September Classes at Harold Martin

September is the month to introduce or remind students  about the rules and procedures for using the library (for more information see About the Libraries on the Library Web page). 

First grade students listened to a story called I Took My Frog to the Library  and then placed the animals mentioned in the story in the places named in the library.  To learn about book care, they heard a story called The Shelf Elf and then looked at posters and saw examples that illustrated the book care rules mentioned in the story. 

Kindergarten students acted out the first part of We're Going on a Book Hunt.  They learned how to select books using the "Special K" box or using "shelf keys" to keep the library shelves in order. To learn about book care they heard a story about "Mr. Wiggle" and saw examples of books that have been mistreated.  They've been given plastic book bags to carry their book home, and were encouraged to find a spot at home to keep their library book out of the reach of pets, and younger brothers and sisters who may not know yet how to treat a book. 

    

Second grade students listened to a story called I. Q. Goes to the Library, which reviews sections of the library as well as book care rules.  They were shown objects related to book care and had to determine whether the object belonged in the Yes, Yes Always box or the No, No Never box.  In addition, second grade students learn how to select a "Just Right Book" (ask them about the Five Finger Rule).  Students in Mrs. Helm's class learned about the Features of Nonfiction - and then had a scavenger hunt to find the features in a nonfiction book and labeled them with post-it notes.  They will begin researching Backyard Animals next week, and will learn a closed-book notetaking technique.

Third grade students will be coming in to do a Fiction Book Hunt.  This provides the opportunity to quickly review library rules and procedures, and then to make sure that every third grader can find books in the "Everybody," "I Can Read," and "Fiction" section when given a set of call letters.  This is also a great way to check for a student's understanding of alphabetical order.  In a follow-up lesson, students will be given call numbers and asked to find nonfiction books.