Multiple Days 2

 Passport Around the World

Suggested Level: High School                                                      Suggested Time: April-May

Promotion: Begin promoting this creative activity beginning in early April. You can create a display or banner promoting travel, inquiry, and creative expression. On a bulletin, ask students to write their ideal country to visit on a travel ticket cut-out. Have them write a sentence stating why they are interested in that particular area. 

Purpose: Engage learners by activating prior knowledge, using guided inquiry, to create inviting visuals to display their learning. 

                        

Learning Objective:  Students will choose a country to research facts about, including, but not limited to, historical context, world events, literature, key figures/events, and fun facts to create an informative visual representation of their key findings. 

Materials Needed: 

• makerspace section with: paper, crayons, popsicle sticks, cardboard in various sizes, markers, tri-folds or posters, Chromebooks, and any other hands-on material they could use
• cardstock paper for a base
• glue
• cotton balls
• document camera and screen or smartboard
• paper 
• pencils
• travel and passport cutouts 
• camera/printer for passports

Instructional Process

Instructional Day 1: The school librarian will introduce diverse cultures and provide examples of authors, texts, and historical images to briefly capture the audience. You can even begin with an interactive game that will activate prior knowledge of countries and cultures, such as a quick game of Kahoot. You can activate their prior knowledge and inquiry by asking: 

• What is one country or region in the world that you have always wanted to visit? Why?
• If you could travel back in time, where would you go and what would you do?
• Are there any important historical figures that you like to read about? or any you would like to know more about?

Hand out blank sheets of paper,  and jot down ideas for a country of choice, along with important dates, events that may have taken place there, different customs, foods, entertainment, or important people from that specific country. Your paper should be displayed from a document camera. This would allow students to see you do a think-aloud while planning what you could possibly research and why. 

Closing for the day: Ask students to write down an area of interest that they will search for the following class day. This would also be a good time to model how to find pertaining library resources. They will need to find resources to explore and create a visual representation to share with the class. 

Instructional Day 2: Guided Inquiry Day! Guide students towards a model lesson on how to find resources. It would be beneficial to have a Pathfinder for student use. This will make it much easier for students to have a starting point. 

Give the task: They are to work collaboratively with a partner to decide on a country that they would like to learn more about. They are to find resources in a variety of formats, that will provide them with relevant information. They must look for historical events, key figures, fun facts, worldly connections, people, popular travel destinations, etc. 

 

Actively monitor the students and offer guidance as needed.

Closing: As students to begin narrowing down their information and begin planning how they will showcase the information. 

Instructional Day 3: Makerspace Day! Take student "passport" pictures as they come in. This will be a token for completing the whole lesson. 

Guide students to the maker's designated area or tables. Remind them that they can use any, some, or all of the resources offered in the makerspace area. Actively monitor and assess their learning as they collaborate with their partners to create visual representations. Offer guidance or feedback for all learners.

Closing: Have the students share their work with the class. This can also be done as a gallery walk. Invite students to leave their group work to display around the library. This would be great to show other classes they kind of activities that could be done. 

Remember to take pictures to promote in and around the campus! Don't forget your school library site!

Quick Programming Ideas #3

Learning Under the Stars

Library/Information Skills Lesson Plan

Cross-curricular subject areas: Science, English Language Arts    

Grade level: 6th-7th grade science classes 

Topic: Reading Under the Stars

Lesson Objective: The learners will learn about space, and space exploration in an informational read-aloud to introduce a new unit. 

21st-Century Skill Objectives: I. INQUIRE: Build new knowledge by inquiring, thinking critically,

identifying problems, and developing strategies for solving problems. Learners display curiosity and

initiative by formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic. 

Materials needed: 

• flashlights
• Smithsonian Kids: Space Explorer Guide Book & Projector (Movie Theater Storybook) ISBN: 978-1667200392
• Projector
• crayons
• paper for drawing/note taking (ideally, use 1/2 posters for sharing)

Instructional Procedures: Begin by conducting a read-aloud from a non-fiction book, which features space and space exploration. You should also have a small display area with other resources which feature space, celestial beings, or space explorations. Suggestions include the following:

•   Smithsonian Kids: Space Explorer Guide Book & Projector (Movie Theater Storybook) ISBN: 978-1667200392
• The Mysteries of the Universe: Discover the best-kept secrets of space (DK Children's Anthologies) ISBN: 978-1465499332

            -Or other similar titles... You can pick and choose sections to read to fit curricular needs and allow for exploration

After the initial read-aloud, invite students to use their prior knowledge to offer space topics, or generate questions they may have or have learned about in class, readings, or they have knowledge of. They may point and talk about subjects from your display. 

Closing: Challenge the students to browse the shelves, computers, and periodicals to find other figures they can inform the class about. To make it more engaging, ask students to read and explore a selected work while reading "under the stars" with a flashlight.  It may be beneficial to provide them with a graphic organizer which includes the following. Ask them to find:

• What is the name of the object? Is it in our solar system? How far is it from the sun? Has it been explored? Fun facts. 

