Bundles of Library Centers

Since I've been home recuperating from a broken leg, I've been able to make a few new bundles in my TpT store.  Now all my call number and shelf order center themes have been bundled by theme.  These themes include:

Football Themed Bundle

This bundle is great for celebrating the Super Bowl or for the start of football season in the fall.

Winter Themed Bundle

This bundle is perfect for practicing call numbers and shelf order during the winter months

Red and White Bundle

This bundle is great for February to celebrate Love to Read month, for March to celebrate Read Across America, and just as a general center year round.

St. Patrick's Day Themed Bundle

And this bundle is perfect for practicing call numbers and shelf order for the week of  St. Patrick's Day.

By purchasing any of these bundles, you will save.

Call Number and Shelf Order Centers Bundle

I've also combined all 4 themes into one HUGE bundle.  You save 20% by purchasing this bundle.  And there is a FREE BONUS FILE included!

Hope you enjoy these new bundles.

Awesome Podcasts You Won't Want to Miss

A few summers ago, I started to really get into listening to audiobooks.  That eventually led me to listening to podcasts.  I have since added a growing number of podcasts to my podcast library, most of which are library, tech, or education related.

I have added all of these to the Grow Your PLN tab at the top of this blog, but wanted to share them in a blog post as well. 

 

Behind the Circulation Desk

This podcast is hosted by two librarians from Houston. They discuss books, literacy, EdTech and libraries.

Checked In

This is a bi-monthly podcast sponsored by MASL and hosted by Missouri school librarians. Topics include popular trends in school libraries like genrefication, collaboration, and MakerSpaces.

Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover:
A Podcasst for Future Ready Librarians

This is a bi-weekly podcast for school librarians and educators sponsored by Metro National Public Schools Library Services.

Librarian Influencers

Laura Sheneman hosts this weekly podcast where she interviews school librarians on hot topics in school libraries.

Overdue: Conversations from the Library

This weekly podcast is hosted by three middle school school library media specialists to share and advocate for school libraries.

School Librarians United

This is my FAVORITE school library related podcast.  This was the podcast that got me hooked on podcasts.  I binge-listened to every episode last summer and have since made sure to catch all new episodes. Amy Hermon hosts these weekly podcasts and she has a variety of guests on her show to talk about all things library-related.  Bonus-if you email her, she will send you one of her cool podcast stickers and a sweet note.

Two Librarians and a Microphone

From the Apple Podcast description:

"This season, inspired by the Urvban Library Council's Annual Forum theme, Innovations, focuses on the 2019 Top Innovator and Honorable Mention award winners that were selected based on inventiveness of their library program or service, outcomes achieved and the accessibility for other libraries to adopt the innovation in their library."

Books Between

This podcast is all about books for tweens. New books are discussed and many times the author is interviewed by Corrina Allen.

Kidlit Thees Days

Hosted by Matthew Winner, this podcast discusses issues in kidlit these days. So many great episodes-you will good hooked in fast!

Check This Out

This podcast is about cool tools and apps for the classroom (or school library).

Educational Duct Tape

This podcast, hosted by Jake Miller, discusses using EdTEch as a tool "to meet goals, address learning standards and solve problems in the classroom." Each week, a new guest shares different ways they use tech in the classroom.

The House of #edtech

This podcast is hosted by Chris Nesi who interviews and shares stories from educators about edtech, recommending tech tools, tips, and resources for integrating tech into the classroom (or library).

The Shake Up Learning Show

Kasey Bell hosts this weekly podcast about tech tips, lesson ideas, and more! 

Reimagine Schools

This podcast is hosted by Dr. Greg Goins who interviews "the nations top educators, authors, and innovators in P-12 education with an emphasis on leadership development, scaling innovation and transforming our school systems."

The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast

Jennifer Gonzalez hosts this podcasts where she interviews "educators, students, administrators and parents about the psychological and social dynamics of school, trade secrets" and more!

As you can see, there are a great many podcasts available that relate to what we do in schools. Why not give one a try? I think you will find something that resonates with you.

