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High-Low Paired Reader Program
Planning
Meet with (email is ok) teachers of grades 1 and 4 or 5 and discuss possibility of a Paired Reader Program with young fledgling readers, (who may not get adequate reading time at home) and older but struggling readers who need extra practice
Discuss the possibility of a reading fluency test immediately prior to starting the program and immediately after completion
Discuss the longevity of the program
All year? Semester?
Promotion
Prepare permission/invitation forms for parents
Explain program to kids in a way that doesn’t mention reading ability
Preparations
Pair students and create schedule
Designate a place in the library where paired reading can take place
Prepare a reading log for each child to track time spent practicing
Procedures
Welcome kids to the program and introduce them to their buddy
A quick ice breaker activity to help ease any anxiety
Direct pairs to their spots and let them begin reading the book of their choice to their buddy
Encourage discussion of the book and retelling in their own words
Assist in pronunciation when needed
Periodically re-assess and track reading fluency
Payoff
Some students make new friends
Reading is practiced in a low stakes situation
Fledgling readers are still hearing/seeing written and spoken words
Struggling readers are getting practice time in
Reading fluency scores should show improvement
Literacy Integration via Campus Wide SSR
Planning
Acquire most recent historical STAAR data for future reference
Reserve funds to purchase desired new titles at predetermined points in the school year
Discuss with development team
Principal
ELA department head
Academic Dean
Librarian and/or assistant
Campus Curriculum Coordinator
School Board Representative
Consider applying for grant to increase holdings, purchase AR program and/or increase/improve seating arrangements in library
If purchasing AR, be prepared to work with teachers to develop assessments for books not listed
Create digital library usage calendar for easy use
Promotion
Email reading/English teachers to let them know about the initiative goals
To improve STAAR scores and CCMR levels
To have all students read at least 5 books in a school year on their own
The more, the merrier!
Increase student reading abilities
Promotional posters in reading/English classes and library
Inclusion within teacher syllabi to keep students and parents informed of initiative
Preparations
Increase popular title advertising
Comfortable seating/reading areas prepared in library
Prepare and make available a list of general reading reflection topics and question
Procedures
Teachers will hold weekly SSR time followed by reading reflection
Reflections can be individually developed if class is reading together or
Reflections can be chosen from a predesigned list available on Google Drive
Reflections can be done in reader response journals, or digitally
SSR will vary in time length, starting with 15 and increasing periodically as students gain stamina
Acquire and chart benchmark scores regularly to keep track of effect size
Establish a library visit rotation so that all teachers can bring students in biweekly
Payoff
Student’s reading fluency improves
Library traffic greatly increases
Standardized test scores increase
Students find the joy in reading!
Library becomes a more integral part of curriculum
Staff knowledge of literature is expanded
Bluebonnet Book Club
Bluebonnet Book Club
Grades 3, 4, and 5
Planning – The librarian will use the first few weeks of school to promote this book club, making sure to provide all the information about the commitment that will be required with this club. The book club will read books from this school year’s Texas Bluebonnet Nominations. The book club will meet every week during “Personal Learning Time” (PLT) on Tuesdays in the library. Every grade level has a different PLT so each grade level will have their own book club (3 book clubs total). The goal will be one book per month. The first book will start in October.
The librarian will provide the following information before students commit to book club:
-Students will read one Texas Bluebonnet Nomination book a month. Students will read the elected book and will follow the calendar for required reading.
-Students will maintain passing status in their core classes to be able to come to the library during PLT on Tuesdays.
-Students will participate in the collaboration with others to discuss topics during book club meetings.
The librarian will also ask teachers for book club member nominations. For this particular book club, the target audience is for those students who are avid readers, students who go above and beyond and are excited to challenge their thinking while working with others. Other library book clubs and programs are targeted for students who may be struggling readers or lack engagement in reading.
Students will sign up in the library, and bring back a signed permission form by a parent.
The first meeting will take place the last week of September. This meeting will introduce students to Bluebonnet Book Club. Students will be placed in groups of 4-5. The librarian will give a minilesson on communication skills to begin book clubs. Students will practice listening and speaking skills while introducing themselves to their small group and saying why they are excited to be in Bluebonnet Book Club. The librarian will present the first Bluebonnet Nominee novel they will read for the month of October. Students will get their copy of the book, do a book walk with the librarian, and make a prediction of what the novel will be about.
