HIT: Elem. Students with nothing to do

[Marty Bausack <mbausack@ADMIN.CARMAN.K12.MI.US>]

I'm sorry I'm so slow at posting this hit.  I received some wonderful
suggestions which I will try to summarize.

Several people put out jigsaw puzzles or a 3-D puzzle for the students to
work on.  Activity sheets or drawing materials could be set out.

Contests such as Super Sleuth Challenge, other research based contests;
some give prizes and have the winners announced on the P.A.

Set up listening stations or filmstrip previewing stations, use of
computers with learning games.

Challenging puzzles, such as brain teasers, activity or browsing oriented
books for Media Center use only, such as Where's Waldo, I Spy, Garfield,
optical illusions.

Students could work in groups to learn and perform short plays, puppet
shows, readers' theatre, flannel board stories.  These could then be
performed for classes.  They all help promote reading.

Have an ongoing paperback exchange table.

Have learning centers.

Magazine report with extra credit given.

Allow some quiet socializing, provide comfortable seating for reading;
make the media center inviting and fun.

Work related activities:  Many people ask students to help them if they
have nothing else to do:  Older students shelve books; straighten
shelves, write letters to ask for items for vertical file, cut
lamination, cut out items for bulletin boards, use Ellison die cutter,
punch and bind machine to make booklets, clean equipment, make bookmarks
for distribution, straighten chairs, deliver books to teachers.

Management suggestions:  Students check in when they enter the library,
stating their purpose, issue tickets to activities with a limited number
of tickets per activity, students who can't check out books because of
overdues or another reason browse at a table with encyclopedias (hopefully
doing this will discourage them from having nothing to do in the
library,) students state their purpose when they come in; if they have
none they go back to the room to find out their purpose, make agreements
ahead of time with study hall or other teachers about parameters for
their students coming to the Media center, have students plan their time
in the library.