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You've landed a brand new school librarian job-congratulations! All summer, you've looked forward to standing in the middle of your very own library, taking a deep breath, and reveling in all that library-awesomeness.

Fast-forward to August. Today, you are standing in the middle of your library, feeling pretty lost.

There are boxes everywhere, and you aren't even sure if all this stuff is yours.

The computers are covered with plastic bags, and they do not look anywhere close to hooked up.

A teacher just came in and asked for the password to PebbleGo-where could that possibly be?

Another teacher came in to checkout some books, but you've received no training about how to use the circulation system.

In fact, you've received no guidance from anyone. When you were a teacher, you could just go next-door and ask your team to point you in a direction, but now, you are it.

A team of one. Uno. Solamente.

Honey, we have all been there. This post was actually inspired by a question posted on Elementary Librarian's FaceBook page, as well as several similar questions I've seen recently on LM_Net. I can distinctly remember feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and completely alone in my first few days. Back in August 2004, I was super-excited to become a librarian, but I was also five months pregnant with my first child, exhausted, and clueless about where to start in my brand new school library. I didn't know who to ask or even what to ask.

Hang in there-it will get better! For now, here's a little boost: ten things new librarians should do first. Other than the first two, which really should be done before anything else, these ten "firsts" are not in any particular order.

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #1: PREPARE YOURSELF AND YOUR CIRCULATION AREA FOR CHECKOUT.

As a new school librarian, you will need to wear many hats. But let's face it, when most people think of librarians, they think of book circulation first.

I made this task #1 because, even if the entire library is in complete shambles right now, your teachers will need to checkout books. It may be your first day back, but many teachers have been working in their classrooms for weeks. They've been planning all summer. They've had their eye on certain library books and have been waiting for you to come in and check them out. Know this, and be ready:

Prepare your circulation station. At a minimum, you need a computer, a library management system/OPAC, and a login. A barcode scanner is also super-important, but you can technically check out books without one (just type in the barcode number instead of scanning).

If you do not have these things, make it a priority to get them. Ask questions and keep asking them until you get what you need.

Make sure you know how to do basic circulation tasks-checkout, check in, and search the catalog.

If gathering your materials takes longer than expected, prepare a manual checkout system and be ready to use it if needed.

Don't have any manual check out sheets? Use mine!

I created these cute manual checkout forms and slips, which will work for any grade level. In a pinch, however, you could also just use a plain-ol' spiral notebook, particularly for your teachers or in secondary schools.
Grab my FREE manual checkout forms & slips
NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #2: TAKE PHOTOS.

Your new school library will change a lot in your time there, and you will want to document that. It's fun to look back at that weirdly-placed shelf you moved or that totally blank wall that is now a beautiful mural. Plus, you can use these photos later to show added-value or in a future job portfolio.

If you are really feeling adventurous, take a video as you walk through the library, commenting on what you like and don't like. No one has to see it unless you want them to!

From my first middle school library opening...

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #3: FIND THE LIBRARY HANDBOOK.

The library handbook may be difficult to find. A printed library handbook is likely in a binder, which may or may not be marked as "Library Handbook." Look behind the librarian's desk area, around the circulation desk, and possibly, in the principal or vice-principal's office.

If you don't find it, check the district website as it may be 100% online. Or it may not exist at all. I've seen huge variances in library handbooks, from nothing at all to a scant two-page document (seriously, why bother?) to a binder filled with more than 100 pages.

Once you find the library handbook, take it home and read sections on collection development, circulation policies, and procedures for challenged materials. If the printed library handbook conflicts with the online handbook-especially if the online handbook is on the district website-then the online version is the one you'll want to go with.

Don't have a library handbook, or need a complete revamp?

I've got one! I created the elementary and secondary library handbooks specifically for MrsReaderPants-They are not from any school or district I've worked for or consulted with.

The elementary and secondary library handbooks are not that much different from one another.

If you buy one and also want the other, please just email me with your order number and whether you purchased here on on TPT. I'm happy to send it to you free of charge.

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #4: CREATE A TENTATIVE LIBRARY SCHEDULE.

As you meet people, ask questions about library scheduling expectations. What was the schedule like last year? Did it work for teachers? Students? The librarian? Are you expected to offer a flex or fixed schedule? Who makes the schedule? Do teachers stay in the library with students, or are you on the specials rotation?

Even if you are on a specials rotation with PE, music, and art, you still need to figure out when you will do administrative tasks such as shelving books, ordering new materials, cataloging, planning lessons, etc.

If you are on a flex schedule, teachers will probably start scheduling flex time soon. Find or buy a blank calendar to use for scheduling flex time classes.

Free sources for library planners/calendars:

When I worked in Texas, I used a freebie blank calendar our district and local business sponsors put together for teachers.

I've also used one of my school's student planners. If your district does not do either of these, you can print calendar pages online or just buy a one from your local dollar store.

If you prefer online calendars, I really liked using a Google Sheet for my library calendar. This gave me unlimited space to write in, and I had access to it anywhere I had an internet connection. There was never a time I didn't have access to my library schedule if I needed it.

This is a blank sample of one of my Google Library Calendars. I used this one for both middle school and high school libraries. Clicking the link will ask you if you want to make a copy in your Google Drive. You will click "Make a copy." This will enable you to edit the calendar to suit your own school.

My Google Library Calendar is very simple, but that's why I love it! Use the tabs at the bottom to create sheets for all the weeks of the school year.

This library calendar was only for my eyes. This was not on any school-wide calendar. This is what I used as my personal planner for the library.

I also know several librarians who swear by this library planner sold by Staying Cool in the Library on TPT. I have not personally used this calendar, but if you want to buy a digital library planner, you might check into that.

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #5: FIND A MENTOR.

Chances are, your school is located within a school district or other network of related schools.

You are going to have lots of questions, and it is important that you have someone you can discuss these with.

Pick a school librarian nearby, preferably in your school district, and reach out. Send an email, call, schedule a short visit (bring cookies!). If the person you picked doesn't seem receptive (they are busy; it's probably not personal), just pick someone else.

Do not wait for the district to assign you a mentor or for someone to approach you. They won't.

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #6: INVESTIGATE YOUR LIBRARY'S COMPUTERS AND PRINTERS.

What do you have in the library? Are you responsible for the maintenance, checkout, and troubleshooting of these items? Are they currently hooked up? Do they work? Do they need any maintenance, and if so, are you responsible for making that happen? Can the computers be used to search the library catalog? How are the computers used within the school?

If you are responsible for laptop trolleys or a library computer lab, start thinking about how you want to schedule their use. Is there already a system in place?

Like checkout, some teachers will want to claim computer lab or trolley use pretty early in the year, possibly even before school starts. I have been in charge of both a lab and trolleys, and let me just tell you right now, you will go nuts if you don't have a reliable, consistent system for booking. Find out what's been done before and how it worked or didn't work.

