Book Recommendation by Ella

Guest By: Mary Downing Hahn This book is about a girl who’s baby brother is stolen by Kinde Folke and replaced with a changeling. She takes off in search of finding the Kinde Folke and exchange back for her brother. I would recommend this book to anyone who like fantasy, surviving, or adventure books.

Staff Recognition by Josie

Student council is going to be doing a staff spotlight! Each week, we will recognize a teacher or staff member for all the hard work and dedication they put forward for our school. If you would like to nominate somebody click the link and it will take you to a google form, you will be able to fill it out and nominate a staff member for all their hard work! https://forms.gle/4ML66oennuhvbNUJA

Blog by Ella

For quarter 2 in techsperts we are going to paint around the whiteboard in the media room. We are adding a quote that’s oceaned themed with a wave. We are all making book recommendations and LC promotions. The book fair will start on November 8th and ends November 21st. We will be making virtual flyers. Student council and techsperts will make flyers for the food drive. We made special cards for all the teachers and staff and they will get food for teacher appreciation. 8th grade techsperts are making a podcast.

Blog by Emmy

Hi I’m Emersen. I am a 4th hour techspert. and I just wanted to talk about techspert and what others think of it. I have heard many people talking about techspert and how we do nothing and we just sit there and play games. well how would we have time for all of us to write blogs or do projects like painting the walls. Speaking of that, the 3rd hour techspert did so well on splatter wall paint. When you walk in the library you can see the paint next to Mrs. Kimsey’s desk.

Blog by Jaxton

This quarter is the quarter where we will have the book fair and this year the book fair will be online. You can buy the books online. The book fair will be held November 8-21. There are going to be flyers handed out bWednesday, November 3rd. There will also be posters hanging up around the school that you can see as well. Something else we have been doing is we have splatter painted the pillars in the Learning Commons and we finished the other pillar that was halfway done and we finished it. We will also be making winter themed billboards in the Learning Commons and we will present some of the new books there as well so you can see what new books there are. And the last thing going on around the Learning commons is we have a book order coming in soon. For all the students that love books there will be new series and new books coming in. We have already put all the books from the last book order away so there is a couple new books in each genre.

Book Fair by Lane

This quarter I will be writing a blog about the book fair,what we will be doing for our project and our podcast. I am going to start with what we are doing in the LC this quarter. We are going to splatter paint the blue poles. It started and we are going to finish it. We are also going to keep the LC clean. We are doing a book fair in November. It will be from November 8 to the 21 and it will be all online. Also the link will be going out for it very soon. We all hope that everybody will like the book fair.

LC Promotion by Lane

This quarter for my promotion I’m doing the read and ride program. If you don’t know what it is, it is the bikes in the LC and they are made to read and ride as something that helps you relax. There are only three bikes for the read and ride but if they are open you can use them. We hope that you like the read and ride program. The bikes will always be cleaned and sanitized by the techsperts. The bikes are also not meant to go very fast. If you hear the motor slowing down You know you went too fast so don’t do it. Mrs Kimsey also said not to do it. The read and ride program is meant to help you relax but also get a workout while you read. It’s also fun to do sometimes when I’m in the He techsperts I will ride them if I have free time. I also think that the kids there enjoy it. They are always on them and are riding them. So I hope that you can use the read and ride program and I hope you will use it.

The Buried by Gavin

This book is a good book. It's about how there are many rules for life in a bunker. There are a bunch of characters where they have to stay in the bunker and they can not leave the bunker but they are trying to survive in there with what they have. You can find this book at the scholastic book fair online. Book fair starts from the 8 to the 21.

LC Promotion by Willa

The learning commons is full of new and exciting features that many students haven’t heard about, and for this quarter we are starting a podcast! Every week we are going to be putting out a podcast that is full of wonderful information such as LC promotions, book recommendations, first chapter reads, and school activities. We have been planning to make sure that these weekly podcasts will be the best resource for you to listen to. These podcasts will be informational, and a great way to share news. These podcasts will also be entertaining, full of jokes or fun news. This podcast will be posted out on Google Classroom for everybody to listen to. You may be wondering how these podcasts will be helpful for teachers to use, but there are many ways for teachers to use these podcasts. One way for teachers to use this is to share it out to their students, and it's an easy way for kids to listen and understand information. These new podcasts are also perfect inspiration for teachers to start their own podcasts. Mrs. Kimsey has a podcast resource doc that shows the steps of how to start your own podcast. Making a podcast is a fun, and easy assignment to, and would be perfect to assign to students. I think the podcasts will be fun, and easy for teachers to use and make their own. The learning commons podcast is also a perfect new feature for students to use. These podcasts can be very entertaining and funny, and not every podcast has to be informational. The podcast will be easy to use, and it will be easy to listen to. Podcasts are fun, and I personally love listening to podcasts in the background while working. The first chapter reads will also be relaxing and fun. I think these podcasts will be fun, easy to listen to, informational, and many other cool things. Make sure to be looking out weekly for our podcasts!

Innovations Lab by Gavin

Innovation labs The innovations lab could allow you to do many things like read the right drawer and other cool things. It also helps you express your creativity and express your feelings through drawing or any other crash like papier-mâché and other grass like you could create anything you want with a paper. Also the animations lab allows you to enjoy your time while you’re in the learning Commons. It is located in the back of the learning Commons with a sign that says innovations land and all you have to do is ask Kimsey if you can go in there for a little bit and have fun and create stuff and let your mind run free. This space is like a makerspace and allows you to let your mind roam free and let all the creativity and you also can have a chance to hang out with friends or other classmates.

