Book Fair Bingo - Grades 3-6

Palo Alto Teacher Librarian Pat O treats students in grades 3-6 to Book Fair BINGO. It is a great strategy for introducing students to a large number of books, getting them to think about ones they'd like to read, and identifying the names of those books to show to parents before visiting the book fair. Here is Pat's description of how to conduct a Book Fair BINGO:

"I borrow books from the book fair. I try to use books that the library also owns. I use this site to make BINGO boards: teAchnology: The online Teacher Resource. There may be a better BINGO board maker site, but this one will do. I make 30 different boards and then make copies for each different class. I book talk the books and the students mark their board with a colored pencil and a symbol. Between each game they trade colored pencils with a neighbor this makes it easier to see which game is which with different colored pencil marks. The first game might be a dot, the second game might be a check and if we have time a third game might be an x. After I book talk the book, I place it on the whiteboard railing to know that we have done that book for this game. At the end of the lesson I ask them to circle the titles they want to check out or purchase from the book fair. If copying is a problem make one set of boards and use markers. Then at the end give them time to write down the titles they want to look for."

She uses Library Musical Chairs for students in grades 1-2.

Chicken Dance - Can You Dance "The Librarian"?

OK. Watch closely and then practice, practice, practice...

Unbound Booking - Educational Acts for Libraries

Here's an interesting entertainment business especially for libraries. You can request educational acts through Unbound Booking. The goal of the Colorado-based company: "To bring you a variety of educational acts throughout the year. All of our performers are professionally touring, responsible, family friendly acts that would love to perform at your library or school."

In addition to offering good programs for schools and libraries, they are encouraging libraries to have their young visitors write to President Obama and tell him how much they like their library and library programs. Librarians would save the letters and mail them on July 15, declaring the day "Presidential Library Day." The idea is that the library will get an official letter from President Obama thanking the library and its community for its interest. Ideally the letters will also remind the President and lawmakers of the role of libraries. What a fine idea!