Computer booking can be a very touchy issue, and it will drive you crazy every now and then, even with the best booking system in place. Check out my post on 22 tips to help you manage computer labs and trolleys.

Save your sanity!

Newman on Seinfeld says postal service workers go crazy "because the mail never stops. It just keeps coming, and coming, and coming, there's never a let-up. It's relentless."
Two things in the library are like Newman's mail:
1. Books and shelving! There are ALWAYS more books to shelve. Even in the summer when school is out, there will be more books.

2. You will get constant questions about library procedures, logins, and other how-to's. It's part of the job, but like Newman's mail, it can be "relentless." I've actually been asked for login info in the bathroom. The bathroom, y'all.

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #7: EXAMINE YOUR LIBRARY LAYOUT.

For three of of the five libraries I've worked in, I was surprised at how unusable my existing presentation area was when I first started there.

As an example, at one school, there was a screen, but it was so high up that I could not reach it to pull it down. It appeared to have had a remote control at one time, but no one knew where it might be.

I dug up a computer projector in the library office, but no electrical outlets existed where I needed them. I had no cart for the projector, so I had to place it on top of a nonfiction shelf. There were cords dangling everywhere because I had strung extension cords across the library due to no outlets.

Then, there was no audio available, so I had to add even more cords to set up speakers.

Once I got the projector going, it became clear that there was way too much natural light in the area. After about 9am, the sun streaming in from our skylights and two walls of windows completely drowned out the projected image.

What a mess!

Within a few months, I had experimented with different areas of the library to combat that bright natural light. The solution came in my asking for (and getting!!!) a 70″ flatscreen on a cart that would be permanently housed in the library. It had its own speakers, and natural light didn't obscure the image. If your area doesn't work no matter what you try, speak up! It turned out that my school just happened to have that beautiful flatscreen sitting in storage. It was still in the box!

One school had a screen, but it was on the computer lab side of the library, not where I would be teaching lessons. I requested a screen for my lesson area, and I did get one. Too bad it was way too small for the large area I was presenting in. It looked like a postage stamp. I requested and got a computer projector, but I ended up buying my own audio speakers. The computer speakers just were not intended to be heard in a large space like that.

Another school had a fantastic presentation area with a large screen AND a projector, but the huge windows had no coverings to darken the room. This was in sunny Texas, so only my first class actually got to see any presentations or videos on my screen. Even on a cloudy day, the projection was almost invisible.

When setting up your library, you should have a designated space for:

story time (PreK-Grade 2)

teaching/presentation area that includes enough tables/chairs for an entire class to sit comfortably, a presentation screen, computer or laptop connections, speakers (Grades 2+)

study areas-these are tables where students can work individually or in groups (all grades, but especially Grades 2+)

independent reading areas with comfy and flexible seating areas

library catalog search stations

circulation desk-needs at least one computer, barcode scanner or reader

book return-ideally, near the main entrance and/or circulation desk

optional, but so nice to have-a makerspace area (large table with chairs) and a place to store supplies

The photo is a little blurry, but this is my current presentation area:

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #8: REVIEW EXISTING CIRCULATION POLICIES.

This is another question you will hear frequently from parents and teachers.

What is your library's checkout period?

How many books can students, teachers, and parents check out at one time?

What happens when books are late? Damaged?

Unless you are starting a brand-new library, you should be able to find these policies on the school or district website. If not, ask other librarians in your district or even your teachers/admin what circulation policies they would like to see in the library.

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #9: ATTEND DEPARTMENT MEETINGS.

To go to department meetings, you need to simply ASK. The vast majority of teachers will be thrilled to have you at their department meetings! Attending these meetings regularly shows that you care about what's happening in the classrooms and that you see the library as an extension of the classroom.

You don't have to say anything much at the meeting; in fact, the less you say the better. Go to listen, to take notes, to learn who's who, to introduce yourself. Listen well, and you will learn much about what the teachers need from the library and what you can do to support them.

NEW SCHOOL LIBRARIAN TIP #10: JOIN LIBRARIAN GROUPS!

It's so easy to feel all alone in the library. If you are feeling that way, you are in good company. I certainly felt it, especially when I was new in my school. I actually been the librarian in five different school libraries, so I've been the new girl five times! It is never easy.

The good news is that there are loads of supportive groups for new school librarians. Here are a few of my favorites (I'm in all of them):

If you are a reader (or want to be!), the last group, School Librarians' Book Club is my group! I started this group early in the Pandemic as a way to connect with other librarians over reading. As of June 2022, we are over 2300 members worldwide. In the group, we've done Bingo reading games (with prizes), but mostly, we just love to talk about good books we've read. Librarians serving all grade levels are welcome, including library students and retired librarians.

The Monthly Library Challenge group is also mine. As of July 2022, it is in a revamp after about 18 months of my retiring the group. I am currently working on redesigning Challenge #1 (Library Book Challenges) to be a self-paced challenge.

If you are looking for an email listserv, try LM_Net. This is a gigantic, free email listserv of all types of librarians across the globe. It's been around forever-at least since I started my LMS in 2004. Topics of discussion range from circulation policies, copyright questions, curriculum, IB support, cataloging, bibliographies, book reviews, job postings, and more. Joining is as simple as sending a blank email, and you can choose how many emails you receive.

A word of caution: If you choose to receive all LM_Net emails, you may get a lot of email every day. It's not as many emails as it use to be, as many of these conversations have gone to social media groups rather than by email.

I probably receive 5-10 emails every day from LM_Net currently. I enjoy my LM_Net emails now, but when I was a new librarian, I found the full listserv to be so overwhelming that I canceled my service for several years. I advise new school librarians to start with the digest version, which will limit the number of emails you receive while still allowing you to post questions to the group.

I am a member of all the groups I listed above. You will get lots of support and answers to your questions, and you'll probably make some new friends in the process. Don't be shy-we want to help!

Start the new year with something fun!

This library scavenger hunt is perfect for Back to School, and everything is all done for you! It's an easy, fun way for students to independently explore the library while locating important items that they will need regularly throughout the school year.
View the Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt

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New school librarian? 10 things you should do first... - Mrs. ReaderPants

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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.

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As the coronavirus continues to spread it seems like more and more schools are closing for an extended period of time. This is leading to schools frantically trying to come up with a plan to keep students learning and engaged during this time.

When you go online to search for information or to find resources to use with your students it can be very overwhelming. There is so much information out there that it can be hard to know where to start looking. You go onto Facebook and there are hundreds of posts on the topic. And we all know that once you start down that rabbit hole you can be lost for hours. In this blog post I am sharing some different lesson ideas that you can possibly implement if you find yourself in this situation.

On this page you can find links to various websites that you might find helpful. This includes websites that are offering free access to their services for schools affected by the coronavirus. If you have any suggestions or ideas I can add please contact me. I will update these pages as needed.

I also put together a free library skills activity pack for grades K-5. In it are worksheets and printables that you can send home in print packet or upload to Google Classroom or similar learning management system. I hope they are helpful.

