Wow! So many good ideas!! Thank you to everyone who shared ideas.
Here's my (edited) original post:
If you have kindergarten classes for 40
minutes, how can the time be structured so the kids have a good time
and you don't lose your sanity? I've been doing finger plays and
reading stories for the beginning 20 min classes. I can picture
having them look at books, but I predict that half the class will
keep it going for the whole time and half will lose interest after 5
minutes and want to run around the room.
Here's a somewhat lengthy summary of the ideas:
The most important suggestions:
Structure and variety
Here is the secret, KEEP MOVING
I have to keep it VERY structured and teach specific rituals/routines
for each part so the behavior (and noise!) stays in control.
Set very specific boundaries for each of the activities
Teach them how to turn the pages correctly in a book. Starting at top
right hand corner and bring their hand down until it is comfortable
to them to turn the page. I teach them they should never turn a page
from the bottom of the book... I tell them until they can show me the
correct way to turn pages they are unable to check out books. Believe
me this keeps them busy
get all my ABC books out to look at and to turn the pages
correctly...sometimes I give them a letter to find in the book, then
I see if they can read any words by having them show me a word they
know..sometimes it is only the letter "a" but it is used as a word...
.Bookcare can't be taught long enough....use of bookmarks, don't
write on pages is a big one for our school....
I also have them draw a picture of a place where they will keep
their book safe when they get it home... if it is in the
bedroom...where? If it is a bedroom, they have to draw everything in
their room plus the place to keep their book...
To begin each class I start with a library song from a CD.
Go over some library words...Author, Title, etc.
color page or bookmark from the story, make a puppet,or ABC paper,
Draw a picture from the story.... "crafty" extension activities for
the stories we read. stick puppets, finger puppets, paper bag
puppets, masks (out of paper plates)....and then usually did some
re-telling using whatever they had made.
Sometimes I use a short video 5 or 6 mins about an author or an illustrator.
Find ways to act out the story you have chosen. For example have
them be the 3 Billy Goats and the troll for 3 Billy goats gruff or
choose partners and act out Pete's a Pizza or The Golden Egg Book.
Make flannel board stories then have them retell the story. Anything
to extend what you have read. Once in a while have them name their
favorite book and reread it
When I have used centers they rotated through every 8 minutes or so
and I included coloring, drawing, building with foam shapes, puzzles,
and a video book from
http://www.storylineonline.net/>http://www.storylineonline.net/ . We
have some 3D books with glasses that the kids just love that I might
make into a center.
I begin by passing out name tags (die-cut teddy bears with names on them, with
a piece of yarn to go around the kids' heads. I use a different color
teddy for each day of the week, to keep my sanity).
Then I sing a song (to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It):
Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug (pat, pat on the rug) 2x
Put your bottom on the rug and give yourself a hug
"If you want to hear a story clap your hands - [clap, clap] (repeat)
We have picture books and fiction
Biographies and true nonfiction,
If you want to hear a story clap your hands."
(then I repeat the verse a second time with "stomp your feet" and the third
repeat is my choice of "click your tongue", "whistle a tune", or "snap your
fingers" (and the kids stomp, click, snap or whistle - a real treat :)
After the song, I introduce the first story. I talk briefly about the author
and the illustrator names and then read the story. I also talk about what
genre the book is from (not at length, just to get the vocab. in their heads).
Around October, I introduce a song about what the author and illustrator do
(ideas I got from other LM_Net postings)...
"The author writes the book,
the author writes the book,
High-ho-librario
The author writes the book"
"The illustrator draws,
the illustrators draws,
High-ho-librario
The illustrator draws"
We sing this song at least once a library period after I tell them the name of
the book's author and illustrator
stand up
, "Head and Shoulders, knees and toes..." (I sing/dance the
Hookie-Pookie - teaching the difference of left and right...I tie
that in with reading from left to right .If the week is close to a
holiday, I'll change the name Hookie-Pookie to something like
Turkey-jerky (and change hands to wings, waddle, etc...so they "put
your left wing in, you take your left wing out, put your left wing in
and then shake it all about - we do the turkey-jerky and we turn
ourselves around, that's what it's all about)
I end with another song as I gather their nametags, one by one. That
song is the same tume as the first (If your happy and you know it,
clap your hands) but I changed the words to this:
"I'm so glad you came to see me this afternoon (repeat once)
We sang a silly song
Read a book, t'was short, not long,
I'm so glad you came to see me this afternoon."