Every Tuesday the Bluebonnet Book Club meets, the librarian will give a minilesson on one of the following topics:
Topics about collaboration:
Equal voice time
The stance of a listener (face the speaker, make eye contact, avoid fidgeting or fiddling)
Responding to one another in ways that build the conversation: making connections, disagreeing, agreeing, adding on, elaborating
Using Center for the Collaborative Classroom prompts “I agree with______ because…., I disagree with _____ because…, or I agree, but I would like to add….”
Disagreeing respectfully
Taking turns: Students bring sticky notes to the group with their reactions written down. The first student puts his/her sticky in the middle. Students discuss this idea thoroughly before putting the next student’s sticky note in the middle.
Questioning another’s ideas or thinking: use prompts such as “Why are you thinking…, Can you explain why you think…, Where in the novel did you find that…?”
Willingness to take on new thinking
Knowing when to stick to an idea and when to move on
Topics about comprehension and writer’s craft:
Predicting
Inferring
Confusions and questions (how to bring these to the group)
Connections
Imagery
Determining importance: What is worth remembering?
Author’s purpose
Theme
Plot: What is the conflict? How do you predict it will be resolved?
Describe the setting: How is it important to the story?
Powerful language
Characters: How are they developing or changing?
Great passages or phrases: explain why you liked them
Genre of the book
Author’s use of time: consecutive, flashbacks, foreshadowing, etc.
Tense the author uses: Is it past, present or future, or a combination? How would the novel change if it were told in a different tense?
Author’s use of point of view: How would it change the book to be written from a different point of view?
Compare setting to that in other novels
Compare characters within the novel to those from other books
Compare the plot to other novels’ plots
Writer’s craft/Author’s style: Powerful words or phrases, run on sentences, sensory images, symbolism, metaphors, similes, etc.
Use of evidence from the text to defend thinking
Each month, book club members will be introduced to a new book from this year’s Texas Bluebonnet Nominations.
After students have read 5 Bluebonnet books, they will be eligible to vote in the spring for the winner. The librarian will plan a celebration for students who participated in Bluebonnet Book Club. The celebration will be an “Experience Reward”. Students will go on a mini field trip to Barnes and Noble Book Store and be give $15 each from PTA to purchase their own book.
Promotion – The librarian will promote this activity to teachers who would have recommendations of students who would be interesting in this year long book club. The librarian will also promote this book club to the students. During the first few weeks of school, the librarian will promote this book club to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders during library lessons, explaining the time and commitment it will bring. The librarian will also use morning announcements to advertise book club, promoting the Bluebonnet List as the book list for book club.
Preparations –The librarian will be sure to have enough copies of each Bluebonnet book for book club members to check out their own copy. The librarian will prepare one of the book club minilessons for each Tuesday the book clubs meet. These lessons will be selected based on the needs of the book clubs and/or what the novel lends. Once students have signed up and permission form turned in, the librarian can form smaller book club groups for collaboration and discussion based on the personalities of the students. Typically, each grade level will have 8-12 students that will participate in this particular book club. Because these are typically high achieving students, the librarian will focus on growing and challenging thinking that a book can bring.
The librarian will also follow the correct protocol for planning a field trip. The librarian will submit the proper forms to ask PTA to sponsor the field trip.
Procedures – Students will sign up in the library and bring back a signed permission form by a parent. Students who are teacher nominated will be contacted by the librarian and invited to join the Bluebonnet Book Club. Students will attend the meeting help on the last Tuesday of September during their grade level PLT. Students will be given a copy of their Bluebonnet book. Students will read the required reading for each week in order to participate in book club collaboration.
Payoff – This unit will support grades 3-5 ELA TEKS. Providing an engaging opportunity for students to collaborate will encourage love of literacy. Students engaging in content and learning supports the 21st Century Learner V. Explore- Learners engage with the learning community. This project will initiate students to read books they never would have selected otherwise.
References
Mini-lessons that Support Effective Book Clubs. (2018, August 14). Retrieved November 30,
2019, from https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/blog/mini-lessons-that-support-effective-book-clubs/.