Innovations Lab by Sylas

LC promotion I would like to promote the Innovations Lab. The innovations lab is a space in the learning commons with books and crafting supplies. Teachers, you can use this space to get craft supplies for an activity in your classroom. Your students can go in there to make a craft or concentrate on something. Students, my fellow students, you can go in there to concentrate on something like a project. It is a calm and peaceful place and I recommend you go in there to take a look. I personally like the room a lot because I am one of those people who can’t really work with a lot of people talking so I sometimes go in there to concentrate. When I go in there it makes me feel truly peaceful. If you wanna be peaceful you should go there. It is by Thing 1 And Thing 2, on the left.

LC Promotion by Regan

Recently, you may have noticed that there are three stationary bikes in the Learning Commons. These bikes are part of a program called ‘The Read and Ride Program’. The title sounds pretty self explanatory, however, for anyone who may be confused, it’s basically where you can read while you ride on the bikes. Teachers, as well as students, can use this resource. Teachers can come in while their students are in electives or, they could even use them while their students do an assignment in the LC or find books to read. I have personally seen several teachers using the bikes and enjoying a book. A great way for students to use the bikes is, after they check out, they can use them while others are still looking for something to read. Another time that students can use the bikes is during free reading time if your class has come into the LC. An amazing thing about the bikes is that they allow students to be active while still reading. This can be especially helpful if students have extra energy that day or if they’re particularly fidgety. Overall, the bikes in ‘The Read and Ride Program’ are a great resource for students and staff alike.

LC Promotion by Sylas

I would like to promote the Innovations Lab. The innovations lab is a space in the learning commons with books and crafting supplies. Teachers, you can use this space to get craft supplies for an activity in your classroom. Your students can go in there to make a craft or concentrate on something. Students, my fellow students, you can go in there to concentrate on something like a project. It is a calm and peaceful place and I recommend you go in there to take a look. I personally like the room a lot because I am one of those people who can’t really work with a lot of people talking so I sometimes go in there to concentrate. When I go in there it makes me feel truly peaceful. If you wanna be peaceful you should go there. It is by Thing 1 And Thing 2, on the left.

LC Promotion by Jameson

Techsperts are helpers to Mrs.Kimsey and to others around the school. We help out in the Learning Commons most of the time and we can help teachers do things We help out teachers by doing things like cutting out papers or making a video for the class on how to make a foldable. We also help by delivering IPads to students that have problems with their IPads, so the teachers don’t have to mess with it. We also help out the students by helping them find books they need for projects or helping them with any IPad problems that they have. We also help by putting books away so they can find them way easier than it being scavenged around.

LC Promotion by Emma

Have you ever wanted a quiet place to work? Most people would say yes including myself. The media room is a perfect place for students to work. There are many flexible seating options for the student’s that need to move around when they work. The media room is located in the learning commons. Many students would say the Media room is their favorite place to be in the learning commons. It’s right by Thing 1 and Thing 2. It’s the door on the right. Have you ever just wanted to work in a quiet space? Many people would’ve said yes including myself. The media room is a calm and quiet work space. This makes it great for working on projects. There’s flexible seating in the media room which helps people focus on what they’re doing. Some people need to fidget and move in order for them to be focused. So there’s many options for the people that need to move around when they work. There are also options for the people that don’t need to move around when they work. It’s also a very organized space. Which can be beneficial to the student that doesn't like to work in messy spaces. Classes go in the media room all the time to learn and or do projects. There’s a decently sized white board that all the teachers use. I have seen teachers pull groups at one of the many tables. Sometimes they just go into the media room to read or catch up on work. It really just depends on what the teachers want you to do for that day. This makes a great resource for all. In conclusion, the media room is a very useful and well loved space. There’s many different things that it can be used for. It’s a very well loved space by students and teachers. It’s a quite yet fun place to be at. I hear students all the time talking about the media room. So what's your favorite part of the learning commons?

LC Promotion by Haden

Our Reading Programs Libby and Sora are really great apps to use. The reason we love these programs so much is because they are so compact and easy to use! They can be used for reading so you don't have to lug around this big book for what to read. It is much easier to just download one simple app and now you have hundreds of books all in your device! And if finding it is too complicated for you, there’s an entire search bar! The good thing about Libby is that it connects to the closest library near your location and sora connects to your school library! All of our teachers down here in Excelsior Springs have found it much easier to finally find a book for their kids to read because honestly myself, I was never into reading but once I started to use Sora and Libby it got me to read so much more than I ever thought I would! And all of this is right inside of your phone, IPad, almost any device you can think of, its on there! Now I will admit there are times where it is difficult to find things but if it isn’t on sora, just look for it on Libby!

LC Promotion by Gaige

Innovations Lab By.Gaige When your class comes into the Learning Commons you probably see some of the other rooms that are connected to it. You may have even been in a few of them before. One of those rooms is called the Innovations Lab. In the Innovations Lab there are extra resources and extra room to work. Students can use this room for a place to finish projects,finish assignments, and if they need a quiet place to work with no distractions. Students can also use this place for a quiet place to do homework. I personally really like the Innovations Lab because it has a lot of extra resources like markers, pencils, paper, colored paper, white board, and many more. Teachers can even use the Innovations Lab. They can use this area to set up assignments and class work or even use it for lesson planning. Teachers can bring their classes in and work in that room with them as well. As you can see there are many reasons to use the innovations lab and I hope that you’ll come by to check it out soon.

