Our Fun & Games Week

Have you seen the popper fidgets?  I spotted a game version on Zulily, and it's been a hit in the library.  

It's been interesting to learn the various grades' response to the library.  The preschool through second grade love coming to the library.  They're excited about getting books.  They like story time and crafts.  

The 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade classes, you start to see who likes reading and who does not.  I've really been enjoying these classes, because they're well behaved, and more engaged with what I have to say.  

The middle school and high school kids are much harder to herd.  I've read fun poetry (Shel Silverstein).  I've done Mad Libs.  I've tried passing out books for everyone to read from for 5 minutes and then switch to a new book.  I've read aloud from an adventure book.  They don't seem to like any of these, although Mad Libs was almost acceptable.  

Worksheets are met with, "Are we getting graded for this?!"  I've taken to bringing in things I hope might keep them entertained for a bit.  Games, art, toys, etc.  My hope that we'd have meaningful discussion about books seems to have been a fantasy.  I have a few readers in each class, but mostly, it's not "cool" to pay attention, participate, check books out, etc.  I'm not sure how to reach these guys yet.  

Ages ago, someone sent me a link to sign the girls up for stuffies with limb differences from Nub Tribe.  I had forgotten all about it, honestly.  This week, a squishy package arrived with a purple hippo for Katie and a pink one for Hannah.  

Miss Hannah also got her NEW LEG this week.  I think this was the fastest turnaround time ever from casting to delivery.  Paul took the girls to this visit, which was a huge blessing to me.  It usually takes several visits to complete a leg, so I was very surprised when he came home with Hannah's old leg, and no Hannah (he dropped them off at school).  

Jack was the yellow pieces.  We played a couple quick rounds while dinner was cooking.  We each won once.  

I've started to autumn-ify the library.  It's not totally level, but I'm working around a piano, so I'm calling it good enough.  Text & pennants by Crikey, garland from Hobby Lobby, twine I found in our gardening supplies.  

Out with the animal print shelf markers, in with the leaf print ones.  

The shelves are looking a little bare right now.  We've got over 150 books checked out right now.  

After taking 3 weeks to do the puppy book/craft with the kindergarten & first grade kids, I decided to go much more simple for the preschoolers.  They glued the puppy onto the page and some of them wrote their names at the bottom.  

Another new book order from Library & Educational Services.  I try to keep my spending to under $4 bucks a book, so I was thrilled to find a place with lots of $2 and $2.50 books.  I've got an order on the way from there.  Anyone else notice that shipping seems to be taking longer these days?  I've gotten so spoiled with almost instant Amazon deliveries.  

Library lions!  Another kindergarten/first grade project.  As a homeschooler, projects take as long as they take, and that's okay.  In the library, I get them for a certain amount of time, and then they have to move on.  I'm still figuring out what we can realistically accomplish in that amount of time.  

Good news on the Fi front.  Instead of Fiona chasing Grumman all the time, we're starting to see Grumman chase Fiona, too.  They're starting to coexist a little better.