado.com/

Pape, 5/14: research papers

Hi Mrs. Pape'sclasses,

Please use the links below to start deciding on a topic. You may use Wikipedia as a starting point only- once your topic is approved, you will have to use more reliable sources for research. Remember to check Points of View for articles as well.

Middle School Debate topics: Research resources

http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.htm

International Debate Education Association:

 http://www.idebate.org/

Controversial Issue Starter links:

http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/persuasion/issues.html

Headliners: Student news stories:

http://www.headliners.org/storylibrary

Kids.gov (look under grades 6-8)

http://www.kids.gov/

Hot Topics:

http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Hot/hotindex.htm

Searchable newspaper articles:

http://headlinespot.com/cool/newssearch/#newspapers

Debatepedia:

http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Welcome_to_Debatepedia%21

Teen Health and the Media:

http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/

Food Insight: hot topics in food and nutrition

http://www.foodinsight.org/healthy-eating.aspx

Last Lunch Bunch!

The LAST Lunch Bunch of the year will take place on Tuesday! Don't forget to sign up. Miss Chrissie from the Matawan Aberdeen Public Library will be here to talk about summer programs and volunteering at the library. If you love the library, become a volunteer!!!!!

Chodkiewicz, Research Links

Hi Mrs. Chodkiewicz's kids!

Here are a bunch of links to help you with your research topics. Good luck!!!

Animals

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/species/

BBC Nature- Willdlife: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/

Natural History Notebooks: http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/mon2.htm

National Geographic Creature Features: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/

Toronto Zoo Animal Fact Sheets:

http://www.torontozoo.com/ExploretheZoo/Animals.asp

SeaWorld Animal Sites:

http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/index.htm

Extreme Science- Animals:

http://www.extremescience.com/animal-kingdom.htm

Kids’ Biology- Animals:

http://www.kidsbiology.com/animals-for-children.php

Animal Diversity Web:

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html

Enchanted Learning: Animals

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/animals/Animalbabies.shtml

Science Kids- Animal Facts

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals.html

San Diego Zoo’s Animal Bytes:

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/

Smithsonian Animal Index:

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AnimalIndex/default.cfm

Wolves (PBS site): http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/wolves/

Monkeys (Animal Planet site): http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/janegoodall/interactives/greatape/greatape.html

Directing Movies

How Stuff Works:

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/movie-director.htm

Educational Requirements for Film directors:

http://education-portal.com/articles/Film_Director_Educational_Requirements_for_being_a_Film_and_Movie_Director.html

How to be a film director:

http://education-portal.com/how_to_be_a_film_director.html

Skills needed to be a film director:

http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/jobs/direction/article_3880_1.asp

Titanic

Discovery news articles:

http://news.discovery.com/titanic/

Encyclopedia Britannica:

http://www.britannica.com/titanic/

Encyclopedia Titanica:

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/

KidsConnect:

http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/16-history/281-titanic.html

National Geographic: Explore the Titanic

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0411/articles/mainarticle.html

National Geographic article on damage to Titanic:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0604_040604_titanic.html

Timeline of the Titanic:

http://www.theteachersguide.com/Titanictimeline.html

Titanic and Nautical Research Center Facts:

http://www.titanic-nautical.com/titanic-facts.html

Criss Angel (magician)

Official biography:

http://official.crissangel.com/#criss

Internet Movie database:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1630927/

 

Las Vegas Sun article:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/criss-angel/bio/

Edward John Smith:

Biography.com:

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/edward-john-smith.html

Encyclopedia Titanica article:

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/edward-john-smith.html

Francis Scott Key

Biography.com:

http://www.biography.com/people/francis-scott-key-9364165

IMDB entry:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1411746/bio

Songwriters Hall of Fame:

http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C191?exhibitId=191

Francis Scott Key.org (scroll down for bio)

http://www.francisscottkey.org/

Rainforest

Enchanted Learning:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforest/

Kids Connect Rainforest site:

http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/15-science/96-rainforest.html

PBS- Journey into Amazonia

http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/

Rainforest Action Network:

http://ran.org/forests

Rainforest Alliance:

http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/kids/facts

Alex Rodriguez

MLB statistics:

http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=121347#gameType='R'&sectionType=career&statType=1&season=2012&level='ALL

Official Site of A-Rod  (biography)

http://mlb.mlb.com/players/alex_rodriguez/bio/index.jsp

Yahoo Sports profile:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5275

Joe Frazier:

Boxing record:

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=000147&cat=boxer

ESPN article:

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7206261/joe-frazier-former-heavyweight-champion-dead-67

NY Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/08/sports/joe-frazier-ex-heavyweight-champ-dies-at-67.html?pagewanted=all

Official website biography:

http://www.joefrazier.com/biography.html

4/24: Buonomo, research

Hi Mrs. Buonomo's classes,

Please use the links below to start deciding on a topic. More links and resources will be posted on here next week. You may use Wikipedia as a starting point only- once your topic is approved, you will have to use more reliable sources for research.

