This is what we started with this week:
The Puzzle Table- a definite hit with students of all grade levels! I'll change this out as the puzzle is completed.
 |
| An ocean themed puzzle paired with ocean related books |
The Pop-Up Book Center- FINALLY I have a way to share the pop-up books with students! Even the books that come with the extra inserts, like this year's Texas Bluebonnet winner Postcards From Camp, are perfect for this table.
The Bookmark Center- students have card stock, markers, crayons, etc to create their own bookmarks. For the younger students, there our bookmarks to color. Stickers would make a great addition to this center.
The Research Center- here, students are given the opportunity to research a topic of their choice using databases and resources provided by the library. Bubble maps are at the station so that students can document their learning. Students enjoyed using TrueFlix while here, as well as WebPath Express. The hardest part seemed to be narrowing the topic, which would make a great library lesson in the near future!
The Almanac Center- I found a set of almanacs with a question of the day flip chart in the media closet. The almanacs are a bit outdated, but the students are still enjoying them. I also added a 2013 almanac to the table for the students to compare. There are activities to go with the almanacs but the students enjoyed just looking through it on their own for the first time. I even had a teacher come through and learn a couple of new things! :)
The Book Review Center- This is something I have done in the past and it fit perfectly into the library centers. Students will create a speech bubble with the title, author and a short summary of a book they have recently enjoyed. These will be displayed in the library windows for other students to use when searching for a good book to read.
Leisure Reading Area- The LRA is always an option for students because sometimes you just want to read the book you just checked out! It was surprising that with all of the new centers, several students in each class wanted to READ. Love it!
 |
| After one of these girls finished her book, she passed it to her friend and went on to the next one! |
Depending on the grade level, small adjustments had to be made during the week. When 1st grade came in and enjoyed A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long, they had the option of going to a table with butterfly books as one of the centers. Students used the books to draw and write about butterflies.
As one of the other librarians said, centers won't replace reading books with the students, but it is a nice addition to our library program! Now for some fine-tuning for week 2 of the library centers! Any other center ideas??
