Hi everyone,
I can NOT believe how wonderful this list is! I feel such a weight
lifted off of my shoulders because so many were willing to share
their hard work and ideas. Some even sent me Word docs with
complete lessons and worksheets. Truly an amazing group!
I've excluded names because a few wanted me to and it looks like this
is commonly done. Being new - I hope that's ok?
Thank you all so much again! I'm so glad to have this listserv.
Emily
Here are the responses:
With K's, I first spend a lot of time with procedures and book
care in September and first day of school books. Then I focus on the
Holidays each month and try to match my read-aloud to their
curriculum, like apples, pumpkins, corn, I also do author studies,
like Ezra Jack Keats and Leo Lionni for K's & 1st, which take several
weeks. We talk about what illustrators do and I show them the
techniques used. Each author study culminates with a video about the
author or one of his books. Finally, the students get to be the
illustrator and do a craft or picture using the illustrator's
technique. They love it and both these author's are perfect for winter.
With 1st, I still go over procedures and book care. I add the
proper use of shelfmarkers. We do parts of a book and get into
location, how to find a fiction book by the author, ABC order of
picture books. That goes on for rest of year.
I introduce fiction and non-fiction concepts-(Judy Freeman has
some great lessons in Books Kids will Sit Still For) Now they can
select non-fiction, intro location of non-fiction, lightly touch on
Dewey, numbers on the spine in order . . .
I throw in an author study or two, Robert Munsch or Kevin Henkes are
good, or Tomie dePaola. (just find out what the classroom teachers do
so you don't duplicate!) I usually have a related coloring sheet or
some type of worksheet once they select their books, I do a craft
maybe monthly if it ties in.
For my K groups I read a story, do book sign out, then have a picture
to color (or draw a flower, cookie - whatever relates to the story).
Occasionally I give them 'free time' - they may draw, choose a
picture from my 'extra' box, read quietly, or work on a puzzle. We
also spend a few minutes talking about how books like to "come home
to the library" or other related book care / book parts, favorite
characters (story), other books they have read or heard, types of
stories they would like to hear.
Grade 1 & 2 students practice lining up in author order (by first
name of each student), locate information on books (like title,
author, illustrator & call letters), name parts of the book. Plus do
things like word searches, color story pictures, make crafts to
decorate the library (trace poinsettia leaves/petals on colored
construction paper & glue together).
A primary teacher once told me that the younger the students were -
the shorter their attention span was; thus they needed 'shorter'
activities to enable them to stay on-task! Mostly the younger ones
seem to learn better by having hands-on activities. Plus they're too
occupied to get into mischief. If they finish coloring the picture
too quickly I have them turn the page over and draw something on the
other side.
There are numerous web sites with free printables that can be printed
& copied for students to color (plus lots of ideas for activities).
Check the skills (outcomes) they should be learning.
There are a number of links to "Information Skills Curriculum" (some
have lesson plans included) at:
Virginia standards, & sample lessons plans are available at http://
hcps2.hanover.k12.va.us/instruction/media/default.htm - the links you
want are on the right hand side under the picture.
Michigan also has many links to standards (for different states) at
http://www.mame.gen.mi.us/resourc/standardslib.html
http://mte.anacortes.k12.wa.us/library/library.htm
Click on "Library Standards" or "K-6 lessons"
http://mte.anacortes.k12.wa.us/library/LC.htm
there is a link to a pdf file on library standards
Washington State Standards for Library Media Programs
http://www.bham.wednet.edu/departments/libmedtech/Supervisors/
srbstandards.htm
includes links to other state standards, goals etc
You can also find a bunch of links to Information Skills Instruction
at http://www.sldirectory.com/libsf/resf/libplans.html#top
Ontario's curriculum is posted at http://www.accessola.com/action/
positions/info_studies/
Information Literacy (K-12)for BC is posted at http://
www.lled.educ.ubc.ca/programs/libe/lrngoutcom.htm
Some of our K & 1 classes are very wiggly this year.
