LINKS
Search the PS 107 Library Online

Overview of the Library

Hello and welcome to the Library section of the PS 107 website. The Library, located on the 4^th floor, has been in circulation since 2005. The library, renovated in 2007, shares the space with the Art Room. The 4^th floor is also used for student programs such as Ballroom Dancing, Stages of Learning, Story Pirates, author visits and various student assemblies throughout the year. The space is also used various activities in the Afterschool Program. Lastly, the space is utilized at night for Movie Night, 4^th Floor Readings, music venues and student performances.

Internet Resources

Our librarian, Peg Galella, along with various Library Committee volunteers, maintains and updates the website section. Websites are grouped and organized under specialized headings. These websites align with New York State and City Department of Education curriculum. They have been selected for their value in education, student interaction and graphics appeal.

We always appreciate suggestions for websites so please email your suggestion for consideration to Ms. Galella at mgalell@schools.nyc.gov.

Print Resources

Print resources in this library are generally books that the classroom libraries do not have. The print resources offer a much wider interest range and often have complete book sets from authors.

The Librarian collects various genres of print for our library. This includes collections of picture books, fiction chapter books, series books, non-fiction, biographies, graphic novels (both fiction and non-fiction), magazines and print references.

Author Visits

Author visits provide an enriching and powerful experience for children. Because our literacy program follows the Teacher’s College curriculum from Columbia University, children are taught to be empowered as writers. The curriculum often reinforces children to think of themselves as writers during the literacy periods in the classroom. And so when published authors visit our school, students experience a very tangible skill that is relevant to their educational literacy experience.

Generally speaking, we plan for 3 author visits per school year: one author for pre-k, Kindergarten and 1^st Grade, one author for Grades 2 and 3 and another author for Grades 4 and 5.

If you have an author in mind, please contact Ms. Galella at mgalell@schools.nyc.gov for consideration.

Parent Volunteers

Parents are always welcome to visit the library. If you are interested in volunteering for the library, please contact Stephanie Thompson, stephsthompson@gmail.com, who is the head of the Library Committee. Many parents enjoy volunteering their time right after they drop their child off in the morning or right before they pick their child up in the afternoon.

Questions about the Library

If you have a question or concern about your child’s class’ library schedule, circulation of books, book collection development or website development, please contact Peg Galella at 718 330-9340, ext. 4022.

Librarian Peg Galella's Portaportal Recommendations
The USER NAME is PS107 and the PASSWORD is STUDENT... see a complete list of educational websites on a variety of subjects.

Ms. Hall's Portaportal Recommendations
Ms. Hall's recommendations cover a wide selection of websites on Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Typing and more. Sites are nested into other sites and a fun and educational exploration for all grades.

Common Sense Media
Family Entertainment reviews and ratings for movies, television, video games, music CDs, books, and web sites.Common Sense Media helps parents choose what's appropriate for children. This is not a censorship website but rather a non-partisan organization dedicated to parents and helping them make knowledgeable about decisions for their children.

Grade 4 Social Studies Recources
1492: Ongoing Voyage (pre- and post-contact America, and the Mediterranean world) --- The Atlantic World - America and the Netherlands --- Library of Congress, We the People (resources for teachers and students)

Africa Links
Interactive site with visit to a marketplace, create your own mudcloth, etc as well as specific 3rd grade lessons.

New York State/City History
Computer-generated images of what Manhattan looked like in the 16th Century --- Ship's log from the Fall 2007 voyage up the Hudson River in the contemporary replica of Henry Hudson's ship, The Half Moon --- Information about the early colony of New Netherland; parent site for the Half Moon ship

Fun Math Links
Here are links for non-commercial math websites for math enrichment, teaching mathematical reasoning or calculations. It would be a good resource both for kids who like math and for kids who have not YET realized math can be fun. Special thanks to Tracy Peel, of our Math Committee for these links.

Subject Directories
Organized by subject area and pre-evaluated for quality (often by librarians!), these subject directories act like search engines but without a lot of useless results.  Great for homework help and when researching special projects.

Brooklyn History
Learn about our local history—What was life like in the past?  What important events shaped our history?  Who are the people that made it happen?

Transportation
How do we get from here to there?  Build a bridge or ride the subway through time.  It’s here. 

Visual Arts
Become a digital artist.  Find stories in paintings.  See what our local art museums have created for kids to help them discover artists and their work.

Japan
These websites will help you take a virtual tour of Japan: learn what it's like to be a student at a Japanese school, make an origami butterfly, or browse photographs of Japanese architecture, cities, temples and shrines.

Plants and Ecosystems
Soil, seeds, plants, flowers, habitats and how everything works together. Dig in and get your hands dirty with these websites.