Book Recommendation by Gaige

A Face like Glass By.Frances Hardinge This book is about a 12 year old girl named Neverfell. She wears a glass mask to hide her face because she looks a little different then normal people, she also works in a cheese cellar. The other main character is a guy named Grandible who is the guy who found Neverfell when she was a little girl. He is also the cheese master. The story takes place in 1920s britain and this is right after the Great War, and she has spent 7 years in the cheese factory tunnels helping Grandible with the place and making all the cheese. I think people who like adventure, and fantasy books would like this book. This book can be located either in the fantasy fiction or in the adventure fiction, it can also be found on Sora.

Blog by Lilly

The techsperts are people that help out the library and mostly everyone. What we do is we help out students find books and help them with their assignments if they need it. We get them on task if they're not what they're supposed to do. We read whoever is in the library as a class. We read the first chapter of our book to them. We get students from classrooms and bring them to the library for whatever. The techsperts are very helpful people. We clean the library if it is a mess. We put back chairs if they are around the place. We put up books after the students checked them out to their places. We help students find books if they don’t know what to pick out from science fiction to paranormal from mostly every book. The techsperts help out the teachers. Sometimes we put up posters around the school that the teacher wants to advertise around the school. We help out the teachers by helping them with giving them ideas for things like spirit week and others. We help out the students by sometimes reading to them individually.

Book Recommendation by Lilly

Took: A ghost story Book by Mary Downing Hahn Took is a paranormal book about seventh grader name Danieal and a 7 year old sister name Erica There dad lost his job and they have to move from suburban Connecticut to a old abandoned farmhouse once danieal got to school he found out by classmates that there’s a which name old auntie and her razorback hog who lives on Brewster hill and takes little girls and let them go every 50 years but danieal doesn’t believe in those type of stories but Erica become more withdrawn to the lookalike doll and talks to the the doll more and more like it’s actually human being and then one day she disappeared into the woods and Daniel knows that’s something bad is happening. This book is such a good book. I hate reading every time I get a book. I would read a chapter or two and I would give up since the book to me was very boring. Most Mary Downing Hahn books are really good; they will definitely keep your student attention on the book.

LC Pormotion by Lilly

I am promoting the seats in the library. They are seats that people sit on to do work, assignments, and just to relax. People sit on them to watch a predation on the tv screen, directions on how to do assignments on the tv screen and to watch videos on the tv screen to help them on their assignments. There going to help the students by doing there assignments on the seats. They help them by rotating for people with a bunch of energy. The chairs have desks that you can put your papers on to write on and other things you can do with them but they are very helpful to write on. The chairs have wheels at the bottom of the chair so you can move around without any noise like the regular chairs. The chairs help the teacher by getting their students sat down instead of walking and talking. The teacher's students can rotate the chairs so that they have less energy so the teacher can teach the students without all the energy. The seats are right at the TV screen. It helps the teacher so everyone can see the TV screen. It helps the teachers see the kids and what they are doing so they make sure they are paying attention in class.

LC Promotion by Kaylynn

Media room The media room is the room on the right in the back of the learning commons. It is used for learning without being in a classroom, you can use it for learning with or without electronics. It has flexible seating like couches, spin chairs, chairs with balls on top to roll around on. You can also use the media room if teachers can’t/don’t want to be in their rooms. Plus the media room has tables on the couches and desks at every chair for non-digital learning. In the media room Teachers and staff can use it to take their classes in and learn. Teachers can have their students do digital learning and non-digital learning. If you want to do the classic pencil paper then you have desks and chairs with rotatable tables. Teachers can use the very large whiteboard in there for all subjects. If classrooms are cramped or just don't want to be in original classrooms, the media room is the way to go! As students funnel into the media room they get seating of their choice, all sorts of different chairs and spots. Students will have access to any sort of spot they want and they will have a table for work. If someone has shorter legs they can lower the chair and if someone has longer legs they can raise the chair. What’s great about the media room is that with the flexible seating students are able to focus on work more and work with peers around them! Floor seats also include a hard surface to put your papers and iPads on, chairs have tables and the couch has rotatable tables for any student's comfort.

LC Promotion by Pyper

Iam promoting the art in the library The thing I am promoting is the art in the Learning Commons. Mrs. Kimsey normally picks four artworks a year.The art means a lot to her . The Learning Commons has a lot of art but there’s so much room for more beautiful art. This art can help teachers to let their students be able to show their amazing talent. This can help the student become more creative and also be more confident to show your art. This is very important for the student to have enough confidence or the chance to be able to show their art. This can help the ESMS students by helping them feel creative and confident which can make them feel better about themselves. How you can put art is you make a sketch and then you show it to Mrs.Kimsey . If your art is approved you will get put in a contest she picks about 4 a year and if you want a canvas you get one after you win and then it will be in the Learning Commons as long as Mrs Kimsey is here.