Have students write the information down on paper, which they will turn around and share with the class, and subjects discovered at the end of class or the next class session. 

Assessment: Informal assessment as observation while students browse resources, shelves, and interact with each other. Make sure you walk around to assess student learning and participation. You may need to guide learners to areas of interest or probe them to find interesting facts or details that may not be too familiar. Encourage them to create colorful, creative, and inviting displays of information for a final gallery walk. 

Contest 2

Let's make a Book Ghost!

Contest purpose/payoff: 

-Students will be able to use prior knowledge while expressing their literary understanding to use character traits to illustrate their favorite characters in the form of a ghost.

-Grade level: junior high 

Promotional Materials: 

-flyers can be displayed at various locations on campus and placed in classrooms

-bulletin board for display at the entrance of the library

Directions: 

-Invite all students to come into the library to join the annual bookmark contest.

-Acquire books, which can be from any high-interest genre, fun thematic pencils or pens, colorful notebooks, and thematic bookmarks for final prizes.

-Provide flyers to distribute all around campus.

-Instruct participants of the given task

    -decorate a book ghost by adding details, color, and accessories for your favorite book character 

    -add as many details as you can so that we are able to tell who your ghost represents

    -post the book ghosts on the bulletin board display by grade level (make sure you note the name, and      grade level, with their respective ghost separately)

-Once the students begin bringing them in, and after the official due date, have a panel of judges select the top two ghosts per grade level

-Announce the winners on the intercom or create a fun video announcing the winners of their respective book ghosts.

Materials Needed: 

-Book titles for prizes

-Cut-out ghosts printed for students or blank paper for their designs

-Flyers

-thematic bookmarks, pens, pencils, and notepads for prizes

-Bulletin board for display purposes

Judging: 

-Invite campus personnel to sign-up for a panel of judges.

-Select personnel (3-5) from various levels and contents (administrators, teachers, custodians, office staff)

-Instruct the panel on what qualifications they should be looking for (usage of relevant colors, accessories particular to chosen character)

Prizes:

-The top 2 from each grade level will able to select a book, bookmark, pen or pencil, and notepad

-Take a picture of selected winners to promote on the library site. This will also help promote the project for the following year.

Payoff Opportunity: 

This fun and engaging activity will allow readers to select their favorite character to personify as a ghost. This will promote literacy, at little to no cost for all patrons. This can also help encourage circulation in the library. 

 

Large #1

 Large #1- Author Visit

Promotional Materials: 

 Order your copy now at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/647178/living-beyond-borders-by-margarita-longoria/

Planning: Designate a time period that would allow the most contributors to participate. You will want to ask authors if they are willing to participate and if so, what would they be expecting as compensation. Would this fall under volunteer hours or exposure and promotion? If guests will seek compensation, you will need to ask for guidance for funding and allotment. You must also plan:

• Will all local authors be willing to participate?
• Collaborate and plan with teachers ahead of time. This would work best if planning begins in the Fall, as teachers would be able to accommodate anthology into their curricular needs.
• Author visit should be planned ahead of time, in early January, and set for May, preferably after STAAR EOC testing is complete. 
• Seek guidance from administrators to ensure safety measures are in place and teachers can help monitor students
• Ask if you can have volunteers assist during the sessions
• Preferably, a school auditorium would fit the most amount of students and will facilitate a panel discussion
• You will need to plan on bringing in lunch for the presenters or taking them out for lunch between both sessions
• You can plan to hold book signings and sales at the end of the day
• Ask students to use prior knowledge, and fill out a Venn diagram after the author's visit, to plan a writing piece they can present based on their knowledge gained

Preparations: 

ELAR 9th and 10th-grade teachers will prepare by using this nationally recognized anthology by Margarita Longoria, MHS librarian, in class. Teachers and school librarians must collaborate to ensure that students have read all or a majority of the selections from the anthology. Planning must be allotted between the content teachers and the librarians. Various genres are included within the anthology that can be accommodated to fit the curriculum. 

Qualifications: 

In order to be eligible to attend the event, students must have maintained good attendance (must have been in class to read the majority of the book), participated in class discussions over reading, and hold a class grade of at least 85% or be TSI complete in English. 

Procedures: 

1. Students & personnel will follow Mission CISD, or corresponding ISD, safety protocols

2. Students and staff will practice social distancing as best as possible before, during, and after the visit.

3. Hand sanitizer will be available at all times 

4. Students will sit evenly spaced as space permits.

5. Staff will monitor students to avoid congregation.

Purpose: 

Students will attend the Author Visit presentation for Living Beyond Borders, which is a book that they have been reading in class and which has gained national recognition. Students will gain from this visit by hearing author discussions and having the opportunity for a Q & A with authors in attendance. 

