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Kemper Library: Ellis Hall

Welcome to our library!

Our students in lower school have a library class time each week. Our ECP students check out books each week to share in their classrooms. Beginning in first grade, students check out books to bring home. First and second graders may check out two books, third graders may check out three books, and so on. Beginning in second grade, students may choose a magazine as one of their selections. Checkout time is for two weeks, although books may be renewed at any time. There are no fines for overdue books.

Did you know?

As a parent, you are welcome to come and check out books from our library. Stop by after school anytime - Mrs. Holley is happy to help you find what you need and work with you and your child to find just the right book!
Our library is a fun place after school! Please feel free to accompany your child and work on homework, read, use a computer, or browse for books.
The library is open from 8:00-4:00 each day.
You will need a password for our subscription databases. Please see the password list.

Kemper Library Catalog

Other Library Catalogs

Roanoke Valley Libraries
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Search the library catalogs for all Roanoke Valley Libraries.

Lower School Grade Level Pages

Lower School Pages
Access the pages for your child’s grade level and all subject areas here.

Online Encyclopedias

General Research

Gale in Context - Elementary
Click on the Gale in Context link to use this database. No password is required.

World Book Timelines
Timelines covering many subjects. Includes features for students and teachers to create and share their own timelines.

Kiddle
Kiddle is a visual search engine for kids powered by Google offering a safe kids' web, image, and video search. Results are vetted by editors.

Keyboarding Practice

Typetastic
Typing Club
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Learn touch typing online using TypingClub's free typing courses. 650 typing games, typing tests and videos are incuded.
Typing.com
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Typing lessons designed by keyboarding experts, for students of every skill level.

News Sites

Dogo News
Newsela
Enter your class code for assigned articles, or just sign up to read some great articles!
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This news tool brings together engaging, accessible content with integrated assessments.

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month
Find some fun resources here!

Digital Media

Discovery Education
All Ellis Hall students access Discovery Education as follows:
Grades JK3-3:
Username: first initial, last name, underscore, ncs (i.e. aholley_ncs)
Password: raiders
Grades 4-5:
Username: NCS email
Password: raiders
PBS Learning Media
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PBS and your PBS member station have curated FREE, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more.
Newsela
Enter your class code for assigned articles, or just sign up to read some great articles!
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This news tool brings together engaging, accessible content with integrated assessments.
The Kid Should See This
Each video on TKSST is selected to contribute to a kid-friendly corner on the internet that doesn’t underestimate what children can learn or what they might be interested in.
Just For Kids: Access Video
This subscription is available through the Library of Virginia and our local public libraries. After clicking on the link, scroll down to find Just for Kids Access Video.

Images

ImageQuest

BrainPOP!

BrainPOP Jr.
Our school has a subscription for BrainPOP Jr! Check with your teacher - or your password list - for access!
BrainPOP
Our school has a BrainPOP subscription! Check your password list for access.
Brain Pop Spanish
BrainPOP French

Great sites for Reading/Writing/Math

Starfall
ABCya
Funbrain
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Created for kids in grades Pre-K through 8, Funbrain.com offers hundreds of games, books, comics, and videos that develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving and literacy.

Literature - Grades 3-5

CommonLit.org
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CommonLit delivers high-quality, free instructional materials to support literacy development for students in grades 3-12.
Funbrain
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Created for kids in grades Pre-K through 8, Funbrain.com offers hundreds of games, books, comics, and videos that develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving and literacy.

Reading Recommendations

Brightly
Read-Aloud Revival
We Need Diverse Books
The Best Children's Books
Reading Rockets
A Book and a Hug
Find new favorite books by learning your reader personality type.

STEM/STEAM

Exploratorium
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The Exploratorium is a public learning laboratory exploring the world through science, art, and human perception.

Coding

Scratch
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Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It is provided free of charge.
Scratch Jr.
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ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that enables young children (ages 5-7) to create their own interactive stories and games. Children snap together graphical programming blocks to make characters move, jump, dance, and sing.
Code.org
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Provides the leading curriculum for K-12 computer science in the United States.
Pencil Code
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Learn professional programming languages using an editor that lets you work in either blocks or text. Create art, music, games, and stories.
Tinkercad
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Tinkercad is a free online collection of software tools that help people all over the world think, create and make. It's the ideal introduction to Autodesk, the leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software.
Moana Hour of Code

Ebooks & Audiobooks

SORA
Sora is an ebook app that is the school version of the public library Libby app. Using this link, you can read ebooks from our school collection, as well as link your public library account to read ebooks, too. Students in grades 4-12 will sign in using their North Cross email. Students in JK3-3rd grade will sign in with the user name and password provided by their teacher.
**If you download the app, use the setup code northcrossva.**

Additional SORA features:

Download titles to read later.

Add a public library to your account.

