"New" Ideas
Thanks to the school librarian listserv LM_NET and a few of my own, I started jotting down lesson ideas. I finally had time to organize some of these ideas into a easy to use list with links for you to read more about them or see ‘em in action!
book talks
Google Earth Tour
Find specific places using Google Earth for books: Look at Anne Frank’s house from space, map the route Lewis & Clark took, and so many more ideas
Lesson Idea How-To Example
Cooking
(1) Recreate some of the foods from books (e.g. Dr. Seuss, Roald Dahl, etc...). (2) Promote some of your cookbooks by making some of the dishes during your book talk; ask students to help!
Lesson Idea How-To Example
*While this is my favorite book talk, many of today’s powerfully dangerous allergic reactions preclude me from doing these any more; clear this with your administration and parent organization first!
Big Book
Work with a classroom teacher to use book talk and classroom time to have students make a page in a classroom big book they can publish and keep in the library.
Lesson Idea How-To Example
Banned Books Week
Many libraries around the nation have displays and discussions about censorship and freedom of speech by identifying one of the most threatening challenges to running a school library.
100 Most Challenged Books
Best Selling Books Graph
Quiz Time!
(1) During state testing week, turn the tables, and have students make questions to test my knowledge. A subtle variation on "Win Ben Stein's Money"? (2) End-Year Review Quizzes could take on themes as well (e.g. Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader?, Deal or No Deal, etc...)
Lesson Idea How-To Example
Contests
Redesign Book Cover
Take an old/damaged/rebound book and hold a contest at each level to recover!
Contest Idea How-To Example
Design Your Own Medal
Review famous medals awarded books (Caldecot, Newberry, etc…) and brainstorm what types of medals students could create
Contest Idea
Book -> Movie
(1) Review a popular book and then have students come up with the cast to make a feature movie. (2) Use one or two minute clips of the movie intermixed while you talk about the book? (3) Use the visuals. There are so many lush movie adaptations of classics that can attract a more "sophisticated viewer.
Contest Idea
Poetry Slam!
During National Poetry Month/Week have students perform their poems or submit them to be read during book talk. (Have video equipment available to interview contestants and do a bio on them?)
Contest Idea
Fantasy Iditarod
Have students learn about the last great race. Pick a musher and offer prizes. Show booty, background of race, map, etc… Students do bio, keep track of musher, and turn in at end for prize. IF you have snow try a Idita-Kid Race (see how-to example)? Read some Gary Paulsen to students…(Woodsong)
Contest Idea How-To Example
Where's ___ ?
(1) Take a figure (like Waldo) and hide him somewhere in the LRC. Take guesses on where he's located (another good way to learn the parts of the LRC). (2) Place a world map on a bulletin board and give clues of "Where in the World is [your name]".
Contest Idea How-To Example
How Many...?/How Much...?
(1) Have a jar full of ___ and take guesses on how many are in the jar. (2) Place a number of items around the library and ask the primary students to figure out how many of that item there are and collect guesses. (3) Have a ___ and take guesses on how much it weighs.
Contest Idea
annual themes
Amazing Race
Modification of the popular TV show to encourage travel throughout the many sections of your library
Contest Idea How-To Example
Passport
To encourage use of all sections of the library, link to curricular subjects, and create tickets (maybe their library cards) and passports (stamp).
Library is a Theme Park for the Mind
display case
Collections
Begin by sharing a few collections of your own, but then open it up to the student body to share their collections! (e.g. rocks, coins, old postcards, lego creations, etc...)
Book Displays
Rotate books (or cover scans, so students can checkout the actual books) with brief information signs and small objects/artifacts to help promote literature throughout the year!
Museum/Art Collection
Work with a local museum to display artifacts linked to your curriculum. And/Or work with your art teacher to display some of the students class work.
Monthly Theme
History Month, Asia-Pacific Heritage Month, Native American Month, etc.
Use the LM_NET Archive to search for month/week/day themes. Subject lines typically involve “September is…” or “ October is…” and they list interesting/ridiculous things we honor.