Students will benefit from this presentation because they have connected with this text that celebrates our diverse culture. They will be able to hear from professionals living throughout the RGV and make personal connections which will enhance their literary understanding.

Students will have a writing task to complete the next class day which asks them to expand on what they learned during the author's visit, share their ideas, and connect this experience with their prior knowledge to successfully answer written responses. 

Pay-off: 

Participants will activate prior knowledge with their own experiences and reading. They will be able to connect writing, artistic ability, and freedom of expression with real-world applications. Students will learn from current writers and contributors to the Mexican-American experience, which makes up the largest community in the region. They will be able to see how their shared experiences contribute to the story of the United States and how the same experiences can be faced in any border area. 

Multiple Days 1

 Creepy Carrots Makers

Suggested Level: Elementary K-3rd                  Suggested Time: October

Promotion: Begin promoting this book and makerspace during the first school day of October. You can create a display or banner and invite anyone coming into the library to color a creepy carrot to add to the display area. Have carrot cut-outs ready along with colors as patrons come into the library.

Purpose: Engage young learners with a run read-aloud and take a step further with a fun makerspace activity that ties to the book, Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds. 

                        Buy a copy of Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds here. 

Learning Objective:  Students will enjoy a read-aloud and use story elements to help Jasper the Rabbit create a new way to contain his creepy carrots. 

Materials Needed: 

• The picture book Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
• makerspace section with: paper, crayons, popsicle sticks, cardboard in various sizes, markers, pipe cleaners, or various materials that can be accessible for young children in makerspaces, 
• cardstock paper for a base
• glue
• cotton balls
• document camera and screen or smartboard
• paper 
• pencils
• carrot cut-outs

Instructional Process

Instructional Day 1: The school librarian will conduct a read-aloud of this fun and engaging picture book. To make it more interactive for the students, you could have them repeat the words "creepy carrots", along with a face or hand gesture to correspond, while you read the text. This is a fun read and students will enjoy being a part of the read-aloud.

• After the initial read, you can ask: What happened in the story? 
• What do you think is the most important part of the story?
• What is the main idea of the story?
• What was Jasper's mission? 

Hand out blank sheets of paper, where you can fill out a storyboard with the students. Your paper would be displayed from a document camera.

Closing for the day: Ask students to write down, on the storyboard, other ideas of what Jasper could have built to contain his "creepy carrots".

Instructional Day 2: Makerspace Day! Guide students to the maker designated area or tables. Remind them that they can use any, some, or all of the resources offered in the makerspace area. Place them with a partner or in groups of 3, and recall your storyboard from the previous day. Ask: What are some ideas you came up with that Jasper could have used to contain his creepy carrots?

Give the task: They are to work collaboratively to create something, other than a fence, that Jasper could have used to contain the creepy carrots. 

 

Actively monitor the students and offer guidance as needed.

Closing: Have students showcase what they came up with and have a gallery walk to see the many different ideas they were able to put together in the makerspace. 

Contests 1

 Let's Make Bookmarks!

Contest Purpose/Payoff:

• Student understanding and knowledge will be exposed and this contest will promote library services, access, and collection. This may also help engage students in genres or titles they may have otherwise not come across. This would be a great cross-curricular contest. 

Promotional Materials: 

• flyers can be displayed at various locations on campus and placed in classrooms
• Promotional videos can be shown on the classroom, cafeteria, and hallway screens 

Directions: 

• Invite all students to come into the library to join the annual bookmark contest.
• Acquire 3 high-interest signed books, which can be local authors or any high-interest novel, for final prizes.
• Provide flyers to distribute all around campus.
• Pull out 5-10 books, high interest, upcoming, or with high circulation, and ask students to design a bookmark for any of the selected works. You can ask them to look at themes, topics, character dilemmas, or any other concept used in the book to create a bookmark.
• Ensure you have enough copies, in various formats, of the books. Students may need to check them out to read if they haven't already done so.
• Once the students begin bringing them in, and after the official due date, have a panel of judges select the top three winners. 
• Students selected as the top three winners will get a signed copy of the acquired book and their bookmarks will need to be printed so that students can use them when they check out books. 
• Announce the winners on the intercom or create a fun video announcing the winners and displaying the bookmarks.

Materials Needed: 

• Signed Copies of books (You can also use this for possible author visits!) Payoff opportunity
• Several copies of selected book for check-out
• Cut-out dimensions printed for students or blank paper for their designs
• Access to print the selected bookmarks (check with your district print shop)
• Flyers
• Promotional Video

Judging: 

• Invite campus personnel to sign-up for a panel of judges.
• Select personnel (3-5) from various levels and contents (administrators, teachers, custodians, office staff)
• Instruct panel on what qualifications they should be looking for (usage of relevant hues, themes, conflicts seen...)

Prizes:

• Top 3 selected students will able to select a book from the acquired signed copies
• Selected bookmarks will also be printed to have 500-1000 copies for school use. Leave some behind for students to access at the library. This will also help promote the project for the following year.