Student Volunteers
Year-Long Assignment:
Student Volunteers
Planning:
Contact School Administration to plan dates when the volunteers can start, what times they can volunteer, create guidelines for participating students and student volunteer handbook.
Contact Library personnel & faculty available for application review and selection process.
Schedule Student Volunteer Application dates.
Schedule Student Volunteer Training dates for students selected.
Schedule Student Volunteer Read-alouds.
Schedule Monthly Meetings & add to School Calendar.
Schedule End-of-Year Student Volunteer Field Trip.
Promotion:
Announce in morning announcements, student-created ads, post flyers in participating classrooms and promote through library classes.
Preparations:
- Review Training Website for Shelving
- Create Parent Information Sheet
- Create Library Map
- Create Library Guidelines & Procedures Booklet
- Schedule Monthly Meetings and e
- Contact School Technology Department to schedule issuing of student volunteer ID cards.
- Contact End-of-Year Student Volunteer Field Trip Facility
Procedures:
Beginning of Year –
Post Flyers about application to become a student volunteer.
Speak to 4th & 5th Grade classes about student volunteer duties and promote through library classes.
Students will fill out an application and turn it in during application window dates. (The purpose of this procedure is to have students become familiar with real-life situations such as applying / interviewing for a job.)
Selection Committee will review applications once application window closes.
A total of 6 Students will be chosen from applicants.
Conduct a meeting for Student Volunteer Orientation to:
Review Student Volunteer Guidelines & Procedures
Introduce Shelving Training Video
Issue out Library Volunteer Schedule based on students’ class schedule.
Middle of Year –
Throughout the year, students will help out during library events such as:
Author Visits:
Hosting
Promoting in classrooms
Creating Book Talks about author’s books
Maker Camps
Helping other students locate materials
Promoting in classrooms
STEAM Camps
Helping other students locate materials
Promoting in classrooms
Student-led activity booth
Reading Bingo
Promoting in classrooms
Tracking student winning combinations and winners.
Book Fair Parent Picnic
Hosting
Promoting
Decorating
Scheduling participation from other student groups (student council, book club, cheerleaders)
Read-Alouds
Student volunteers will schedule and conduct read-alouds for lower grades.
End of Year –
Students will go on a reward Student Volunteer Field Trip to Barnes and Noble, dinner and a movie. Students will be awarded a $20 Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate to shop during their visit.
Students will assist with End-of Year Library Management Activities such as:
- Collecting Books from classrooms
- Book Inventory & Weeding
Payoff:
This Year-Long Programming activity will help promote literacy amongst students, by students. Volunteers get to share their love of reading and experience real-life work situations. Students will become more familiar with library rules and resources and promote them amongst other students. Students become library advocates!
15 Book Challenge
Planning
The first thing the librarian should do is meet with the appropriate administrators to discuss the program idea and get approval if needed. If the program is to be successful, it would be important to promote it to the staff and students with approval from administration. Involving teachers and paraprofessionals in the challenge would most likely increase its success. When planning for a book challenge, the librarian will need to choose categories for books. The categories can be adjusted for different age groups or grade levels as well as the interests of the library community. The librarian may want to add or take away categories depending on the reading culture of the campus. If the campus is struggling with its reading culture, then the number of books would be lower than for a campus that has a strong reading culture. At the beginning of the program, the librarian should plan to create library displays that support the program.