Definitions, highlights, and notes in SORA

Selecting dyslexic font or high contrast font

Epic
Epic Books is a fantastic eBook subscription site. Your teacher will send more information about how to access Epic.
Vooks
Vooks is a kid-safe streaming library of read-aloud, animated storybooks. They offer 1 month free.
Storyline Online
The Screen Actors Guild Foundation produces this literacy and story-reading site.

Library Cards - Roanoke Valley Libraries

Library Card Application - Roanoke Valley Libraries
You can find information here about applying for a library card for our local public library system. It's free and easy to do and will give you access to all kinds of digital resources in addition to those within the libraries!

History, Social Studies, Civics

Databases
Websites

World Almanac for Kids
American History
"American History is a comprehensive resource that spans our nation’s history, with a user-friendly interface and award-winning content. The home page offers many ways to begin exploring the material, from the videos, slideshow overviews, and Topic Centers to the lists of key content handpicked by our editors to help users find a starting point for research."
Ancient and Medieval History
"Ancient and Medieval History provides thorough coverage of world history from prehistory through the mid-1500s, with special Topic Centers on key civilizations and regions, including the ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece, and Rome; ancient and medieval Africa, Asia, and the Americas; and medieval Europe and the Islamic World. Each civilization’s history is brought to life through tablet/mobile-friendly videos and slideshows, primary sources, maps and graphs, timelines, articles, and suggested search terms."

Kid Citizen
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In KidCitizen’s interactive episodes, kids explore civics and government concepts by investigating primary source photographs from the Library of Congress. They also connect what they find with their daily lives.
Case Maker
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Case Maker features twenty pre-made civics challenges that teachers can share with their students.
DBQuest from iCivics
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Teaches history and civics through the use of primary source documents and evidence-based learning. It offers a platform, accessible with mobile devices, that reinforces evidence-based reasoning and Document Based Questioning by teaching students to identify and evaluate evidence, contextualize information, and write sound supporting arguments.
Dogo News
Smithsonian's History Explorer
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Explore a variety of artifacts from the National Museum of American History.
Ellis Island Interactive Tour
DK Find Out! World War II

Discovery Education

World War II Home Front

Math

Prodigy
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Prodigy is an epic adventure math game that will engage students in a quest at the same time they are learning math.
Khan Academy
Splash Math
Funbrain
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Created for kids in grades Pre-K through 8, Funbrain.com offers hundreds of games, books, comics, and videos that develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving and literacy.

Science

Databases
Websites

World Almanac for Kids

National Geographic Kids
Curiosity Machine
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Whether you want quality learning challenges to do at home or curriculum for a classroom of eager learners, Curiosity Machine is a perfect source of inspiration to fuel curiosity, creativity, and perseverance while learning about the science and technology that will drive the future.
NASA links for grades K-4
DK Find Out!
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"DKfindout! allows your child to search, learn, and explore information on a safe and secure site. Perfect for help with homework, DK’s clear, reliable, and highly visual content covers all curriculum subjects and more!"
Dogo News

Art

National Gallery of Art Kids Zone

Music

Keyboarding Class - Opening Doors

Typing Club Subscription Link

5th Grade Hydroponics Research

Credo Reference
Explora Middle School
Explora for Middle School is EBSCO's interface designed for middle school students. Students can browse topics of interest or search for a topic of their choice. Search results can be limited to source type (e.g., magazines, news, biographies, etc.)

Spanish

Databases
Websites

Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos
This dedicated Spanish-language database contains videos, compare-and-contrast features, selected articles, and a visual dictionary to allow ESL students and Spanish-learners the chance to learn. Integrated with World Book Kids for parallel English-language content.

Brain Pop Spanish

World Geography and Culture

Rockalingua
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Music based site for learning Spanish. A subscription is available, but there is also some free content.
Mi mundo en palabras
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Part of the Centro Virtual Cervantes, a site created by the Instituto Cervantes of Spain. This interactive Spanish website for kids has 10 units and each includes a short cartoon video and several activities.
Digital Dialects
Quizlet
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Use this site when assigned.
Mango Languages
You will need your public library card to sign up for a free account. Mango Languages prepares learners for realistic conversations and strengthens everyday communication skills in over 70 world languages, including English.
Spanish Word Bingo (ABCya)
Spanish Word Toss (ABCya)
Spanish Games (PBS Kids)
Newsela in Spanish

100 Books in the Lower School

100 Books Flyer
Information about the 100 Books Initiative
100 Books Project Sheet
Use this form to share information about one of the 15 books from the list that you've read!
100 Books: List of 15 books to read for award

Fun Sites to Explore

Spatulatta
Wonderopolis
The Kid Should See This
Each video on TKSST is selected to contribute to a kid-friendly corner on the internet that doesn’t underestimate what children can learn or what they might be interested in.