Read Across America in a Diverse and Inclusive Way

Read Across America Week is quickly approaching.  For years this week has been centered around the author Theodor Geisel. better known as Dr. Seuss.

The NEA, sponsor of Read Across America, began moving away from a Seuss theme last year and has since moved to a theme of more diverse reads for RAA week and for every month.  They have published a list of ways to celebrate this week.  You can read them HERE.  The NEA also has tips for inspring kids to read all year long (click HERE to view) and a list of recommended books on different topics of diversity (click HERE to view).

Since Seuss has been used for many years to celebrate this week, you may be at a loss as to how to incorporate the new theme of "Creating a Diverse Nation of Readers."  But fear not!  There are tons of ideas that educators all of the country have been putting together and sharing over social media.  I have gathered a few of those ideas and have posted the links below.

Vera Ahiyya of thetututeacher on Instagram, posted THIS list of different books to read throughout the week of RAA. Each day has a different theme.

Jenn  Chin of keepyour.chinup on Instagram posted THIS fantastic list of ways to celebrate RAA with a different theme and dress up idea for each day of the week. She even included suggested books to read.

The Book Wrangler made a list of books, one for each state, so that you can truly read across America.  You can download this list for free HERE on his blog.

In addition, the Book Wrangler has also created a FREE editable PPT map file with links to book trailers on each state.  You can download this file HERE on his blog.

And Capstone has had ideas up all year with there Reading is for Everyone theme.  You can find tons of FREE downloadables HERE on their website to help celebrate reading everyday!

Update:  More resources added!

My friend, Shannon McClintock Miller of The Library Voice blog, posted THIS idea for using Bloxels for a Read Across America project.  You can get the FREE template for this project on her blog.

Jillian Heise of Heise Reads and Recommends posed THIS list of  inclusive picture books for RAA.  

THIS freebie on TpT from Sweetie's would be awesome to give out to students during RAA. They could cross off each state as they read a book associated with that state.  And BONUS: the state capitals are also listed, so students could learn state capitals while reading across America!

As I gather up more ideas, I will be adding them to a new Pinterset board I created for the new RAA theme.  You can access that board HERE.

If you have any ideas to share about the new theme of Read Across American, please share them in the comments.

Happy Reading!

MG Chapter Book Series

Our media center is set up so that students can easily browse for books that they want to read and are able to read independently.  One of the sections in our media center houses our middle grade chapter books.  In our media center, these are chapter books with older characters and may have more mature or intense content, and are therefore reserved for our 4th and 5th graders as policy set forth by our media committee several years ago.

To make locating a book even easier, I use Demco book stops to label  the series, if we have at least 3 books in a series.  Since I began using book stops, students are much more independent when they are looking for books, which helps when I am stuck behind the circulation desk.

Middle Grade books are also given a neon green call number sticker to make them easy to locate and shelf.


The books in our middle grade chapter book section often become super popular and are moved to the Wildcat Favorites section.   (see the post about Wildcat Favorites HERE) This is a current list of the series books that are in the middle grade chapter books in our media center:

Orgami Yoda
The Secret Series
Dear Dumb Diary
Urban Outlaws
Middle School Princess
Allie Finkle's Rule for Girls
The Heir Chronicles
The Underland Chronicles
Matched
The City of Ember
The Mother-Daughter Book Club
The Tomorrow Girls
Charlie Joe Jackson
The Shadow Children
The Missing
Horizon
13 Treasures
Warriors
Pippa Morgan's Diary
Master Mind
The Hypnotists
Loser List
Theodore Boone
Kingdom Keepers
Game Changers
Clone Codes
Willow Falls
My Sister the Vampire
Stay Alive
Riley Bloom
Tombquest
Treasure Hunters
Omega City
Poison Apple
Dead City
Olivia Kidney
Stranded
Rotten Apple
Everyday Angel
Guys Read
Sammy Keyes


Do you have a "mature" section in your library media center?  What series are kept there?

Upper Fiction Book Series

Our media center is set up so that students can easily browse for books that they want to read and are able to read independently.  One of the sections in our media center houses our upper fiction chapter books, many just call these chapter books.  These are books that are 150 or more pages and are usually a higher reading level.  Students in our school typically start reading books in this section in late second grade to beginning of third.