First steps for and extended school closing

One of the first things you want to do is to provide students, families, and teachers with ways they can access library resources from home. This includes usernames and passwords for any subscriptions you have like World Book or Pebble Go. You also want to include resources that the public library offers. If the public library has an e-book collection show students how to access it. If the library offers any tutorials, print or online, make those available as well. I'm not sure how this idea would work but maybe you can talk to the library and arrange for students to apply for a library card before school closes.

If you have a library web page make sure this information is displayed prominently (if it isn't already). You can also create a free web page with Google Sites.

Think about how many students will not have access to technology at home. Even if your school is 1:1, families may not have internet access or WiFi. In this case, the most realistic option is to send home packets of work for students to complete.

Of course teachers will be doing this, but there is no reason you can't as well. It doesn't have to just be worksheets either. Send home reading logs, bookmarks for students to color or reading response graphic organizers that can be filled out with any book the student has access to. Provide parents with handouts of ways they can help their children with their reading at home. This can include reading comprehension questions they can ask before or after reading, how to do a picture walk and the importance of allowing the child to read to them. Talk to the reading teacher and see if he or she already has these kinds of handouts.

Apps and Websites

If your school does close for an extended time period you want to be prepared with some ideas and suggestions of how you can still provide some type of teaching to your students. You also want to be able to offer help to your teachers and administration as they develop a plan. The tools below are just a few apps and websites that can help you get started.

Google Classroom: Some librarians have their own classrooms set up either for individual classes or grade levels. If you do not ask if you can be added as a co-teacher to the classes that are already set up.

Zoom: Zoom is a video conferencing platform that is perfect for teaching remotely. One way librarians can use it is for story time. You can still have story time even if school is closed. When a student logs-in they will be able to see you and any other students who have joined. Of course, students will be very excited to see your house and their classmates houses so it will take a while to get everyone settled and ready to listen. In fact, it might take a session or two, but the possibilities to utilize this tool are endless. As the teacher, you will be able to mute student microphones so there is less distraction. Not only can you do a story time but also songs, rhymes or fingerplays. You can also do a kind of show-and-tell. Students can share their favorite book from their bookshelf. Read a story about pets and everyone can share their pet with the rest of the class. There are other websites similar to zoom like Google Meet.

Kahoot: You can create games and quizzes for students to play. Students or classes can play against each other or a student can do a kahoot by themselves as a self-paced challenge. Kahoot is also offering a free premium membership for schools closed due to coronavirus.

Edpuzzle: Find a YouTube video to share with your students. You then turn that video into a lesson. You can record your voice to personalize it, and hold your students accountable by embedding questions in the video.
Other technology tools:
Digital Citizenship

This is an excellent time to provide digital citizenship lessons to your students. If you have time, focus on this before your school closes. You want to include not only the basics of staying safe online but also touch on how to evaluate websites to determine the information is trustworthy (fake news).

If students will be recording videos or participating in some type of online class with video they will need some guidelines on how to do this safely and correctly. Simple things like wearing the clothes you would wear to school, only record a video with an adult present, be careful of what is in the background as you record your video and keep outside sounds to a minimum.

Providing internet safety lessons for students to complete at home is also an excellent idea during this time. Share resources through Google Classroom, use Edpuzzle to create video lessons or even just send home a packet of worksheets to complete and reading comprehension passages.

Click here for digital literacy and internet safety lesson plans

Other ideas

Have students do a LEGO challenge or other simple makerspace or STEM activity. Send home instruction sheets before you close so students can reference back to them. Or share links to videos online that might be useful. Ask students to record a video or take a picture so they can share their creations either online or when they come back to school.

Choice Boards: Create different choice boards or menus that give students options of activities they can do at home. You can create digital choice boards or send home paper copies. You can create these for any grade level.

Ask students to clean-up their bookshelf at home and then take a "shelfie". Have students organize their books at home into categories of some kind (genres, fiction and nonfiction).

Podcasts: Provide a list of podcasts that students can listen to and then provide some way for them to respond to it. The Wakelet board has a website you can use to find appropriate podcasts.

If you have any ideas or suggestions that you would like me to add to this blog post or the Wakelet board please contact me and let me know. And be sure to download the free activity pack.

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Preparing for an Extended School Closing - Resources for School Librarians

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As the coronavirus continues to spread it seems like more and more schools are closing for an extended period of time. This is leading to schools frantically trying to come up with a plan to keep students learning and engaged during this time.

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Last Updated on

Educators are navigating a new normal as we deal with school closures worldwide during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. School librarians, along with all educators, are burning the midnight oil to create lessons for distance learning. As I mentioned in another post, the most important factor to consider at this time is connection with our students. So, how do we teach educational content while making that connection? My library lessons for distance learning for next week include space for student interaction in FlipGrid.
I am NOT affiliated in any way with FlipGrid and am not receiving anything in exchange for this blog post.
3rd, 4th, & 5th Grades

Before school was closed, I had begun some lessons using Google's Be Internet Awesome program and their Interland game. Google states their mission for the program as "Helping kids be safe, confident explorers of the online world." Now that we're all staying home, we can use these digital citizenship skills more than ever. Kids love navigating through the four lands of Reality River, Kind Kingdom, Tower of Treasure and Mindful Mountain. For this week's library lessons in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, I asked students to do all of the lessons in Interland. Then I gave them a link to a FlipGrid where they can share their opinion on which concept from the game was the most important and why.

2nd Grade

Back at school, my second graders were just completing an animal research activity designed to get them familiar with navigating one of our databases, and citing their source. I had promised that they would be able to expand their learning by more deeply researching an animal of their choice. So this is what we're going to do next! I've asked them to choose either the Abdo Zoom Animals or World Book Kids to find information about an animal of their choosing. They are to write down 3 facts to share, along with a drawing of the animal in its natural habitat. Again, students will have the opportunity to share this information on our 2nd grade FlipGrid.

Kindergarten and 1st Grade

You may have read about my virtual storytime videos that I recorded with my fabulous library partner. I'm going to use those videos in a lesson for our youngest learners. I've invited students to watch one or more of the Elephant and Piggie stories we recorded and to think about the characters of Gerald and Piggie. I linked up the pages from the Mo Willems Pigeon Presents website that contain a project for creating Gerald and Piggie paper bag puppets. (If you'd like to try this, click on The World of Elephant and Piggie Teacher's Kit.) I asked students to choose a character to create - they can create a headband, a puppet, or draw the character on a piece of paper. I invited them to retell the story using their character or to make up a new Elephant and Piggie tale to share on our K & 1 FlipGrid.

Why FlipGrid?

FlipGrid is part of Microsoft's suite of educational tools and is free for anyone to use. They make it easy to sign in using your Microsoft or Google account, so most schools will find it easily accessible. Their mission is to "amplify student voice." It's easy to use and a relatively quick way to gather student responses. In addition, the students can see one another's videos and interact with them by typing comments or recording a response video. I'm hoping this will be an effective way to get my students connected to one another and thinking more deeply about the content of my lessons this week.

