Engaging Upper Elementary Students

Tackling lesson plans for upper elementary students has been an ongoing challenge in my role as a librarian. The task of keeping them engaged has gotten increasingly difficult. The struggle becomes even more real after the holiday break as the 5th graders return feeling more like middle school students than elementary students. So, I’ve put together a list of ideas and activities for engaging upper elementary students to spice things up and keep the excitement alive for learning in the library.

Use these tips and ideas for engaging upper elementary students in library lessons and activities.

Let’s dive into some ideas that can help you transform your upper elementary students from “too cool for school” to “bring on the books!” This post is collaborative in a sense. You see, over in the Staying Cool in the Library private Facebook group were discussing this very topic. If you are not already a member, come join us!

Through this discussion, I quickly realized that this issue was not just mind. I pulled together things that have worked for me and ideas from other librarians in the group to give you this list of ideas for engaging upper elementary students. Ready to dive in and make learning a thrilling adventure?

Book Talks for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

Leading engaging book talks for upper elementary students is a game-changer in fostering a love for reading. Think of it as a commercial for a book that captures your students’ attention. While ideally, you’d prep book talks in advance with carefully chosen phrases and sentences to captivate your kiddos, in reality, this often happens spontaneously. In those moments, rely on your passion for the book to pique your students’ curiosity.

A spontaneous book talk can be as effective as a meticulously planned one. The key is to introduce the book through your words, display the cover to tap students’ visual sense, and craft a hook that ignites curiosity. And. . . don’t underestimate the power of your facial expressions, voice inflection, and varying rate and volume of your speech. Tap into your inner thespian and bring that book to life with your words and body language.

Varying your voice inflection, facial expressions, emotions and reading pace can all increase engagement during a book talk.

All of these can play a part in helping students connect with what you are saying and getting them excited about the book. With a sweet spot of under 2 minutes, these talks align perfectly with the attention spans of older students.

Book Trailers for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

Use publisher made book trailers to engage your students.

Exploring the world of book trailers adds an exciting multimedia dimension to engaging upper elementary students in the wonders of literature. Think of a book trailer as a cinematic cousin to a book talk. It’s just like a movie trailer except it is about a book. It’s a visual teaser that sparks curiosity and entices students to dive into the world of the story.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to grab your video camera and editing software. Fortunately, there’s a variety of sources online for finding these literary trailers. One standout is Scholastic Book Trailers. With trailers divided by age level, you can find the perfect book for your upper elementary students.

Additionally, KidLit Book Trailers, along with the YouTube channels of HarperCollins and HarperCollins Kids, offer a variety of book previews. Many other book publishers boast their own YouTube channels, too. Of course, the golden rule remains: preview all videos before sharing them with students, especially when navigating the vast landscape of YouTube.

Want to take the idea of book trailers to the next level? Once your students are familiar with them challenge them to work in groups to create a book trailer for a book they would recommend. This would be a great collaborative activity to do with their language arts and technology teacher.

Scavenger Hunts

A scavenger hunt is a great way to get students navigating the library while still feeling like they are playing a game.

I love engaging my upper elementary students in a thrilling scavenger hunt right within the library. This activity gets students navigating the library while feeling like they are playing a game.

For a simple yet effective activity, I hand an index card to a student. Each card has a specific topic or genre. I give them the task of matching their topic on their index card to the correct bookshelf where they would find books on their topic. Witnessing their excitement as they navigate the bookshelves, hunting down the perfect book that aligns with the given category, is truly rewarding. It’s a dynamic way to reinforce their library navigation skills and allows them to move around the space.

Sometimes, I take it up a notch with a relay race to boost the excitement in our library sessions. My students race against time as they decode clues or complete tasks related to the library’s various sections. I use those simple index cards from above and write out different topics, book titles, or descriptions of genres as the playing cards. This lively competition sharpens their ability to locate books but adds an element of friendly competition to keep them on their toes.

