Promoting Reading- Reading Displays!

     What are the ways that you promote reading?  Do you have reading contests and challenges? Holding Battle of the Books, and Caldecott Challenge are two ways , but there are lots of other ways.  Book displays,  posters are simple ways.
      Have student create displays  and posters for their favorite books. They can work individually or in small groups. I usually like to put two or three friends together and ask them to create a book display. They also make a small poster to tell what their display is about .  I find that when friends work together they can agree on what are their favorites and come up with great displays..
       I also hold this display as a contest and at the end of the specified time  have students vote on their favorite display. Winners are awarded prizes.

Announcing October Giveaway!

   Drum roll please!!!  The October Giveaway is the  book Library Life Savers by Pamela & Tamora Bacon.
And the winner is Natalie!  Natalie please email me with  the address where you would like me to send the book! Congrats and Enjoy!

Technology Tools- Wired Wednesday

     Another great tool for teachers and librarians is Biblionasium.  This is a great site for students, teachers, parents, and librarians to use to help students fall in love with reading.  It is a safe social network for kids.
    Biblionasium allows students to build an independent reading porgram tailored to individual interests and reading levels. 
    
    Lists and recommendations can be built by class or individual.  The site uses mostly lexlie levels, The program tracks the progress of the students reading.

   Kids are encouragte to share books and recommend books to their peers.
 
   A grownup is needed for the student to be signed up. After that the student can run with it and enjoy the site.


  There are tools for teachers to monitor and assess reading progress.





Biblionasium

Library Signage / Library Vocabulary

      The Storm is over- we did not get that much rain  but it was very windy! The wind knocked down a large pine tree right next to our house. Thankfully it fell away from the house , other wise we would have a tree throught the rooof of our living room.

   We did lose  electric, phone, heat, and internet  . We just got it back last night around dinner time on Sunday night..  I hope everyone is safe and has their electric .

      Now that you have your library vocabulary started- keep it going.  Do you have your signs up with definitions? Have you 'played ' some vocab games? What else can  you do with the signs and the vocabulary?    Make some games using the same words once you have  most of your vocabulary done.

     Try this: For the youngest set , you could make flash cards or make a concentration game. For intermediate and a little older ( middle  school) make several bingo boards with the words on the cards in several location and then  make cards to call  out with definitions.

    Try this: Take down the definitions  ( have them laminated). Have Students match  the definitions with the words.  Or swap and put up definitions and have students match up the vocabulary.



  .

Bulletin Boards November Tips/Sandy on Monday?

           We are expecting Sandy , I guess some time today with winds and rain. I am hoping that we do not loose electricity but it looks like we may. So if you do not hear from me the rest of the week , you will know  why. No school today in our county.

  
           November  Bulletin Board Ideas:

   Elect to read! 
   Children's Book Week,
   Don't be a turkey, Read!
   Be Thankful for great books.
   What are you Thankful for?
   Gobble up these  great books - turkey with book covers of book chosen by you or students
   Pick a winner- football theme

School Library Signage & Library Vocabulary

           At the school level, especially the elementary , signage is important.   If you have library vocabulary  for each grade level ( I do- and they are overlapping) then it is a good idea after introducing each term to make the word into some kind of signage.  
     
           After I introduce a term  by the following week, I like to make a sign for it. Depending on the word I may also place it where the items are ( example- Fiction and its defination  by the fiction section)
I make a sign for the word and a separate sign for the definition. This way I will occasionally take the definition down and see if the students knows what the word means.
 
          Other times I will move them around  to different spots in each section, or put them completely in a wrong section. Then we play a game - " What library words/ vocabulary are in the right place?"  This  helps student be more observant of the signs  and gets them to read them.
 
          How does this help? For starters, students see the term and the definition each time they are in the library.  If there is question about the word they can quickly look and see the definition.   I can review  with students by having them notice how many  library vocabulary we have learned each  month and year.

          This also helps to make the library a bright and colorful place to be. I use bright construction paper or colors on black. Sometimes I save the signs from year to year.  Sometimes I make new ones.  The signs also show the staff and administration that in our  learning library  there is always something new to learn and remember.

         I will continue this thread with more ideas on signage and vocabulary.  What do you do about library signs and library vocabulary?

Technology Tools- Glogster!

                  Another  cool tool to use with co- workers and students is Glogster.  There is a special glogster just for educational use .  Glogster is an online learning tool where students and teachers can make interactive posters .  What can be placed on a Glogster?  So many different items: videos, audio, text,  graphics.drawings,  and other data.

                Sign up is free. You will see on the gloster site some great examples of glogs done by students and teachers.   Drag and drop items to create the interactive poster.  Once completed , teacher and students can share the work by embedding it in a  blog,  a wiki, or webpage.

                There are many uses for Glogster: book reports, research projects, announcements, newsletters, class projects, presentations, lesson presentation,  assignments, tours,
  

Glogster



Don't forget to sign up for the October Giveaway! ( Library Lifesavers) Leave a comment or join THE ORGANIZED LIBRARIAN!