What about YOU?

What are you teaching in your library during this week of distance learning? Comment below to share your great ideas!

Join our Facebook Group!

Trapped! Outside the Library is a group of school librarians who share ideas for connecting with their students and supporting their school communities during the school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We share lesson ideas and resources for distance learning, while supporting one another. When you subscribe to my weekly newsletter, you will receive an invitation the next Sunday!

Be the light!

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Library Lessons for Distance Learning * The Trapped Librarian

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Last Updated on Educators are navigating a new normal as we deal with school closures worldwide during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. School librarians, along with all educators, are burning the midnight oil to create lessons for distance learning. As I mentioned in another post , the most important factor to consider at this time is connection with our students.

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Hi, friends! Are you working to provide distance learning opportunities for your students? You are welcome to link to this post from your library web page. Or you can copy and paste from the Google Doc at the end of this post, onto your own library or school website. I will update this post as I see new resources become available!

Books, Authors, and Illustrators

Storyline Online: Watch famous actors and actresses read picture books aloud.

Storytime with Ryan & Craig: Fun, engaging read-alouds from two actors

Kate Messner: Author Kate Messner shared videos from authors and illustrators, reading aloud and talking about their work.

Jarrett Krosoczka: Illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka is sharing art lessons on his YouTube channel.

Emily Arrow: Librarian Emily Arrow shares singalongs with music and stories on her YouTube channel.

Story Time From Space: Astronauts read stories from space

Lauren Tarshis: Watch author Lauren Tarshis read aloud from I Survived books and tell you more about how she wrote them.

Spanish

Story Place: Video storytime activities in Spanish

PBS Kids Spanish Games: Play educational games in Spanish

The Spanish Experiment: Children's stories told in Spanish by a native speaker

Super Simple Español: Children's songs in Spanish

PE/Movement

Coach Wood's PE Class: Chattanooga elementary PE Coach Wood is teaching PE with online videos.

Cosmic Kids Yoga: Stay active as you practice yoga together.

Sam Cam Dance: Video dance lessons for young kids, from hip hop to tap dance.

Free Sites for Distance Learning

Wonderopolis: Every day this site shares a new wonder, submitted by kids, and the answer, in an article with a video.

National Geographic Kids: Games, articles, and videos about animals and nature.

Mystery Doug: Video science lessons and activities

Typing Club: Use your time at home to learn keyboarding skills!

Scholastic Learn at Home: Daily learning projects from Scholastic, geared for different grade levels

Explore Animal Webcams: Observe animals live on webcams from around the world

Virtual Museum Tours: Take a free virtual museum tour of a famous place, like the British Museum in London

Hour of Code: Learn coding skills with an hour of code activity.

Design Squad Global: Watch PBS Design Squad videos, to learn about science and engineering challenges

Khan Academy: Free online video lessons in math and other subjects

Crash Course Kids: Elementary school science videos

Instruments of the Orchestra: Choose "local game" if you don't want to create a login. Learn about musical instruments with a fun game.

Imagineering in a Box: Lessons from the Disney Imagineers on bringing a theme park to life.

Mr. DeMaio: fun elementary math and science videos

Family Activity Ideas

Indoor Activities for Kids Stuck at Home: Buzzfeed lists 27 fun activities for kids home from school

70 Educational Activities: A former homeschooler shares 70 educational activities you can do when you're stuck indoors.

Podcasts: Listen to a podcast together. Common Sense Media curated this list of best podcasts for kids.

Distance Reading Book Bingo: Read together and complete this bingo board!

Virtual Field Trips: Take a virtual field trip with your kids to a zoo, aquarium, or famous place, like the Great Wall of China.

Virtual Tours of USA National Parks: Virtually tour national parks, including Denali in Alaska!

Ranger Rick: Parents can register for free digital access to Ranger Rick magazines about America's wildlife.

National Inventors Hall of Fame: family STEM activities

More Distance Learning Resources

Click here to get the Google Doc with these links that you can copy and paste to your school or library website. You will need to make a COPY of my Google Doc if you want to edit it.

Is there a link I should add? Please let me know with a comment! I will continue to update this post and the Google Doc to add helpful, new distance learning links for your library learners.

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Hi, friends! Are you working to provide distance learning opportunities for your students? You are welcome to link to this post from your library web page. Or you can copy and paste from the Google Doc at the end of this post, onto your own library or school website.

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First Days of School in a New-To-You Library - Mrs. ReaderPants

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Wait...what? Did I miss something? Why is Mrs. ReaderPants posting an article about the first days of school...in the middle of December? As we approach Winter Break, I realized I [...]

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Looking for new ways to do your library orientation for your elementary school students? I am going to give you some of my favorite resources that won't leave you or your students bored. As related arts or specials teachers, the beginning of the year and setting up rules and procedures looks a little bit different than it does in the classroom.

We have the same students every year, so for the most part they know how many books they can check out each week. They know what they should do if they cannot find a book. They know what to do after they check out or if they can't check out that week. How many times can you tell the same students the same rules and procedures?

But it is also hard to come up with engaging and creative ways to teach library rules and procedures and orient the students to the library every single year. The worst part is that you can't reuse the lessons from year to year because you teach the same kids!

Here are some of my favorite Library Orientation Resources and lessons for grades K-5.

Teaching Book Care

This is actually one of the lessons I really don't like teaching. It has the potential to be great and engaging, but I found that I was always just reading a book like Mr. Wiggles and giving them a worksheet that in some way illustrated how you should or shouldn't treat your book. Now, there is nothing wrong with these lessons, but because I didn't like teaching them, they also weren't engaging for the students. And if the students weren't engaged then I didn't think they were actually understanding or caring why it is so important that they take care of their books.

So my favorite resource for book care for grades K-2 is a youtube video that was created by a school Library Media Specialist, who used humor to engage students in an important (but sometimes dry) topic. The video is timely, it is funny and engaging and the students learn how to take care of their books without being bored to death by me!

Mr. Ginger: How to Take Care of Library Books

I feel like this video is pretty popular among Media Specialists everywhere, but if you haven't watched it, you should definitely check it out. After watching the video, we have a great class discussion about what we learned from Mr. Ginger. The students still complete a worksheet where they have to draw a picture showing how to take care of a library book, but it leads to students forming their own ideas and great discussion!

Reviewing Library Rules and Procedures

When reviewing rules and procedures, my favorite resource to use is a jeopardy game. You can download your own template or download mine below and edit them. I use this for grades 2-5. It's fun, engaging and it gives you a chance to review all of your rules without it being repetitive. Remember, for the most part you have the same students every year. Make it apparent that you value their time, and the short time that you have together each week and give them a chance to remember and review the rules on their own.

