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Teaching Book Care in the Elementary School Library

Teaching book care in the elementary school library
One of the most important lessons you can teach in the elementary school library is book care. It’s not just about keeping books neat. It’s about helping our kiddos understand respect, responsibility, and the shared joy of reading. When our students know how to care for books, they’re learning life skills that will serve them well everywhere. When I first became a librarian, I assumed older students already knew how to handle books responsibly. I quickly realized that many kids didn’t have books at home or hadn’t been to a public library before. For them, the elementary school library was the first place they encountered books they were trusted to borrow. That’s why book care became a central lesson, not just for kindergarten and first grade, but for every grade level. Why Book Care Matters in the Elementary School Library Teaching book care in the elementary school library is
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10 Must-Read STEM Picture Books

10 Must-Read STEM Picture Books
As librarians, the whole world, through books, is available to us. We have the power to expose our students to so many different themes and topics. We don’t have to limit our lessons to the world of reading and the Dewey Decimal System. Instead, we can truly take them on an adventure into anything and everything through books. Today, I’m sharing my favorite STEM picture books for kids that have helped me open the door to the world of science, technology, engineering, and math in the library. STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math STEM is more than just the current education buzzword. It teaches our students critical skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. Being the school librarian, I love using STEM picture books to facilitate these skills in the library. A few of the benefits of a STEM curriculum include: Of course, one way that
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There Is a Shark in the Library – How to Use Shark Books in your Lessons!

Do your students love sharks and shark books as much as mine do? My students ask for books about sharks more than almost any other nonfiction topic. And it’s all grades from kindergarten to fifth grade. I’m not sure what it is about sharks that they all love so much. Maybe it’s the huge mouth full of sharp, razor-like teeth or the fear of getting eaten by a shark. Although I will admit, I have watched shark week on the Discovery Channel since the very first year they started it, so I understand their fascination. Because of their love of sharks, several years ago I decided to do some of my last lessons and storytimes of the year about sharks. Below I am going to share with you some of my ideas and activities. I bet your students will enjoy them as much as mine do. Shark Books List
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10 Anti-Bullying Picture Books

Bullying is a problem that every school faces. It can affect any child at any time, and in many ways. Below is a curated list of picture books that you can use with your students to teach them how and why bullying is wrong. Frst look below fora few statistics from the National Bullying Prevention Center. Unfortunately there is no simple answer to this problem. However one way that librarians and teachers can help to combat this problem is by reading picture books about bullying and the importance of kindness. By doing this students can begin to learn the warning sings of bullying and understand how their actions have consequences. It will also get them thinking about the importance of kindness and being accepting of other people. My List for Anti-Bullying Picture Books There are so many wonderful books to read that it is difficult to know which ones
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A Roundup of Dr. Seuss Activities for Read Across America Day

Use these creative and engaging activities to celebrate all things Dr. Seuss and Read Across America Day this year with your whole school.
March 2nd is the much-anticipated Read Across America Day! It also happens to be the birthday of Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. Now, I’ve got a little confession. I’m a total Dr. Seuss enthusiast. The crazy made-up words and wacky characters? Absolutely my jam! So, when I became a librarian, celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday became an annual thing for me and my students. Over the years, I’ve cooked up all sorts of fun. From poster contests and trivia games to roping in some awesome guest readers, I’ve done it all. Oh, I can’t forget about the spirit days. They’re a blast! I’m not keeping all these awesome ideas to myself. Nope! This blog post is a mix of my adventures and some genius suggestions from my Staying Cool in the Library Facebook group. If you’re not part of it yet, I would love for you to join me and
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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.
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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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