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Christmas Around the World Activities for Kids of All Ages

Add some fun Christmas around the world activities to your classroom for kids of all ages!
As Christmas approaches, we all know our students are buzzing with excitement for vacations, presents, and a break from the usual routine. This time of year can bring a lot of distractions! But instead of letting the holiday energy pull them away, why not bring the celebration into the classroom? That’s why I absolutely love using Christmas around the world activities. These engaging lessons help our students explore how different cultures celebrate holidays around the world. This keeps them curious and connected while they countdown to the break. Plus, it’s fun to dive into geography, traditions, and diversity, all wrapped up in the season’s magic! Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite resources to use to teach about Christmas around the world! What is Christmas Around the World? When we talk about Christmas around the world, we’re diving into the unique and diverse ways people celebrate this holiday across
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10 Classroom Management Tips for School Librarians

10 tips on classroom management for librarians
As librarians, we often find ourselves in professional development sessions on classroom management or flipping through books, thinking, “This isn’t for me!” We interact with students in a completely unique way. The strategies that work for classroom teachers don’t always translate to our setting. That’s why I’ve put together some classroom management tips tailored specifically for librarians. We know the library environment calls for a different approach! What’s great is that these tips work whether you see students regularly or occasionally. No matter how big your library is or how limited your resources might be, you can easily adapt these strategies to fit your needs! Why Classroom Management Tips Are Essential for School Librarians Classroom management tips are essential for us school librarians! When we’ve got effective management strategies in place, our library transforms into a calm, inviting space. This encourages our students to explore, ask questions, and dive
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How to Create a Library Substitute Binder

Whether you are planning ahead for a vacation, or want to be prepared for those inevitable sick days, having a library substitute binder is a game-changer. Instead of hours spent preparing for a day out of the library or a frantic call to school trying to organize things for a day off, you have a ready-to-go sub binder. What is a library substitute binder? Think of this binder as the holder of all your library secrets (or just the really important stuff). It’s the one-stop-shop for your essential class information. It allows anyone to pop into your place, and pick up where you left off – with ease. If you’ve ever had to cover a class, you know how challenging it can be when there is no information present. Sometimes you’re lucky to get a class roster! It’s confusing. Suddenly, you’re depending on the students to know what they
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How to Teach Text Features in NonFiction

When you think of reading, charts and graphs probably aren’t the first things to come to mind. But when reading nonfiction texts, these elements play a role in understanding the text. Many times I’ve asked students to read a caption or refer to information from a chart, only to get a blank stare back. This just tells me how important it is to directly teach text features in nonfiction. What are nonfiction text features? Text features are the elements of an informational text not found within the main body of the text. This includes elements that come before and after the text (such as the table of contents or glossary) and the elements surrounding the text (such as labels and graphs). To help students understand the importance of text features, I like to give them a few examples. In one example, I will have them read directions to another
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Library Activities to Make Check-Out Time Run Smoothly

It’s library check-out time, and you’re wishing you had six more arms and three sets of eyes. Between checking out books, figuring out overdue books, and managing other students in the library – it can feel like a full-time job for at least three people. And yet, it’s just you.  I wanted to share some library activities that can help check-out time run smoothly. These activities are meant to keep other students busy and on task, while you man the check-out counter. I’ll also give some library activities for students with overdue books, who are unable to check out a new book. #1 Keep a Box of Weeded Out Books When you go through and weed out old books, instead of tossing them or leaving them in the hallway, keep them in a box. During check-out time, allow students to search through the box and find a book they
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What is a Book Walk and How To Create One

Ever had that spark of curiosity about diving into the world of book walks but found yourself in a bit of a head-scratching moment, not quite sure where to start or what it’s all about? Well, good news! Bringing the magic of a book walk to life in your classroom or library is surprisingly straightforward. The best part? Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’re not just creating a one-time experience. You’re setting the stage for a literary adventure that can keep unfolding for years. Imagine the joy of knowing you can recycle your bookwalk materials and sprinkle a bit of literary enchantment on your space whenever the mood strikes. Ready to embark on this bookish journey? Let’s dive in! What is a Book Walk? So, what’s the deal with a Book Walk, you ask? Think of it as a stroll through a gallery, but instead of art
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Staying Cool in the Library is my blog, where I share my passion for fostering a love of reading with children. As a librarian, I believe reading should be fun and accessible to all students. That’s why I share engaging and interactive lesson plans, creative ways to build exciting library collections, and resources to inspire even the most reluctant readers in any classroom or library. Check out my blog posts and products in my store, and join my email list below.

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