Red Light! Green Light!

When I talk to kids in the library, I feel like the teacher from Charlie Brown.  Yes, like this:

 

I am trying to use more visual cues as a part of library check out. For the last 8 years I have preached about neat, tidy shelves. But, did I ever actually TEACH them how to make the shelves neat and tidy? Nope. So 2 weeks ago, we had an actual lesson on keeping shelves straightened. We call awesome shelves GREEN LIGHT SHELVES and awful shelves RED LIGHT SHELVES. I have photo examples hanging above the shelves. I will say that the library has never looked better! Now instead of me saying "Look at this shelf! Who left this like that? You need to move all of the books and smoosh them together and wah wah wah wah WAH!" I just say "Red light shelf" and I have 12 kids running over to fix it! So cool!

Use it or Lose It!

With a very new, very expensive Smartboard in the middle of my teaching space, I feel very obligated to use it and make sure that other people see me use it. I admit that I haven't mastered the art of creation, but I long ago mastered the art of downloading and linking. Here are a few games I will be using with grades three through six to introduce, review and practice shelf order and call number. 

Leave a comment and share your favorite rsources!

Alphaorder: Very simple presentation, it allows kids to put words in order by first letter. 

Order in the Library: Great game that has various levels for shelving, sorting and reordering books.

The Book Game: Students click on a book spine to place it in order on a shelf. 1st letter alphabetizing, very simple.

SmartExchange File: Putting Fiction Books in Order. Several screens that you can customize for putting books in order, photos of actual books and 1st, 2nd and 3rd letter alphabetizing.

SmartExchange File: Library Skills. Alphabetizing by author's name, reading spine labels, and understanding library organization.