stayingcoolinthelibrary, Author at Staying Cool in the Library

Library Orientation Mini Books

As educators we all know the importance of laying a solid foundation in the early weeks of a new school year. Having clear routines and procedures are key to having good classroom management and a smooth year. By taking the time to explicitly and thoroughly teach students your expectations, you are setting yourself and your students up for a successful school year. That’s where library orientation comes into play! Library orientation is a very very busy time of the year. As the librarian, you are solely responsible for ensuring every single student in your school is respecting library time and following the correct procedures. After all, we only have them in the media center for a short time each week! This time at the beginning of the school year is so important to a seamless year! One engaging and fun way I like to teach expectations to my students is

Back to School Free Resources for School Librarians

Back to school season is right around the corner. This is always an exciting and exhausting time of year! Over the years, I’ve developed numerous free resources to ease this transition. These include first-day-of-school lesson plans, posters, bookmarks, and a few ideas for back-to-school night. You can download all of these resources for free from my store or my free resource library. Back to School Free Resources From My Store Library Orientation Game – This fun game to review library rules and vocabulary. Great as a beginning-of-the-year activity or as a review anytime during the year. I have played this game with second and third-graders. It is also editable so you can add whatever you would like to the cards. Library Icebreaker Game – I have used this activity with fifth graders and they loved it! Students need to walk around the library and find someone who matches each

Story Time Videos and Brain Breaks

Asking students to sit still for too long can leave you feeling like you want to pull your hair out! Even as adults, we can struggle to focus on one thing for too long. That’s why it is important to add some variation into your lessons and implement some strategies to help your students get rid of some of their extra energy to be able to focus. One way to do this is utilizing story time videos and brain breaks. Research shows that scheduling breaks into your lessons helps students learn better. Taking a break helps students to refocus and stay engaged. Breaks increase productivity and add a little fun into your day! Whenever you see students starting to get antsy, use one of these breaks to help keep your class on track. It is so important to offer opportunities for physical activity and movement within your lessons, doing so

Virtual Professional Development for School Librarians

Summer is always a chance for educators to relax and re-charge after a long school year. It also is a time to attend professional development conferences and trainings. However most of these have been canceled due to coronavirus (just like everything else in our lives.) So, how do we grow our skills during this summer? Virtual professional development. Just because we can’t have these trainings in-person doesn’t mean you have to miss out. There are so many opportunities you can take advantage of not only this summer but all year long. I know many librarians are worried about losing their positions due to budget cuts and the false perception that we are not needed during distance learning. Attending workshops and learning how to use different educational apps is one way to show your administration how valuable you are. And when we go back to school you may be asked

Best Picture Books to Read in May

My favorite May picture books does not have any type of theme. This list is more of a mish-mash of some of my favorite read alouds. Usually by this time in the school year my library is closed for testing and I am going to classrooms for library time. This is also the time for field trips. The books I end up using for read alouds go along with their field trips (usually the zoo) as well as high-interest books. These include books that are funny or silly as well as some engaging nonfiction. It’s tough to keep students on task as the end of the year approaches. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through one of my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure policy for more information. HOW TO CATCH A UNICORN

10 Virtual Field Trips Your Students Will Love

Going on a field trip is a day that your students will always remember. As librarians, we usually do not get to participate in field trips. I always wanted to join in when second grade goes to Mt. Vernon or third grade visits Monticello. However, it just never worked out. There are many advantages of taking a virtual field trip. They are much easier to plan. You do not need to collect permission slips and money, book buses, arrange for lunch and organize the 600 parents to want to chaperone. Plus, you are not limited to visiting places within driving distance of your school. And there are numerous ways to connect a field trip to what you are teaching in the library. For example, you can easily tie almost any field trip into a research unit (if there is time left in the school year). There are so many

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Library Orientation Mini Books

Back to School Free Resources for School Librarians

Story Time Videos and Brain Breaks

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Best Picture Books to Read in May

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