CMS Summer Reading 2019

Handout/Book List
The 2019 Summer Reading Program is happening again at CMS! Click here for the handout. The handout includes the parent/guardian letter, the book list, information about our upcoming book sale on June 10, information about accessing eBooks and audiobooks, and instructions for accessing Goosechase (option activity – see Book Scavenger below).

Required Question List (Due in the fall)
Students must read one book between now and mid-September, choosing from one of the 35 books on the list. After reading the book, the student should fill out these questions (they can choose File->Make a copy to save to their Google Drive or print them out). You will participate in a reading circle with others who read the same book once we all return to school in the fall.

Book Scavenger (Optional Extended Reading Opportunity)
For those students who might want additional reading opportunities, we are collaborating with the Burnham Memorial Library for an extension activity, an online scavenger hunt called Goosechase. More information can be found at this site.

eBooks and Audiobooks
Many of our summer reading books are available online via our library databases. Here’s a link to the Sora app (scroll down for the CMS Summer Reading List). Here’s a tutorial on how to access those books.

If you have questions about summer reading or need recommendations, please contact Ms. Sofferman via school email.

6th Grade Explorer/Ancient Civilization Research

Many of the 6th grade classes are researching explorers and ancient civilizations (Inca, Maya, and Aztec). Here are several websites that might be helpful:

In addition, we have some database resources for you that might help with your projects. Click here for instructions on using the Research in Context database. Click here for instructions for using Noodletools to support your research.

Ancient Rome Research

We have a couple of fantastic databases to help find resources for Mr. Upchurch’s Ancient Rome research project. For instructions on how to use the Daily Life in History database, click here. For instructions on how to use the Vermont Online Library databases (Research in Context), click here.

Free Author Faire this Saturday!

Many awesome local and regional authors and illustrators will be available to meet their fans and to autograph book at this FREE Author Faire event from 2:30 – 3:30 at Hiawatha School in Essex Junction.

Books will be available for purchase (cash, check, charge) from Phoenix Books.

And yes, this event is FREE and open to the public so bring friends, kids of all ages, and teens to meet their favorite authors/illustrators!

DCF Voting is Here!

It’s time to vote for this year’s Dorothy Canfield Fisher (DCF) book award winner! If CanfieldLOGO2you’ve read at least 5 of the books on this year’s list, you are eligible to vote. Click here for the voting form!

Let Ms. Sofferman know if you have any questions, and stop by the library to check out the new list of DCF books for 2019-20!

Book Madness 2019 is Here!

  1. 2019 CMS Book Madness Tournament (2)Bracket: This year’s Book Madness bracket is out! Students will be completing their brackets this week in Language Arts. All brackets are due by the end of the day on Friday, March 15. There will be a student winner and a staff winner, with different prizes, so please get your brackets in to Ms. Sofferman! 
  2. Voting: The first round of voting (how books “win” their brackets) also takes place this week, in TA. TA teachers, please ask students to vote for their picks in TA sometime this week. Click this link to submit your vote for the first round by the end of the day on Friday. Second round voting will take place next week, third round the week after, and the final round will take place during the first week in April, with the winner announced on April 5th!