Middle School Debate topics: Research resources

http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.htm

International Debate Education Association:

 http://www.idebate.org/

Controversial Issue Starter links:

http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/persuasion/issues.html

Headliners: Student news stories:

http://www.headliners.org/storylibrary

Kids.gov (look under grades 6-8)

http://www.kids.gov/

Hot Topics:

http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Hot/hotindex.htm

Searchable newspaper articles:

http://headlinespot.com/cool/newssearch/#newspapers

Debatepedia:

http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Welcome_to_Debatepedia%21

Teen Health and the Media:

http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/

Food Insight: hot topics in food and nutrition

http://www.foodinsight.org/healthy-eating.aspx

4/17: Knoepfel, research

Hi Mr. Knoepfel's classes,

Below are some website links for you to begin your research. We will be discussing how to evaluate websites that you find on your own later in the week, so stick with these for today. If you need to branch out and find other websites, please keep in mind that you WILL NOT be able to use Wikipedia as a source.

Middle School Debate topics: Research resources

http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.htm

 

International Debate Education Association:

 http://www.idebate.org/

Social Issues:
http://www.multcolib.org/homework/sochc.htm

Controversial Issue Starter links:

http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/persuasion/issues.html

Headliners: Student news stories:

http://www.headliners.org/storylibrary

Kids.gov (look under grades 6-8)

http://www.kids.gov/

Hot Topics:

http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Hot/hotindex.htm

Searchable newspaper articles:

http://headlinespot.com/cool/newssearch/#newspapers

Debatepedia:

http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Welcome_to_Debatepedia%21

Teen Health and the Media:

http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/

Food Insight: hot topics in food and nutrition

http://www.foodinsight.org/healthy-eating.aspx

E-book Party Wrap-up

On Thursday, April 5 the MAMS library hosted an E-book Launch Party during Advisory. About 20 students attended to learn how to borrow e-books and Nooks from our library. Students were able to check out the Nooks for the first time. Check out some pictures below! 

 

The Nooks are here!!!!

Good News! The MAMS Media Center now has e-books available for you to borrow. If you have your own Nook, Kindle, iPhone, iPad or Droid phone, you'll be able to read books on it. The best part of all? E-books are automatically returned after 2 weeks, so no overdue notices or late fees!

If you don't have your own device, don't worry. We have 27 Nook Simple Touch e-readers available to borrow. You just have to return a permission slip and be on good terms with the library (no overdue books or fines).

Stop by the Media Center to find out how to borrow a Nook and/or start checking out e-books.

Our online library is located here:
Digital Media Center

Read Across America

Friday, March 2nd is Read Across America Day. In honor of this event, Mrs. Redzinak's students will be conducting a school-wide survey. What was your favorite Dr. Seuss book growing up? Stop into the library to vote. All participants will receive a bookmark and a raffle ticket for a $20 Barnes and Noble card.

2/23 Buonomo: Author Study part 2

Mrs. Buonomo's classes:

Here's part 2 of the Author study links. In the previous post you'll find general author sites. Below is a list of author sites, organized by last name:

Laurie Halse Anderson:

http://madwomanintheforest.com/

Avi:

http://www.avi-writer.com/

Judy Blume’s Official site:

http://www.judyblume.com/

Caroline B. Cooney:

http://www.carolinebcooneybooks.com/

Caroline B. Cooney Interview:

http://www.cmlibrary.org/readers_club/meetAuthor.asp?author=111

Robert Cormier (from Barnes and Noble)

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/writers/writer.asp?z=y&cid=885746