Below, I have uploaded my library orientation games. These games are run on PowerPoint and completely editable. I promise your students will love them. Enjoy :o)
Library Rules Jeopardy 2nd and 3rd Library Rules Jeopardy 4th and 5th
How to Use a Shelf Marker

I have to admit I have a REALLY hard time teaching students (especially kindergarteners) how to use a shelf marker. I have done it all. We have listened to the shelf marker song. I have created videos using older students to teach the younger ones. I have had a shelf marker "boot camp," where we have read a story, sang the song, practiced as a class then practiced individually. However, I have still yet to come up with the BEST way to teach these young ones. So at the start of my 6th year as an elementary Library Media Specialist, I am going to yet again come up with a new way to teach it. That post is yet to come, but in the mean time, I am going to share with you some of my favorite resources for teaching shelf markers.

The Shelf Elf: (Not to be confused with the Christmas Shelf Elf). This book is great for teaching students about why shelf markers are

important, but I find it to be a little long for Kindergarten, so I don't tend to introduce this book until 1st grade. For this shelf elf book to work in terms of keep students using their shelf markers correctly and every time they book check out, you do have to create some buy in with this book. The great thing is that this book lends itself to so many ways to get your students to buy into using their shelf markers.

You can create or buy a shelf elf and hide him somewhere different in the library every week. Students will love finding him. You can create a shelf elf award that you will award to the class that uses their shelf markers every week and keeps the book organized. There are endless, creative ways to get your students to buy in. However, it is a lot for you to stay on top of as a media specialist with a million things to do. I find that even just moving the shelf elf each week can get to be a tedious job so enlist the help of your older students on this task to keep it going throughout the year!

The Shelf Marker Song: Another problem I have with library procedures and rules is that I don't like to sing. The thing is the little ones LOVE singing and they love songs telling them what to do! So sometimes, you just have to suck it up and sing. Teaching shelf markers is one of the few times I just suck it up and sing! I use the one that goes to the tune of the hokey pokey. If you really don't like to sing, have your older students record a video of them singing the song and doing the movements to play for your little ones!

You can download the song lyrics here!
Shelf Marker Hokey Pokey
Create your own Shelf Marker Videos With Your Students: One of the best ways for students to learn is to have them teach! So why not have your Kindergartners create their own videos about how to use a shelf marker? This is what I will be working on this year. We will spend one day learning and practicing. During the next class, I will put students in pairs and film them teaching others how to use a shelf marker! I will absolutely be writing a post about how this all goes so stay tuned!

I hope you were able to get some useful lesson ideas out of this post!! Sign up for my email list for more lessons and freebies! And please comment with any great lesson ideas you have for teaching library rules and routines in your library!

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Best Resources for Elementary Library Orientation - That Library Media Teacher

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Looking for new ways to do your library orientation for your elementary school students? I am going to give you some of my favorite resources that won't leave you or your students bored. As related arts or specials teachers, the beginning of the year and setting up rules and procedures looks a little bit different than it does in the classroom.

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Description

Is your school getting ready to close for an extended period of time? Are you looking for some activities that you can give students to complete at home? This activity pack can help you prepare for this situation. And even if you are not planning on closing, you can still use these printables with your library students.

This product contains 12 pages of worksheets and printables that cover grades K-5. Most of these pages were taken from one of my paid products. These printables can be sent home in a print packet or you can upload them to Google Drive or other similar platforms. Please do not post these files on a website that can be accessed publicly and do not post them anywhere for sale.

*** There are a few activities that would not work well uploaded to a LMS like Google Classroom. I just wanted to provide you with a variety of activities to choose from.

List of printables:

Label the parts of a book

2 activity grids for lower and upper grades. Students can choose from a variety of activities that can easily be completed at home. No technology is required.

Cut and paste ABC order worksheet (this one would not work well uploaded to a LMS)

Map skills practice pages (K/1 and 2/3)

Book response graphic organizers

Author's purpose practice page

Dictionary skills practice page

Dewey Decimal practice page

Products these activity pages are from:

1. Library No-Prep Printables

2. Author's Purpose Activities

3. Dictionary and Guide Word Worksheets

4. Map Skills for Grades K/1

5. School Library - Substitute Lessons and Activities
Terms of Use
© Copyright Staying Cool in the Library. All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original purchaser only. Copying for more than one teacher prohibited. Additional licenses are available at a discount. For librarians: you may use this product with all of your classes and students.

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FREE Library Skills Activity Pack for Distance Learning

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Is your school getting ready to close for an extended period of time? Are you looking for some activities that you can give students to complete at home? This activity pack can help you prepare for this situation. And even if you are not planning on closing, you can still use these printables with your library students.

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Schools and communities are getting more concerned about the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus. As of this moment, my school district is closing for 2 weeks and plans are being made for online / virtual / remote / distance learning, or whatever we're calling it.

The students in our district have 1-to-1 devices with Chromebooks, so we are a GSuite for Education district, and most of my suggestions below can be easily implemented with Google Classroom. I've been using Google Classroom for a few years now with 4th and 5th grade classes to manage their library center work. So I have experience teaching with part online, part face-to-face learning.

I won't rehash the many excellent Google Classroom resources available, but if you need a crash course in the basics, I recommend Shake Up Learning's blog posts on Google Classroom.

But even if you haven't use Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, Moodle, or any other online learning platform, you can still do most of these activities for an online library class. For elementary library classes, specifically, here are 10 learning activities that students can do online or at home.

10 Library Activities for an Online Elementary Class

Reading

If at all possible, publish a schedule of when you'll be reading ahead of time so that students and parents can plan to join throughout the day.

For those worried about copyright, because it's live and should only be accessible through your school's online management tools (e.g. Google Classroom, Canvas, or Schoology), it should fall under fair use and/or educational use.

Create a screencast of how to login to your ebook platform, and where students can find their password.

Screencast-O-Matic is my go-to tool for easily making how-to videos of my screen.

Show off any extra features that students might have forgotten, like adding notes, highlighting, and bookmarks.

Check with your ebook platform vendor to see if they have instructional videos you can use. We are using MackinVIA, and their resources page is linked here.

Make a screencast of how to login to Destiny so students can write reviews. Also, you may want to give students a checklist of what a good review includes, so you don't get 50 of them that all say "it was good" or "i liked it".

Destiny has to be configured to do this, and your tech department may need to tweak some settings to allow students to login or write reviews.

If you set reviews to "need approval" before being published, you can print or save a PDF of them with student names before you approve them to go live in Destiny.

READ MORE: Get a FREE sample checklist for writing reviews in Destiny or other library circulation software, and read how I use it to encourage peer feedback at my Book Review Writing library center.

Research & Inquiry

Even if you don't assign a question to answer, you can promote your library's databases by saying, "If you'd like to learn more about (book topic or connecting idea), check out (database name) on our library website.

Again, make a screencast of a "featured" database for each day, and highlight the best features or most interesting articles.

Students can report back their favorite fact they discovered, or answer a research question you assign.

You probably know that some parts of your website aren't known or visited much. Create a scavenger hunt for an "Easter egg" on your website.

