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End-of-Year Library Book Return Strategies That Work

As the end of the school year approaches, we are faced with one of our biggest challenges: tracking down all those missin library books! Over the years, I’ve tested a variety of strategies with mixed success. In this post, I’m sharing some creative tips and tried-and-true ideas to help you encourage students to return their books before summer break officially begins. Morning Announcement Reminders Give daily reminders during morning announcements. Add a silly twist – maybe a different “book joke of the day” or a dramatic plea from a “lonely book.” Example: “Why did the overdue book cross the road?To get back to the library before summer!” Make It Fun and Visible Put up colorful, eye-catching signs around the school. Think big fonts, bold colors, and clever sayings. Try funny ones like: Bonus: Add visuals like sunglasses-wearing books or a “missing book” wanted poster. Offer Small Incentives Consider offering

My Library is Closed – Now What?

For one reason or another, the library will close and you will be expected to go to classrooms. This happens for a variety of reasons. A few that have happened to me When this happens, you will need to make some decisions. Will you attmept to check-out books? What kinds of lessons will you teach? How will you take your supplies to the classroom? Most of these decisions will vary depending on the situtaiton. How long will you be out of the library? What time of year is it? What resources are available in the classroom you are going into? In this lbog post I provide some ideas on ways you can make this situation work effectively. Checking Out Library Books This is always the hardest decision for me. I want students to have access to books, but it can be challenging trying to check out books in the

10 Poetry Books for Kids!

April is national poetry month and if you are not already sharing poetry with your students now is a great time to start. Some educators shy away from reading poetry to their students. Many students think poetry is boring and unexciting. When you tell the kids they are going to listen to some poetry they moan and groan. So what can you do to change this reaction? Read them these 10 poetry books for kids that they will LOVE. There are so many wonderful poetry books that it can be overwhelming. I like to start with poems that will make kids laugh. And there are plenty of silly and wacky poetry books. Many of them are by two authors that I’m sure you know very well: Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. You can’t go wrong by sharing poems from these two. So I am not including their books on my

QR Code Animal Research Reports

One of my favorite nonfiction authors is Steve Jenkins. Students love reading his books and learning about all the different animal facts. The two I love best are Actual Size and What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? I have done several different activities after reading these books to my students including matching the animal to the part mentioned in the book to writing and art activities. Since I bought a set of Chromebooks a few years ago (thank you book fair profit), I have been doing an animal research project with my second and third graders. Students will select one of ten animals and use QR codes that I created to look up facts about the animal. They record their notes and create a simple research report. I chose ten different animals from the book What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? Since I

5 Animal Research Websites for Students

Finding reliable and student-friendly resources can sometimes feel like a daunting task. To make it easier, I’ve compiled a list of 5 trusted websites that are perfect for young learners. These platforms not only provide accurate and engaging information but also include videos, games, and other interactive activities to enhance the learning experience. Let’s dive in! Kiddle National Geographic for Kids San Diego Zoo Kids These websites below do have some advertisements on them. Ducksters Animal Fact Guide Ready to do an animal research activity with your student? Try one of these engaging research activities.

Getting Primary Students Ready to Research

We all know just how important it is to teach our students research skills. These include how to find information from print and digital sources, how to evaluate that information and how to use that information correctly. Over the next few weeks, I am going to write a series of blog posts providing ideas, advice, and resources that you can use to get your students ready to research, including your youngest. With kindergarten and first graders, I like to use the term research-readiness. I want to teach my students skills they will need that will help them to prepare to become researchers. This includes learning about the difference between fiction and nonfiction, understanding that nonfiction text teaches us information, understanding that text features help us to find information quickly, and how to begin to search for information on their own. These are things that can be taught throughout the

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Reading & Literacy

End-of-Year Library Book Return Strategies That Work

My Library is Closed – Now What?

10 Poetry Books for Kids!

QR Code Animal Research Reports

5 Animal Research Websites for Students

Getting Primary Students Ready to Research

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