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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Hilltop Elementary School students, from left, Bella Brunk and Kennedy Velez enjoyed the jungle decorations as they visited the school’s annual K.I.S.S. book fair event on March 7.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.John Itsura, Carnegie Museum of Natural History outreach coordinator. brought several replica dinosaur fossils, including a dinosaur head, to Hilltop Elementary School’s annual book fair K.I.S.S. event on March 7.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Leslie Wilson, Carnegie Museum of Natural History outreach manager. talked about dinosaur fossils with Hilltop Elementary School students at the school’s annual book fair K.I.S.S. event on March 7.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Hilltop Elementary second-grade student Taylor Skripac got an upclose look at a replica dinosaur bone at the school’s annual K.I.S.S. book fair event on March 7.
By ABBY SLANKER
Hilltop Elementary School students kicked off the school’s annual book fair with a K.I.S.S. event on March 7.
Students could invite someone special to the event to visit the book fair where they were transported to the depths of a jungle. Coordinating with the Dino-mite Book Fair theme, the library was transformed into a dinosaur habitat with plants, camouflage, nests full of ‘dinosaur eggs’ and a giant dinosaur hanging from the ceiling.
Entertainment at the K.I.S.S. event was provided by John Itsura, Carnegie Museum of Natural History outreach coordinator, and Leslie Wilson, Carnegie Museum of Natural History outreach manager. Itsura and Wilson set up a table full of touchable replica fossils which the children could touch and feel and learn about.
“These are replica fossils. They aren’t the real ones,” Itsura told the children. “You can pick them up and touch them and if you happen to drop them and they shatter, it’s no big deal.”
The book fair was organized by Patti Hockensmith, Hilltop Elementary School and C.H. Campbell Elementary School librarian/media specialist. Hockensmith stated proceeds from the book fair are used to buy books and other items for the library.
A variety of books of all reading levels were available for the children to choose from, including series collections, graphic novels, entertainment, chapter books, reference books, chills and thrills, favorite characters, science and, of course, dinosaurs.
The students also attended the book fair during their scheduled library times the week of March 11-15. Parents and grandparents could attend the book fair to help the students shop. The book fair offered adult best sellers for parents and grandparents to browse as they attended the fair. Students could also purchase posters, bookmarks, pencils, novelty erasers, journals, stickers and more.
Each teacher was able to select books they would like for their classroom, and students were able to purchase the books for the classroom.
Members of the school’s PTA helped set up the book fair, operated the checkout during the fair and K.I.S.S. event and were also available to help the children pick out books.