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10 Books to Get Kids Excited for the Olympics

The Olympics are once again just around the corner. After a yearlong postponement due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Games are set to kick off later this summer in Tokyo, despite the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and lingering concerns in Japan. With the Olympics happening every 2-4 years between summer and winter, children should have some exposure to the Olympic games at a young age so that they understand them. Reading Olympic themed books about them can help get kids excited and may even turn them into fans! It is interesting for students to learn about how much the athletes train for the Olympics, as well as the mental will-power that must be withstood at such a young age. Let’s look at 10 Olympic themed books kids can get excited about! The Frog Olympics Grades: Preschool-Kindergarten Summary: The actual Olympic Games definitely won’t include events like fly catching. But

Library Décor Inspiration

Choosing how to decorate your library is more important than you may realize. The theme you choose will set the tone for the entire year. The posters and décor is the first thing anyone will notice when they enter the library. You want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that feels welcoming to everyone. You also need to choose something that you like because you have to live with it the entire school year. Printing Tips Choosing a library theme is only half the battle. Next you have to print and laminate everything. Printing can definitely be a challenge, especially if you are not able to print color copies at school. If you are printing from home, having a good-quality color printer is a must. Just about everyone I know uses HP instant ink. Honestly, I do not use it myself. However I have never heard anything negative

The 10 Best Professional Development Books for Librarians

Well it’s ALMOST sweet summertime here in Virginia (school ends June 19 to be exact!) and that means a couple of things for me: I think as librarians it’s really important to make sure that we are always at the “top” of our game. I like to use summer to read 1 or 2 professional development books to refresh and reset before the new school year. It helps me feel energized and excited about going back to school (Keep in mind that I never start doing this until after 4th of July!) It also gives me new tips and ideas to try in the library, as things are always changing. In case you want to up your professional development game as well, I have created a list of the 10 BEST professional development books for librarians below. (All of the Amazon links are affiliate links). Hacking School Libraries 10

Poetry Unit Ideas for the Library

When you tell your students that you are going to write poetry, do you typically have a few that are excited, but the majority let out an audible sigh? Students often have the misconception that poetry is about following a lot of rules and using words that they don’t understand. They’re more open and excited when the focus shifts toward sharing their ideas and feelings with others in a creative format. Many students have a favorite type of poetry that they are drawn to. I have some different poetry unit ideas for elementary students to show you today. Digital Poetry Activities I especially like to use these Digital Poetry Activities this year because they are perfect to use for a poetry unit with students who are either learning virtually or in-person. This digital poetry unit will have your students writing and enjoying poetry in no time! In this unit,

10 Read Alouds to Welcome Spring

Spring is here and I could not be more excited for warm weather, sunshine and birds chirping! Spring is one of my favorite seasons and it is a good excuse to read and teach students about the weather changes that happen with the new season and get them learning outside as much as possible! Here are 10 read alouds to welcome spring to your students: *Links to purchase the books are all affiliate links which means that if you purchase from that link I make a small commission for recommending it to you. Thank you! Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring Grade Level: Preschool- 3rd Grade Summary: In a simple, cheerful conversation with nature, a young boy observes how the season changes from winter to spring in Kenard Pak’s Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring. As days stretch longer, animals creep out from their warm dens, and green begins to grow again, everyone

The Day the Crayons Quit

Who loves to read digital stories with their students and use digital choice boards? If your hand is up, this post is for you. The best part? If you are teaching virtually, keep reading because this post has everything you need for a lesson about the story, “The Day the Crayons Quit” including a link to listen to the story being read online! No paper copy needed! (unless you want it!) I love the story “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt (affiliate link) because it focuses on teaching students about point of view, which can be a difficult reading trait to teach as well as thinking outside the box which is a good lesson for all students to learn. Students also find it humorous that the crayons write letters to their owner and get upset about being used too much! Story Summary Poor Duncan, the main character,

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10 Books to Get Kids Excited for the Olympics

Library Décor Inspiration

The 10 Best Professional Development Books for Librarians

Poetry Unit Ideas for the Library

10 Read Alouds to Welcome Spring

The Day the Crayons Quit

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