Lesson Plans Archives - Page 12 of 12 - Staying Cool in the Library

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 i Holding a Mock Caldecott Election in your library Alternative Idea Digital Mock Caldecott Ideas If you are doing distance or hybrid learning, you may want to try and hold a digital Mock Caldecott. It is definitely more challenging if you are not able to physically be with your students, but it can still be done. The biggest challenge will be finding ways for your students to read the books you have chosen for the election. You can record yourself reading them and share with students that way.

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 nutshell: Introducing to Students to the Caldecott Medal – Day One Very important: The first thing you want to do is pull all of the Caldecott and Honor books in your library. You will need these books as you go through your lessons. And once you begin talking about them with students, they will all want to check them out. I begin by telling students

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 and to make their reading intentional. Students will think about what they read during the previous year and what they would like to read in the upcoming year. It gives students a chance to reflect on their reading and their reading choices. Since most librarians see students in multiple grades I created several different sets. For younger students, there is a one-page mini book. Students will

How to Survive December in the School Library

Are you wondering how to navigate December in the school library? The weeks leading up to Christmas break have always been a challenging time for me, as they are for many educators. However, it can be especially demanding for specials teachers. The schedule is packed with activities like classroom parties, pajama days, assemblies, and sing-alongs—the list seems endless. In my school, specials time is rarely, if ever, canceled. Teachers need this time to plan, prepare, and take a much-needed break, which I completely understand and support. But let’s be real—when you’re handed a class fresh from their holiday party, a calm storytime is probably not in the cards! I’ll admit, there are moments when I’ve given in to the temptation of showing a Christmas movie. Let’s be honest—most of us have done it at some point! While it’s perfectly fine on occasion, it’s not something you want to rely

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