I particularly enjoy incorporating these scavenger hunt activities into centers. I add this option to my centers once we have reviewed how to navigate the library. This way, my students can practice these skills independently while at this particular center. Scavenger hunts keep the learning experience fresh and provide a structured way for my students to explore the library’s offerings.

Want to try some free scavenger hunts for your students? Just sign up on the form below to get access to the free resource library plus over 30 other free printables!

Task Cards for Engagement

Task cards are so versatile and have seamlessly integrated into my teaching routine, making them a staple in my resource collection. Catering to grades 2-5, I use task cards not only for reinforcing library skills but also as a dynamic tool across various subjects. We dive into reviewing homophones, grammar, and other ELA topics with these engaging cards.

Task cards are a versatile library activity.

What adds to the charm is the flexibility in which activities can be tailored to suit each class and their dynamics. Task cards find their way into center activities, becoming a focal point for exploration. I’ve led lively Scoot games, transforming the learning experience into a playful challenge. When students are required to stay in their seats, I distribute sets to tables, fostering collaborative group work.

Task cards also shine in whole-group scenarios, taking center stage on the SmartBoard for an interactive learning spectacle. This adaptability ensures that, regardless of the class or its unique needs, task cards become a catalyst for engagement.

Check out some of the task card sets you can find by visiting my TPT store, Staying Cool in the Library:

Word Chain

Introducing a dynamic and engaging game called Word Chain. It’s a personal favorite in my teaching toolkit for engaging upper elementary students. I have my students choose a category like sports, colors, or names. Then we choose a starting word and write it on the board. After that students take turns creating words that start with the last letter of the preceding word. For example, the category is fruit, and the first word is banana. The next word could be apricot, then tangerine, and so on.

students can work together to use reference books to play a game of word chain

But I like to take this game to another level and get students working on a specific skill as we play. An example would be reinforcing map skills. I give each of my students or tables an atlas or map. I start by having one student write the name of a place on the board. The challenge begins as students take turns locating places on their maps that start with the last letter of the previous place. It’s an engaging way to sharpen map skills while fostering a sense of exploration. You can make it more challenging by setting parameters like countries, cities, or bodies of water.

This game can even be used with other reference book skills, such as navigating a dictionary or thesaurus. Your students will explore the alphabet, expand their vocabulary, and refine their skills in an interactive manner.

Need to introduce or review using reference tools, such as an atlas, dictionary, or thesaurus? Make sure to explore my Reference Materials Printables and Worksheets or Library Skills Bundle for effective resources to add to your instruction!

Book Flyers

use book flyers for hands on sorting activities

If you are anything like me, you are inundated with book flyers to send home with students. While I get stacks all the time, I don’t personally organize book orders. Instead, I make them available to teachers. I always tend to have lots of extra flyers after the book fair too. Instead of recycling them, I will keep them on hand for activities like this.

Book flyers make a wonderful starting place for sorting activities that resonate particularly well with engaging upper elementary students. I have my students sort books based on genres, navigate the Dewey Decimal System, or explore the author’s purpose. Picture students actively engaged as they search for books, categorize them, and uncover the hidden gems within your library’s collection.

I’ve also seamlessly integrated publisher catalog pages into these sorting activities. These activities transform routine library sessions into quests for knowledge. It’s a brilliant way to enhance their understanding of literary elements.

Making Research Engaging for Upper Elementary Students

Navigating the landscape of research can seem like an intimidating journey, especially for upper elementary students who may find the process a tad daunting and, dare I say, even a bit boring. The prospect of sifting through information and organizing thoughts can be overwhelming, causing some to dread the very idea of research. But it doesn’t have to be this way!

Breaking down the research process to bite sized activities helps to keep students engaged.

It’s up to us to bring the thrill of research alive. To share the excitement that comes from uncovering new information. And. . . to make collecting and organizing the information so easy that it becomes fun.

