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Are you looking for some back to school books by Kevin Henkes? He is hands down one of my favorite authors! Kevin Henkes is a brilliant author and he is also the illustrator of his own stories, which I find amazing! Not to mention he is both a Caldecott Medal winner and Newbery Honor winner. Most of the characters in his books are animals that act as humans and I believe that young children actually relate to these characters quite a lot. Henkes’ work is best known for touching on hot-button topics such as new siblings, the first day of school and deceased grandparents. Again, these are super relatable topics to children, which makes his stories great to read aloud in the primary grades. Kevin Henkes has two books that are perfect, in my opinion, for back to school time in the classroom or library. (Note: This post contains
It’s that time of year already-are you looking for back to school activities for the library to start the year off right? Don’t worry I’ve got you covered! (I say this as I sit poolside with my coffee wishing and hoping that these last few weeks of summer could please slow down…) Back to school time in the library is really important. It’s the time for setting the rules and procedures for the rest of the school year, starting to develop relationships with students and figuring out schedules. It can be a little chaotic and crazy but it’s mostly fun 🙂 Let’s make your life easier by setting things up NOW so you can stress less and relax more for the back to school madness. Here are 8 back to school must-haves for the library to start the year off right and make your life so much easier! 1.
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
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 season is right around the corner. This is always an exciting and exhausting time of year! Over the years I have created quite a few free resources to help make the transition back to school just a little bit easier. They include first day of school lesson plans, posters and bookmarks and a few ideas for back to school night. All of these resources can be downloaded for free from either 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
Have you been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the idea of online instruction? With some form of distance learning inevitably upon us, there are many resources available to help ease the transition of this new way of planning. Today, I am going to share with you a digital resource that can be used in Google slides or any other online learning platform. This resource aligns with the book All Are Welcome by Suzanne Kaufman and Alexandria Penfold. If you do not have this book, you can find this wonderful title right here! As we all know by now, distance learning has created some disruption in our normal day to day activities. However, there is always a way to work around it! When it comes to picture book activities, my picture book digital choice boards are a great resource! These can be used in a traditional classroom setting, digital classroom