Make your library the center of your school
March is definitely the time for a fun Leprechaun Storytime in your elementary library or classroom! I’d like to share some fun picture books and lively songs to help you plan your own St. Patrick’s Day storytime session for your kindergarten and first grade students. This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I
A couple of weeks before Halloween, our school library was transformed into Hogwarts as our whole school celebrated Harry Potter Week! Over the past couple of years, I’ve teamed up with the music and physical education teachers in my building to integrate our subject areas around a theme for a week or so. Our Harry Potter Week has been our most exciting so far! This
Six teacher-librarian friends are teaming up to share some favorite library center resources in a “Love Those Library Centers!” blog hop and giveaway! Everyone will get some new ideas… and one lucky participant will receive a copy of all SIX featured library centers AND a $20 Amazon gift card! (Heads up – one of our library center resources is shown in two age versions. The
Computer Science Education Week is the first week in December each year. This is a time when students around the world participate in the Hour of Code. I’ve been participating with my elementary library classes for several years now, but at first I was very reluctant to try it with my youngest classes. My lack of understanding about coding led to me feeling afraid to
Each year I promote the nominated books for the Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Award in my 4th and 5th grade classes. My students are eligible to vote for their favorite book in the Junior Division, which covers grades 4-6. I use book trailers and a library catalog review activity in my library classes to get the kids familiar with the books and
Recently I collaborated with the music and physical education teachers in my school to provide an interdisciplinary unit around the theme of Native American Culture. (Yes, these are the same friends who had the great idea to team up for an Irish Unit Collaboration around St. Patrick’s Day!) In Montana, we celebrate American Indian Heritage Week the last full week of September. There is a
This year is the 10 year anniversary of International Dot Day and the 15th anniversary of the publication of The Dot. People all around the world celebrate creative expression, inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ picture book, The Dot. Every year, Dot Day falls on or near September 15. I’d like to share how I helped my K-2 students explore their own creativity this year for
Earth Day is a day to take action. Children in schools across the country will be setting up recycling stations and picking up garbage. They’ll be making posters and remembering to turn off the lights when they leave a room. Here are seven books to motivate your elementary school learners and inspire them to make a difference for the planet that we love! I borrowed
Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series for early readers is popular with young children for a reason. They are fun, exciting, surprising, and full of genuine emotions! Although the final book in the series was just published in 2016, these engaging stories have already become a classic staple in elementary school libraries and kindergarten and first grade classrooms across the country! At my school, older
We’ve been celebrating “Screen-Free Week” (formerly known as “TV Turnoff Week”) at my school for over 10 years. During Screen Free Week we challenge the students to consider trying to go the whole week without using a screen for entertainment. Successful students fill out a contract and recording sheet, have it signed by an adult, and get 10 tickets to enter into raffles for fun