LC Promotion by Lane

One thing that I think most classes can benefit from is using a space in the Learning Commons. It is kinda like a meeting room but it is in the back behind the bikes. I think that most classes should use it if they want. I've been in it when I’m in the library and it seems like a good learning room for all 6-8 grades. I hope everybody that will use the room for learning and If you do I hope you enjoy it. It is a calm and quiet area. I've also had to do work in the room before and it is great. It is comfortable and easy to work in. I’m promoting this because not a lot of people use it but some still do. I want to have more people use the space so that it can be good for the school.I hope that all classes can benefit from using the space. Thanks for listening to me talk about the great space in the

Book Recommendation by Jameson

Book Recommendation: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief By:Jameson Bright Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is a book by Rick Riordian. Percy Jackson is a book about this kid named Percy who is a normal kid in a normal life but when he goes to the museum of Greek gods something happens that will change his life forever. I would recommend Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief for anyone who likes fantasy and action books

LC Promotion by Josie

One amazing feature of the Learning Commons is the tv space. There are green and blue chairs with desks that you and your classmates can come and use. You can do your normal lessons that you would do in class but in a new environment. This is helpful to teachers because if they ever need to be out of their classroom, they can come to the Learning Commons and still teach and the students can still learn. You can also collaborate with other classes here. This is beneficial to students because it gets them out of the classroom to a new environment. There is lots of space to collaborate with peers. I know that whenever my teacher says that we are going to the Learning Commons my class gets excited: so these are reasons that you should come down to the learning commons and use one of our collaboration spaces.

LC Promotion by Wyatt

LC promotion main room Want a book? Head to the main room of the Learning Commons. The main room is a great place to find a book and relax. The main room has about every genre of book you could want there’s sports,graphic novels,paranormal stories,historical fiction, Etc. The main room is also a place where classes can come to learn and work on projects. Students and teachers come to the Learning Commons main room to find books. The main room isn’t only for reading though you can have meetings in the main room. There are also computers in the main room which classes can use when working on assignments you can’t do on an iPad. The computers can also be used to find books like you do at the public library. Another cool thing about the main room is that there are exercise bikes. You can ride them and read books, do assignments,or simply just exercise. In conclusion you should go to the Learning Commons main room because it is a great place!

LC Promotion by Cameron

Hello ESMS! I’d you’ve been in the learning commons, you may have seen a room or heard someone talk about it. It’s the Media Collaboration Room. The Media Collaboration Room is a room with chairs and stools. It’s a room to help you study while you work. Sometimes, you and your class will come down to the Learning Commons and visit the room. The Room can be beneficial to both students and teachers. With the combination of comfortable seats and free space from each other, it can be a learning environment or a peaceful environment. The room is nice and cozy so when you and your classmates are down there, make sure to use your time with it well. It can also be beneficial for teachers because it can be generally easier for your students to focus in there and it can be easier to teach in that room when you are in there to do something specific because of the way the environment is. Personally, I enjoy the room. It’s a nice room to hangout in when studying or when you’re checking it out with your class. The seats in there are comfortable to sit in and there’s a spot for everyone so nobody is going to get left out. When you can, you should look into exploring the room or at least checking it out. It’s a good environment to be in and its also comfortable for not only students but for the teacher that can be in there.

Learning Commons Promotion by Willa

One new and amazing feature in the Learning Commons this year is the book and bike. We have 3 workout bikes in the LC that are perfect to use while diving into a good book. These bikes are easy to use, and track all of the progress you make during your ride. They can be ridden for relaxation, and just to engage your legs. Or they can be ridden a little faster if you want to get more of a workout. We're surrounded by books in the LC, so pick a good one and sit down for a ride. Why is this feature beneficial for teachers to use? This feature is actually used by quite a few teachers. It is fun, and is a good way to use your plan time. It is an easy way to relax, and it is a more fun way to read. It is a good way to get rid of a little anger. It is also good if you need to relieve stress. Have squirrelly kids who think reading is boring? These bikes are perfect for them to stay focused while reading. The learning commons is full of cool features and the book and bike is a great one for teachers to use. Why is this feature beneficial to students? We sit the majority of the day, and sometimes P.E doesn’t get all of our energy out. Burning energy during ELA while reading sounds like a blast. It is relaxing to just stay moving while reading. I personally love the book and bike, I love the fact that I can stay active and stay focused on my book all at once. It is so fun and perfect to keep easily distracted kids focused. The learning commons is always open so pop in to use our new feature, the book and bike!

Blog by Emma

When I first found out about me being a techspert I didn’t know what to think. I knew what it was but I didn’t think that I would become one. So when the first day rolled around I had mixed feelings about being a techspert. When the seventh hour came around I had the whole day to process it. The first thing that Mrs.Kimsey did was she showed us around the learning commons. She said that it was important that we knew our way around the library and that we knew where things were located. After she showed us around we all sat down so that she could explain to us what we will be doing in her class this semester. She explained to us that we would be doing many different things. For example: learning how to shelve books, pulling material for the teachers, learning how to check out books, and a couple other things. That basically took up all of our time for the first day. One the second day we learned about what we would do in case of an emergency. Like where we would go and what we would do. That same day we also learned about the different projects we would be doing this semester. That included a book recommendation, a blog, And LC’s promotion. We had some extra time at the end of the day so we cleaned some of the ipads and removed old stickers off of them from the year before. As the days have gone on we have learned a lot of new things. One of our biggest tasks was learning how to check out books. Us knowing how to check out books helps out Mrs.Kimsey quite a bit. The reason being that if she’s busy we can just check out someone’s book really quickly. We have also rearranged the learning commons. We have moved some of the tables, chairs, some desks, and the bike machines. I had to learn how to plug the iPads in the cart. Plugging in the ipads is a big responsibility. Because you have to memorize where every single iPads has to go. If I misplace an iPad it makes it extremely hard to find it the next morning. So as you can see we’ve been super busy so far this school year.