I’ve created resources that transform this experience into an engaging and dynamic adventure. I use graphic organizers from my Research Skills Graphic Organizers resource with my upper elementary students to guide them on the path to effective research. These graphic organizers are tailored to suit any research topic, making the process not only manageable but also exciting. This comes in handy to help my students with whatever topic of interest they are researching. As they use them while they research, the research process becomes less scary and more achievable!

If students are doing a digital research project, or if you are on a 1:1 campus, these graphic organizers and research tools are also available in a digital format. Students can get the same guidance and tools using these Digital Research Skills Graphic Organizers for Google Slides.

BINGO

BINGO is a great game for keeping students engaged while reviewing

Whenever it comes time for a review or in need of an activity that is low-intensity but still beneficial, I pull out one of my Bingo games! These bingo games are simple but engaging for upper elementary students.

When it comes time to review the Dewey Decimal System, I pull out my Dewey Decimal System Bingo. Each calling card, called out by the teacher, has a book title. The students listen carefully to cover the matching call number on their Bingo card.

Another Bingo game that my students enjoy playing is the Figurative Language Bingo. The players’ cards have pictures representing different figurative language phrases. As I read a phrase aloud, students race to identify the corresponding picture of hyperboles, personifications, idioms, metaphors, and similes.

Incorporating these interactive games into my teaching routine has not only engaged my upper elementary students but has also made learning feel like play. Whether it’s exploring the Dewey Decimal System or diving into the world of figurative language, the games have turned each lesson into an adventure.

Breakout Rooms for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

engage your upper elementary students with break out rooms or escape room activities

I’ve introduced an immersive breakout room activity (aka escape room) aimed at making the exploration of the library catalog an exciting adventure for my upper elementary students. Students actively work together to solve challenges from my Library Breakout – Library Catalog Review. Each of the challenges has my students practicing how to navigate the library catalog in an interactive, game-like manner. The excitement of my students is contagious. I love seeing them gaining confidence in navigating the library catalog while having a blast!

I use another breakout room, Reading Genres Escape Room, to help my students review book genres. My students love the different activities that come with the different challenges, from the crossword puzzle to the multiple choice to matching the genre to the book cover. This breakout room takes about 30 – 45 minutes, but can easily be broken into several library visits.

Additional Ideas for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

As school librarians, we can never have enough activities in our toolbox! Here are a few creative ideas to keep the excitement flowing:

1. Reader’s Theater: My upper elementary students get a kick taking on different roles in our reader’s theaters. It’s exciting to see them come out of their shell and realize that reading can be fun! They practice their reading skills but also encourage them to become active members in storytelling and performance.

2. Library Musical Chairs: A playful twist on the classic game we all know and love, Library Musical Chairs injects energy into our library sessions. As students circle through the chairs, each chair strategically has a book. The challenge is not only to find a seat but also to explore the book they land on when the music stops. It’s one way to promote spontaneous book exploration and add an element of movement to our library routine.

3. Origami Bookmarks: For a hands-on and artistic touch, we delve into the world of origami bookmarks. This activity boosts creativity and serves a practical purpose. Students get to craft their own bookmarks to use in their books. It combines literature appreciation with a dash of arts and crafts, making reading sessions even more enjoyable.

Save these Ideas for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

Are you curious about more details on these activities? Head over to my Pinterest board, Free Library and Teaching Ideas, where I’ve shared insights into these engaging activities! Before you go, make sure to save this post to your favorite library activities Pinterest board so you can come back the next time you need fresh ideas for engaging upper elementary students.

12 ideas for engaging upper elementary students in the library

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One Response

  1. Love your ideas for engaging upper elementary students, i tried a version of your book talks and it was hugely successful, so thank you! Instead of reading a chapter book during library periods (and thus taking months to finish the book), I decided to introduce one or two chapter book series to the students. I basically picked an exciting moment in the book to read, read the summary, or read part of Chapter 1…the books I showed/introduced were all signed out in teh same day and many asked to place holds on them! Thank you for the idea!

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