I like to have a theme each year in my elementary school library.
This year it's "Saddle Up and Read, Bookaroo!" I purchased a mobile
and bookmarks from the Upstart catalog. A teacher loaned me a saddle
to display. We call ourselves the Rocking-H Ranch (for Harrison
School). I had the brand made into a stamp so we can make bookmarks
or stamp hands. I made signs that look like weathered wood to mark
each section of the library. A pony came to visit us this fall and
the owner demonstrated how to saddle it.
We had a big celebration during Children's Book Week in November. I
made PowerPoint presentations for grades K-1 and 2-3. For the younger
ones we talked about the items of clothing that cowboys wear. The
students made BINGO cards with pictures of hats, vests, gloves,
chaps, etc. It was a great way to review the vocabulary. I found a
great video about the American cowboy on UnitedStreaming. I added
more vocabulary words about ranch life for grades 2-3. Each group of
students at a table formed a team and I checked to see what they had
learned by using CLICKERS that sent their answers to the computer.
The fourth and fifth graders read information about ranch life. I
found a wonderful website produced by Oklahoma Cooperative Extension
Service which has a classroom curriculum on agriculture. http://
www.agclassroom.org/ok The students were given a packet to read and
then at our second meeting we tested their knowledge using the
clickers. On Friday of that week we all dressed up like cowboys. We
read cowboy stories under the stars by a fake campfire. It was a
great time. You can see pictures at http://www.davenportschools.org/
harrison/Cowboys/Cowboys01.htm
I have purchased some new books with a cowboy theme. I would like to
have students read those and any other books during a Reading Rodeo.
I'm just not sure how that would work! I would welcome any ideas. I
found some interesting ideas this fall at the Bellingham Schools
website. The Geneva Library has a Rodeo Readathon with six events.
Students take home coupons. When they complete them they return them
to school. Their names are posted on a poster for that event.
Students who complete all six of the events were given their choice
of a reward: either a movie with popcorn or a horseback ride on a
very gentle, safe horse. These are their events: Calf-Roping, read a
book to a younger child; Team Roping, team up with a friend to read a
book -- alternate reading the pages; 3-Barrel Racing Event, read 3
books written by one author; Book-Branding Event, read each of these
"brands" of books (includes picture book, fiction, nonfiction and
biography); Pony-Express Race, read 100 minutes in one week; and
Bronco Book-Bucking, read from a book in each Dewey section. I really
like the names of the events. I'm just not sure that the events are
the ones that I would want, especially for the younger students.
Real rodeos have these events: Bareback, Bull Riding, Ladies' Barrel
Racing, Saddle Bronc, Steer Wrestling, and Tie-Down Roping. I would
appreciate any ideas on how I could tie them into reading. I will
post a hit of the ideas I receive.
Belinda Holbrook
bholbrook@mchsi.com
Teacher Librarian
Harrison Elementary
Davenport, IA
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