New Music Curriculum

Jazz for Young People Curriculum - from Jazz at Lincoln Center
Based on Jazz at Lincoln Center's popular Jazz for young people concert series, this multimedia jazz appreciation curriculum is designed for upper elementary/middle school students and beyond. The curriculum explores core concepts and major figures in jazz through accessible, interactive lessons that demonstrate the exuberant, rich cultural heritage, and definitive musical elements inherent in jazz.

New Children's Video

White Mane
In the south of France, in a vast plain region called the Camargue, lives White Mane, a magnificent stallion and the leader of a herd of wild horses too proud to be broken by humans. Only Folco, a young fisherman, can tame him. A strong friendship grows between the boy and the horse, as the two go looking for the freedom that the world of men won't allow them.

New Children's Books

Rhyming Dust Bunnies - Jan Thomas
As three dust bunnies, Ed, Ned, and Ted, are demonstrating how much they love to rhyme, a fourth, Bob, is trying to warn them of approaching danger.

The Lion Encyclopedia of World Religions - David Self
A full-color, illustrated introduction to the origins, festivals, and beliefs of six major world religions including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, along with other East Asian and modern religious beliefs.

New Social Studies Curriculum

History Alive! The Rise of Islam
1. The revelation of Islam -- 2. The development of an Islamic civilization -- 3. The golden age of Muslims -- 4. The Crusades -- 5. Designing museums celebrating the rise of Islam

New YA Books

Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone: The Odyssey of Flight 33 - Mark Kneece
On a routine trip from London to New York in the 1970s, Trans-Ocean flight 33 experiences mysterious acceleration and weird atmospheric phenomena that transport the passengers and crew far beyond their destination.

Weetzie Bat - Francesca Lia Block
Follows the wild adventures of Weetzie Bat and her Los Angeles friends, Dirk, Duck, and My-Secret-Agent-Lover-Man. Phoenix Award book

Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior - Chris Bradford
Orphaned by a ninja pirate attack off the coast of Japan in 1611, twelve-year-old English lad Jack Fletcher is determined to prove himself, despite the bullying of fellow students, when the legendary sword master who rescued him begins training him as a samurai warrior.

Lucie Babbidge's House - Sylvia Cassedy
Having found a dollhouse full of dolls in the orphanage where she leads an unhappy existence, Lucie creates a secret life for herself. Phoenix Award Honor book

The Big Splash - Jack D. Ferraiolo
Matt Stevens, an average middle schooler with a glib tongue and a knack for solving crimes, uncovers a mystery while working with "the organization," a mafia-like syndicate run by seventh-grader Vincent "Mr. Biggs" Biggio, specializing in forged hall passes, test-copying rings, black market candy selling, and taking out hits with water guns.

Dandelion Fire - N.D. Wilson
Presents the continuing adventures of Henry York, who has been living in Kansas with his cousins, where he discovers doorways leading to other worlds and becomes involved in a multi-world struggle between good and evil.

The Blue Helmet - William Bell
Lee wants to be a Tarantula -- a member of the biggest, most powerful gang in his neighborhood. When his initiation goes wrong and the police catch him robbing an auto supply store, Lee's father sends him to live with his aunt in New Toronto. Although he initially resists his Aunt Reena and the customers of Reena's Unique Cafe -- a ragtag collection of the unusual, the unkempt and the deeply eccentric -- Lee gradually learns to open himself up to his new surroundings. When Lee strikes up an unlikely friendship he is suddenly confronted by the ravages of violence, and is forced to face the consequences of his own aggression. Canadian Library Association Young Adult Canadian Book Award book

Lyonesse: The Well Between the Worlds - Sam Llewellyn
Eleven-year-old Idris Limpet, living with his family in the once noble but now evil and corrupt island country of Lyonesse, finds his life taking a dramatic turn when, after a near-drowning incident, he is accused of being allied to the feared sea monsters and is rescued from a death sentence by a mysterious and fearsome stranger.

Timothy and the Dragon's Gate - Adrienne Kress
Timothy Freshwater--a smart-aleck boy who just got expelled from the last school in the city--learns that the Chinese mail clerk at his father's office is really an enslaved dragon who, with Timothy's help, must scale the Dragon's Gate in order to resume his true form.

Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past - James M. Deem
Recounts the discovery of the oldest human mummy in the 1990s by two mountain climbers on the Austrian border, in this exciting volume that reveals how glaciers, hulking masses of moving ice, are now offering up many secrets from the past. Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Honor book

After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance - Anne Sibley O'Brien
Profiles of some of the major figures of nonviolent resistance from around the world.

New Children's Books

Chicken Said, "Cluck!" - Judyann Ackerman Grant
Earl and Pearl do not want Chicken's help in the garden, until a swarm of grasshoppers arrives and her true talent shines. Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book

Birds - Kevin Henkes
Fascinated by the colors, shapes, sounds, and movements of the many different birds she sees through her window, a little girl is happy to discover that she and they have something in common.

Mortimer's First Garden - Karma Wilson
Little Mortimer Mouse, longing to see something green at winter's end, follows the lead of the big people and plants, waters, and weeds his last sunflower seed until, finally, with God's help and a lot of patience, he harvests his crop.