Blog by Cameron

Welcome back to school ESMS students. The Techsperts are doing some things in the learning commons to make your life of reading easier for you guys. We’ve started organizing some of the books here so it is easier for you to find the book you desire. We’ve also been trying to fix a few of the books so you guys can still read them. We have been updating a few of the bulletin boards around the school to also promote a few things that may catch your interest, or to inspire you to do something new that you maybe haven’t done before. Also, we are here to help you. Don’t be afraid to come up to us and ask a question! We will try our best to solve your needs. We are here to help you guys. If you have any questions and Mrs. Kimsey is busy, more than likely a Techspert can help you find what you need. One last thing before you finish reading this: please keep your mask over your nose. Covid is going around and we don't want to bring it to the school. The only way that we can stay here is if we wear our masks correctly. Plus, we don't want anyone to get sick and other people have to quarantine because of someone’s actions. So please, wear your mask and make sure to sanitize your hands. Thanks for spending your time reading this. Have a great day!

Blog by Regan

Recently the second hour techsperts, myself included, have been working very hard on the showcases outside of the learning commons. Even though fall hasn’t officially started, we are getting the showcase prepared for the fall season. We anticipate both showcases to be done by the end of the week. On your way to class or lunch, check them out and see what we’ve done. One reason that us techsperts love to do the showcases is because it makes our school look even nicer. We all also love to express our creativity and use our imaginations to make something beautiful for the students and staff to enjoy. We’re so excited for you all to see what we’ve been working on. As techsperts we can also help students to locate books in the LC. Just this week we helped some 6th grade students find paranormal and mystery books for an assignment they’re doing. If you ever need help finding a book, come in and the techsperts can help you.

Blog by Ella

ith anything she needs. Our first project for quarter 1 was making this poster. These Books are lit! Sometimes on Friday’s we read a chapter of a book to 6th graders. We help students find books when they come in. We make book recommendations, blogs, LC promotions, and our projects. I made my book recommendation about Lost in the River of Grass and my LC promotion about VR goggles. You can check out other techsperts recommendations, blogs, and promotions. They can all be found on the learning commons google classroom. Techsperts is a great class. Mrs.Kimsey teaches us how to check out books and set up iPads.

Blog by Jaxton

Something we have in the learning commons is a read and ride program. We have the exercise bikes that you can ride and ride for how long you are expected for and you can read and exercise your legs and the muscles in your legs. The way the bikes are used is you start to pedal slowly then it’ll ask to press the start button and you start. You can turn the resistance up and make it more difficult and you can go far distances and lose a lot of calories while reading and riding.

Blog by Haden

Here in the library down at The Excelsior Springs Middle School, us techsperts have been getting to work! One of these things has been the Bulletin board that we are currently working on right now. The reason for this board is that we want to let kids know about how there is such a wide variety of books here in our library. Another thing that we have been doing is Helping other kids find their exact books they need. All of the time someone will come down here looking for a certain book and have no idea where to find it so it is our job to come to their aid and Help them, because down here we never want anyone to be left without a book to read. And finally we Have been working on keeping it really organized down here, Because every time a class comes down here as their safe space to get work done and read peacefully afterwards they don’t always keep the place the same way they left it so it is up to us to make sure that gets done because we want it to be in top notch shape for people to come down so they can have a wonderful experience.

Blog by Sylas

Ok, so far Techsperts is my favorite class because we do many things and we will be able to do many things. I am so excited to check out books, and I hope that I can check out books anytime, ‘cause that would be really nice. I am also excited to make a poster about an author. I am also going to be able to organize books, which is pretty cool. I think I know how to check out books now, and it is pretty easy. It will be nice to just see a book you want to check out and check it out anytime without waiting a day. When another class comes in, which should be tomorrow, I will check out books for them. It will be so funny when my class comes in and I am there checking out their books. And, there is a book series I really like and at the end of today I was going to check them out, and these kids came in and checked out the book I was going to check out. Did he know that I wanted it? Maybe he did, maybe he did…. I have just finished making my poster about my book recommendation. Once I am done with my blog I have no idea what to do. COVID cases have gone up I think, and I hate it! We also have assigned seats in lunch now because of Covid and that sucks.

Blog by Willa

Something we have been doing here in the Learning Cmmons is shelving books. Me and the other 3 Techsperts each take a section, I usually take mystery and we shelve all the books that have been checked in. It isn’t very time consuming, and it’s kind of fun too. This is helpful because the books really pile up after all the classes come in. With all those books this job can become time consuming, so with us 4 doing it, it takes away another thing to do. This is also helpful to the students, and keeps their variety wide because we need to get the books back on the shelves as soon as possible for kids to check out. Another thing we have been working on in Techsperts is gluing the old, broken books back together. Some of the more popular books here that have been very used. There are books with covers ripped off, and the paper is disconnected from the book spine. So we glued and taped them back together with book glue. This is helpful because it gets more books back on the shelf for students to check out. It also helps us save money because we don’t have to buy new books. We have also weeded out a ton of outdated books in the fantasy and realistic fiction section. We got to pick out the books that looked ancient off of the shelves, and Josie checked to see when they were last checked out. This is one of my favorite things we have done so far in Techsperts this year. I got to see so many books I have never seen before, and I got to reunite a few series. There were lots of books that have never been checked out before. This is helpful because we need to keep the shelves clear of old, outdated books and make room for new ones.

