These Pandas Are Alive With Literacy!!

I was looking for a new idea to hold my books in my classroom library that would be inexpensive, functional, and interchangeable. I would prefer to only have a few baskets at a time on the library shelves so I need to be able to change the labels. I also tried to find a way that I would help make the children independent in choosing and returning books to the correctly labeled baskets. So here it is!! I made labels for the authors, genres, themes ETC, printed them on heavy card stock and laminated them (on the laminator I received through Donors Choose). The container is a basic dish drainer I purchased from Family Dollar for $3.00. I used metal book rings to attach the label to the side of the basket. I am now able to use the same baskets and just change the books and labels!! Now to help my students become more independent in the library. The utensil holders on the side of the baskets will also be very useful. Each child will have a large craft stick with his/her name on it in a container in the library. As he/she chooses a book from a basket they will place their stick into the holder of that basket. Now when they return the book they will know which basket it came from. When school resumes and the classroom library is set up I will take more pic's and tell you how it is working!

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader! (Margaret Fuller) Oh what a perfect quote for this post!

One of the plans we have for literacy next year is an Author Study. I plan to have one author for about every 2 weeks that we will delve deeply into an author's life and body of work. We will read several different books by this author and evaluate his/her themes, characters, and writing style. We will make personal connections between our own experiences and those of the author and his/her characters. In the "library" in our classroom will be an area which will 'honor" the author. It will have a picture and information displayed and the books will be available for the students.

Some of the authors and their books I have chosen for this project are;

      Mem Fox-Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild, Tough Boris, and Feathers and Fools

      Margaret Wise Brown-My World, Good Night Moon and The Important Book

      Gail Gibbons-The Vegetables We Eat, Apples, Recycle, Sun Up Sun  Down

 

      Jan Brett-The Mitten, The Hat, Town Mouse, and Country Mouse

      Don Freeman-Corduroy, Dandelion, and Maneulo the Playing Mantis

       Dr. Seuss-The Lorax, One Fish, Two Fish, and Wocket in my Pocket

     Tomie DePaola-The Art Lesson, Pancakes for Breakfast, and Strega Nona

      Lois Ehlert- Planting a Rainbow, In My World, Leaf Man and Fish  Eyes

     Alyssa Satin Capucilli- With many Biscuit books

     Norman Bridwell-With many Clifford books.

     Rosemary Wells-With many Max and Ruby Books

This is just a few of the authors and books I have chosen for this year. It will be experimental and I will learn as I go. Many of these authors have websites where there is much information about them and their books is available. There are so many lesson ideas for each author AND each book! I will bring each book/lesson across the curriculum making it fun and inviting. I cannot wait to get started!! Oh and BTW go to my Donors Choose Site and help put these and other books into the hands of my students!!

http://www.donorschoose.org/glenda.johnston