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Out Your Library Resources here: RDMS Print Catalog - RDMS Digital Library - Research Project Pathfinders
ESCAPE ROOMS COME TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Breakout Excitement Linked to Learning
8th Graders deployed their knowledge of the water cycle and its effects on weather and climate to break codes, open locks, and escape to victory in an exciting escape room activity in their Science classes. Working against the clock, students relied on teamwork to puzzle through clues presented as rhyming stories paired with visuals to break lock codes made up of letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and directional arrows.
The platform is called BreakoutEDU. This exciting activity linking collaborative game play to classroom content learning was made possible through a River Dell PTO grant. The BreakoutEDU program at RDMS also includes physical lock boxes that will be used when students and their teachers return to fully in-person learning.
Let the games begin!
They say you should never judge a book by its cover.
But you go right ahead and
JUDGE THIS BOOK BY ITS MOVIE!
Starring Millie Bobby Brown from Stranger Things
Borrow it from Your Library Watch it on Netflix
Click here for a book review Click here for the movie trailer
Recommended Reads for Anytime
Click here for >>> Recommended Reads for Grade 7 & 8
Reading is one of the most important things we do as learners, and it is important that we read over the summer - and all the time! So, until the Library is back in full swing for 2020-2021, use our Summer Reading List to find some good reads.Happy reading, RDMS!
You Be the Judge
Click on the image for resources on spotting fake news and choosing good research sources
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HARRY!It's hard to believe that Harry Potter first landed on American shores 20 years ago. In those years, countless young readers have been enchanted by Harry, his wizarding friends, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and all manner of magical and delightful surprises.These gorgeous new cover illustrations by children's book illustrator Brian Selznick create one long story-telling image of the boy wizard's journey. Come on down to the RDMS Library and check 'em out! And watch for news of Harry Party, our official celebration of the boy who brought magic to our lives.
HEY RDMS! DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR FAMILY HAS A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO 26 MAGAZINES?
It's true! There is something for everyone - sports, cooking, style and fashion, science, Spanish language, writing and general coolness!
Click the FLIPSTER logo to read our collection of 26 digital magazines online or download entire magazines to your smartphone or tablet using the free FLIPSTER app.
To access our digital magazines from home, click here
HAPPY MAKING, RDMS!!!
Our LED Jack-O-Lantern was made by the artists and tech experts in Library Club in our new makerspace. Watch for news of an after-school makerspace event where you can learn how to make electric circuits to light up your holiday cards and decorations!WATCH THIS SPACETO HEAR ABOUT OUR MAKERSPACE!You are a maker. What will you make?
makerspaces.comAuthor Tanya Lee Stone Visits RDMSStudents welcomed author Tanya Lee Stone on March 1st. Ms. Stone, the author of exactly 100 books for children and teens, visited with RDMS students while on tour for her newest book, GIRL RISING, the important story of the 62 million school-age girls in developing countries trying to get an education. Preferring to call what she writes true stories rather than non-fiction, Ms. Stone explained her research process and encouraged RDMS students to get passionate about the world around them and become detectives so that they, too, can become true story tellers.Here is the author with members of the Library Club after her talk:
Watch the trailer for the 2013 documentary film that inspired the book:And check out the Library Club's beautiful bulletin board about Stone's work:
RDMS, it's Banned Books WeekSeptember 26 through October 1What are banned books and why would we celebrate such a thing? Good questions!What we are celebrating are books, reading, libraries, and the freedom to choose what to read without censorship. We call it the freedom to read, and it goes along with the cherished democratic American freedom of self-expression. And that includes what we read.There are those who disagree and would demand that some books be removed from public library and school library shelves. Interestingly, most challenged books - those that someone wants banned from the library - are children's and teen books.
Each year, books that have been challenged in public and school libraries across America are celebrated as a way to highlight the importance of intellectual freedom and the right to choose what you read. It reminds us not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.Here are the most challenged kids and teen books of 2015- Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan @loversdiction
- Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan by Jeanette Winter
- Habibi by Craig Thompson
- Fun Home by Alison Bechdel @AlisonBechdel
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon @mark_haddon
- Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin @susankuklin
- I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings @jessicaherthel @JazzJennings__
- Looking for Alaska by John Green @johngreen
WELCOME BACK RDMS!!!
We are so ready for a fantastic year in the Library Media CenterAnd this year is especially exciting because the all-new, shiny, bright renovation of our wonderful Library will be complete in October. In the meantime, say hi to Librarian Ms. Risi in the hallway or in her temporary quarters in Room 221 upstairs. And use the links here to get at the good stuff. Regular hours of operation and FAQs are here.The Library is the place to get stuff done, find a good book, join the Library Club and its Anime/Manga, Coding, Making, Games, and Minecraft groups, or just hang out. It's the best hangout in the school, and who doesn't need one of those?We can't wait to get the 2016-2017 party started!
RDMS Library Club hostsVisiting Author Ruta Sepetys!Best-selling Young Adult author Ruta Sepetys had River Dell Middle School students on the edge of their seats during her visit on February 5, just days after the publication of her third novel, Salt to the Sea.Like her 2012 New York Times best-selling YA book Between Shades of Gray, Ms. Sepetys's new book is gripping historical fiction recounting a little-known episode from the Soviet occupation of small nations in Eastern Europe during World War II. Salt to the Sea tells the story of young people fleeing the Soviets only to board the doomed vessel Wilhelm Gustloff.Ms. Sepety's stories come from close to home - both her father and his cousin spent many years in refugee camps during the Soviet occupation of their native Lithuania.Here Ms. Sepetys poses for a picture with some member of the RDMS Library Club after her fascinating talk.
RDMS Library Club Hosts HOUR OF CODE!Library Club's 2nd Annual Hour of Code on December 15th was a smashing success with attendance up 100 percent from year one and a group of teachers joining in on this important tech event.The RDMS event was one of nearly 200,000 in 180 countries around the world. Approximately 75 RDMS students joined together to participate in the National Computer Science Education Week event. The activities were introduced by Library Club member 8th Grader Rebecca Z and our very own 7th Grader Mitchell B led the coding by having his work projected on the screen.Hour of Code is an international event intended to introduce youngsters to computer coding in fun and engaging activities. Here are some of our RDMS coders at work!.JPG "wizards code")
Teachers code, too! 
#bookfaceYou've heard of Facebook, but have you heard of Bookface?Will you #bookface this year?We were inspired by this New York Times article to try our own RDMS Library #bookface.NEW YORK TIMES: Oh, Those Clever Librarians and Their #BookfaceCan you identify the RDMS bookfacers? Can you tell which ones are your teachers?
JACK ANDRAKA, TEENAGE SCIENCE PHENOM, SPENDS THE DAY AT RDMS!!!Celebrate YA Booksby Going to the Movies!
Wow! There is a Young Adult book craze going on in Hollywood. Just look at all the movies already out or coming soon that started as teen books. You read it. Now you can watch it.What an exciting year for YA books-to-movies. Here's hoping the movies are as good as their books!
Click on the images below to read book reviews and view movie trailers
June 6, 2014
August 15, 2014 
August 22, 2014 
September 19, 2014 
November 21, 2014 
June 5, 2015 
2015 
January 29, 2016 
November 18, 2016 
ALREADY RELEASED 
November 1, 2013 
November 8, 2013
November 22, 2013 
February 14, 2014 
