My Grandfather's Clock

Hear the song and read the story behind the piece "My Grandfather's Clock" from the previous post.

It has started!

The annual Book Week "We All Speak Music" has started. Yesterday morning we had an Opening Ceremony where ISE Director Ms.Naglee said the welcoming words. ISE Staff Handbell ensemble presented a short musical story "My Grandfather´s Clock" by Henry Clay Work. ISE music teacher Ms. Karolina told us about stories music tell and helped Grade 1 students perform their musical number. Join us to celebrate music, stories, books and reading.

We chose to play "My Grandfather's Clock" to show the audience that stories can be told through music. Later we shared the story behind that popular song with our students. I would like to tell it to you also, a bit spooky and eerie perhaps...
The story is from Style Savvy "The Grandfather’s Clock: Inspired by Ghost Stories" blog post.

The song “Grandfather’s Clock”was  written by Henry Clay Work in 1876, approximately 140 years ago. Grandfather’s clocks might not even have a name if it weren't for a British hotel, a popular American song, and the deaths of two brothers. 

But let’s start at the beginning: In the nineteenth century large floor clocks were simply known as tall or long case clocks, sometimes even called coffin clocks. 

In 1876, an American composer named Henry Clay Work published a song called “Grandfather’s Clock,” about an elderly man and his beloved clock, which stopped ticking the moment he died. The song became highly popular and influenced people to start describing their tall case clocks as “Grandfather’s Clocks” instead.

Now it gets good: Henry Clay Work didn't exactly just make up the song. He was inspired to write it after a peculiar visit to the George Hotel, in England. In the hotel entrance there was a big polished case clock that no longer worked. Thinking it odd to save a clock that didn’t function, Mr. Work inquired about the piece of furniture. The hotel workers gave him the following story:

Two brothers operated the George Hotel during the 1820s. The hotel’s parlor case clock was notorious for keeping on the dot time (actually a very unusual characteristic for clocks of that era). One day, one of the brothers met an unfortunate death, leaving the other alone to run the hotel. 

After the first brother’s death, the clock slowly lost time – a few minutes at first, but soon it was losing an hour every day. Clocksmith after clocksmith was brought in to repair it, but all their efforts had no effect on the fast paced timepiece. They eventually gave up fixing it, leaving the clock to speed through time at its own rate.

Some years later, the other brother also passed away. At the hour of his death, the hands of the clock stopped ticking, and they have been still ever since.

The bemused Work thought it was a great story.  Being a song writer, he then wrote a song – a story in music - about the incident.

 Here is the first verse:

My grandfather’s clock was too large for the shelf, So it stood ninety years on the floor; 

It was taller by half than the old man himself, Though it weighed not a pennyweight more. 

It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born, And was always his treasure and pride; 

But it stopp’d short – never to go again – When the old man died.

To learn more that's happening during the week visit ISE Annual Book Week page

Happy New, 2012 -2013, School Year!

I' d like to say a warm welcome to all our students and their families, old and new. I hope you had a relaxing yet exiting summer holiday, and managed to find a moment, even a brief one, to read a book.

This summer I personally explored e-books and magazines. I find it fascinating to be able to carry a small library (in one's mobile reading device) in a bag and for instance take it on a plane. However, enjoying a leisure book on the beach or cuddling up in an armchair with a suspense novel, my preference remains with the old-fashioned printed volume. 

At ISE we are looking into ways to introduce e-books into our library collection for studying and leisure reading purposes.

I am looking forward to see all the students in the library during their designated class time as well as at other times. 

With PYP students, even the youngest ones, we will  share stories and explore the library, learning where to find answers to our questions.

For the very first time we are glad to offer Information studies class in middle school. This is a weekly class to improve students' information literacy skills, understanding research cycle, and allowing time for in-depth research.

Please find below some reading suggestion for the beginning of school:

Billy and the Big New School by Laurence Anholt, Bad Boris Goes to School by Susie Jenkins-Pearce, The Brand New Kid by Katie Courice for elementary students.

Funny books like Pippi Goes to School by Astrid Lindgren, Junie B. Jones, Ramona, Marvin Redpost and Wayside School stories will be a big hit among upper elementary students.