An "Easter egg" could be an image or GIF that you place on the library website and change its location each day. A picture or drawing of your school's mascot might be a good place to start.

An activity like this might need a prize or a random winner announced or some external reward to participate. Even if long-term school closures become a reality, you can always mail out a bookmark very affordably. (I'm partial to scratch-and-sniff ones as prizes).

Digital Citizenship

Makerspace / STEAM

Items to start with: plastic straws, rubber bands, paper clips, string or dental floss, plastic utensils or chopsticks, cardboard tubes, scrap paper or post-it notes, etc.

Tools students might need supervision with: needle-nose pliers to bend paperclip wires, scissors for younger students.

This activity should be optional or one of several choices as we can't assume parents will give permission, or indeed will be there when the assignment is being done.

A fort with blankets, pillows, or bed sheets.

A tower with blocks or boxes

Other Activities

More...

Additionally, School Library Journal has also published an online learning resource list for librarians including many of the education companies who are offering some or all of their services for free.

Finally, if you aren't part of the Learning Librarians Facebook group, you should join! There are MANY excellent teacher-librarians there who are sharing and building lists like this one of activities to use when teaching remotely.

I hope my suggestions get your own creative juices flowing so that we can share our activities and begin this online learning adventure with confidence. Take care and stay healthy!

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10 Virtual Library Activities for Students to Do at Home | Mrs. J in the Library

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Schools and communities are getting more concerned about the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus. As of this moment, my school district is closing for 2 weeks and plans are being made for online / virtual / remote / distance learning, or whatever we're calling it.

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Fun Ideas for Library Orientation - Mrs. ReaderPants

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This activity helps students in Grades 4-7 explore the library and find important items and places (printer, book return, circulation desk, pencil sharpener, different genre sections, etc.) I used QR codes and a secret message from Dumbledore to help make it interesting. You can edit the scavenger hunt card to suit locations in your library.

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This back to school orientation lesson is designed to welcome Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students back to the library, to review basic rules and procedures, point out new things and to generally motivate students to think of the library as a friendly and useful place to be.

Students should be allowed to 'tour' the library after viewing this PPT in order to make connections to their own actual areas of interest and use. Use this lesson to generate initial conversations about how the library will be part of their weekly or bi-weekly schedule.
Included in this package:
*20 slide orientation powerpoint to be used in one or two sessions

*8 rule cards

*20 library signage cards (including Dewey)

*complete instructions for prep and use

*1 coloring page for students

*3 extra librarian 'forms'

See PREVIEW for a complete view of each slide.
Other orientation products are: Library Orientation Powerpoint for 2nd - 4th
BUNDLE of Orientation Powerpoint Lessons.
Other powerpoint lessons in my store are:
Taking Care of Library Books.

Order in the Library.

Computer Search in the School Library.

Checking Out Library Books.

Non-Fiction Informational Text Features Powerpoint.
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This back to school orientation lesson is designed to welcome Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students back to the library, to review basic rules and procedures, point out new things and to generally motivate students to think of the library as a friendly and useful place to be. Students should be ...

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In August, I shared the wonderful story of my sister Heather's plan to turn one of the old book carts into a Makerspace for her students in the library.

You can read the Makerspace Carts Bring Mobile Making....Look What Heather Is Bringing To Her Library and Students post here.

Well last week, she sent me these AWESOME pictures of what is happening with the Makerspace cart now and I just had to share them with all of you.

I LOVE what Heather has added to the cart to make it their very own Makerspace and all of the students and teachers love it too!

By adding a few words, pictures and descriptions to the ends of the cart, Heather has made their Makerspace accessible and understandable for all.

Then she filled it with engaging, creative and amazing materials that her students will make with all year long.

Just take a look....

I can't wait to see what is next for the Makerspace at the Amana Elementary Library.

Way to go Heather...You have created a space we all want to come create in!

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The Makerspace Cart Is Ready To Go In The Amana Elementary Library!

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In August, I shared the wonderful story of my sister Heather's plan to turn one of the old book carts into a Makerspace for her students in the library. You can read the Makerspace Carts Bring Mobile Making....Look What Heather Is Bringing To Her Library and Students post here.

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MAKERSPACES ... I tried to ignore them! I tried to deny their growing momentum. I skipped over articles and blogposts where makerspaces were the headline. I averted my eyes when newsletters about them crossed my mailbox.

Not that I didn't find value in them! I ABSOLUTELY did. Honestly, I was just so overwhelmed with the thought of them. I had tons of excuses why they wouldn't fit into my program. Do you know how much room that they will take up? Do you know how messy all of this is going to be? Can you imagine how much time that it will take to implement them? My teachers are never going to go for these shenanigans!!

AND THEN IT HAPPENED ... The computer guys stole my six computer desktops last summer and replaced them with ten chromebooks. That left two whole tables completely empty. Empty, I say!! Then the new Art teacher put one of her tables up for grabs. Now I had three empty tables. Those empty tables all but screamed MAKERSPACE at me. I couldn't cover my ears any longer. It was time to dip my big toe into the Makerspace movement.

And that is exactly what I did ... just a dip, just a baby step! I didn't have any fancy materials ... no Little Bits, no Makey Makeys, no 3D printer. But I did have some paper, crayons, glue, Legos, Knex and a few hundred dollars in supply money.

So, I did it. Simply .... Really simply!

First, I grabbed a couple of those Sterilite plastic drawers and threw some Legos in one, and K'Nex in another and named it our Construction Zone. Add a few Lego Ideas books and voila ... instant Makerspace! My rule is that you can build and create, but once you leave, your inventions can be adapted, added on to, and even deconstructed.

Next, I pieced together a Creation Station. I simply set up a table with paper, crayons, markers, scissors, craft scissors, scrapbook paper, glue, Scotch tape, and washi tape. I pulled a few "How to draw", origami, and paper airplane books off the shelf and set them up nearby. The Creation Station goes through cycles. It's most popular activity to date was card making!

If you recall, I actually had THREE tables! The Construction Zone is set up on one, and the Creation Station on the second, and {if you are counting} that left me with a free table. What to do? What to do? Well, I kept it simple and threw a jigsaw puzzle on it! My fabulous assistant LOVES puzzles and always puts together the edges so that the kids aren't intimidated by a full box of puzzle pieces. Now, our library has a Puzzle Place!

See ... You don't have to have lots of cool technology or gadgets to create your own Library Makerspaces! It just takes a little bit of courage and the belief that if you build it, they WILL come. Did I LOVE having the Makerspaces in my library?? Most of the time! They did add an extra element of disorganization {which puts terror into this librarian's heart} to a perfectly chaotic space. But, I did LOVE watching the kiddos come in and make away. It was truly satisfying to watch them come in, let their guard down, put down their paper and pencil, and MAKE!

My favorite thing about the Maker movement is that it feels like kids truly get to be kids in an increasingly technology-driven, fast-forward educational environment. One of my kids came in, sat down at the Creation Station and looked at me incredulously as she said, "You mean, I can JUST color??" Well, if you want to put it that way ... "Yes. Yes, you can!"