New YA Books

Johnny Kellock Died Today - Hadley Dyer
It's a long, hot Halifax summer in 1959 and twelve-year-old Rosalie Norman has a guilty secret. Her no-nonsense, authoritarian mother has fallen and fractured her ankle -- and it's all Rosalie's fault. But news that her teenaged cousin has vanished pushes the accident from everyone's minds. Now, to help out, the family has hired the strange new neighbor, a boy named David -- or the "Gravedigger" as other kids cruelly call him -- who becomes a key to the mystery. As Rosalie and David search the city's historic North End for her cousin Johnny, Rosalie discovers something about the love and the secrets that bind her family. Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children

Coraline - Neil Gaiman
Looking for excitement, Coraline ventures through a mysterious door into a world that is similar, yet disturbingly different from her own, where she must challenge a gruesome entity in order to save herself, her parents, and the souls of three others.

The Sword Thief (Book 3 of The 39 Clues) - Peter Lerangis
Amy and Dan Cahill have been located once again, this time in the company of the notoriously unreliable Alistair. Spies report that Amy and Dan seem to be tracking the life of one of the most powerful fighters the world has ever known. If this fearsome warrior was a Cahill, his secrets are sure to be well-guarded.



Chasing Lincoln's Killer - James L. Swanson
Recounts the twelve-day pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth, covering the chase through Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, with a discussion of Abraham Lincoln as a father, husband, and friend that examines the impact of his death on those close to him.

New Music CDs

Adventures in Music Listening - Levels One, Two, and Three
Includes student activity guides and teacher's editions, along with CDs containing the music discussed in each book. These will be located in the AUDIO-VISUAL area of the CMC.

New YA Books

Dancing Carl - Gary Paulsen
As winter progresses, the strange man in the worn flight jacket dances frequently on the ice of the rink, expressing more with his movements than most people do with words, and twelve-year-olds Marsh and Willy try to learn his secret.

The Young Musician's Survival Guide: Tips from Teens and Pros - Amy Nathan
Helps young people cope with the difficulties involved in learning a new instrument and remaining dedicated to playing and practicing.

New Children's Books

Say Please - Kate Tym
When Ernie's bossy cousin comes to visit, his best friend Peter discovers that he has not been treating Ernie very nicely and he decides to make some changes.

Tell the Truth - Kate Tym
Tanya eats all of her little sister's birthday cake, and then tries to blame it on alien cake burglars.



Be Nice - Kate Tym
Exasperated by his careless behavior, Brian Boddington's long-suffering family decides to teach him some manners.

Time to Share - Kate Tym
Twins Polly and Sarah Stealthy-McWealthy are so rich that they never have to share anything with each other, but the time comes when they discover that they are lonely, and that they can have more fun if they share their good fortune with others.

Ramadan - Molly Aloian
Ramadan is a month-long Muslim holiday. Ramadan is the most important holiday of the year for Muslims. It is about giving to others and sharing with others.








Geronimo Stilton: The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid
Geronimo travels to Egypt to interview Professor Alrat Spitfur and learns the secret of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient Mouse World.

My Name is Stilton, Geronimo Stilton
Geronimo tells the story of how Pinky came to work for him at The Rodent's Gazette.

New Children's Nonfiction Books

Summer - Nicola Baxter
A simple discussion of the changes to the weather, plants, and animals that happen during the season of summer. Includes activities.

Winter - Nicola Baxter
A simple discussion of the changes to the weather, plants, and animals that happen during the season of winter. Includes activities.

Spring - Nicola Baxter
A simple discussion of the changes to the weather, plants, and animals that happen during the season of spring. Includes activities.

Fall - Nicola Baxter
A simple discussion of the changes to the weather, plants, and animals that happen during the season of fall. Includes activities.

New Children's Nonfiction Books

From the series Green Kids
An introduction for kids on where energy comes from and why it is important to save it.

Saving Energy

Looking After My Environment

Recycling

Saving Water

New Children's DVD

The Red Balloon
The story of Pascal, a lonely French boy, who is befriended by a wondrous red balloon which follows him everywhere.

New Children's Nonfiction Books

From the series Weather
Simple text and supportive images introduce beginning readers to the elements of weather. Intended for students in kindergarten through third grade.

Rain

Lightning

Sunshine

Clouds

Snow

Wind

March 2009 CMC Newsletter

Still Under Construction!

As mentioned in the last newsletter, we're embarked on a major project to re-classify (new call numbers) all the teaching aids in the CMC. During this process, some teaching aids will be shelved with the new numbers, and others will still be shelved under the old system. Please ask the CMC librarian or one of the CMC Student Assistants if you're not able to find what you're looking for, and thank you for your patience.

Opening for CMC Student Assistant

There is an opening for a CMC Student Assistant for the 2009-2010 school year. Anyone interested in the position should complete a library job application form as soon as possible. Applications are available in the library office or by clicking here.

Website of the Month - Digital Video Library

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, despite its rather formidable-sounding name, has created a very practical, free website for math and science educators. Realizing that teacher training often focuses heavily on theory and sometimes neglects to present concrete examples from the classroom, the Digital Video Library provides a wide variety of video content that demonstrates best practices for K-12 science and math educators, scientific demonstrations, and interviews with students, teachers, and experts.

New Materials

Nearly 100 new items were added to the CMC collection during February 2009, including trade books, CDs, and curriculum sets. See the complete list here.