I have started to stockpile extra stories, so that I end up
reading to them longer, and minimizing the time after
they have picked out their stories. Because they pick
'em out faster (more randomly...) than the older kids,
and are less likely to actually read them afterward.
If there is time to burn after choosing books, they
tend to get goofy, and go up in volume, which doesn't
work with the computer lab adjacent.
One of my favorites, a do NOT miss with Kinders
(and you could share it with older kids who have
missed it) is Voyage to the Bunny Planet, by Rosemary
Wells. It's a three volume set, about what to do on
those inevitable days when everything goes wrong.
The toughest part of sharing Bunny Planet is finding
the set full-size, because it is out of print in that format.
Post a want on www.abebooks.com and wait until
it comes up (it will be worth the wait). Meanwhile,
go to the bookstore and read it tiny (it's available in
the small book size).
I like to let kids know about this one early on, just to
help them think (before they need to) about how to
make the tough times easier to deal with. I also let
the kids know that those particular volumes are always
in the library, in case they need them.
The other book I introduce to all of them (to help think
about siblings, and friends) is Do You Know What I'll Do?
by Charlotte Zolotow. Look for the original (now out of
print also), with Garth Williams illustrations. It's magic,
(simple but elegant magic), because so much love for
another person is communicated, so simply. When I
tracked this book down, I shared it with every class at
my school, all the way up to 5th grades. Parents with
more than one child get teary eyed listening to this
one too (so do I).
recently transferred from physical education to library, so I can
understand your frustration. Some things I used: Mr. Wiggles by
Paula Craig, The Shelf Elf by Jackie Mims Hopkins (comes with
activity book). These are books about book care. I also do a letter
of the week collaborating with the kindergarten teachers. I bring
objects hidden in a box that begin with that letter. Take turns
having students pull them out and talk about what letter it begins
with, then I read stories that begin with that letter.
Back when I worked with K-1s, I did a lot of reading, found they knew
very few nursery rhymes, did a unit, included coloring a small picture
of favorite rhyme, then made buttons from the pictures.
Also, alphabet games to help them understand how books are shelved in E
or F.
Type simple words or own name in OPAC to see what came up.
Read a fiction (like Millions of Cats) then a simple nonfiction book
about cats or cat care.
Storytelling - Tell Stone Soup, any fairy or folk tale, etc. with
clear, simple props - a kettle with stones - each child can end up
retelling and putting stone in pot.
Be doctor book care - pick up a kid's doctor kit at toy store, find
some damaged books, and do a routine. They'll love it!
I always had such fun with this group.
I have first, seconds and thirds for 40 minutes.
I find it is easy to do author studies. For example, gather all your
Arthur books. Fire up the website. Maybe print one or two of the
coloring activities out and make enough copies for your students.
When the class arrives, ask them if they know who Marc Brown is. Tell
them he is the author of Arthur. Show them each of the books. Read
Arthur's Nose - the first one. The story is about an aardvark who
doesn't like his nose. Being an aardvark was an important part of the
story. Later on Marc changed the shape of Arthur's face, so he would
look more loveable.
Maybe read another Arthur story. We love Arthur's Underwear
(underwear is very funny) and Arthur's Baby. You can stop and ask
what do you think will happen next, or what would you do if this
happened to you. At the end of the book you can ask comprehension
questions, or sequencing questions.
If you have internet access in your teaching area, show off the
website. Maybe do one of the games together.
Send the kids to get their library books. As they finish (or if you
have kids who can't get a book) point out the coloring sheets. Done!
I do a similar lesson with Frog and Toad, Jan Brett, Mo Willems, Don
Freeman, Kevin Henkes, Tomie DePaola, Eric Carle.....
As the years progress and you have collected more and more things for
these authors it becomes easier and easier. And it's amazing how the
kids remember what you have shown them.
You can do a similar lesson with Holidays. This is what I just did -
read a story about Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving. Then read a fun
one, like Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving. Then watch a short
video - I have Arthur's Thanksgiving. Get library books, color a
turkey - done!
