Yesterday the WE 5th Grade Book Club attended the Heartland Literature Festival held at Washburn University, featuring award-winning, nonfiction author Steve Sheinkin. See previous WE post about our awesome experience at the Festival!

Students were asked to read one of Sheinkin's books before attending the Festival. Our book club read Diamond Fever! before the day's festivities.

While we were at the Festival, one of our students was interviewed by WIBW about his thoughts on the book. Kudos to Levi for his positive representation of Wanamaker Elementary!

The WE 5th grade book club had a great day at the Heartland Literature Festival held at Washburn University today! The featured author-- award-winning, nonfiction writer Steve Sheinkin, gave the keynote to kick off the day.

We learned the inspiration behind some of Steve's stories and why he made some of the writing choices that he did while writing his books. He told the students that the best writing tip he could give them is to "just write!" He told them that they would make mistakes, but that's okay because that is how we grow and get better at what we do. He shared some of his early mistakes with the kids, and said that he doesn't view them as failures because he learned and grew from them.

In addition to sharing his daily writing routine with the audience, he also explained his approach to the research process. He said the research trips that he takes to learn more about his topics are interesting and his favorite part of the process.

The students participated in 3 break-out sessions throughout the day and utilized their creative abilities with various activities.

After reading Steve's book Diamond Fever!, it was so fun to watch the students get excited about meeting the book's author and learning from him! As one student put it, "This was the BEST day ever!"

Reminder that Parent/Teacher conferences are next Wednesday (10/14) evening and all day Thursday (10/15). If you have not signed up for your student's conference, you can click this link to sign up.

The WE 2nd graders kicked off the 2026 Global Read Aloud (GRA) in their library classes with two Mystery Skypes last week! The Mystery Skypes provided us with a way to introduce ourselves to the buddy classes that we will be connecting with during the GRA.

During the Skype we ask each other yes-no questions while using our map skills to determine where each other resides. It’s a lot of fun and cheering takes place when we figure out where each other is located! This year our buddy classes are from New York and Massachusetts, respectively.

We will spend the next 6 weeks in our library classes connecting with and collaborating with our buddy classes while learning more about author/illustrator Dan Santat. We’re looking forward to it!

Bullying Prevention Week October 5th - 8th

Wanamaker Elementary welcomed author Jenn Bailey this afternoon when she visited with the 4th graders about her life as an author and editor. Jenn filled the room with her energy and enthusiasm as she interacted with the students during her presentation. She shared the many different translations of her books and had the students guess the languages in which her books have been translated. She stated, "Stories are meant to be shared, no matter the language."
When asked by a student if she has always loved books, she said, "Yes!" She told the students that if they don't enjoy reading now, they just haven't found the right book yet. She advised them to keep trying different book formats and genres until they find the ones that interest them. She also said that we can improve our writing by being readers.
Furthering her interactions with the students, she helped them draft a story by using their collective ideas. Their collaboration produced quite a creative story titled "The Fight Between the Veggies and an Army Tank!"
Thank you, Jenn Bailey, for taking the time to visit us and sharing details about your life as an author!
Jenn will be a participant at the Kansas Book Festival being held tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 26 at Washburn University from 9:00 - 4:00. She will be one of the authors participating in the Childhoods of Creativity and Courage session, which is being moderated by WE Librarian Alice Reinert.

Come and check out the Kansas Book Festival taking place on the Washburn University campus this Saturday, Sept. 26 from 9:00 - 4:00. It's going to be a great time for the whole family!
Check out the complete schedule!
https://kansasbookfestival.com/festival-schedule/

From summer reading achievements to Sharks in Kansas, read all about the latest in the WE Library!

The WE 5th graders had an extraordinary experience this morning when they had the privilege of hearing one man's story of survival.

On the 25th anniversary of this fateful day, Mr. Robert Matos, a 9/11 survivor from New Jersey, so graciously shared his story and expressed his gratitude for being here today. While that day 25 years ago was filled with tragedy and much loss, Robert emphasized that there is much good in the world and that by working together, we can make the world a better place.

He told the students that 9/11 changed him by helping him realize what really matters in life. As a younger man, he was busy chasing material wealth, and after experiencing this tragic event, he realized that family and friends were the true measure of wealth.

He told the students that he had faith in their generation, our future leaders and citizens. He also told them that above all, "BE KIND."

He complimented the 5th graders on their thoughtful questions and told them that if they ever find themselves in New York City, to be sure and visit the 9/11 memorial and museum there.

Thank you, Robert, for taking the time to share your incredible story, your wisdom, and your hopeful message with our students today. You made a difference, and for that, we are grateful.

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