Blog by Lane

This year is different from the last. It is different because we don’t have virtual any more and we have lockers. I personally am happy that we don’t have virtual anymore because it was so hard and it was also really annoying doing virtual because I like being able to see the teacher and classmates when I’m doing my work. Also I like having lockers because they are a good way to store my stuff. I had a hard time keeping track of all of my stuff last year. This year seems to be a lot better than last year. Some things that we do in the Learning Commons is. We organize books and help check out. We also do all of the bulletin boards and also we clean up all of the stuff in the Learning Commons. I hope that everyone likes the Learning Commons and what is in it. We are doing all we can to keep it clean and nice. It is a fun and nice calm place to work. I hope everyone can use the LC. One thing that I think most classes can benefit from is using a space in the Learning Commons. It is kind of like a meeting room but it is in the back behind the bikes. I think that most classes should use it if they want. I've been in it when I’m in the LC and it seems like a good learning room for all 6-8 grades. I hope everybody that will use the room for learning and If you do I hope you enjoy it.

Blog by Josie

Lately during Techsperts we have been doing a lot with the books. We have weeded the old books that haven’t been checked out in a long time in the fantasy and realistic fiction section. We also helped the 6th graders find mystery and paranormal books for their projects. We have also sheleved a lot of books because lots of classes have been coming in. We have been helping with the iPads. After Mrs. Kimsey has fixed them, we take them to their classes. We also help with a lot of WiFi issues and charge iPads. Finally, to keep the Learning Commons nice and clean we straighten up the Learning Commons. We wipe down the bikes for the Read and Ride program, fix the green and blue chairs, and straighten up the media room. If your class uses the media room, please make sure that you leave the media room in good condition.

Blog by Jameson

There is a new space in the Learning Commons called the media room. The media room is a spot that your teachers can bring you for a change of atmosphere. It has lots of comfy chairs and is a cool new place to be in. In the Learning Commons something we do on an everyday basis is putting away books. This is important because it's easy to find books and that’s good for kids. Also, kids have projects that they might need a book for and it helps if they can find it in the right spot. We have started the process of doing first chapter Friday’s for the 6th grade classes. What we do is pick out a book that we think the 6th graders will like, then we go up in front of the class and read the first chapter of the book for them.

Blog by Wyatt

So far I have learned how to scan books. And I've started reading the book Survivors the empty city. I've finished Survivors The Empty City. Last week I made my book recommendation poster. I like Techsperts because I get to help out at the learning commons and I get to learn about libraries and how they run. I like that I can read when there’s no classes in the library. I've started Reading Survivors the hidden enemy. I really like this book series. I'm probably going to write an author recommendation on Erin Hunter. When classes are in the learning commons I recommend books to people. After they leave I put their chairs back and pick up any pencils and papers on the floor and close the doors. Today I fixed the sports books section. Today we are working in the back room of the library because the teachers are having a meeting in the library. I finished the 3rd book in the Survivors series. I’m going to put the ends on the book shelves. Now I’m going to start my LC promotion now.

Blog by Gaige

What do techsperts help with? The techsperts will help you with finding books, iPad problems, and multiple other things. We also do blogs, promotions, and book recommendations. We also help teachers with easy tasks. We also do things like fixing the books in the library, the biliton boards in the library and other tasks. Why do we do book recommendations? We do book recommendations so people who need suggestions on books can see these and try and figure out if they like the books we chose. It also helps people who don’t like books, to try and encourage them to start reading books. Why do we do promotions? We do promotions because some people don’t know what something is in the learning commons. Also we do it for what the places are used for and what they can do. We do all these things to help around and if there’s any problems we try and help with it.

Blog by Kaylynn

In the Learning commons Techspert helps with multiple different things. Like helping students find books, decorating the showcase, and doing daily tasks for Mrs.Kimsey. Almost everyday we work on the book showcases that will change every season. When you walk past the main doors of the learning commons you will see a big tree with book covers and recommendations, feel free to stop by and see if you want a new book! I've learned how to check books out, help students find books when they can’t, and help younger students stay on track when they are doing work. I have learned how to work well with others instead of only needing myself. Regan, Gaige, lily and I put books back on shelves, work on the showcase, and help younger students. I like being a Techspert because I’m able to help people out and get to help with iPads. Being a Techspert has definitely taught me patience with younger kids and how to talk to them. We help Mrs.Kimsey with returning iPads, going to get students, and putting books away. We make sure every book is where it needs to be and make sure that when students check books out we know where they are. We help make sure the media room and learning commons are clean and organized. I have a lot of fun personally being a techspert because of the positive environment I’m in.

Blog by Pyper

I have been learning a lot in Techsperts, even though I haven’t been in Techsperts very long . I have only been in three classes and I think it's the best class. Techsperts is definitely my favorite class out of all of them. My brothers Dalton and Dylan and they really liked it too. So all my friends kept talking about how fun it is. So I joined. So far I have learned how to check out books for other people and I think it's really cool. To check out a book you have to sign into this website that Ms. Kimsey has. ask them what their first and last name is then you will type it into the little box then you scan the book and then they are good to go. I'm gonna have to read in front of the whole 6th grade team and I stutter a lot when I read out loud. That is gonna be fun. I'm nervous and excited if I find the right book that I can read then I might not embarrass myself in front of everybody. I think I am going to read a scary book because I think most 6th graders like scary books so I have no idea.