Or pick a theme, like Snow, or Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Right now I'm doing folktales around the world with 1st grade. I'm
starting with a world map where they have to color the country our
story is from. Then we read the book and do an activity related to
the story. That always fills up my 40 minutes. Our activity is
usually simple - coloring, word searches, etc. The kids always love
"The Five Chinese Brothers." Some years I do a compare and contrast
with other versions of the story - The Seven Chinese Brothers by Mahy
and the Seven Chinese Sisters (can't remember the author)
Use as many language experiences as possible: finger plays, poem
recitation (8 lines max), participating storytelling and flannel
boards. I use folk tales a lot. The Little Red Hen is fun for them
because the choral part of "Not I, said the dog, cow, pig, duck, cat,
etc" is a way to divide the group. You can spend 5 min or more just
practicing the lines and watching for your cue to say the line.
These things are all important to get students listening, speaking
and understanding the structure of story. Look for stories that
adapt themselves to group, choral response.
I use www.vivisimo.com to search for ideas all the time. I am doing
Polar Express with my Kindergarten classes for the next 2 lessons.
These classes will attend both lessons with their Book Buddy classes
(3rd grade.) Now, I only have them for 30 min, instead of 40, but we
always use 10 min of our time together to look at, find and select
books for them to check out. I will share info about VanAllsburg the
write and artist. I will read the book while the students are seated
in rows like riding the express train, and we will discuss wishes,
dreams and asking Santa for gifts.
The second visit is about letter writing. I searched vivisimo to
find ideas for this lesson, and it was good. I will share 2 books
that I have on this theme, and then the 3rd grade students will help
the Kindergarten students write a letter to Santa. The classroom
teachers have arranged for 3 adults in our building to answer the
students letters a la Santa. It will be a fun time. Our last Friday
together before Winter Break will be the fun of watching the movie in
the library on the Big Screen TV!!
I do 2 or 3 units like this each quarter of the year. In between I
do storytime activiites, and we really spend a lot of time looking at
the shelves learning how to find a good book.
Good Luck, and don't forget to explore the teachers' required
objectives for your library lessons as well.
With the little ones, I usually do a picture book
story that somehow segues into a very brief library
lesson: care of books (Great website, but you have to
hunt for it, it keeps moving - Animals Should
Definitely Not Borrow Library Books)
At the beginning of the year, I do a lot of ABC books
- talking about the importance of the alphabet for the
library - ABC order on the shelf.
Mother Goose rhymes - kids don't know these. This
leads to poetry.
I talk about the OPAC and model using it, but I do not
teach it until 2nd grade.
I break down the time: 10 min story, 10 lesson, 20
min book selection and check-out.
I also have curriculum teachers booking the library:
Reading - easy reader book selection
computer lab: Bembo's Zoo
finding author info
Math - counting and number books
and all others - occasionally - for books related to
the unit being studies. More often, the teacher just
asks me to pull them, but I am making some headway.
One of my favorite units with first grade is Cinderella. I read
Cinderella
stories from all over the world as well as some variants. We compare
and
contrast them. If your collection is not big, there are many
resources on
line. This can take 4-6 weeks depending on the interest.
I do Beatrix Potter stories with K in the spring. We discuss all the
characters.
Also, I try to read a fiction and a companion non-fiction. So for first
grade this week I am doing a Jan Brett (who has an incredible website
for
things to color) story, The Wild Reindeer and then I am reading parts
of a
non-fiction book about reindeer. We spend a lot of time trying to
remember
the difference.
When all else fails- read folklore!
You will love K and 1 because they love to hear any story!
You could do an author study or two... for the K's I like Eric Carle,
Lois
Elhert, and Audrey Wood. You can read their many books, show them their
websites or a video story and study the author for a few weeks.
Later on
I do ducks in the spring and read several duck/spring books and make a
little project too.
With the 1's for author study I like Mem Fox... she has a great deal of
stories... and I have an author video of her world and then we talk
about
Australia and look at the strange and wonderful animals that live there.
I like to study Lynne Cherry with the 1st graders around April with her
books and Earth Day.
With the Olympics coming up in Feb you have a wonderful opportunity to
talk about the games and Italy.
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