Next week marks the start of National Library Week!
The escape room that we made last year was so much fun that I knew that we had to do it again. But we can’t just do the same one, that would be boring and kids would already know most of the…
Don't let a short schedule keep you from providing engaging library programming. These 30-minute library lessons are perfect for librarians!
Image 13 of 30 from gallery of Jara Cimrman School / Progres Architekti. Photograph by Alex Shoots Buildings - Alexandra Timpau
Problem solving practice for kids with a Free Escape the Library Book Themed Escape Room. Perfect for homeschool co-ops and small groups.
We are passionate supporters of public libraries here at Pages Unbound. But there are still awesome services and programs I would love to see libraries provide! Here are ten cool ideas that would g…
Last week was our second “Science of Superheroes” STEAM program focused around flight (and of course, gravity!). We started the program by reading aloud the first chapter of The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich by Greg Trine. This is the first book in the Melvin Beederman series and I love getting the chance to introduce kids to superheroes that aren’t from the Marvel and DC universes. After we read about Melvin’s trouble with flying, we discussed the superheroes we know that can fly. And then the real fun started… Lesson Plan We started off by talking about gravity. In our programming room, we have stadium-style seating, so everyone got the chance to jump down from the first level of seating to test Earth’s gravity. After we made sure that no one in the room was going to float away we talked about gravity in space and then did a gravity check. We did the gravity check by having me stand on a ladder and dropping things to the floor. The kids discussed what they thought would happen if we dropped two things at the same time – coins, paper, Lego bricks, and more. The kids really enjoyed testing one piece of flat paper falling versus another piece of paper being crumpled in a ball. After our drop test, we talked about why the paper moves more slowly as a flat piece versus crumpled in the ball and our discussion led right into the next activity which was discussing air pressure. We used a ping pong ball and a hair dryer to show that air pressure pushing up on an object can make it “float” or “fly.” And finally, the kids got the chance to make paper airplanes to test their flying skills. We made one together first and then we spent time creating our own designs and of course, testing them out! Paper airplanes are a huge hit with kids and they loved testing them out! Overall, I was really happy with both our Science of Superheroes programs this summer. If you didn’t get a chance, check out my program on Super Human Strength! It can be very intimidating trying to create a program based on science when I’m not the most familiar with science, but these concepts are pretty easy to understand and explain and the kids love experimenting!
Free library games and resources, including printables, worksheets, and slideshow presentations designed to help kids build library skills.
Library fundraisers raise money for books, resources and programs. They also build community within your schools and local communities.
A library and education blog and place to be heard through creating, technology, connecting, reading, collaborating and noise.
More reasons to hide out in a library all day!
Sharing mythology and culture from around the world, this Mythology for Middle School kids was very popular!
We need to rethink how we design our environments for students. The resources here will help you to use learning space design to transform your space.
The most successful displays I've done at my library have been passive readers advisory. For the last five years or so, I’ve done a monthly display of minature books based on the top YA titles checked out in my library system, with the top 10 books getting four readalikes. The Tiny Library is a collection of tiny books based on our most popular titles. Each tiny book contains reading suggestions based on our readalike list. There is a QR code that leads to a Google Form where teens can choose the books they want to pick up from the library.
So you have an awesome new program coming up, and you're super excited. That's fantastic! Now, how are you going to get the attendance your program so richly deserves? That all depends on how you advertise. Naturally, you want to tailor your advertisements to the program's target demographic, but don't forget that parents often make plans for their children, older patrons sometimes have visiting kids and/or grandkids, and word of mouth is incredibly valuable. It can't hurt to try some different things, right? In this three-part series, we will be discussing some average (and not so average) ways to advertise. First up... Posters, Flyers, and Where to Hang Them Sure, we've all made posters, and they go up on the door, or maybe on the bathroom door if we're feeling ambitious. Where else can we put them? Well, that depends on your audience. Have you tried... Local schools - If you email the superintendent, you can often get permission to hang signs in the school library, if nowhere else, but making sure that the teachers know about your programs can help promote library services to students, school faculty, and parents. Don't forget that teachers are potential patrons, too. Maybe the English teacher is just dying for a book club to join; maybe she will see the sign in the Teachers' Lounge and be your new best member! Senior centers - Again, the programs you advertise there don't have to be just for seniors! Yes, there is "competing" programming going on at many senior centers, but when you work for the town, collaboration is always a good thing. Unless you are doing a movie program at the exact same time as their movie program, you probably don't have to worry. I have often advertised Children's Room programs