Library
- Overview
- Meet Your School Librarians
- About Your School Libraries
- BCSD Library Online Resources
- BCSD Professional Resources
- BCSD Libraries Summer Reading
Overview
BCSD Library Guide -- News & Information
In 12 days, 10 hours and 20 minutes, millions of people will celebrate the 13th annual World Read Aloud Day. On this day, global attention is given to the importance of reading and sharing stories. This year World Read Aloud day will be on February 2, 2022 with live events, virtual reading aloud and more. To participate in this event, please visit Lit.Org World Read Aloud Day.
I am excited to share with you my project that happened at Big Creek Elementary Library in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. I was recently chosen to be the April 2021 recipient for the Rosen Publishing Ohio School Librarian of the Month. This award is an honor to receive and I am very appreciative to the committee for selecting my project.
The Rosen Publishing Ohio School Librarian of the Month Award focuses on one librarian who demonstrates a project/lesson that enriches student’s learning. This was achieved through my project/lesson titled: Celebrating the Caldecott Award.
At Big Creek Elementary Library, students in Kindergarten-3rd Grade participated in a 4-week series of activities focused on the Caldecott Medal and the importance of illustrations as a part of telling a story. Kindergarten students learned the history of the Caldecott Award and generated their own award while the other grade levels utilized resources such as BookFlix through INFOhio to read past Caldecott winners. Lastly, I collaborated with the Cuyahoga County Public Library children's librarians who created a series of videos of their nominations for the 2021 Caldecott Award.
This was a fun lesson to do with the elementary students. The ability to do an in-person and hands-on lesson with the students after being both Hybrid and Remote due to Covid was a welcome change of pace. Having the students physically see the illustrations and read the Caldecott books was very beneficial to this lesson. Furthermore, the students loved the book bins filled with Caldecott books and often checked them out for pleasure reading.
One of the major successes of this unit of study was that the students gained an appreciation of literature and learned that the illustrations are a critical part to the understanding of a story. Also, the students discovered new stories and checked out several Caldecott books. Furthermore, they went on to investigate more titles or sequels of Caldecott winners or other books by the same author/illustrator. Overall, the unit of study helped the students realize the importance of illustrations to a story.
The pandemic has changed many ways schools provide educational services to students. The school library has also experienced many changes too. A part of this process is adding more digital resources to our library for students.
This year both Berea Midpark High School and Berea Midpark Middle School students have access to a variety of digital books and resources. In addition to the databases that we currently subscribe to along with Infoho, the school library has added digitial books and digital audio books for students. Mackin VIA and Junior Library Guild Digital are now available for students to read and/or listen to books. Both have a variety of digital resources including fiction, non fiction and audio books that students can read on their chromebooks or if they choose download an app from the Apple and/or Google store to read on their devices. Access information is available by contacting Mrs. Schmuhl @gschmuhl@bereaschools.org.
Below are links to the two newsest digital collections for middle and high school students. The librarians are currently reviewing digital resources for our elementary students and should be adding these in the near future.
InfOhio Early Learning Portal provides quality digital learning for ages three through 5 for both parents and educators. The content was carefully selectedby educators and librarians using a rubric aligned to the Ohio Early Learning Standards. There is content for eductors working with pre-schoolers and their parents. Parents can click on the link to find resources and tips that they can use with their pre-schooler. This content is divided into 5 content areas: Brain Building, Dance Play Move, Feelings & Friends, Read Write Talk Sing, and Steps to School. By clicking on Brain Building, I located resources that will help your youngster learn critical thinking and master fine motor skills. Educators will find content divided into 5 areas including Cognitive and General Knowledge, Approaches toward Learning, Physical Well Being and Motor Development, Language and Literacy Development and Social Emotional. To learning more or to explore this resource, please check out the links below:
Early Learning Portal -- check with your school librarian for username/password assistance
Early Learning Portal Choice Board
Early Learning Portal Paren't Guide
Virtual Summer Camp Offerings for Students
Are your students bored at home? Are you in need of finding some interesting activities that they can pursue online? There are many virtual summer camp offering to students that are free. They offer students a chance to learn and explore without leaving the comfort and safety of their home. Below are some opportunities for students in all grades.
Story Online Summer Camp -- Invites K-4th grade kids to hike over to our virtual campsite and read a story or write one of your own to share! Come check it out!
Camp Wonderopolis -- free STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts, and math—programs
MOCA Summer Camps -- Campers will be introduced to mixed media, painting, drawing, and textile arts during these fun workshops held via Zoom, and led by professional art instructors. Final projects will be featured in a virtual exhibition on MOCA’s website.
Destinations Academy Free Summer Camps for High Schoolers -- Are you interested in computers? Starting your own business? Working in the healthcare field? This summer, rising 9th–11th graders can earn 0.5 high school credit while exploring the wide variety of high-demand careers in one these tuition-free online summer school courses
Reading Rockets Start with a Book -- Start with a book ... for a summer full of reading and learning!
