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Welcome Back Teachers!

Written by GretchenCaserotti on 08/30/2010

Welcome back to the new school year Darien Teachers!Back to school books and an apple on the teacher's desk in front of a blackboard

This summer has been a busy one for us. Your students were voracious readers and challenged our Reader's Advisory skills to find the perfect book for each reader for weeks on end! We had fun in our Summer Reading Program and we hope they did too.

Our hope with this section of our website is to share interesting links that we find with you that will support your work in the classroom. We think a lot about the 21st Century Learning Standards for students even though we are a public library and are always on the lookout for the best resources for our students.

In an effort to make sure that all students have equitable access to library resources (not just the early birds!), we have a feature we hope you will try out this year. On the upper right hand side of this page, you will see an Assignment Alert. This is a form you can use to alert us that you have given an assignment to your students so that we can have the resources available to meet your students' needs.

Growing Good Kids - Tuesday, August 31 at 11 AM

Written by claire on 08/28/2010

Join us for the August session of Growing Good Kids.

Tuesday, August 31 at 11 AM

August's Topic: Helping Toddlers Learn to Share

 

 

 

This program is a resource roundtable for caregivers at the Darien Library. Attendees can participate in an informal dialogue on childcare topics facilitated by Lauren Pote from Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut and Gretchen Pereyra, a Psychotherapist who is bilingual in Spanish.

 

Fall 1 Storytime Registration

Written by Anna on 08/15/2010

Storytime is for babies, toddlers and children up to age 6.

Register: Monday, August 16 - Tuesday, September 7

Session:  Monday, September 13 - Friday, October 15

Registered Storytimes are for children whose parents are Darien residents, employed in Darien full-time, or contributors to the Darien Library Annual Campaign at the $300 level.


How to Register

Register infants and 1-year-olds based on their ability to walk. 

Register 2-year-olds and up based on their age by September 27 (two weeks after storytime session begins).

Registration is online and a lottery.  Notification is Saturday, September 11, 2010.

Drop-in programs are listed on the Kids Calendar on the Events page

 

 

Click on the name of the storytime for which you'd like to register

Giggles and Rhymes for pre-walking babies and parent/caregiver

  • Monday 11 - 11:30 a.m.
  • Wednesday 11 - 11:30 a.m.

Born to Read for walkers up to 24 months and parent/caregiver

  • Wednesday 9:30 - 10 a.m.
  • Thursday 10:30 - 11 a.m.
  • Friday 10:30 - 11 a.m.

Side by Side for 2-year-olds and parent/caregiver

  • Tuesday 11:30 - Noon
  • Wednesday 10:30 - 11 a.m.
  • Thursday 9:30 - 10 a.m.

Totally Preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds

  • Tuesday 1:30 - 2 p.m.
  • Friday 9:30 - 10 a.m.
  • Friday 1:30 - 2 p.m.

Little Clickers technology class introduces computer skills and websites to 3 - 5-year-olds and a parent/caregiver.

  • Friday 10:30 - 11 a.m.

Bookworms for 5 and 6-year-olds

  • Tuesday 4:15 - 4:45 p.m.

Fall Registered Programs for Ages 7 to 12

Written by KieraP on 08/14/2010

Registration Information:

Registration begins Monday, August 16.

Parents will need a Library card to register.

Each program below is a series in which children attend all of the dates listed. Clcik on the link to fill out the registration form.

 

 

STORIES ON THE SPECTRUM

3 to 8-year-olds with a parent/caregiver.

A sensory-based storytime for children with autism spectrum disorders (or other sensory integration issues) and their families.  Register by the first meeting. 

Saturday 11 - 11:30 a.m.

September 11, October 9, November 6

 

NEWBERY VISIONARIES

9 to 12-year-olds.

Be a part of a monthly mock Newbery Award Committee!  Read, discuss, and vote on what you think will win in January 2011.  Register by the second meeting. 

Wednesday 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

September 15, October 13, November 10, December 8, January 5.

 

7, 8, CREATE!

7 and 8-year-olds.

No registration!  A weekly drop-in program featuring books, crafts, activities, and games. 