Popular books from Diary of the Wimpy Kid and Harry Potter series will amuse older students.

Library reflections

It's time again to think about and reflect on our learning.

What kind of a student am I?
What are some of the new and interesting things I have found out about?
How can this new information or skill be helpful?
What did I enjoy most and why?

The first round of reflection for portfolios and student-led conferences are completed.
I'd love to share with you what students have learned and said about their library and information studies.

Preschool
With our smallest students we have been reading lift-the-flap stories during Library classes. Students have been enthusiastic helping the teacher open the flaps and discovering little surprises hidden underneath. They showed creativity and cooperation while completing their very own lift-the-flap book of "Dear Zoo".

Reception

Students explored the student profile quality of caring while discussing in depth how to take care of a book. Now, the Reception class students are eager readers, and love to choose and take books home for free reading.

Grade 1

Students have been learning about library. We have been looking at different areas and activities in the library, and talked about the role of a librarian. They were enthusiastic and curious during class discussions, and showed commitment while writing about their favorite library activity.

Grade 2

In library class we learned that people read stories for entertainment and knowledge. Students greatly enjoyed the humorous stories shared during library class. They were enthusiastic and creative during class discussions, and while creating humorous pictures as story extensions.

Grade 34

In the library Grade 34 students learned nonfiction book elements and bibliography. We know that a content book or a book of information has many parts. Each part of a book can help you to get different information. We also talked about what is a bibliography and why do we need to write one for our research paper. This unit was taught in collaboration with Grade 34 UOI What’s up Down There and language arts unit on nonfiction text elements.

Grade 5

During Library classes we have been learning how libraries offer easy-to-use resources when researching a topic for a school report, discussing advantages of doing research at the library, and evaluating the importance of various library resources. Students created posters with catchy phrases reminding other students to consider the library when doing research. Posters were displayed throughout the school.

Letting the holiday spirit in the library

This is the view out from my library window and here is a reading recommendation for a snowy day:

"Snow is My Favourite and My Best" by Lauren Child

The weatherman has predicted snow, and Lola absolutely cannot wait. She just loves snow. "Why can’t it be winter ALL the time?" she asks her brother. But on an adventure to the Arctic, Charlie shows Lola why never-ending snow might not be so perfect for kids. How could Lola go swimming or wear her favorite stripe-y party dress if it were always cold?

In this book, Lauren Child brilliantly and hilariously captures every-kid feelings and emotions—this time about the magical first snowfall of the year.

Product Description, amazon.com

Check it out from the library!

In case you love Charlie and Lola see the video Snow is My Favourite and My Best.

Aren't you just as excited about the snow as Lola?

Check it out!

Come to the library to find and check out the new additions to our collection.
Below are some of the brand new titles added this school year. Many have received starred reviews and several awards, and are part of ALA Notable/Best Books lists.

The lion & the mouse /Pinkney, Jerry. Caldecott Medal 2010

Horn Book starred (March, 2010) By retelling Aesop's fable entirely in his signature pencil and watercolor art, Pinkney encourages closer exploration of the pleasing detail with which he amplifies it. On every page, this beautiful book suggests even more than it tells about its real setting, and about that fabulous world where rescues may happen between lion and mouse. An artist's note is appended.

When you reach me /Stead, Rebecca. Newbery Medal 2010

Horn Book starred (March, 2010) Sixth grader Miranda's life is an ordinary round of family and school. But when she starts receiving anonymous notes that seem to foretell the future, it's clear that all is not as it seems. The story's revelations are startling and satisfying but quietly made. Their reverberations give plenty of impetus for readers to go back and catch what was missed.

PRESCHOOL

Chicken Little /Emberley, Rebecca.

How to clean your room /Spinelli, Eileen.

Let's do nothing! /Fucile, Tony.

Little Oink /Rosenthal, Amy Krouse

Otis /Long, Loren.

Read it, don't eat it! /Schoenherr, Ian.

Spoon /Rosenthal, Amy Krouse.

The clever stick /Lechner, John,

The curious garden /Brown, Peter,

The lion & the mouse /Pinkney, Jerry.

The OK book /Rosenthal, Amy Krouse.

