LOL Librarian

Book Contests are not new on the library block. They are a great way to motivate kids to read books outside the genre comfort zone as well as incorporate authentic reviews that other kids will read. The students will be inquiring into what makes an award winning book. Google classroom, well that's new and I'm going to attempt to keep the kids and myself organized using Google Classroom. This contest is spread across 2 grade levels and will have approximately 40 kids. Students are expected to complete a google form that is a brief review that will help me to track which titles are being read. The brief review includes title, genre, a scale rating and a couple of sentences to inspire others to read it, or not read it. Also included in the classroom are some videos about the contest, book trailers and the contenders. Eventually, mini assignments about character, theme, plot, connections and perspective will be posted. Hopefully, this combination of old and new will inspire the stu...

Browsing bookshelves has evolved! Scholastic has some great ways to encourage young readers to read a wider range of books. This week with the older students we are looking at different ways to choose books. BOOKPRINTS Celebrities choose 5 books that impacted their life. It's an interesting way to share the message 'you are what you read'. BOOK TRAILERS Like the name indicates, these are similar to movie trailers. Instead of reading a blurb on the back of the book, students can watch a short video about the book.

I'd give this week a thumbs up too. This week was all about talking. Across the grade levels, students worked on sharing what they know about books. Talking about books happens all around the school and in many different ways. In the library, younger elementary students sit 'knee-to-knee' to discuss question I ask during a read aloud and then they have to decide how to take turns sharing. The Danish folk tale 'Fat Cat' was a great way to have the students interact and read by chiming in to repetitive text. They thoroughly enjoyed their knee-to-knee chats and deciding what crazy thing the cat would eat next, and some students thought it would be a dog and others the entire universe. Chatting about prediction helps support our ESL students since other students help them out. With the older students I have the joy of sitting in on a couple of literature circles. They enjoy this time to take charge in discussions as a director or a story mapper and so on. Students are ...