Lois Duncan:

http://loisduncan.arquettes.com/

S.E. Hinton:

http://www.sehinton.com/

S.E. Hinton- Vanity Fair Article:

http://www.sehinton.com/

Stephen King:

http://www.stephenking.com/index.html

Gordon Korman biography:

http://www.gordonkorman.com/biograph.htm

Jack London:

http://london.sonoma.edu/

Lois Lowry:

http://www.loislowry.com/

Lois Lowry- Interview from Writer Unboxed:

http://writerunboxed.com/2007/04/20/interview-lois-lowry-part-1/

Mike Lupica:

http://www.mikelupicabooks.com/index.html

Sarah Dessen:

http://sarahdessen.com/

Jack London:

http://london.sonoma.edu/

Walter Dean Myers:

http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/

Walter Dean Myers (from Houghton Mifflin):

http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/mtai/wdmyers.html

James Patterson:

http://www.jamespatterson.com/

Katherine Paterson:

http://www.terabithia.com/about.html

Katherine Paterson NCBLA page:

http://www.thencbla.org/biopages/biopaterson.html

Gary Paulsen:

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/about.html

Jordan Sonnenblick:

http://www.jordansonnenblick.com/

Jordan Sonnenblick: Scholastic

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/jordan-sonnenblick

Jerry Spinelli:

http://www.jerryspinelli.com/newbery_002.htm

Jerry Spinelli: Washington Post article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/06/AR2008060601257.html

Q&A with Jerry Spinelli:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06255/720954-369.stm

author

Hi Mrs. Buonomo's classes,

Here are general links for your author study. In the next post, you will find links to specific authors' sites. Please remember that we will NOT be counting Wikipedia, Wikianswers, Yahoo Answers, etc. as a source.

American Library Association: Awards Lists

http://ala.org/ala/awardsgrants/index.cfm

Book Browse: Author biographies:

http://www.bookbrowse.com/authors/allauthors/

Books for Boys:

http://us.penguingroup.com/static/packages/us/yreaders/books4boys/author.php

Children’s Authors and Illustrators on the Web:

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/authors.html

Scholastic Author Spotlight:

http://www.scholastic.com/kids/stacks/authors/all.htm

2/13 Nilsen (research)

Hi Mrs. Nilsen's classes,
Today we reviewed how to access and use the Points of View database. This is a GREAT resource- you should be able to find all of your articles in POV. As for websites, please start with the links below as they have been pre-approved. If you need to branch out and find other websites, please keep in mind that you WILL NOT be able to use Wikipedia as a source.

Middle School Debate topics: Research resources

http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.htm

Social Issues:

http://www.multcolib.org/homework/sochc.htm

Controversial Issue Starter links:

http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/persuasion/issues.html

Headliners: Student news stories:

http://www.headliners.org/storylibrary

Kids.gov (look under grades 6-8)

http://www.kids.gov/

Hot Topics:

http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Hot/hotindex.htm

Searchable newspaper articles:

http://headlinespot.com/cool/newssearch/#newspapers

Debatepedia:

http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Welcome_to_Debatepedia%21

Teen Health and the Media:

http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/

Food Insight: hot topics in food and nutrition

http://www.foodinsight.org/healthy-eating.aspx

2/8: Monro, Evaluating Websites

Hi Mrs. Monro's classes,

Today we took a closer look at how to examine websites. Here are the links you will need for your partner activity:






#1 Airport Security: http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0311600/Before911Page.htm

#2 Women and AIDS: http://www.ithaca.edu/library/research/AIDSFACTS.htm

#3 Hazardous Chemicals: http://www.mcwhortle.com/

#4: Christopher Columbus: http://allaboutexplorers.com/
Click on Explorers A-Z and then Christopher Columbus.

#5: The Holocaust: http://www.ibiblio.org/team/history/controversy/abutz/intro.html

2/6- Monro, Research papers

Hi Mrs. Monro's classes,

Below are some website links for you to begin your research. We will be discussing how to evaluate websites that you find on your own later in the week, so stick with these for today. If you need to branch out and find other websites, please keep in mind that you WILL NOT be able to use Wikipedia as a source.

Middle School Debate topics: Research resources

http://www.middleschooldebate.com/topics/topicresearch.htm

Social Issues:

http://www.multcolib.org/homework/sochc.htm

Controversial Issue Starter links:

http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/persuasion/issues.html

Headliners: Student news stories:

http://www.headliners.org/storylibrary

Kids.gov (look under grades 6-8)

http://www.kids.gov/

Hot Topics:

http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Hot/hotindex.htm

Searchable newspaper articles:

http://headlinespot.com/cool/newssearch/#newspapers

Debatepedia:

http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Welcome_to_Debatepedia%21

Teen Health and the Media:

http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/

Food Insight: hot topics in food and nutrition

http://www.foodinsight.org/healthy-eating.aspx