What's wrong with my hair? /Kitamura, Satoshi

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Al Capone shines my shoes /Choldenko, Gennifer,

Cirque du Freak /Shan, Darren.

Coraline /Gaiman, Neil

Ghostgirl /Hurley, Tonya.

Heck: where the bad kids go /Basye, Dale E.

Moribito /Uehashi, Nahoko.

The chronicles of Vladimir Tod /Brewer, Heather.

UPPER SCHOOL

Beautiful creatures /Garcia, Kami.

Hate list /Brown, Jennifer,

Liar /Larbalestier, Justine.

The girl who played with fire /Larsson, Stieg,

The girl with a dragon tattoo /Larsson, Stieg,

The last song /Sparks, Nicholas.

Wintergirls /Anderson, Laurie Halse.

Check it out!

Check out the following books available at ISE Library.

Preschool
Maybe a Bear Ate It! by Robie Harris
At bedtime, a young "boy" who cannot find his favorite book imagines the various creatures that might have taken it from him.

Booklist starred (December 15, 2007 (Vol. 104, No. 8))

Preschool-Grade 2. The story is familiar: a child’s precious possession is lost, causing all kinds of angst. In this version, the art is the story, with just a few well-chosen words to emphasize or clarify what’s happening in the pictures. A whiskered critter (possibly a kitty) clad in striped pajamas (even his ears and tail are covered) is ready for bed. He climbs among his blankets with his book and his stuffed toys, which include a bat, a shark, and a bear. He opens his book and reads, a look of total rapture on his face. But in the midst of a yawn, the book disappears. Chewing on the corner of his blankie, he mourns its loss. Has it been stolen by a bat? Swallowed by a shark? Eaten by a bear? What really happened, as children will discover, is not nearly as exotic. Plain white backgrounds allow Emberley, who obviously knows how toddlers move and react, to concentrate closely on his character, whose every beautifully calibrated movement and feeling blasts out across the page. The picture of the kitty gleefully skipping across an empty white expanse with found book in hand is priceless. Even adults will be hard pressed not to smile. Pair with Mo Willems’ Knuffle Bunny books.

Lower School
My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco
After losing running, climbing, throwing, and burping competitions to her obnoxious older brother, a young girl makes a wish on a falling star.

Booklist (Vol. 91, No. 2 (September 15, 1994))

Ages 5-8. Polacco's story of her childhood rivalry with her brother Richard harks back to growing up with grandparents in Union City, Michigan, and catches competition at gut level. Her grandmother, Bubbie, whom readers will recognize from other Polacco books, doesn't seem to know how rotten Richard is. Polacco conveys the passionate intensity of conflict--trying to pick more berries, eat more rhubarb, and stay on the merry-go-round longer--as well as the abiding love beneath it. The figures of the children are intense and full of motion, and the facial expressions are beautifully accomplished. Surrounding it all are Babushka-clad Bubbie's comforting love and warm hugs.

Middle School
The Invention of Hugo Cabaret by Brian Selznick
When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.

Horn Book starred (September, 2007)

Over a sequence of twenty-one double-page wordless, illustrated spreads, a story begins. The tale that follows is a lively one, involving the dogged Hugo, his ally Isabelle, an automaton that can draw pictures, and a stage magician turned filmmaker. The interplay between the illustrations and text is complete genius, and themes of secrets, dreams, and invention play lightly but resonantly throughout.

Upper School
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel--a youn g German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors.

Kirkus Review starred (January 15, 2006)

When Death tells a story, you pay attention. Liesel Meminger is a young girl growing up outside of Munich in Nazi Germany, and Death tells her story as "an attempt-a flying jump of an attempt-to prove to me that you, and your human existence, are worth it." When her foster father helps her learn to read and she discovers the power of words, Liesel begins stealing books from Nazi book burnings and the mayor's wife's library. As she becomes a better reader, she becomes a writer, writing a book about her life in such a miserable time. Liesel's experiences move Death to say, "I am haunted by humans." How could the human race be "so ugly and so glorious" at the same time? This big, expansive novel is a leisurely working out of fate, of seemingly chance encounters and events that ultimately touch, like dominoes as they collide. The writing is elegant, philosophical and moving. Even at its length, it's a work to read slowly and savor. Beautiful and important.