Met Opera Summer Camp at Home -- Operatic adventures, including a link to watch the free opera stream (starting on Wednesday), an overview of each day’s activities and how to access them, and a list of all the materials you’ll need to participate in these activities.
Camp at Home -- ow available, CAMP@HOME with UNICEF Kid Power® features 75+ short videos (sports, crafts, cooking, campfire songs and more) that inspire kids to “press play” on-screen, then “go play” off-screen. As kids have fun and learn new skills, they’ll also make a global and local impact!
Camp YouTube -- e're bringing the fun of summer camp to families at home with #CampYouTube. Check out our STEM, Arts, Sports, and Adventure themed camps to learn new skills, stay active, and explore the world together. Come back daily for updates! Families can also download #CampYouTube bingo boards and cross off camp activities they complete.
Commonsense Media Online Camps Fill Kids' Summer with Learning Adventures - Virtual camps and classes offer a wide variety of enrichment to keep kids busy, learning, and having fun while practicing safe social distancing.
Not interested in a virtual camping experience! No problem, you can gain the camping experience by reading one of these great books listed below.
As the Crow Flies, by Melanie Gillman (Iron Circus, 2017)
Gr 6 Up–Camp Three Peaks is a religious summer camp whose leader is a determined feminist; the weeklong camp centers on a 50-mile hike to the top of a mountain where, in the 19th century, the local women had a religious revelation. Charlie, who is Black and queer, immediately feels unsafe there, but she is determined to stick it out and mostly keeps her feelings to herself. As she moves through the landscape, she sees the blind spots of the leaders but also makes friends and engages with her own doubts. While this story offers a lot of food for thought, it’s also anticlimactic as the graphic novel ends before the girls reach their goal. The story continues as a webcomic on Gillman’s website.
Be Prepared, by Vera Brosgol (First Second, 2018)
Gr 4-9–Vera, a Russian immigrant, is both poorer than and culturally different from her classmates, and she can’t seem to fit in no matter how hard she tries. When she finds out that the Russian Orthodox church runs a sleepaway camp for first-generation Russian children, she persuades her mother to let her and her brother go. Camp gets off to a rough start: Vera doesn’t know the routines, the other kids are aloof, and she’s horrified by the outhouse. Everything she does ends up as a disaster until, thanks to an act of kindness, she finds a friend and a purpose. Brosgol is a gifted artist, and her story, which is part memoir and part fiction, is filled with expressive characters, cute animals, and self-deprecating humor.
Camp, by Kayla Miller (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2019)
Gr 3-7–Camp is Miller’s follow-up to the hugely popular Click; the third graphic novel in the series, Act, came out in June. Camp manages to be both simple and subtle at the same time. The story is straightforward: Olive, the main character, and her friend Willow go to summer camp together, and friction occurs because Olive is making new friends while Willow only wants to hang out with Olive. This gets resolved with a bit of drama and some empathy and support from the counselors, but what really sets Miller’s storytelling apart—and makes this a true graphic novel—is the nonverbal communication. She often has wordless sequences that last for pages, and whether there is dialogue in the panel or not, Miller skillfully portrays the characters’ feelings through their facial expressions. Camp is also a good introduction to the culture of summer camp for younger readers, as this is one book where everything is explained and the counselors stay on top of things.
Camp Midnight, vol. 1, by Steven T. Seagle & Jason Adam Katzenstein (Image, 2016)
Camp Midnight, vol. 2: Camp Midnight vs. Camp Daybright, by Steven T. Seagle & Jason Adam Katzenstein (Image, 2019)
Gr 3-7–Skye, a strong-willed, sassy, almost-teenage girl, accidentally ends up at a camp full of literal monsters in the first volume of Camp Midnight. She not only has to conceal her lack of monster-ness, she also has to contend with the usual camp stuff, including mean girls, a strangely clingy friend, and a cute guy (who is actually a werewolf). It all works out in the end, and in the second volume, she is looking forward to returning but instead is sent to Camp Daylight, a boringly pleasant human camp. Rather than accept her situation, Skye tries to change it, but ultimately her loyalties are tested when the two camps, Midnight and Daylight, compete against each other in a sort of camp Olympics. Seagle is one of the creators of Ben 10 and other animated cartoons, and these two graphic novels have a cartoony, over-the-top feel to them, mixing sight gags and witty comebacks with serious themes including blended families, unequal friendships, and even death. Katzenstein’s lively art is a perfect match for Seagle’s storytelling. Both books are colorful, fast-paced, and laugh-out-loud funny, ideal for a stay-at-home summer afternoon.
Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom, by Terry Blas, Molly Muldoon, & Matthew Seely (Oni, 2018)
Gr 7 Up–This fun take on the mystery genre has a diverse cast, sharp humor, and a lot of heart. Jesse Delacruz is spending the summer at a weight loss camp because her parents are making her; she thinks she looks just fine and is more interested in fashion than fitness. When she sneaks out for a midnight nosh, though, she and another camper witness a murder, and they recruit a few friends to help them solve it. The cast is diverse in every way, including their body types and their motivations for being at the camp, and as a result, Dead Weight offers witty, insightful takes on body image, family life, and stereotypes.
