HIT: ELEM: Learning/Activity Centers

[Judy & George Stanton <gstanton@EARTHLINK.NET>]

Thank you to everyone who responded for your helpful suggestions. As
you can tell, most of these are easy to do and a lot of fun for the
students - and staff, too. I could easily see my principal stopping
in long enough to pop a piece into the puzzle!

No wonder I rave about LM_NET.

Judy Stanton | gstanton@earthlink.net
Library Media Specialist
Jefferson Elementary School
Jefferson, GA
706/367-8242

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have a puzzle table in my library. The kids love it and the
custodian stops by to put in pieces also.

I also have a listening center with featured books and tapes. The
kids haven't used this much, but I haven't really advertised it.

The third station I have involves art projects. I have a cupboard
with supplies and often have a suggested, simple few minute project.
The kids love it, especially the younger ones, and the older ones
often use it to make cards or bookmarks for parents for special
occasions.

Most importantly, I have a reading corral. I recently  did a survey
of students and first and second graders just want to read, read,
read.

Good luck,
Sharon Flesher
SLFlesher@aol.com
Fisk Elementary
NH
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I kept puzzles with book themes out for our kindergarteners to do
after book check out. I have seen other media centers with an author
table, including facts about authors and students have to guess who
that author is. Your older students could create the displays for the
younger ones. Sometimes I have set out groups of magazines. I will put
out one set at each table, and ask the students to browse for awhile,
and then summarize their magazine for the group. Another activity has
been poetry reading. I will put out different anthologies, leaving out
the ones that are most popular and already known.
Then we have partner reading.
Hope this helps.

Tami Fox

++++++++++++++++++++
Don't try to change everything immediately or you'll end up working
'round the clock to make good on everything you've committed
yourself to do. First impressions are lasting - take a look around
and see what needs to be cleaned up - take down the old stuff and
put up some fresh new decorations, perhaps using a theme. For the
week you do orientations, have a vase of fresh flowers near the
entry. Put the tacky stuff on the bottom of the vase so there's no
chance of tipping it. Get a variety of cheap vases at the local
thrift shop to have on hand and let the kids know they're welcome
to have their moms drop off fresh garden flowers on Mondays. (Don't
encourage them to pick on their own!).

Skip the Legos or anything else with small pieces, unless it will
remain in a display case or is part of a hands-on library skills
activity. You can always add it to your program later in the year,
if you decide to. If possible, maintain the same system or routine
that's been in place and don't try to change everything at the
beginning - do it gradually, one thing at a time. Otherwise you'll
constantly hear "We never did it that way before,"  "That's not the
way we do it here," or "Why do we have to do it that way?"

For the first year, run anything new or unusual by the principal
first. Don't announce "We're having a 'Guess how much the pumpkin
weighs' contest" only to find out that the ASB or PTA group HAS
ALWAYS done that. . .

Best wishes!

Joanne Ladewig

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This would be a great topic for a HIT.
My suggestion would be to find out what is going on in the curriculum
and find books and cassettes for a listening center, maybe some hands
on experiments, collections of items such as shells or rocks, etc.
once you start brainstorming around a topic I think the ideas will
fly.
Good luck in your new school.

Sandy Kelly
sandyk@massed.net

++++++++++++++++++++++
My library/media center is small, so therefore, I do not have a lot
of room for learning centers either.  However, I do keep a crate of
paperback picture books on the rug, puzzles, and trivia games
available.  I also pull word searches, crossword puzzles, brain
teasers, etc. and xerox them for the kids.

I also have a "Question of the Month" and the kids use their research
skills finding the answer - answers must be correct, sources cited,
and no spelling errors.  The kids seem to enjoy this scavenger hunt
and I reward those who find the answers correctly.

Example:  What was Dr. Seuss's real name?  This had to be spelled
correctly! We tied this in with "Read Across America" in March.

Where was first public school established?  (Sept.)

I have a copy of the School Librarian's Almanac and each month is
featured with events, etc. that happened that month.  I use this
mostly or trivia books.  The teacher's magazines also have ideas.

I did get a book on library games and I hope to make some of these to
put in zip-lock bags.  Hope this helps.

Joane Toler
Library/Media Specialist
Oak Grove Elem. School, Richmond, VA .

P.S.  I also tie some of my questions my question into literature.
For instance, what is ?'s real name? Great way to introduce
pseudonyms.

When the students were studying inventions, I found an obscure
inventor for them to research why he was famous - I believe it was
the ferris wheel. I can't remember the name of the book I got it
from off-hand.

Sometimes I do a quote or an almanac question.  It's just a good
way to encourage students to do research independently.  They've
become very competitive and unwilling to share information they've
found.  As you will find out, some students want the cake and eat
it too - with no effort put forth.  I will, however, tell them if
the answer is incorrect.

LM_Net also has a posting each month of what's happening or
celebrated.

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