Aaargh! Pirate Poet visits GMS

The Pirate Poet (Kay Lyons) and GPL Assistant Director Lisa Prolman visted GMS today. They told 150+ kids everything they need to know about summer reading in Greenfield. Here's where you can get the scoop: http://www.greenfieldpubliclibrary.org/kids.html

Tollbooth Success!

Congratulations to Rachel Popowich and all the amazing students who worked so well together this weekend! The Greenfield Middle School production of The Phantom Tollbooth was a resounding success. We are so proud of you all.

Get your tickets HERE

Come see The Phantom Tollbooth at Greenfield Middle School! Performances will be held Friday, June 6th @ 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 7th @ 2:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale Monday, June 2nd in the school library and are priced as follows: $1.00 in advance, $2.00 at the door.

Want to Volunteer?

Helpers are needed to run the GMS Book Fair. Are you available from 12:00 to 12:30 on June 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th? How about some other time during the school day? Please contact Robin Shtulman in the school library. Thanks!

Fifth graders write about Boston

Check out 5th grade teacher Angela Larke's blog, where students on Team 5A have written about their field trip to Boston!

http://angelalarke.edublogs.org

What's important?

In Hole in my Life, Jack makes a decision not to take drugs in jail, even though they're available everywhere. On p. 166 he writes, "I figured getting out of prison was more important than getting high in prison."

What's important to you?

Opportunity

In our Great Stories Club, we are almost finished reading Hole in my Life by Jack Gantos. On page 162, Jack faces being released into the general prison population. He doesn't want to join the "population." So, he asks if he could help in the prison hospital, where he would have his own cell and be safe. He doesn't wait for an offer; he makes his own opportunity.

How can you make your own opportunities? Can you think of a time when you made your own (good) opportunity? As you get older, who is responsible for creating your opportunities?

National Endowment for the Humanities grant!

The Greenfield Middle School Library is one of 3,000 libraries across the country selected by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA) to receive free hardcover books on the theme of “Created Equal.”

The award is part of the NEH’s We the People initiative, which supports projects that strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture. Selected public and school libraries in all 50 states each will receive a set of the 21 books (including Spanish translations of four of the titles), posters, bookmarks, bookplates from the NEH and the ALA, “History in a Box” resource materials on Abraham Lincoln from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and access to online planning and promotional materials.

The We the People Bookshelf on “Created Equal” contains the following books:
· “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Anderson, “The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln, and “Pink and Say” by Patricia Polacco.
· “Elijah of Buxton” by Christopher Paul Curtis, “Give Me Liberty! The Story of the Declaration of Independence” by Russell Freedman, “Lincoln: A Photobiography” By Russell Freedman, “Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from Slavery to Freedom” by Virginia Hamilton, and “Lyddie” by Katherine Paterson.
· “Saturnalia” by Paul Fleishman, “Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott” by Russell Freedman, “Abraham Lincoln the Writer: A Treasury of His Greatest Speeches and Letters” edited by Harold Holzer, and “Breaking Through” by Francisco Jiménez.
· “Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution” by Natalie S. Bober, “That All People May Be One People, Send Rain to Wash the Face of the Earth” by Nez Perce Chief Joseph, “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, “Lincoln’s Virtues: An Ethical Biography” by William Lee Miller, and “Amistad: A Novel” by David Pesci.

“One of the best ways to get students to understand history is through the reading of excellent historical fiction and non-fiction,” said 8th grade teacher Denise Petrin. “Good books, like Lyddie and Lincoln: A Photobiography make history something students can relate to and are a great way to teach the many stories in history.”

For more information about the We the People Bookshelf grant contact Robin Shtulman at 413-772-1360, ext. 221. For more information about the We the People Bookshelf project, please visit http://publicprograms.ala.org/bookshelf.

Mark Your Calendars!

The Greenfield Middle School Library will host a buy-one, get-one-free book fair on June 3, 4, 5, & 6th! The fair will be open during school (7:45 - 3:45) and Friday night from 5:30 until after the end of the school play. This is your chance to stock up on twice as many books for summer reading!

Scenes from Blood and Guts

Storytelling at the Greenfield Public Library May 17

The Greenfield Public Library, with support from the Greenfield Cultural Council, is proud to be hosting a series of world-class story performances on Saturdays in May. Each performance will run from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Greenfield Public Library and is free and open to all.