Blog by Emmy

Hey, I'm a Ttechspert in the Learning Commons. Here are some pictures of our amazing community,if you have some input on something we do please come tell Mrs. Kimsey your ideas!

Fall Book Fair 2021

Our online book fair will run November 8 through November 21. I will be posting more information soon!

Online Book Fair

Our book fair will run from April 19-May 2 online. Use the link to check out books you would like to buy. Profits from the fair will go to purchase more items for the Learning Commons. Please support us and get reading materials for summer. https://www.scholastic.com/bf/excelsiorspringsmiddlesch

4th Quarter by Gaige

What I’m going to do my blog about is how my 4th quarter is going so far. My quarter is going ok. It has been a little rough but most 4th quarters get a little rough. What’s really good is that i got chosen to become a WEB leader and that’s super cool and I’m really excited about that and i can't wait for next year and I’m going to try to do in person learning next year for multiple reason the first one is that ill be a WEB leader the second one is that I’m kinda getting annoyed at the virtual and the third is that its going to be my sisters first year on the middle school.

Test Prep by Josie, MAP Tips by Ananya, Haden and Ella

If you didn’t know already, MAP testing is coming. When you hear someone say MAP Testing you may feel scared, anxious, or overwhelmed. But, we are going to try and help you feel more confident about the MAP test coming up by giving you some test tips to help you do your best on the MAP test. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16WgrjeEHXLZqBB8Qd4uodTrlJB1xNV1IafQLxYm1ErE/edit?usp=sharing

Book Recommendation by Josie

If you are looking for a book to read I would recommend taking a look at the book The Selection by Kiera Cass. The Selection takes place in a place called Illea and the prince is looking for a wife to take the throne when it is his turn to be the king. Thousands of girls apply to be Prince Maxon’s wife, including the main character America, but only 35 are picked to compete at the palace. This book is a futuristic and fairy tale take on modern day dating shows. Will America make it to the palace or become the queen or will she be stuck at her house barely making it by?

Reading by Willa

Everybody has something that makes them happy, friends, family, food, school, or whatever your heart desires. Everybody longs for happiness, and everybody wants to go on the adventure of a lifetime. Something that I believe has been lost in today’s society is the beauty of reading. Of course people read everyday, on signs, social media posts, and at school. But, I believe that the feeling of picking up a new book, the crisp pages in your hand, and the anticipation of a new adventure tops every other feeling. Most kids today don’t like reading, but with the right book everybody can go on the adventure of a lifetime, getting swept into another world, and meeting characters that seem so real. I think that many kids today hate reading because they have not found the right book yet. If you read 20 minutes a day you will be exposed to 1.8 million words per year. Reading 20 minutes a day can build your empathy towards others, and affect your mental health positively. Reading a good book is an escape outlet from reality, and in my opinion it is a healthy coping mechanism. Books are so fun, because you can find a book about any topic, and at any reading level. Many kids here at ESMS write great book reviews that are posted everywhere such as google classrooms, and on our school newspaper. Our school library, and our public library are filled with about every single book you can imagine, and there are many great reading apps. So I believe that books are good for mental health, and are a lost gem in today’s society.

Virtual by Mia

Virtual is where you work from home and go on zooms with your teachers but I haven’t been doing that. I’ve been virtual since 2nd quarter and I haven’t been doing the best at it. For me virtual was really hard because I kinda get distracted easily so I couldn’t get the work done on time when needed. It was kinda weird going back also because I have a different schedule and everyone is back at school now and hard to get up because I’m not used to getting up around 5 or 6 but now, I’m going to focus on my work and what I’m supposed to be doing.

End of the year is Coming! by Haden

So far we have had an extremely Difficult year having to deal with COVID-19, a Bunch of kids first years at Middle School and HIgh school, and so many more things but don't worry because the end of the school year is so very close. So get ready for summer because when school ends it's gonna be a blast! So far the official release Date for School is going to be on May 21st. During the Summer Only the Students who need to are going to attend summer school but that’s the best we are getting so far so if you were planning on going to summer school, sorry about that. On the bright side we are now gonna have many days at home to have Fun, Do sports, Play video games, and the best part, Friends! So we only have 2 months left so if you can try to hold it together for just this last bit of time and well have a bunch of time to catch up on sleep and a bunch of other things that you have been unable to do!

My day by Bryce

Today I listened to music. Why am I typing this? During PE I scored 4 times 2 inside the parkers, it was so fun. I did the 1st hour, 2nd hour, 3rd hour, 4th hour, 5th hour and so on.I stamped over 100 books. That is why I had fun.

My Day by Haleigh

My blog Today My Computer class we were on google maps and we had to search up places in Excelsior Springs it was kinda fun. In techsperts we have to make a blog and a book recommendation and it's pretty fun. My math teacher is one of my favorite teachers. She is funny and cool but so is my techspert teacher and the rest. Social studies we did a fun little game. It was fun.

Book Recommendation by Emmy

Twist It Up is a cookbook. and if you like cooking like me, you will most definitely like it. This book, like you can see on the front cover, has more than 60 awesome recipes. so you and your friends should read it and try some new recipes.. By Emmy

Teacher Treats/celebration by Haleigh

How I feel about the thing that we did for the teachers. I feel happy about it because we got to make the happy and let them have something to look up to. It was really fun because my friends and I make it fun. It was very relaxing for Me-Haleigh, Bryce, and Emersen. The people who helped with this project was Me- Haleigh , Bryce Lewis, Emersen , Ananya , Haden , Ella . I hope all the teachers enjoyed this little project and have a good day.