Wednesdays 4:15 - 4:45 p.m.

A Few Search Engines for Students

Written by Anna on 08/09/2010

School is starting soon!  Recently, the blog Free Technology for Teachers posted some search engines for students.

Some of the search engines mentioned were:

Sweet Search a committee of librarians and teachers have viewed and approved the websites.

Kid Rex uses Google's filters.

AskKids has it divided out into categories for kid-friendly use.

Google Scholar searches patents, and scholary journals for a bit older students.

To take a look at all the search engines mentioned, click here.

picture by flickr user kodomut

A Gorgeous Sleepytime!

Written by Anna on 07/20/2010

The awesome sleepytime storytime kids got into the book Call Me Gorgeous! as much as I did this week.  We decided to make our own gorgeous hybrid animal!

A few additional books that also encourage drawing after they've been read:

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

The OK Book

My Heart Is Like a Zoo

Little Blue and Little Yellow

Book Websites for Kids

Written by KieraP on 06/23/2010

Getting kids excited about reading is all about find that "just right" book. 

The Children's Librarians LOVE to help kids and parents find great new books to read.  You can stop in anytime for a personal consultation.  You can also check out our Online Booklists. 

Looking for even more book recommendations? 

Here are a bunch of great book websites for kids:

   

 

         

      

         

 

       

        

 

Finding Books in a Series

Written by Anna on 06/23/2010
Which book is missing from the series? :-) Picture by awinn233
Which book is missing from the series? :-) Picture by awinn233

Question:  Every wondered what book 26 is in the Geronimo Stilton series? 

Answer:  The Mummy with No Name

An easy place to find the answer is right here. 

A library in Missouri has organized tons of series!  It's pretty awesome; it contains over 29,000 children's books.

You can also use the database Novelist.  Find children's books similar to other books, their descriptions, and reviews of them too.  Have your library card handy.

Children's Summer Reading Clubs 2010

Written by Anna on 06/10/2010

Monday, June 21 - Friday, August 27 is Summer Reading for all ages! 

This year's theme is time travel:  Blast from the Past, Flash to the Future.

Sign up, and record any books/audiobooks you read over the summer.  Everyone who signs up chooses a free book to keep!  Click here for info about quests and prizes.

Sign up for Read to Me Club children in their first five years (little ones)

For every 10 books read together (up to 50 books,) write them in your Read to Me Log.  Visit the Children's Library to pick up your free book prizes.  Members are invited to the Princess Katie and Racer Steve Finale Concert.

Sign up for Summer Reading Club for kids reading on their own

Use your summer reading passport to keep track of books/audiobooks and participate in reading quests.  The quests will be online but, no hints yet!

July and August:  Each time you complete 2 quests and read 2 books/audiobooks bring your passport to the Children's Library and fill out your name for the raffle jar. Or log your quests online to be entered into the two raffles.  There are over 50 prizes. 

August:  Write 2 reviews in the catalog of any books you've read this summer.  You will earn a party pass to the Gordon Korman Finale Party.  

Check out all children's summer programs.

 

 

Watch a screencast about making a username on the Library's website.

Watch a screencast about writing a review in the Library's catalog.

Darien Public Schools Summer Reading

Written by KieraP on 06/01/2010

This summer it's  FREE READ for both elementary and middle school students in Darien.  Here's what you need to know:

For Darien Elementary students (Hindley, Holmes, Ox Ridge, Royle, Tokeneke) :

The schools do not have any required reading lists; children can choose any "just right" books they like. 

They might have created a list with their classroom teacher or school librarian. 

The children's librarians can assist you in finding those books as well as recommending others.  

 

For Middlesex students:

Read 3 books of your choice.  Each book should be a different genre.  (For example, science fiction, mystery, realistic fiction, non-fiction.)  Click HERE for detailed information regarding the Middlesex requirements.

For incoming 6th graders: Pick at least one of your 3 books and write a review on the Darien Library website.

For incoming 7th and 8th graders: For each book, complete a book form (available here.)

For Advanced English students: In addition to your 3 free choice books, also read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, for a total of 4 books.  Complete a book form for all 4 books.

 

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