Tips and Ideas for Using SeeSaw in the School Library

Have you heard of the latest app to take over the schools? Seesaw is an interactive app that allows students to post the things they work on in school. Next, their families can see their work! Because it’s based mostly on pictures and video, Seesaw also allows students to post links, text notes, drawings, and other media to share with their families. In addition, there are so many possibilities with Seesaw. Classroom teachers love Seesaw, but teacher librarians can get in on the act, too! Check out how to use Seesaw in the library!

Journal posts

First, the original intention of Seesaw was an online journal for students and families. As students post their entries to the journal, families get alerts. Next, parents and guardians see what students have been working on during the school day. 

In addition, you can also make use of this school-to-home connection! Have students bring devices to their library time, and take pictures of activities they work on, books they would like to check out, and books they’ve read. If students bring devices with them, simply have them tap on the big green plus sign to add an item to their journal.

Next, you can have students post a picture, a drawing, or any of the other six options available. 

Any of these options will also get to the families of students, as long as they are included in the family management section of the class. (Check with the classroom teacher to make sure families are already connected.) If you have separate devices for the library, ask classroom teachers for their Seesaw classroom QR code. Keep the QR codes in a clear paper protector, in the order that you need them. This way, students can scan the QR codes for their classrooms prior to uploading a journal entry. Of course, this ensures that student entries make it to the correct teacher and family!

Here are some additional library journal ideas to use in Seesaw:

• Journal entries about theme using textual evidence
• Writing pieces from the point of view of another character in a novel
• Nonfiction research notes
• Drawings or multi-media artwork of characters or setting
• Book trailers

What other journal possibilities can you explore with your library students?

Seesaw Community Library

Next, if you are looking for library-specific activities to send to students, check out the “Community Library” tab in the activities section! A simple search for the word “Library” yields over 200 activities already created and ready to go.

Next, these activities are also able to be assigned and personalized for your student very easily! Of course, if you don’t like something about the activity, simply click on the three dots at the bottom of the activity, and select “Copy and Edit Activity”. Finally, you can change whatever you would like about the activity, and personalize it to your liking.

Overall, Seesaw is an app that everyone in a school can use. In the library or classroom, this journaling tool is also useful as a school-to-home connection and a student reflection portfolio. If you aren’t already using Seesaw in the library, what is holding you back? If you are using Seesaw in the library, what have you seen be most effective? Let me know!