in the Senior Center, too, This is particularly helpful for Summer Reading ("the kids are visiting and I don't know what to do!") and the our library's circulating collection of toys and games ("the kids are visiting and I don't know what to do!"). Recreation centers, yoga studios, gyms - When playing sports and games, there is often almost as much time waiting (for your turn, for the game to start, for your ride home) as there is playing. Why not give these poor waiting people something to read and look forward to? Local businesses - Coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores, and other places where people linger will often have bulletin boards dedicated to local events. If you ask nicely, you can often hang up a poster, which lets their customers (and staff!) know about your upcoming awesomeness. This is particularly useful if the business has a connection to your event. For example, hanging a flyer at a comic store or game shop is perfect for promoting teen Wii Game tournaments or board game parties. Other areas of the library - You'd be surprised how few libraries will advertise the adult Summer Reading Program in the Children's Room, even though there are usually just as many parents as children! This holds true the other way around, as well. Patrons have families and friends, and they will let them know if they see something they might enjoy. If you have something complicated enough that a quick glance at a flyer might not be enough, try hanging them inside the bathroom stalls - you have a captive audience! Inside of books - When I did a Zombie Party, I put flyers inside copies of The Walking Dead graphic novels. Pete the Cat party flyers are inside all Pete the Cat books. Hide Classic Movie Mondays flyers inside biographies of classic Hollywood starlets, Fantasy Book Club flyers inside fantasy books, and "Did You Know We Have A Database About This?" flyers inside reference books. I have also seen some great e-book bookmarks inside books on the shelf where the e-book version was available through our catalog. "Check it out now, or download it from home!" Things to Remember: If you're not used to posting flyers outside your library, there are a some things you might not have needed to think about before. A few things to consider: Make sure that all flyers are clearly labeled with the library's name, address, and contact information. It wouldn't do for a potential patron to be interested in a program, and not know where to go. Less (information) is sometimes more (attention). You want eye-grabbing art and words, because you are competing with not just the other flyers on the bulletin board, but the entire world around that bulletin board: smart phones, pumpkin spice lattes, best friends meeting up for lunch, someone's dog who is just so darned cute. Large blocks of text will be skimmed over if not ignored: it's better to get someone's attention and point them in the right direction for more information than to not grab them at all. Also, please ask permission before you start hanging things up. Let's not be silly about this. If you have a favorite place to hang your flyers, we would love to hear about it! Please let us know in the comments here, on our Facebook page, or on our Twitter. You can also follow us there to make sure that you never miss a post. Don't miss reading Part 2: Media and Social Media and Part 3: Unique Advertising Ideas!
Explore Bobbi Newman's 2158 photos on Flickr!
Ideas for self-directed activities and passive programs for kids at the library. Obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, displays, and more.
Library shelving has always been slightly magical to me. When I was in Year 9, I was given the honour of being a ‘library helper’ in my school library, and among other things, I was all…
Some school libraries are reinventing themselves as makerspaces, but this Ohio library took a slightly different approach and has seen incredible results.
A recycled book art workshop is a easy, affordable project to do in your makerspace. Old books can easily be found from weeding libraries or at thrift stores.
A library scavenger hunt is a great way to assess library skills. They let students practice skills they learn about finding resources in the library.
With the new year comes new library displays! Check it out! A similar display was on Pinterest--that's where the basic idea came from--but our version includes specific titles based on our most circulated titles. Recognize any? Looking for Monopoly favorites like Go to Jail or Free Parking? We have those versions on our Book-opoly, too! Interested in seeing the whole game board? Just stop by the library to check it out. The second new display features winter or "snowy" titles, including the popular Trapped by Northrup and a new addition, Dogs of Winter by Pyron: Like the poster says, there's "snow" better time to stop by to check out a book!
These library activities can help check-out time run smoothly, including for students with overdue books, who are unable to check out.
Print out this free template to make a 3D paper bookmobile, three historical bookmobile puppets and learn about the fascinating history of bookmobiles.
Some school libraries are reinventing themselves as makerspaces, but this Ohio library took a slightly different approach and has seen incredible results.
This elementary school library lesson plan is a great starting off point for a lesson, as well as for a teacher evaluation template.
Learn how to quickly add poetry to your school library in this helpful blog post from Library Learners!
Libraries can be some of the most visually stunning meccas of architecture, but even if you aren't fortunate enough to live near one of the most beautiful libraries in the world - your local libraries can still contain some pretty creative designs. The following list is a collection of photos from everyday libraries that have been spiced up with hilarious and creative twists from the funny librarians who run them.
