stayingcoolinthelibrary, Author at Staying Cool in the Library

Library Activities to Make Check-Out Time Run Smoothly

It’s library check-out time, and you’re wishing you had six more arms and three sets of eyes. Between checking out books, figuring out overdue books, and managing other students in the library – it can feel like a full-time job for at least three people. And yet, it’s just you. I wanted to share some library activities that can help check-out time run smoothly. These activities are meant to keep other students busy and on task, while you man the check-out counter. I’ll also give some library activities for students with overdue books, who are unable to check out a new book. #1 Keep a Box of Weeded Out Books When you go through and weed out old books, instead of tossing them or leaving them in the hallway, keep them in a box. During check-out time, allow students to search through the box and find a book they

10 Picture Books for Teaching Visualizing

If there is one thing that makes people fall in love with reading, I believe it is the ability to visualize. The ability to take the words on a page and turn them into a mental movie. It’s visualizing that allows you to immerse yourself into a book and escape the here and now. While this skill comes naturally for some, it is a skill that often needs to be taught and practiced for many. Today I am sharing my favorite picture books for teaching visualizing. How to Teach Visualizing Teaching students to visualize is such a fun activity that students really love. Why? I believe it is because it connects two of their favorite things – being read to and drawing. Over the years I have found that the best way to focus on this skill is by reading to the students and having them listen. This takes

What is a Book Walk and How To Create One

Ever had that spark of curiosity about diving into the world of book walks but found yourself in a bit of a head-scratching moment, not quite sure where to start or what it’s all about? Well, good news! Bringing the magic of a book walk to life in your classroom or library is surprisingly straightforward. The best part? Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’re not just creating a one-time experience. You’re setting the stage for a literary adventure that can keep unfolding for years. Imagine the joy of knowing you can recycle your bookwalk materials and sprinkle a bit of literary enchantment on your space whenever the mood strikes. Ready to embark on this bookish journey? Let’s dive in! What is a Book Walk? So, what’s the deal with a Book Walk, you ask? Think of it as a stroll through a gallery, but instead of art

Teaching Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Summarizing and paraphrasing can be difficult skills for students to master. Often they do not understand the differences between the two and when to use them. In the library, I review these skills when I do any type of research project. Teaching a skill in context is always more effective than teaching it in isolation. The Difference Between Summarizing and Paraphrasing Summarizing is retelling the main idea in your own words. A summary should be short and to the point. Only the most important ideas should be included. Whereas paraphrasing is retelling the text in your own words. These two concepts are very similar which leads to the confusion many students have. How I Teach My Students About Summarizing and Paraphrasing This is why I created my Summarizing and Paraphrasing Activity Pack. This activity pack is designed to engage your students in meaningful practice in key reading skills with

Preparing for a Virtual Author Visit

Have you ever tried a Virtual Author Visit? Author visits can be so rewarding for students and schools. I still remember the author’s visit from when I was in elementary school! It’s best to have the classroom teacher as well as yourself read the author’s books to the students before the visit. You can do something similar to One School, One Book (or maybe 2 books to make it more appropriate for the age groups.). Schools gain a community feeling around an author that is visiting. Finding an Author Finding an author to do a virtual visit is much easier than finding one who can travel to your school. Below are some websites I found that should help you get started. These include individual author websites and publisher websites. However, doing a Google search for author visits will be the easiest way to find an author. Scholastic Penguin Young

Caldecott Medal 2022 Predictions

The 2022 Caldecott Medal award winner will be announced in just a few weeks, which means it’s time for my predictions on which book will take home the top prize and who will be runner-up. The ALA awards will be given out sometime in mid-January. Members of the Caldecott committee work hard all year to choose the book they think is deserving of this distinguished award. Members of the committee read thousands of picture books throughout the year. Then they must narrow their choices down to 7 titles each. Once they have this much smaller list, they spend hours debating about which book should receive the top honor. Every year I always come up with my own list of titles that I believe will be contenders. This year I have come up with 15 books that I believe should be on the list (although I have not read nearly

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Library Activities to Make Check-Out Time Run Smoothly

10 Picture Books for Teaching Visualizing

What is a Book Walk and How To Create One

Teaching Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Preparing for a Virtual Author Visit

Caldecott Medal 2022 Predictions

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