Raffle by Josie

As you know in the past couple months we had 2 raffles, raffling fidget toys, books, sports gear, tshirts, and candy. We would like to thank you for all your help and raising almost $100 to donate to students that need school supplies, coats, hats, and gloves for the students here at the middle school. Coming up in April we will have another raffle with chiefs and royals gear stay tuned for more information

Test taking tips by Regan

Blog Quarter 3: 2-1-21 Because of last week's snow days some tests have been moved to this week. Having so many tests during one week or several in one day can be very stressful, so today I am going to share some test taking advice. One tip is to study a little bit everyday instead of cramming all of your studying into the day before your test/s. If you try to remember everything that you learned in one day you will most likely mix up what you learned and it will be much harder to take the test. Another tip is that if you’re struggling to remember a certain term or definition, come up with a trick to remember it. It doesn’t matter if it sounds weird, all that matters is that you remember it. A strategy that lots of teachers have told us to use during the test is to read the question and choices first then read the passage. This way you know what you’re looking for as you read. If you can’t remember a definition or term I recommend that you create a Quizlet set to practice. Last year I used Quizlet a lot and it really helped me on the tests. Finally, my personal favorite tip. If you can’t remember a term or definition no matter what you do, get out your notes right before you go into the class where you’re taking the test and find the term or definition you need. Once you know it, keep repeating it to yourself until you get your test. Then go immediately to that question and you won’t have to worry about trying to recall the answer later. I don’t use this one often because Quizlet helps me to remember the definitions however if Quizlet doesn’t quite work for you then you could use this one. Remember to go slow and take your time on tests, have a great day!

Book Recommendation by Gaige

Book recommendation 2/2/21 Gaige The collector K.R. Alexander For my book recommendation the book I chose is the collector. This book is about a girl named Josie who loves going and visiting her grandma's house but there are strict rules that are kind of odd. The rules are - never leave the windows open after dark - no dolls in the house ever - and never go into the shack that is in the woods. The book is pretty good. I personally really enjoyed this book because I like weird and spooky books. I recommend this boo to anyone who also

Gardening by Willa

Gardening Over quarantine people have developed many new hobbies. Such as, crocheting, knitting, puzzles, running, hiking, reading, writing, etc. It appears that most things will stay the same over the summer, and the usual summer activities we all look forward to might not be open. So one thing I am very excited to start, and encourage others to start as well is a garden. There are many types of gardens you can start. You can start a flower garden, vegetable garden, fruit garden, or maybe even a succulent garden. Gardening is an easy hobby that is on the cheaper side of things, and is very cost efficient. Flowers and succulents will make your yard look prettier, and give it a sweet smell. People of any age can garden, and I enjoy that I can make gardening a family activity. Along with gardening you can also start a compost bin to help recycling. There are so many benefits to gardens, like it will be cheaper to grow your own veggies, you will help the bees, birds, and butterflies, and certain flowers will keep away pests. Might as well make the best of this situation, and it is never too late to take on a new hobby.

School by Gaige

School has been going very well for me. I've been all virtual for all year and I have enjoyed it so far but it has some down sides and it has a few up sides. The down sides is that sometimes it's hard to understand a lot of the subjects and the up sides are that you can get your school work done whenever time at the same day. Some school work can be difficult but a lot of it would be easy and the test will be the same way

Read and Ride Program by Lundyn

Read and Ride Program The Read and Ride Program is an easy way for students and teachers to get their mind and body working. They will bring a book or check one out here in the Learning Commons. They will read their desired book while sitting on exercise bikes peddling to the speed they feel is comfortable. We will test the bikes with our teachers and Techsperts to make sure the cleaning process is safe. We will announce when it is open to the rest of the students. Hope to see you there. By: Lundyn

Raffle by Rylee

Hey, The raffle is still going on and we need kids to enter. There are lots of fun prizes!! And….. it's only 50 cents for each raffle ticket!! If you wanna chance to win some prizes be sure to have 50 cents here and turned into Ms. Travis by February 11!! Check the lunch room or outside the Learning Commons for the prizes available. Good luck!!

by Emma

Hey everyone!!! So we have been doing a raffle and it's still going on for a little while longer, we just handed out our 1 round of prizes!!!!! Congrats to the winners!!! So it's almost Valentine’s Day, and me and Regan just decorated the cases by the Learning Commons. You should definitely come check it out!!!! And if you're interested in checking out a book, email Ms. Travis and she will be able to work something out!

Being Virtual by Haden

Going virtual pros/cons Pros Hanging out with my animals Eating while doing work Not having to sit there for 7 hours for 2 hours worth of work Cons Difficult to keep up with work Distractions of other things in the house It’s gotten me into bad habits Very very Stressful Not as easy to learn when I’ve been doing regular school my whole life and just automatically transferred to working at home

Break by Sydnie

So over Christmas break I spent a lot of time with family. I got some Christmas presents that were on my list and some that weren’t on my list. I didn’t really do a lot of traveling but i helped clean out a house that is being redone. Every time i turned around it was “where is my skid steer operator”. There was this one time i went inside to my grandparents house to get a drink, had my boot off and my hoodie and my overalls, next thing i know the radio goes off and said where is my skid steer operator at so i put everything back on while my grandma got me a water bottle and had to go back out. It was so much fun! I get to go back this weekend.