Getting a baseline

Being new to the school and to the profession is doubly challenging - I am both figuring out what students have learned in previous years in library class, while also trying to figure out what works for me in teaching library skills (and what each age level is ready for).

This week, my lessons centered on getting a baseline of some library skills that I think students should know by the end of the year, except for kindergarten, who had one.last.book care lesson before finally getting to check out a book. 

Kindergartners heard We are Going on a Book Hunt and then received a practice library book to complete and take care of. If the majority of students bring their book back next week, the whole class will get to have their first check out. Exciting stuff! 

One of the tasks in the practice book was to draw a picture of me. These are a few of my favorites!

1st graders heard Abuela by Arthur Dorros, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Before beginning the book, we reviewed key parts of book in preparation for end-of-class library activity, a matching exercise. 

2nd and 3rd graders heard Biblioburro by Jeanette Winter and then watched a short YouTube clip of the real-life Luis Soriano. 2nd graders located the author and illustrator for 3 books that were on their table, and 3rd grade did a call number ordering activity

4th graders heard Our Librarian Doesn't Tell Us Anything by librarian-turned-bestselling author Toni Buzzeo. They had a chance to show off their Destiny searching skills through a number of task cards that they brainstormed in pairs and shared with the class. I hope all our 4th graders will be library success stories by the end of the year! 

I switched up the format for 5th grade and introduced a short research project utilizing Biography in Context, a database that our students have free access to through via multiple Massachusetts agencies. We did a sample search for an author and then students paired up and chose an author to research on their own. My hope is that the fun facts that they uncover about their authors will help populate my author displays over the course of the year.