These books are placed on the shelf in alphabetical order by author's last name, but to make locating a book even easier, I use Demco book stops to label the series, if we have at least 3 books in a series.  Since I began using book stops, students are much more independent when they are looking for books, which helps when I am stuck behind the circulation desk.

The books in our upper fiction chapter book section often become super popular and are moved to the Wildcat Favorites section.   (see the post about Wildcat Favorites HERE)  This is a current list of the series books that are in the upper fiction chapter books in our media center:

Amber Brown
Humphrey
Judy Blume
Agent Amelia
Fizzopolis
Beverly Cleary
Andrew Clements
Land of Stories
Bruce Coville
Road Dahl
School of Fear
Lemonade War
Dear America
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Hank the Cowdog
Sugar Plum Ballerinas
Lemoncello's Library
Crime Biters
Million Dollar
Cupcake Cousins
Sleuth or Dare
Seekers
Melonhead
Lucy Rose
Gordan Korman
Swindle
Platypus Police Squad
Guardians of Ga'hoole
Chronicles of Narnina
Warped and Creepy Tales of Weenies
The Sisters Club
Julia Gillian
Marty McGuire
Silver Jaguar Society
Ranger in Time
Upside Down Magic
Twintuition
Fablehaven
Boys vs Girls
Shiloh
The Resisters
My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish
Confectionately Yours
Timmy Failure
Jacky Haha
Clementine
Bowers and Birdie
Stories from Sideways School
Charmed Life
Time Warp Trio
Storm Runners
Encyclopedia Brown
How to Beat the Bully
Eleanor
Geronimo Stilton
Justin Case
Boxcar Children
Stick Dog
Stick Cat
Little House on the Prarire
Ghost Buddy
Hank Zipzer
DC Superhero Girls

What upper chapter book series do you have in your library media center?

Early/Everybody Chapter Book Series

Our media center is set up so that students can easily browse for books that they want to read and are able to read independently.  One of the sections in our media center houses our everybody chapter books, sometimes referred to as easy readers, early readers, easy chapter books or early chapter books.  These are books that are marked for lower grade readers and are typically 100-ish pages or less.  Many of these books have pictures that help tell the story (much like picture books), but are much longer than picture books.

These books are placed on the shelf in alphabetical order by author's last name, but occasionally I will place them on top of the shelf on a smaller "spotlight" shelf and may eventually make their way to the Wildcat Favorites section.  (see the post about Wildcat Favorites HERE)

To make locating a book even easier, I use Demco book stops  to label the series, if we have at least 3 books in a series.  Since I began using book stops, students are much more independent when they are looking for books, which helps when I am stuck behind the circulation desk.

The books in our everybody chapter book section often become super popular and are moved to the Wildcat Favorites section.   This is a current list of the series books that are in the everybody chapter books in our media center:

The Amazing Stardust Friends
Zack Proton
Inspector Flytrap
Ellie Ultra
Franny K. Stein
Violet Mackerel
Buddy Files
The Haunted Library
Fish Finelli
The Magic Shop
The Carver Chronicles
Sugar Plum Ballerinas
King and Kayla
Unicorn School
Matt Christopher sports readers
Perfectly Princess
Mercy Watson
Bink and Gollie
Flat Stanley
Owen Foot
Zeke Meeks
The Zack Files
Dyamond Daniel
Unicorn in New York
My America
Bunnicula
Andy Shane
Boris
Cam Jansen
Young Cam Jansen
Princess Posey
The Princess in Black
The Rescue Princesses
Princess Pink and the Land of Fake Believe
Martin Bridge
Ready Freddy
Horrible Harry
The Infamous Ratso
Frog and Toad
Ruby Lu
Gooney Bird Greene
Nate the Great
Olivia Sharp
The Key Hunters
Sofia Martinez
A to Z Mysteries
EllRay Jakes
Calvin Coconut
Keen Ford
The Life of Ty

What early chapter books do you have in your library media center?