So, my friends, BE BRAVE!! If you haven't already joined me in adding Makerspaces to your library, then jump in. Or, at least, dip a big toe in. Need to know a bit more? Here are the answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions about managing Makerspaces in my library!

WHEN DO THE STUDENTS USE THE MAKERSPACES?

As I run a flexibly scheduled library that revolves around curriculum work and information literacy skills, I don't actually have time during MY scheduled times for students to use the Makerspaces. In a way the Makerspaces are an ADDITION to my library curriculum. So, teachers allow their students to use specific Makerspace Passes to come to the library during their school day. Honestly, I am happy that the teachers allow their kids to use the space, and ultimately it is THEIR decision how it works best in their schedules. Some teachers allow their students to come down during recess, others during study hall, and still others use the Makerspaces as a reward for completing their work. I am lucky enough to have a full-time assistant in the library who can monitor the students when I am teaching a class. So, it is VERY common for me to be teaching a class WHILE other students are completing their Maker Challenges.

DO YOU HAVE RULES FOR YOUR MAKERSPACES?

Absolutely!! In order for any teachers' class to be allowed to use the Makerspaces in the library, the class {and the teacher} are scheduled for an orientation. During that time, I talk with everyone about my expectations. We discuss the history and purpose of Makerspaces, the location of Makerspaces and their necessary materials, and what it means to me that they respect the materials. It is at that time that we talk about picking up and returning your materials, not using too much of a consumable material, as well as leaving the Makerspace BETTER then you found it. We talk about the level of their voices, and the difference between a whisper and a regular voice. I explain to them that I am kind of like their grandmother ... It's a privilege to come to my place. I don't have to put up with your shenanigans, and if you don't behave, I will send you right back home!

DO ALL OF YOUR STUDENTS USE THE MAKERSPACES?

In my library, all students in Grades 3-5 are invited to participate in the Makerspace Program. I have found the students in these grades to be the best fit for the manner in which I have the program setup. They can generally work independently and with little outside assistance. I am currently looking for more ways to incorporate students in the primary grades. At times, I have scheduled classes in Grades K-2 to use the library Makerspaces as a whole group. When I do that, we simply break the kids out into groups and move them through pre-established stations.

If you are interested in the signs that you see in the pictures above, you can click below to grab a PDF file of the letters that I used as templates for both the Construct and Creation Station signs. I printed the Construct letters on black cardstock {No worries ... you can still see the printed lines on black paper}. The Creation Station letters each have a note on the page as to what color cardstock that I printed on. Once printed and cut, I glued them onto a piece of presentation board that I cut out. Easy, right!

Let the Library Patch make your life a whole lot easier with our downloadable products at TpT.

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MAKERSPACES ... I tried to ignore them! I tried to deny their growing momentum. I skipped over articles and blogposts where makerspaces were the headline. I averted my eyes when newsletters about them crossed my mailbox. Not that I didn't find value in them! I ABSOLUTELY did.

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In order to create an engaging, student-centered makerspace the students need to be included in the planning process. Spend time meeting with students about how they see themselves as makers. Ask about the types of projects they envision themselves working on in the space.

You may also want to plan with your team, families, and/or the surrounding community. The more people you have supporting and investing in the maker vision the better. You can also request supplies through a crowdfunding site such as GoFundMe or Donors Choose. An editable letter and supply list are available in our Makerspace Bundle to make it easy to request support and supplies from families and community members.

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Setting Up a Makerspace - Carly and Adam

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So you are interested in setting up a makerspace?! Congratulations on taking the first step by doing some research. If a makerspace is properly set up and introduced, it can be a great tool for igniting student imagination and curiosity as well as building classroom community. Unfortunately

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An Escape Room event in the elementary classroom is a great way to practice so many skills. This one includes determining genre, identifying forms of figurative language, placing names in ABC order, and determining character, plot, or summary. Students don't even realize they are practicing! What is different about the paper/pencil escape room? It is simple! Students complete tasks to earn a method of 'escaping'. The prep for the events with NO LOCKS is minimal- just making copies. No locks or boxes!

NOTE: This resource is available in a money-saving bundle:

NOTE: The tasks in this Escape Room have parts that refer to children's books and/or characters. One of the books is Charlotte's Web. The accompanying STEM Challenge uses this book as the basis of its scenario. This is an optional scenario for you!
The Escape Room
Why the Library? The scenario for students: They are trapped in the library and must help the librarian with four tasks in order to escape. The team has a Library Card that must have four punches (or marks) made to unlock each task.

Tasks that must be completed are:

For the first task, students determine if a statement identifies a charact, the plot, or the setting.

For the second task, students read a sentence/paragraph and determine the genre being described.

For the third task, students read a sentence and determine what for of figurative language is being used.

For the fourth task, students have 9 books that must be placed in ABC order using the author's last name.

Included in this resource, you will find:

Table of contents

Overview and Tips page

Check-off sheet for planning and prep

Scenario and Rules of the Escape Room (for students)

Library Cards - full color or black/white

Task 1- teacher's guide, The One and Only Ivan (characters, plot, setting), answer key

Task 2- teacher's guide, What's That Genre? (identify genre), answer key

Task 3- teacher's guide, Spider Language (identify forms of figurative language), answer key, poster/handout of figurative language types

Task 4- teacher's guide, Order, Please (ABC order) answer key

Escape Hints for students

Award certificates - in color and black/white

Extra page of tips

Terms of Use

NOTE: The Escape Room event can be completed in 30-45 minutes.

NOTE: YOUR PREP for the Escape Room includes:

Copying the 4 task sheets for students

Copying and cutting apart the Library Cards

Optional copies: scenario and rules sheet, hints, figurative language handout, and certificates.

The STEM Challenge- Spider Cages
This challenge features the task of building a cage to hold a certain number of plastic spiders. Students must build the cage with some very specific requirements and keep those spiders happy. The scenario of the challenge is to transfer some spiders, safely, to a new location. Students must build a container that will hold the spiders comfortably and the container must have a viewing window so the spiders can be monitored.

A teacher's guide is included. The Engineering Design Process is listed step-by-step, along with tips from my experience in using this challenge. Your students will love the challenge and you will love the easy prep!
The package specifically contains:

Cover sheet

Teacher Background

3 pages of Teacher Directions

Set of Criteria cards for students (with and without background color)

Lab Sheet

2 pages of Photos

Scoring rubric,

Terms of Use page

And all forms are provided in an editable format!

Specific Teacher Procedures are not included. Just talk about the Criteria of the task, give students their materials bins, and let them get busy planning, designing, collaborating, and learning!

Supplies needed in addition to this package include Plastic spiders, Card stock paper, Construction paper strips, Pipe cleaners, Masking tape, Clear tape (optional), and Plastic pieces (we used laminating film).
The two resources in this bundle may be purchased separately: You might also enjoy these Escape Room Bundles:
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Escape the Library and Stem Challenge Bundle

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An Escape Room event in the elementary classroom is a great way to practice so many skills. This one includes determining genre, identifying forms of figurative language, placing names in ABC order, and determining character, plot, or summary. Students don't even realize they are practicing! What is...

