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Staying Cool in the Library

A place for school librarians to learn and grow together

A Roundup of Dr. Seuss Activities for Read Across America Day + a FREEBIE

March 2nd is fast approaching, better known as Read Across America Day. I have always loved Dr. Seuss' books. I love the crazy made-up words and his wacky characters. So once I became a librarian I knew that I wanted to celebrate his birthday with my students. Over the years I have done all sorts of activities including poster contests, trivia games, guest readers and spirit days to name a few. I am always looking for new ideas and I thought I would share with you a roundup of what I have ... Read the Post

Top 10 Chapter Book Series for Elementary Students

Why series books? Students love to read books in a series. I have found it is one of the best ways to encourage a reluctant reader to read. Why do students love series books? There are a number of reasons. Series books make students feel comfortable. Each book in a series usually has the same characters and format and follows similar plot lines. Also the students become invested in the characters and want to read more about them. Children know what to expect when they pick up the ... Read the Post

Holding a Mock Caldecott Election

What is a Mock Caldecott? One popular activity that many libraries do around this time of year is a mock Caldecott election. A mock Caldecott is simply where students read and vote on which book they think should receive the Caldecott Medal. There are many ways to do a mock Caldecott. I am going to explain two ways I have done it. I am also going to give you two different book lists. The first is a list of the books that I think are excellent contenders for the 2019 award. The next ... Read the Post

Caldecott Medal Teaching Techniques & Daily Activities

What is the Caldecott Medal? The Caldecott is an award that is given to a "distinguished American picture book for children published by an American publisher in the United States in English during the preceding year." It is given annually by the American Library Association as part of their Youth Media Awards. When teaching about the Caldecott Medal, you can always go to the ALA's website you can read all the criteria and guidelines used for selecting the winner. Here they are in a ... Read the Post

New Year’s Resolutions for the School Library

As we get ready to head back to school after a much-needed winter break, I wanted to share with you a way to celebrate the new year in the library - creating library New Year's resolutions. These resolutions are not the same as the ones adults make (lose weight, get more sleep), or the ones students will make in their classes (study more, practice multiplication facts). These are more general and are intended to get students to start thinking more about their reading, to make their reading ... Read the Post

How to Survive December in the School Library

Are you wondering how to survive December in the school library? The weeks before Christmas break has always been a challenging one for me, as it is for most educators. But I think it can be especially tough on specials teachers. There are so many different activities going on from classroom parties, pajama day, assemblies, sing-alongs ...The list goes on and on. And usually (at least in my school) specials time is never canceled. Teachers need this time to plan, prepare and go to the bathroom! ... Read the Post