The Batson Hewitt, Jr. Library - Trident Academy

The Batson Hewitt, Jr. Library

Ms. Mary M. Silgals, Librarian
(843) 884-7046
Email:  Ms. Silgals
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  • Welcome to the Trident Academy Library Web Page.

    For current library news and events please visit us often.

    Last updated October 31, 2005



    Scholastic Fall Book Fair - October 19-27

    Thanks to all those who came to the library to support the bookfair. The annual fund raiser supports many of the library programs.

    Thanks also to Leslie Heath, Jennifer Schmidt, Linda Taylor, and Patty Lewin who assisted during the book fair in setting-up, helping students with their selections, and breaking down the book fair at its end.

    Special thanks to all the Middle School Library Club members who volunteered this year during their lunch period. They kept the shelves in order, helped write up wish lists for the younger students, and calculated wish list totals.

    The special half-price Scholastic book fair will be held in April. Exact dates will be posted here at a later date.




    Special Thanks from the Librarian

    Special thanks to Johnson Holliday and his family for donating Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third book-on-tape of the Harry Potter series, to the library in honor of his birthday.

    Parents and students have discovered the library's collection of books-on-tape. Several student and parents are taking advantage of those long morning and afternoon commutes by checking-out the books-on-tape from the library for the drive. Other students have found audio books are helpful in completing reading assignments.

    The library has over 75 books-on-tape from lower school to upper school reading levels. They are stored in handy caring cases along with the book so students can follow along with the audio. They may be checked-out for an initial two-week period. Come by the library to see what is available. In the near future, an inventory list will be linked here.




    The Lower School Library News - First Nine Weeks

    Here are few of the things we have been doing these first nine weeks in the library:

    Primary students were delighted by the special visit of the author and illustrator of Mr. Gator’s Up the Creek during their library class. (See the following write-up about the author's visit). The students were introduced to the library and a series of books by Mike Thaler when they listened to the Librarian from the Black Lagoon, and watched the Principal from the Black Lagoon. Other activities this period: Students watched as the librarian read and performed Robert Munsch’s story of what happens when students begin copying each other, as in Stephanie’s Ponytail. Students compared the classic tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes to the Principal’s New Clothers by Stephanie Calmenson. Other authors introduced were: Eric Carle and Audrey Wood.

    Second and third grade students were introduced to fold and cut stories. This technique involves cutting a pattern as a story is being told which produces an object by the end of the story. Students created a lighthouse by following the pattern as I told the story about where a little boy’s father worked. Some of the books that they have heard read or viewed this quarter include: Goodnight Gorilla, King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub, Jubal’s Wish, Make Way for Ducklings, Strega Nona, and Sylvester’s Pebble.

    Third grade students in my Wednesday class have been listening to The Whipping Boy, by Sid Fleischman. They have also compared two recipes in literature, one for Stone Soup, as told by Marcia Brown, and one for Mouse Soup, as told by Arnold Lobel.

    Fourth grade students have been busy earning genre badges for their caps. Seven students have earned their caps. Each week a new genre is discussed and the students are becoming more familiar with determining a book’s genre. Some of the genres that have been reviewed are: Poetry, Biography, Folklore, and Fantasy. For more information on genres: Literature Genres.

    Fifth grade students worked on library skills and meeting some of the children's popular authors the first nine weeks. Some of the activities included: Mapping out the library. Students drew a diagram of the library, and in great detail, located all the different types of resources in the library. Students worked on dictionary skills and used guide words to locate words in the dictionary. The video Tomes and Talismans reviewed how to locate books by using the card catalog and dewey decimal system. Meet an author - Roald Dahl: Students visited Roald Dahl's web site to hear about his books and hear him talk about being an author. Students were introduced to Richard Peck and watched part of his video from the book Holes.



    OCTOBER READING COUNTS RECOGNITION

    Each month students in the lower school are awarded certificates for participating in the Reading Counts program. Students in grades 1-3 are given certificates based upon the number of books read. Students in grades 4-6 are given certificates based upon the number of points earned.

    The following students received certificates at the celebration assemblies held on October 13 for reaching Reading Counts award levels.


    3 Books
    Caroline Lista, Demetrius Holden

    5 Books
    Etta Elliott



    Author and Illustrator Visit Trident Students in the Library

    Julie McLaughlin, author, and Ann Marie McKay, illustrator, visited lower school students to present their newest collaboration, Mr. Gator's Up the Creek. The local author read the book to the students and presented a puppet play. The illustrator brought her original artwork and talked to the students about how she collaborates with the author to create the drawings for their books. The library received an autographed copy of Mr. Gator's Up the Creek.

    For more information on the author and illustrator, visit their web page Mr. Gator.



    Harry Potter Strikes Again

    In July, students, parents, and teachers anxiously awaited the release of the 6th book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowlings, The Half-Blood Prince. This fall when Trident Academy students check out any book from the Harry Potter series from the school library, they will receive a special edition Harry Potter bookmark. Also, to celebrate the arrival of the sixth book, students who read any of the Harry Potter series will receive a Harry Potter baseball cap. Students who finish reading a Harry Potter book are to pick up a validation form to take to his/her parent to be signed to receive a cap.




    Fourth Grade Incentive Program

    Fourth grade students participated in a special reading incentive program during the 2004-05 school year. Since the programs was so successful, it will be repeated this year. Fourth grade students will study the different literature genres. After reading two selections from each genre, a student will receive a badge. After reading two selections from five different genres, a student will receive a baseball cap with the badges attached. We will start with Picture Books. Each student keeps a record of his/her reading selections in a special folder by placing stickers on it that match the badge for each genre. The badges will be awarded, as they are earned, at the lower school celebration assemby each month. For more information on genres: Literature Genres.


    Summer Reading at Trident Academy

    Summer reading was great fun for the fifteen first through fifth-grade children who attended the library summer reading program. The theme of the program this year was "Pirates." Each student received a pirate chest journal to keep track of the books he/she read this summer. Students participated in playing games and received prizes, stickers, and snacks. Students listened to several books on pirates during story time and one day were treated to the Muppet Pirates movie. The pirate tattoos worn by the students were definitely a favorite. The program ran for six weeks, June 16 through July 21 on Thursdays for approximately an hour. Students checked out books or books-on-tape to read to earn stickers for their journals. At the end of the program, students received a certificate of participation.

    If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at Trident Academy.

    Summer reading lists and instructions are available on the library grid. Or click here: Summer Reading Lists



    Box Tops for Education

  • Box Tops for Education
  • This is the library's fourth year for collecting Box Tops for Education. Over $500 has been raised for the library. The proceeds have been used to sponsor author/illustrator visits, support the two library clubs, and to provide additional materials for the library's collection.

    Each Box Top is worth 10 cents. Collecting Box Tops is a simple way to earn money for the library. Please have your student bring clipped Box Tops to the library or place them in the Box Top collection bin at the front doors of the library. Also, indicate on the envelop/baggie/container your student's name. To learn more about the Box Tops for Education program and what products carry the Box Top label, click on the link provided above.

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    Did You Know?

  • Quotes from Successful People Who Overcame Learning Disabilities - See how many names you recognize. Contributed by Mrs. Betsy Fanning.
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  • Discus - South Carolina Virtual Library
  • Discus access is available to all parents, teachers, and students at school and at home. Please contact Mrs. Silgals for the passcode.

    This is a wonderful free resource from the South Carolina Library and includes many searchable data bases too numerous to mention. I would urge all students and parents to explore what is available at Discus. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about these free resources.

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