Last year was my first year teaching Read180 in a few years. I love Read180 and what I have seen it do for my kiddos so I was excited to get a chance to implement it again. But...the book projects included with the program are B-O-R-I-N-G! Sure, some of them are pretty good, but the directions can be questionable and I find myself using the same two projects over and over with my class. My students started to get frustrated (beyond frustrated) with the repetition so I promised them that one of my summer tasks would be to create new book projects, just for them. I mean, who doesn't just LOVE working on school stuff during summer break? You know we all do it! These book project ideas are a break from the traditional book report and can be used with any book! This one is pretty self-explanatory. The students can write a letter to the author. Depending on whether the author is alive or not, you students could actually mail their letter out! Wouldn't it be wonderful if they got a reply?!? All kids watch a lot of movies. They're exposed to movie posters every time they set foot in a mall or theater. The creativity you will see when they create a movie poster for the book they just read can be amazing! What kid doesn't love Diary of a Wimpy Kid or any other graphic novel? They're going to love creating their own comic strip using details from the book they just read even more! This is their chance to be honest about the book they just read. They can even give it a 5-star rating if they totally loved it! Timelines help kids practice sequencing and retelling. Timelines also have less writing and are more visual which is perfect for some of your kiddos! Your artistic kids will love redesigning the book cover. The catch is that they also have to rewrite the short summary on the back of the book too! Here is another visual project that will pull some of your readers right in! Imagine being able to see all of the places from your book on a map! Every book has a juicy part fit for the front page of a newspaper. Here is a chance for your kids to write an article retelling a specific event. Your kids will get a kick out of "interviewing" their favorite character. First, they will need to come up with some questions and then they'll need to answer them from the character's point of view. I find that when you add technology to just about anything, kids will gravitate towards it. I am sure they will love putting together a PowerPoint presentation all about the book they just read. What other book projects do you like to use with your students? I would love to hear your ideas! If you want to try alternative book projects in your classroom, I have expanded on these ideas and created directions sheets for each project for my students. Each project includes the task and the plan with detailed directions including "must haves" and "may haves". There is also a Do Not Forget section that give little reminders to keep your kids on track. I have also included two versions of a log to keep track of which projects your students have completed. The first one gives them choice and they just log their choice. The second one lists each project and the student has to complete each project once before repeating a choice. Do you use interactive notebooks in your classroom? No worries! I have reduced the size of each page so that it fits right into an interactive notebook! Are you looking for even more book projects for your students? Volume 2 was just released! I've even bundled them together at a discounted price! Thanks for stopping by! If you want to read more about how I use interactive notebooks with Read180 and pick up a freebie, you should check out this blog post.
Dates Round 3 of the Bookopoly ReadAThon will go for the entirety of January 2021! From 12:00AM on the 1st of January till 11:59pm on the 31st of January! The Bookopoly Board You are welcome to dow…
Teach kids all about graphic novels with this Make Your Own Graphic Novels lesson plan for upper elementary students.
Our students need to be proficient in 5 Essential Literacies and School Librarians can integrate a Library Literacy component into any class visit. In Part 3 we look at Information Literacy Skills:…
Applying for library grants is a great way to leverage your library and get more resources. Check out these 10 library grant suggestions!
I want to try all of these.
Looking for a fun and exciting activity to help your students learn about their library? This is the perfect activity that will leave your students wanting more! Grab this EDITABLE scavenger hunt to welcome your students to the library at the beginning of the school year! Better yet...customize the text and make it your own! This will be a fun and exciting way to let students explore and learn about their library! This product is in PowerPoint and gives you the reins to edit and add details about your library! Students will learn about their librarian, checking out a book, searching the library catalog, how to care for books, different sections of the library, and get some tips about making their library great! It also includes 2 fun bookmarks to share with students at the beginning of the school year! This would be a fantastic elementary library orientation lesson. Included in your purchase: --EDITABLE Scavenger Hunts -(2 versions) One for older students and one for younger students Each scavenger hunt also includes a 4-page flipbook version and a 2-page condensed version. The text on the scavenger hunts can be edited to match your library --EDITABLE Station Posters (Color and Black & White versions included!) -Blue, Red, Green, Yellow and Orange Book Posters -All About My Librarian Poster -Checking Out Library Books Poster -Searching Your Library Poster -Caring for Your Library Books Poster -Check Out These Areas in Your Library Poster -@ the Library Poster --Bookmarks -Welcome to the Library -@ the Library ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All of my products have been used with students in my library! I'm always working to perfect the products before adding them to my TPT store. My number one goal is to provide educators with great ideas and products that their students will love! I believe that what students learn with joy they never forget! Take a peek at a few of my other products! Readers Bundle: NO-PREP Reading Challenges Book Reports that SPARKLE Investigating Forest Animals Investigating Weather Investigating Butterflies Investigating Worms: Fiction vs. Nonfiction This Week In the Library! Reference Source Bundle Library Scavenger Hunt Bundle Parts of a Book BUNDLE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Earn credit that can be applied to future TPT purchases! Just go to your My Purchases section and click on the Provide Feedback under the product purchased! Your feedback is helpful and appreciated! Don't forget to follow my store! Click the green arrow underneath Linda the Librarian. This will let you know when I add new products to my store! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me! I would love to help you! Linda
Being a brand new school librarian is both exciting and scary. All summer, you’ve planned for your new position, but today, you're feeling pretty lost.
In general, I hate to repeat themes at the Children's Library, but this one was a no-brainer and lends itself to lots of variation. PLUS there's no way we would be able to beat last year's numbers without doing another Little Library LEGO Checkout Club (not that I'm a slave to numbers, but these numbers
IT’S ALIVE!! Not sure what inspired this idea to begin with, but this is a program I wanted to do for awhile. This one can be a little daunting though, since there is the possibility of som…
It's been nearly two years since my amazing aide and I started genre-fying our library's fiction section. While it was a TON of work, we have never regretted it. Since then, I have helped guide other area librarians in their own genre-fication projects and continue to spread the word about this wonderful new way to help readers find the books they love.