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It was the first day of school and then you BLINKED. The end of the year is here and now you are scrambling to find engaging resources that review curriculum and keep your students busy the remaining days of school. I have tested out many end of the year activities, but I have narrowed my list down to ten based on student feedback and my observations. Each one of these activities meets the review needs while bringing fun to my classroom. It's the best of both worlds.

Here are ten end of the year activities to get you thru the rest of the school year:

Digital Classroom Escapes

Digital Classroom Escapes are interactive activities which promote peer collaboration and problem solving. Cryptic messages, challenges, and puzzlers combine to create the perfect blend of learning and fun! My students GO BONKERS for digital breakouts. I can't give them enough!

With no prep, a dose of fun and a little review, escapes are a great end of the year resource!

HERE IS A FREE END OF THE YEAR DIGITAL ESCAPE FOR YOU TO USE IN YOUR CLASSROOM. Sign up for our newsletter to receive your FREE escape NOW!

END OF THE YEAR FUN IS HERE!

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive your free end of the year digital classroom escape. Your students will love you for it! :D
GET YOUR DIGITAL ESCAPE HERE!

If your students love the Great End of The Year Scavenger Hunt, we have another awesome Summer Break Escape available and pictured below.

Math Projects and Activities

I love anything that reviews key math skills I have taught throughout the year. I also love a math activity with real world applications. This first PBL activity requires students to decide how and where to install security cameras in a new housing development. Students will have to select, budget, and install the cameras based on pricing, features, and angle dimensions.

My students have also completed the Fraction PBL activity below where they designed a 3-tiered cake to review fractions, decimals, converting measurement and volume!

Play Dough Fraction Project

My students loved this activity! It was a chance for them to tangibly make something and apply math skills they learned throughout the year. At this stage of the year a project that is equal parts creativity, independent practice for students, and academic is a surefire winner!

Play Dough Math Project by Mix And Math

ABC Countdown to Summer

This resource contains 26 different activities with little to no supplies required! The activities included are aligned to curriculum standards such as sequencing, persuasive writing, and poetry! These activities were fun and required VERY LITTLE prep- perfect for the end of the year chaos! To learn more about this resource check out the video HERE!

Packing My Bags Activity

If you're looking for a great "take a stroll down memory lane" activity, this is it! With all the things YOU have to get done at the end of the year, this is a great activity students can complete on their own and reminisce about the great year they had! My students loved this activity because they were able to take home a keepsake that encompassed the school year!

Beach Ball Boogie STEM Challenge

STEM challenges are PERFECT for the end of the year. You take all that student energy and channel it into a project that requires collaboration and problem solving! I have used several of Kerry Tracy's STEM challenges in my classroom. They are meaningful and aligned to curriculum. In this challenge students are asked to design a contraption that must hold a beach ball as they compete in a relay race. WHAT FUN! For more information click here for a video of the challenge!

Coordinate Grid Activity

A coordinate grid challenge is an engaging activity your students will want to complete the last few weeks of school. In the activity below students must plot points and connect the dots to create a mystery picture. Come on...look at that adorable picture. #yourkidswillloveit

End Of The Year Writing Pennant - Advice to Next Year's Students

My students LOVED leaving advice for incoming students with this interactive activity! They felt like the true experts. 🙂 The templates are so beautiful and all ready for printing...easy prep! This activity can also serve as a PREFECT bulletin board for back to school time. Hang the pennants for meet the teacher- your new students and their families will love getting to know you thru the eyes of your previous students.

End Of The Year Writing Pennant by The Little Ladybug Shop

Early Finisher Kits

These kits of activities have a special theme for each month of the year! They include challenges, puzzlers and brainteasers with fun eye catching graphics to get your students excited! I prep this kit in advance and place everything in a storage bin so it is ready to go for use as a gap filler or for students that complete assessments early.

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10 Academic Activities To Get You Thru The End Of The Year - Tanya Yero Teaching

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It was the first day of school and then you BLINKED. The end of the year is here and now you are scrambling to find engaging resources that review curriculum and keep your students busy the remaining days of school.

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I'm always looking for new, fun ways to have students learn and practice our standards. This year, the rise in popularity of escape rooms and escape classrooms really inspired me to figure out how they actually work in the elementary classroom. This post will help you get some ideas on how to make an escape room challenge for your 3-5 students!

My solution is to use multiple teams, but change up the way they access clues.

I knew teams were the way to go, but I had to think really long and hard about how to make this work. If one team finds a clue, then the others are obviously going to see it before they even solve the puzzle. I had to consider all of the different ways that kids could get by without doing the work to pass the challenges.

I put all of my challenge envelopes in one place. In order to get from envelope to envelope, they have to solve puzzles by answering questions that are standard-aligned. They even have to answer an additional question to even be able to open the envelope.

In my escape challenges, only one team escapes. It's a race to be that team. I even have badges for the team that escapes first to wear after. You have to figure out a way where students won't share the answers or locations of the clues. My last clue is the only one that leads to an envelope they find - because once a team finds this clue, the game is over and the rest of the teams did not escape!

Activities for Classroom Escape Challenges

There are many different ways to make activities for an escape challenge. I recommend making 4-5 challenges, with small mini-challenges in between. I always put my mini-challenges on the outside of the envelopes, so that they have to do one more reading or math problem in order to even open the envelope.

Puzzle Pieces & Maps

One way to motivate students is to show where all of the teams are throughout the challenge. I use a map to do this. Each spot on the map corresponds with the envelope they're on.

In some of my games, I have students collect puzzle pieces. Completing their puzzle first means they're the first to escape.

Cipher Wheels

Making a cipher wheel is simple, and you can easily find one to print online. The outer circle has capital letters, and the inner circle has lowercase letters. This makes it easier to align the letters without confusion. The wheel starts as A = a. An encryption key is needed to tell students the number of places they rotate the outer wheel. The place where the outer wheel lands is the key. In the example below, students solve math problems to determine how many times to rotate the outer wheel clockwise. Where the wheel lands gives them the letters they need to decrypt the code on the top of the page. I give them a table so that they can write the corresponding lowercase letters in, making it easier to substitute when they tackle the code.

Special Codes

A simple substitution code using a font is really easy to make, but it looks like you came up with a seriously cool code that they have to crack. All you have to do is write the letters out, then change them to a code font like the Pigpen Cipher Font. There are a lot of fun runic fonts to choose from as well.

Prepping Your Escape Room

5 large manilla envelopes

Accountability

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How to Make an Escape Room for the Upper Elementary Classroom

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I'm always looking for new, fun ways to have students learn and practice our standards. This year, the rise in popularity of escape rooms and escape classrooms really inspired me to figure out how they actually work in the elementary classroom.