LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Last week I posted:
>Does anyone have a good story to tell during orientation that is
>entertaining and has some message that relates to book care, following
>rules, etc.?
I started out sending thank you responses to everyone and quickly got
burned out. So, thanks to everyone who responded. I really appreciate
your suggestions. I was really hoping for ideas for a story to tell rather
than read, but all the ideas that were sent to me were great. There were a
few suggestions for stories to tell and many, many suggestions for THE
LIBRARY DRAGON plus a wide variety of others. I tried not to include
duplicates, unless the response had a new twist. My orientation is going
to be three 30 minute periods in one week. I will tour the library since I
am new and have moved everything around and talk about procedures, book
care & the up and coming book fair. The youngers will get I TOOK MY FROG
TO THE LIBRARY, THE LIBRARY DRAGON, and the "pamper the baby" scenario ( I
haven't figured out which baby book to use, yet). The olders will not have
the frog story, will have the dragon and the baby plus the Bill Gates story
leading into asking for volunteers.
Here is the HIT:
*****We had an elementary student borrow a book on cats. It was returned with a
note. Just from a quick glance, it was obvious that the book had been used as
a teething toy for a dog...the note (from the father) explained that he was
sorry to confirm that his dog really doesn't like cats in any form
(format)...he was willing to pay for replacement, and promised to keep all
cat (and other) books away from his dog...before they discovered other
subjects that the dog disliked! That was one note we really remember year to
year.
*****I read 5th and 6th graders a story from reader's digest about a 4th
grader who helps his librarian after school. Soon afer he started his
family moved and he went to another school where the librarian didn't
have student helpers. He so enjoyed working in the library that his mom
drove him back to his former school so he could help the librarian again.
He grew up to be one of the richest men in the world. His name is Bill
Gates. I have student helpers so this gets them jazzed to volunteer to
help. The name of the article is "The Boy With the Billion-Dollar
Secret" and unfortunately I did not make note of which issue of Reader's
Digest it came from. It was condensed from The Christian Science Monitor
(July 20, 1995) so it would have appeared in Reader's Digest in 1995 or
1996. I hope you can track it down! For primary students I tell the Polar
Bear story
from Jean Stangle's Is Your Story Tale Dragging? also use Timothy Goes to
School by Rosemary Wells, The library by Sara Stewart, The Library Dragon
by Carmen Agra Deedy and this year I'll add Mike Thaler's Librarian From
the Black Lagoon--also an oldy goldy is _Glad Book, Sad Book_ .
*****I used video Arthur Lost Library Book previously mentioned on LM_NET.
Kids and faculty were interested. After the video I asked the kids to
tell me what mistakes Arthur made with his library books. Kids had fun
coming up with the examples.
*****Not necessarily on those topics, but a very good book I use for 6th grade
orientation in my middle school is "Wayside School". The chapter on Kathy
is wonderful to open a discussion about a positive attitude. The kids love
that book even though they have left elementary school.
*****Try the Mr. Wiggle series - he is a bookworm (we made a big bookworm and
he came a puppet called Mr. Wiggle). There are two paperback books with a
worksheet you can send home with the student to review book care with
their parents. One book is about the care of books and the other book
explains the rationale behind the borrowing of books.
I don't remember the catalog where I found the titles - I am at home. The
kids love Mr. Wiggle and he leaves a big impression.
*****I got basis for this idea from someone on LM_NET a couple of years
ago. I use a picture of a baby's head (a cutout photo from a parenting
magazine ad) that is glued to cardboard. I choose a book about babies,
insert the "head" into the book, put a "Pamper" on the book, and wrap the
whole thing up in one of those baby bath towels with a hood that goes over
the head. I take this to all my classes and engage them in a discussion
about how to take care of a baby. I bring out my "baby" (they are always
careful to inform me that it isn't real) and we talk about things we would
NEVER do with a baby.
Leave it outside in the dirt
Throw it on the ground
Hit friends on the head with it
Color on it with a marker
Jam it upside down in a backpack
Let it get wet
Leave it on the floor for the dog to chew
After that I show them the Pamper (this always gets a big laugh), then I
take off all the pieces and show them the book. I go through the same list,
asking if they should do those things to a book. Then we read the book (My
favorite is "Daisy Thinks She is a Baby," but this year I used "Bad Baby
Brother" and for my Spanish students, "El Nuevo Bebe" (a Mercer Mayer
"Little Critter" book). In my English speaking classes, we also read some
poems about babies, the sillier the better, and I like to play the song
"Bad Babies" from the tape "Rhinoceros Tap."
Then, throughout the year, both I and their teachers remind them to "Baby
the Books." It seems to work pretty well.
*****I Took My Frog To the Library by E. Kimmel
You can also print out a sheet that is mainly blank, but has place for
name/grade
at top and the sentence: I took my ____________ to the library, but he______
_____________________________________________. at the bottom.
They color a picture describing what they wrote at the bottom...
*****When I was in elementary school, with the younger students I used Wocket
in my Pocket by Seuss. I am sorry I can not remember how I translated
each one--Like there is a Zigrary in the Library who likes to see children
etc. etc.
******Not sure which grade level you are needing this for but last year
when I was
at a K-8 school I used _I took my frog to the library_ for K-1. I used
puppets to represent the animals and on the last page when it says "my
elephant reads to them" I had an elephant's trunk that I fit over my nose
for special effect. It was great fun. (by Kimmel, I think)
For 2nd and 3rd graders, I used _The Library Dragon_ . (by Leedy, I think)
Also something you might like to think about doing concerning book care :
last year on LM_NET, I got this idea. I put a disposable diaper on a book
and drew a baby face with a bonnet on it which extended up out of the book,
so that the book looked like a baby. THen conducted a discussion about
"babying your books" which included what kind of dangerous things you
wouldn't do to a baby (like throw it around, leave out in the rain, etc.)
and how we shouldn't do these things to books either. Kids loved it and at
open house I had several parents comment on it, so I know it made an
impression on students. Anyway, hope you find this useful.
*****I have used A FISH IN HIS POCKET by D. Cazet and changed the math book
that gets wet into library book.
*****My favourite book is the Library Dragon by Deedy (forgotten the
first name) a great introduction to the library, love of reading, rules
care of books. Clem's Kingdom is also good.
***** just got done doing a library orientation with my Junior High students.
I started our time by reading the book, "Library Dragon". At the end of
the story, Miss Lotty posts her new rules, which I read aloud. (My
favorite one is: ask questions -- that's why I get paid the big bucks!)
We then moved on to talking about the part of the our library run by the
"dragon" (went over the rules) and the part run by "Miss Lotty" (enjoying
books, sharing, finding things, etc.) "Library Dragon" appeals to a large
range of audience -- the fire and smoke puns are hilarious, but younger
kids just like the story.
*****I used Quiet, There's a Canary in the Library by Don Freeman with 2nd
graders today and then discussed rules which the story reminded them of. I
think it would work best with children who are already familiar with
library rules as a review.
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Sara Miller, Media Specialist
Wascher Elementary School
Lafayette, Oregon
millers@mail.yamhillesd.k12.or.us
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