August – Kindness (pairs with Raider Camp activities that focus on character education)
September –Banned Books Week
October – Mysteries and Horror Stories
November – Nonfiction/Biography, Autobiography, Memoir (pairs with Literary Nonfiction Units in ELAR classes)
December – New York Times Best-Sellers
January – Science Fiction, Award-Winning Books
February – Historical Fiction/Black History Month
March – Graphic Novels/Female Authors/Women’s History
April – Picture Books
Preparation
The librarian will need to create flyers to give information about the challenge and promote it to students and staff. The program should be promoted on campus as well as on the school and library social media platforms. Posters advertising the challenge should be put up around campus and the information about it should be included in the daily announcements. The information should also be included on the library website. Adding reminders to a Monthly Planner would be helpful in following through with these tasks. In addition to flyers, the librarian will need to create a way to track student progress and determine when students have met the challenge. A Google Form would be a one way to track progress. The form could be set up with general reading response questions that could be used to check whether or not a student or staff member read a particular book. Google Forms would give the respondent the option to type a response or record one. For example, one option would be to have the respondent give a review of the book, such as those found on Amazon or other sites. The requirements for the Google Form would need to be, and it would be a good idea to show examples of authentic book reviews to students and staff members. The librarian could do this at the beginning of the school year during library orientation. An example could be sent out to staff members in an email or included in a library newsletter. Finally, the librarian should track books read by each participant to determine who is eligible for the incentive at the end of the year. An Excel worksheet or Google Sheet can be used to track progress. A bulletin board or display should be prepared to showcase the results of the challenge. Certificates should be printed or ordered for those who meet the challenge and qualify for recognition at the Awards Ceremony at the end of the year.
Examples of displays can be found at the links below:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f7/a7/63/f7a763b8cd23215d5e9fab4dd7d6be67.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/46/74/e9/4674e91002108a699c702011bcab8c75.jpg
Promotion
The 15 Book Challenge should be advertised around campus with flyers and posted on the library’s social media platforms. The information should also be posted on the library’s website. Library bulletin boards and displays should correspond to the 15 Book Challenge to peak interest in the various categories on the challenge sheet. Information about the challenge should also be included in daily announcements on a regular basis. Collaborating with the ELAR teachers is important in promoting the program to make it a success. Allowing students and teachers to count books read as a class would be a motivating factor for students.
Procedures
1. At the beginning of the school year, the librarian would introduce and explain the 15 Book Challenge to all ELAR classes during library orientation. The information would be added to the library website and sent out via the library’s social media accounts. Flyers would be posted around campus, and a bulletin board would be created in the library to promote the challenge. The end date of the program should be made clear along with the requirements and for meeting the challenge. Students are given a flyer containing fifteen categories. Students would choose one title for each category. For example, categories may include science fiction, a banned book, a book by a female author, mystery, etc.
2. Displays should be created throughout the school year that correspond to the categories of books included in the 15 Book Challenge. The list of months in the planning section gives specific details.
3. The librarian will track student progress as Google Forms are submitted. Some of the written or video reviews can be shared with teachers and students if permission is granted. For example, a video response could be included in the library newsletter or posted to the library’s social media accounts. News about the challenge should be included in communication to teachers, students, and parents. A bulletin board should be set up in a prominent location for recognizing those who complete the challenge.
4. Students will track their books using the handout provided to them at the beginning of the program. This could be a part of the independent reading program in the ELAR classes. The librarian would need to collaborate with the ELAR teachers on the best way to help students keep track of their results. An example of a flyer can be found at the link below:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/46936021097262597/
5. The librarian would need to meet with administration to finalize the details of the incentive trip or party. The librarian would need to compile a list of teachers and students who qualified for the incentive and inform those who qualify. Field trip procedures would need to be followed if a field trip is decided on, and purchase orders should be submitted in a timely manner for any purchases that would need to be made for an incentive party. Proper communication would need to be sent out for whatever incentive is chosen. The librarian would need to begin this process before the end of the year approaches.
6. A certificate would be given at the Awards Ceremony during the last week of school to those students who met the reading challenge.
Payoff
A Reading Challenge would have several benefits for a campus struggling with literacy. It would provide an incentive for students and teachers to increase the amount of time devoted to reading for pleasure. Library use and circulation would increase, which would be beneficial for the library program as well as the campus as a whole. A reading challenge would get students and teachers talking about books. This would increase interest in reading, help students build background knowledge, and improve comprehension skills. Ultimately, standardized test scores would improve across all subject areas.
Unity in the Community
Unity in the Community
Planning Each month we will celebrate a different culture. Through the library, we will read a book each month and have an activity to go with it. Also, teachers will be provided a slide deck of more books and activities that they can do within the classroom each month.