On May 17, local musician and storyteller Brendan Taaffe will amuse and entertain with a mix of stories from around the world. A popular elementary school music teacher, Brendan began using story as a way to capture attention in the classroom, and quickly his relaxed and magical telling became the hit of the school. Illustrating the stories with expert music, Brendan is sure to capture the imagination.

FREE COMIC BOOKS!

Today is Free Comic Book Day! Come to the GMS Library for your FREE comic book!
Thank you to Main Vein Comics for donating all the cool comic books!!!

Meet Amber, a published poet

Amber, a GMS 5th grader, has a poem published in the May/June issue of New Moon magazine!

Cool Science Event this Thursday!

Click the title of this post for audio version

Join Us! All GMS families are invited!

On Thursday, May 1, from 6-8 p.m.
Franklin Medical Center and the GCC Nursing School will bring
“Blood and Guts” to the GMS Library!

Free and fun
Hands-on
Students and their families will get to learn about
medical careers
the human body
emergency room work, medical laboratory work,
physical therapy, radiology, germs, nutrition,
and more!

There will be snacks and prizes!

Volunteers are needed to staff the welcome table
Please call Robin Shtulman @ 772-1360 ext. 221 if you are interested.

What do you think?

In Hole in my Life, Jack’s family moves a lot. At the beginning of this book, Jack’s family moves to a place where he can’t go to school and he doesn’t speak the language. What do you think of that? What do you think of Jack’s parents? How do you think most kids would fare with no education, no supervision, and no roots?

Responses to Gantos' _Hole in my Life_

I like the books. I like it because it teaches you what not to do when you get older. I like the part where they talk about drugs. Drugs are bad for you. This book is interesting to me.

The book is about a boy who does drugs. His family moved to Puerto Rico. The title of the book is Hole in my Life. It tells him what not to do.
-- Jeremiah, GMS student

The book I'm reading is called Hole in my Life. In this book he is sentenced to jail and he talks to convicts who are in jail for life so they can try to change his life before he ends up like them and he has to go to school in an old building that used to be a jail.

I like this book because it tells a true story about somebody and I like true stories. Also I like this book because he starts his life as a screw up and changed that to be an inspiring writer.
-- Ray L., GMS student

O'Breeze

It's on my face
It's in my hair
Leaves are blowing
Everywhere
I love to just sit and feel the air
Some it's chilly
Sometimes it's straight
but it is important
Yes it's our fate
Sunglasses are hot and
Flip-flops are cool but
School is a drool
When I look outside
I see the sun
I see seagulls having some fun
I want to join
soonly I did
Then I just felt a breeze
upon my cheek
Jeez
I was asleep

by Angelina Heon, GMS Student

Getting Poems for Pockets!

The Library

Library is very awesome if you are interested in books.
If you are very interested in book you should check out the books at the library.
Books are very good if you like to read.
Ready to check out books? Go to the library,
After you check out books you can go home and
Read them.
Yes, you can go to the library to check out books.


by Ciera Smith, GMS Student

Hole in my life

In Great Stories Club, we are reading Jack Gantos' Hole in my life.

At the beginning of the book, Gantos quotes Oscar Wilde: "I have learned this: it is not what one does that is wrong, but what one becomes as a consequence of it."

On p.7, Gantos says his father said this: "These folks zigged when the rest of the world zagged. And once you cross the line, there's no coming back."

Think about these 2 opinions. Which do you agree with? Why? Is there a line which once you cross it, you can never be a regular, decent person again? How do you think all those people Jack's dad pointed out would feel about being known only for the things they've done wrong?

I Float in the Pool

I Float in The Pool
Relaxing on the water.
Soothing My Problems From School,
Swimming Like An Otter.

The Breeze Cools My Face,
The Pump Calms Me To Sleep,
Enjoying Myself in This Place,
My Thoughts Turn Deep.

My Troubles Float Away,
Dreaming Of The Waves.
Having So Much Fun On This Day,
Trying To Understand This Maze.

by Freddy Vega, GMS Student

April 17th is Poem in Your Pocket Day!

Thursday, 4/17 is the first national Poem In Your Pocket Day!

The idea is simple: select a poem you love during National Poetry Month then carry it with you to share with co-workers, family, and friends on April 17.

Poems from pockets will be unfolded throughout the day with events in parks, libraries, schools, workplaces, and bookstores.

If you don't have a favorite poem, swing by the library to get one! Our 5th & 8th grade library helpers have selected a whole bunch of terrific pocket-sized poems for you to carry, read, share & swap.

For more information, visit poets.org

Happy National Poetry Month!

Scenes from our poetry party