Net Cetera

50 Books You Should Read Before You Finish Middle School

Book Club - BOCES Exploratorium

Destiny Quest OPAC

• Click on to search for books, videos, DVD's and other materials in the BMS Library Media Center via our Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC).  
• You can also access Web Path Express here to find good websites.

digital resources

What Should I Read Next?

Try one of the sites below to help find a book.

• Reading Rants - An Out-of-the-Ordinary booklist for teens. Jen Hubert reviews books for teens and writes about them on her site. Now you can add your own reveiws and comments on the interactive blog. With categories like "Fanging Around," "Gods and Monsters," "Graphic Fantastic" and "Historical Fiction for Hipsters," there's a little something for everyone!
• BookSeer - The "magic" book seer will recommend a book to you based on what other books you've enjoyed.
• No Flying No Tights - a site that reviews graphic novels of all kinds. There are some superhero comics here too, but lots of other as well.
• Boy Meets Book - When you look for a book, does it seem like all the books are for girls? Are The Clique and Gossip Girls threatening to overwhelm you with their glossy, lip-sticky covers? Well, never fear, Best Boy Reads are here! Believe it or not, there are some great books out there for the teen-aged males of the world who like a little more testosterone in their paperbacks.
• Teen Reads -  This site has teen reviewers, info on books into movies, interviews w/ authors, new releases, featured books and much, much more.
• Series Books - Don't know which book comes next? This site lists LOTS and LOTS of series books in order. You can search by the series name or the author's name.
• Fantastic Fiction - This British site has lots of info on authors, new releases, series and lots more!

Fan Fiction

• The Mockingjay - Everything you ever wanted to know about The Hunger Games and more!
• Fictionally - Here you can find stories for almost any novel, TV show, movie or game you can imagine.
• Harry Potter Lexicon - All things Harry. Everything from the Weasley family tree to all the wizards in Hermione's textbooks.

Have A Favorite Author?

• Rick Riordan - Official Site, includes author's blog, biography, news about books and more.
• Anthony Horowitz - Official Site, includes author bio, news, info about his books.
• Meg Cabot - Official Site, includes author blog, contest information and info on all her books. Way beyond just The Princess Diaries, there's info on the Mediator, 1-800 Vanished and more!
• Tamora Pierce - Official Fan site. Be careful - there are links on this page that are trying to sell you stuff.
• Jeff Kinney/Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Official Site, info about the books, movies and more.

Learning to write well is an important part of school life. There are lots of sources you can look at to help you with this.

Using the links below you can access websites that will help you as well as a list of books that can help you become a better writer.

If you would like any help finding or using any of these sources, please ask Ms. McCabe for help, or you can always send an e-mail

Works Cited

Use this interactive website to help you create your List of Works Cited.

Landmark Citation Machine

Remember: We use MLA Style citations in our schools. You may want to 'bookmark' this site or add it to your favorites so you can access the site easily.

If you need help using this site see Ms. McCabe in the Middle School Library Media Center.

MLA Works Cited How to Guide

You can get help with homework online for just about any topic!

Use the links below for general help or click on a subject link for more specific help.

Infotopia is a fantastic place for help. All the results are aimed at kids doing homework!

• FactMonster: From InformationPlease, FactMonster has help in all subject areas.

*** Special Thanks to Nancy W. who was so helpful in finding the sites on the "Homework Help" and the  "For Teachers" pages!!***

Math

Social Studies

Science

Foreign Language

ELA

Art & Music

MLA Works Cited How to Guide

Parent Information

Click on the links below for helpful information.

There are also links for websites to help your child with school work in the Homework Help section on the top.

• Check out Vanessa Van Petten's new book The Radical Family Workbook and Activity Journal is now available on Amazon.com. Check it out - there are great ideas on ways to communicate with your kids and gives advice and ideas on family activities that you all will enjoy.
• Radical Parenting was created by Vanessa Van Petten who wrote her first book about parenting, "Your Grounded," when she was just 16. Van Petten won the Moms Choice Award in 2009 and has been featured on several news programs and in newspapers like the Wall Street Journal. Her newest book, "Do I Get My Allowance Before or After I'm Grounded?" was released in September. The RadicalParenting website has great ideas to help you better communicate with your teen or tween.

If there is anything else you'd like to see on this parent page, please send your suggestions to  Ms. McCabe.

Online Safety

Want to talk to your kids about Online Safety? Need help? Try some of these websites for more information:

• ConnectSafely.org - ConnectSafely is for parents, teens, educators, advocates - everyone engaged in and interested in the impact of the social Web. The user-driven, all-media, multi-platform, fixed and mobile social Web is a big part of young people's lives, and this is the central space – linked to from social networks across the Web - for learning about safe, civil use of Web 2.0 together
• NetSmartz - A site about safety for teens, kids, and parents from the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
• StaySafeOnline.org - From the National Cyber Security Alliance, this site has information about safety at home, in businesses and in school.
• WiredSafety.org - Parry Aftab's website about Cyberbullying and the legal implications that comes with using social media.
• Cyberbully411.org - Geared towards teens and their families, this site offers support and help for kids who have been victims of cyberbullied.

How to Raise a Reader

Tips on How to Raise a Reader

1. Read to your child every day - an interesting article in the newspaper or a magazine. Kids, even babies, will respond to hearing you read.
2. Continue reading together even after your child can read on his or her own. Read the books your child reads.
3. Make stories come alive - be animated when you read aloud.
4. Be patient - let your child read aloud at his or hor own pace.
5. Discuss what you read together. Ask questions and listen attentively to your child's answers.
6. Encourage your child to read at least 15 minutes a day. This doesn't have to be a fiction book, non-fiction, magazines, comics, even the DVD manual!
7. Take along your child's favorite books or magazines wherever you go. Read on the bus, in line at the store, or in waiting rooms.
8. Take your child to the library often and check out a variety of reading material.
9. Be a role model - read on your own. By seeing how much you enjoy reading, your child will learn that it is a great source of information and fun.

Togetherness Project

The students, faculty and staff of the middle school have been separated due to COVID-19, but we haven't been totally alone. We have been connecting with each other using technology and connecting with our families and with nature. Here are just a few things we've been up to during the spring 2020.