August- Diversity Awareness month Read Speak Up by Miranda Paul for K-2 and Just Ask by Sonia Sotomayor for 3-5. Have students talk about what makes them unique. Each student will design a quilt square on a 4x4 in piece of white construction paper that represents them. The squares will be put together to form a quilt and displayed in the front commons area. Unity in the Community Slide Deck
Sept-Hispanic Heritage month Read Planting Stories by Anika Denise for all grade levels. Have students talk about stories that they love. Students will then learn how to make papel picado using construction paper. Use the tutorial found here: https://www.deepspacesparkle.com/how-to-make-a-papel-picado/ Fifth graders will come in to help kindergartens make their papel picado. Hispanic Heritage Slide Deck
Oct-Italian American- Read The Pasta Family by Cory Tilson for K-5. Talk about how families can look different no matter where we come from. If time allows, watch a video about how to make pasta. Students will select a recipe that represents their family. We will then make a digital class cookbook using the recipes that students select.
Nov- Indigenous people heritage month Read We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom for K-5. Have students explore different indigenous tribes through PebbleGo. Students will create a housing structure to represent the tribe that they select to study. Native American slide deck
Dec- Holidays Around the World Students will learn about different holidays that occur around the world such as Diwali, Hanukkah, Chinese New Year, and Kwanza. Start by introducing students to the holidays through books such as Diwali by Allan Morey, On Hanukkah by Cathy Goldberg Fishman, Kwanzaa by Lola M. Schaefer, and A New Year's Reunion by Yu Li-Qiong. Introduce two holidays the first week and then two more the second week. On the third-week show students where they can find more information on the different holidays through PebbleGo and Britannica. Students will then be divided into holiday groups and begin researching their selected holiday. Students will spend the next two classes researching their holidays and planning how to share their knowledge. In the final week, students will finish displaying their learning in whatever way they have decided. Students can share their learning through a display board, video, slide deck, or any other creative way they come up with. Students will display their creations at our Winter Wonderland so that both parents and students can see their projects. Holiday Slide Deck
Jan-Feb - Black History Read Mae in Space to K-2 and What Would You Do with a Voice Like That to 3-5. Have students research African American biographies through Britannica. This will allow students to have experience with 2 databases now. 2nd through 5th will take the information they have learned and make a poster on Google Slides. Kinder and 1st will create a poster together on the touch screen to become familiar with Google Slides. Black History Month Slide Deck
March- Woman & Irish American- Read The Power of Her Pen by Lesa Cline-Ransome to 3-5th and Just Like Beverly: A Biography of Beverly Cleary by Vicki Conrad to K-2nd. Have students use the power of their pen to write a note to someone who has influenced their life. Students will have different choices in how they produce their notes. They can make a physical card or they can make one digitally. Read Fiona’s Luck by Teresa Bateman for K-5th. Have students create lucky charm catapults. Students will get popsicle sticks, masking tape, and rubber bands to create the catapult. Students will work in teams of 3 to create their catapult. Once students have built their structures they will use lucky charms to test them out and see who’s catapult can shoot the furthest. Women in History
April -Arab American & Disability Awareness Read Frank the Seven Legged Spider to K-2 and The William Hoy Story to 3-5th. Students will have different tasks to do that simulates what it would be like to have different disabilities. Use the activities from HIE Help Center: https://hiehelpcenter.org/disability-awareness-class-lessons/
May- Asian & Jewish Read Eyes that Kiss in the Corners to K-2 and Watercress to 3-5. Have students in 3-5th grade pick a country within Asia to research. Have students in each class build a slide deck of all the different countries they have researched. Students will include a picture that represents the country and 5 facts they learned. Kindergarten through second grade will learn as a class where Asia is and about the different kinds of animals that live on the continent of Asia.
Promotion
Preparations: At the beginning of each month pull the books that represent the theme of the month. Print and display the posters for each month next to the book displays. Each month the news will feature music from the culture that is being highlighted.
Procedures: Introduce the culture that is being highlighted at the beginning of each month. Show students where the books are that represent the culture so they can check them out if they choose. Book talk several of the books each week to continue to highlight the culture throughout the month. Whatever the students create for the month will be displayed throughout the library for other classes to look at.
Payoff: The goal is to increase students' cultural awareness. In my district, we have something called a portrait of a graduate and one of the things they want students to become is a global citizens. In order to become a global citizens, students must first learn about the world. Another goal is to increase the circulation of the books that are highlighted and expand students' interest in different kinds of books.
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