Lumberjanes: Campfire Songs, by Shannon Watters et al. (BOOM! Box, May 2020)
Gr 4-7—You can’t write about camping comics without mentioning the Lumberjanes, whose endless summer at Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types has been going on since the first issue came out in 2014. This book is a collection of short stories that originally appeared in the comics: The Lumberjanes meet up with faeries, vegetal kittens, and other supernatural types as they plan events and earn new badges. The stories are by different creators and the art style and character designs vary a bit, but they all have the cartoony energy that has been a hallmark of the series since the beginning.
Lumberjanes: The Shape of Friendship, by Lilah Sturgis and polterink (BOOM! Box, 2019)
Gr 4-7–This is the second of three original graphic novels by Sturgis and the singly-named polterink, and like the first, Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass, this book is drawn in a more naturalistic style that uses soft grays and a single color (pink in this case, green for the first book). In this story, the Lumberjanes encounter supernatural creatures, the Pookas, who are super-cute but mischievous shape-shifters. When the Pookas hear about the Lumberjanes’ awesome camp, they take the girls’ shapes, lock them up in their cave, and head off to take their places at camp. Their long-suffering counselor, Jen, is fooled at first but quickly realizes something is amiss when her charges start acting like perfect campers instead of going off on tangents and blowing things up. The final book by Sturgis and polterink, True Colors, will be out in October 2020
Check out Cuyahoga County Library to locate and borrow these books for your student and/or purchase from Amazon or any online book store.
From SLJ by Brigid Alverson, Editor of the “Good Comics for Kids” blog, writes “Stellar Panels” SLJ’s graphic novels column.
Meet Your School Librarians
Meet Your School District Librarians
Brook Park Elementary School
Mrs. Katina Anagnostou
Big Creek Elementary School
Mrs. Gayle Brusk
Grindstone Elementary School
Mrs. Deb Talbott-Miller
About Your School Libraries
About Your School Libraries
Each school building has a school library staffed by a licensed, certified school librarian who works with a trained library assistant to meet the reading and informational needs of every student. The library has a collection of materials which are age-appropriate and curriculum related to each student's level and encourages reading. In addition, every school library has a variety of technology and online resources to help students with their school work and learn 21st-century skills. Below are links to each school library's website and online public catalog.
Links to District School Libraries
BCSD Library Online Resources
Check out all the online resources available to BCSD students, parents and staff.
Big Creek, Brook Park & Grindstone Elementary Library Media Centers
Berea Midpark Middle School Library Media Center Online Resources
Gale in Context for Middle School
Berea Midpark High School Library Media Center Online Resources
Listed below are online resources students can use to locate information for their research assignments.
BMHS Lib Guides - list by subject area of useful websites, databases, and resources for research.
SPECIAL LIBGUIDE ENGLISH 3 BARTLETT -- SOUTHERN GOTHIC LITERATURE
SPECIAL LIBGUIDE ENGLISH 1020 & 162 -- PAPAS LAST RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT
SPECIAL LIBGUIDE PAPAS HUMANITIES -- PAPAS HUMANITES FINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT
SPECIAL LIBGUIDE PAPAS COLLEGE PREP ENG -- PAPAS EVALUATION ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
INFOHIO Grades 9-12 - lists all databases useful to high school students with descriptions. Use ISearch to search all databases at once and the BMHS Library Catalog.
Gale Databases - main menu with descriptions of each database
ABC CLIO Databases - main menu with descriptions of each database
Noodletools- use to create your MLA 8 works cited page, citations, note cards and research project.
To start using NoodleTools, students must click the REGISTER button. The student will be prompted for the subscription username/password at that point. See Library Staff for subscription username/password.
BCSD Staff Library Media Center Online Resources
BCSD Professional Resources
BCSD Curriculum Library has over 300 professional books ready for staff members to use. They can be requested by emailing Tammy Corrigan. Just indicate title and the materials requested will be sent to your school. Materials can be checked out for a long as needed. Many items are in sets with multiple copies perfect for any group wishing to do a book study project.
Link To BCSD Curriculum Library Catalog
Link to BCSD Curriculum Library Spreadsheet
BCSD Libraries Summer Reading
BCSD Librarians Recommend Summer Reading Lists from ALA Association for Library Service to Children
The book selections below are suggestions to parents for their students to read over the summer vacation. Students should be allowed free choice when choosing their reading materials to create excitement and interest in reading. Research shows that students who read just 4 books over the summer maintain reading achievement or even progress. Encourage your student to read each day for as little as 20 minutes. Make it a family event by going to the library and checking out books, audio books or graphic novels to read with your students. Below are recommended summer reading lists from the ALA Association for Library Service to Children by grade level for parents to help select books for their students. These books can be found at your local Cuyahoga County Library branch or most book stores.