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You are here: Home / Seasonal / Make Learning Fun With a Library Game

December 4, 2020 by: Laura

Make Learning Fun With a Library Game

Last Updated on December 4, 2020 by Laura

Trapp December Library Game

December is a challenging time to keep our students actively learning. I’ve shared several ways to keep the fun in our libraries this month. There is so much excitement about upcoming holidays in the air that it’s difficult to maintain a focus on academics. Time to pull out your tricks! I’ve found that my lessons are always more engaging if I make a game out of them. So, let’s make learning fun with a library game!

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience.  This means that if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Thank you for your support!

A Picture Book Library Game

Trapp Christmas Trivia Game

Last year I created a fun Christmas Picture Book Trivia Game to use with my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes. I wrote questions from four classic Christmas books. This was the perfect library game for December! I chose 4 books that I expected most of my students had read or listened to in the past:

  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
  • If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond
  • The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore, illustrated by Jan Brett
  • The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

If you don’t think your students have been exposed to these books, you could plan ahead and read them in the lessons preceding your game session. Or you could ask classroom teachers to read them prior to your class.

Use ELA Standards to Guide You

I wanted my library game to be educational as well as fun, so I emphasized questions regarding characters, setting, central message, main events, and details. I also emphasized titles, authors, and illustrators while playing the game. I purposely created the questions to invite group discussion. In this way you can have some collaboration during in-person learning (observing social distancing guidelines, of course).

Picture Book Trivia Game Basics

Library Game Trivia Cards
  1. Print the question cards on cardstock (color and black & white cards are included). I like to print each round on a different color.
  2. Display the 4 books at the front of the room so everyone can see them.
  3. Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5 students (Be sure to observe social distancing guidelines!).
  4. Print the list of books on cardstock and distribute one to each group.
  5. Teams must discuss/agree on an answer before the spokesperson stands up to give the answer.
  6. Keep score in tallies on your whiteboard where everyone can see.
  7. If a team gives an incorrect answer, the next team may try to answer for a steal point.
  8. You can have different rules for each round. I’ve had a “Lightning Round” with buzzers where the first team with the correct answer gets the point.

A Library Game for Distance Learning

We definitely need to be prepared for changing school situations this year. Although I haven’t tried it, I know this trivia game can be played in a live virtual class. Students might not be on teams, but they could jot their answers down and keep score for themselves. You could give each student a chance to answer a different question live.

Trapp Boom Library Game

Just in case you need something more digital, I created a Boom Learning version of the game. Boom cards are fun, engaging, and self-checking, so your students get instant feedback. They can be used on a Smartboard for a whole group activity,. They also work on a tablet, iPad, Chromebook, laptop, or other device for digital centers or online learning. It’s easy to share a Boom card activity with students using the “Fast Pin” feature.

Christmas Picture Book Trivia Game

Trapp Christmas Library Game Bundle

If you want to be prepared for changing school circumstances with a fun, low-prep library game for December, take a look at my Christmas Picture Book Trivia Game Bundle. This money saving resource contains both the printable and digital versions of the game. It’s just what you need to save your sanity during this busy month!

Are you looking for a way to make your December library lessons fun? This elementary library game can be played in person, for distance learning, or hybrid learning. Read all about this fun Christmas Picture Book Trivia Game and save your sanity while you keep the fun in your December library classes! #thetrappedlibrarian #decemberlibrary

More December Library Ideas

For more school library ideas for December, check out these past posts:

  • December School Library Activities
  • Hour of Code for Littles
  • Christmas Picture Books and Freebies

I hope you have some fun with your students during this holiday season!

Be the light!

December School Library Activities to WOW and Excite Your Learners
Holiday Research Mini Projects for December

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thetrappedlibrarian

📚 Elementary School Librarian
🌟 NBCT 2011
👩🏻‍🏫 Teacher Author
Blog: trappedlibrarian.org

Laura Trapp
Hubby just hung this wine cork board for me (he ma Hubby just hung this wine cork board for me (he made it!). 🍷 I was eager to hang up these love notes from our granddaughters! 💗Swipe to see the plain board. 
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🌳🐶 Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty 🌳🐶 Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts 🐶🌳⁣
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⁣
🐶🌳 Sofia has always loved to help family, friends, and neighbors. One day, she and her Abuelo come upon a large pile of garbage in their neighborhood. Realizing that “Mount Trashmore” is unsightly and dangerous, Sofia decides to do something about it. She gathers her neighbors for a meeting to plan a park for the area instead. ⁣
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Honey:The Dig Who Saved Abe Lincoln by Shari Swans Honey:The Dig Who Saved Abe Lincoln by Shari Swanson, illustrated by Chuck Groenink
🐾 
If your students liked Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek by Deborah Hopkinson, they’ll love this story too! 
🐾 This time we learn about how adventurous Abe got himself into another harrowing predicament when he gets stuck in a cave. Luckily Honey, the broken legged dog he helped earlier, knew how to lead people back to the cave to help. All’s well that ends well again! 
🐾 Its fun for kids to learn about the childhood experiences of famous people. And thanks to the writings of President Lincoln’s childhood pal Austin Gollaher, some of those stories are being retold!
🐾 I read this to my classes because it’s nominated for the Montana Treasure State Book Award. We did a little research on our 16th president after that.
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I really enjoyed reading these new easy readers an I really enjoyed reading these new easy readers and early chapter books as a Cybils Round 2 judge! 📚This stack includes some of the finalists in those categories. 📚 Look for my short reviews soon! #cybils #easyreader #earlychapterbooks #kidlit #kidsbooks
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⁣
Although Ada did not speak a word until she was 3 years old, her curiosity led her to explore the world around her. When she finally did speak, her first word was “Why?” Guided by the need to know where, how, why, what, and when, Ada conducts experiments and observations at home and at school. ⁣
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🥽❓ Students will be encouraged by the messages of “We learn by asking questions” and “Messes are part of success.” ⁣
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⁣
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🖍 Read Crayon Man by Natasha Biebow, illustrated by Steven Salerno.
🖍 Show Mister Rogers video “How People Make Crayons” (Yes!! It’s still engaging after all these years!).
🖍 Give everyone a brand new box of crayons, with time to create a colorful picture!
🖍
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From the age of two, Iggy has had a knack for building amazing structures with unusual materials. His parents appreciate and encourage this passion. But Iggy runs into trouble with his teacher, who has a phobia of tall buildings. She tries to stifle the young boy’s passion and redirect him during class. But on an outdoor fieldtrip, when a bridge collapses, Iggy saves the day with his architectural knowledge. And of course, this helps Miss Greer see the value in Iggy’s obsession and leads the way for a weekly architecture lesson led by the hero. The central message: “Follow your passion – don’t give up!"⁣
⭐🌉⁣
Use this book to inspire your students to persevere and follow their passions and follow up with a makerspace activity! 🌉⭐⁣
Read more about The Questioneers picture books at the smart-bio link!⁣
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