While singing this last song, I collect the name tags (each kid hangs his/her
name tag on my left arm) and stamp their hands with a small rubber stamp that
corresponds with what we read that day. This week I'm reading about going to
school and missing mom's love (main book: The Kissing Hand) I use a little
heart stamp with red ink pad (you can get markers that already have a stamp
shape cut out, but those are limited in shapes). BTW - if a student has been
disruptive (and given 2-3 chances to correct the behavior) I don't give them a
stamp. This often corrects the behavior for the next time, as they all want a
stamp on their hand. It also tells the kinder teachers which children were
cooperative and tells the parent that their child went to the LMC that day.
I've had parents tell me that the kids can tell them all about the stories
when asked about the stamp on their hand.
I found I have to change activities every 10 minutes or so.
Some days we act out stories Like 10 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.
Kathy Ross has a couple really good books about alphabet activities..
Kids are simultaneously working on the craft and doing book selection.
This year I'm going to try to have something different for them to do each
week they visit the library. For example, after my 20 minute read-aloud
each class will have the following(in no particular order): week 1-video
of favorite character week 2-craft, week 3-worksheet/coloring
sheet/wordfind,etc., week 4-read on towels on the floor after checkout and
if needed, week 5-floor puzzles in groups that rotate through the puzzles.
I'll use a picture book movie (such as from Weston Woods) or will use
the laptop/projector to show something from United Streaming that
goes along with my theme for the day. I try to tie my themes into
what I know they're studying in the K curriculum at the time.
I ask some sort of get to know you question (What did you do on
vacation? What kind of pet(s) do you have?, etc.) and have everyone
take turns answering. Or I may read one of their new books they have
checked out.--
The computer teacher and I instead (with our principal's OK) decided that
we'd rather see them twice as often but only for the regular half hour.
It's not perfect because it's hard sometimes to keep all of the classes
in synch but it sure beats trying to keep them occupied for 60 minutes.
art work--your favorite part of the story, your favorite character,
etc. I also do some act out/reader's theater activities--acting out "Caps
for Sale," "Enormous Turnip, etc." I have also had "news time" at the
beginning of class, where kids who want to share something about a book may
speak-but only if they are holding my "speaker power" snake! The person
with the snake is the only one who may speak, and everyone else has to look
at the speaker.
I have had all day kindergarten, each of the 3 classes coming
sometimes 2x week for 50 min. I taught them how to locate their books
in the E section, as well as how to sign out the books they wanted.
They spent time looking for books, returning books they borrowed,
learning how to return books they browsed but didn't want, and also
had time to pair up with a friend and look through each other's
books. (They did this while others signed out books. That took care
of the "wanting to wander" syndrome.)
I also collaborated with their classroom teacher to use the library
to continue lessons learned in the classroom. Thus, if they were
doing a community workers unit in S.S., and were studying firemen, I
would have books on firemen, firetrucks, etc. and would teach them
about firemen using my own materials like puppets, the books, songs,
readings, choral recitations, etc. At the end of the lesson, I would
read them a story, or make up one of my own (they loved those the
best.)
this week we are reading stories about spiders, singing The Itsy
Bitsy Spider, and acting out Little Miss Muffet. During the next
10-15 minutes, I have a short library lesson, such as how to use
shelf markers, where to put unwanted books, etc.
I start with everyone at the tables and we have sharing time first.
Good public speaking exercise. You model how to share information...
it should be about a book that was read to them. (Lots of time they
want to speak so badly they make up books, but you've got to love
em). Take three of four students each time you meet.
I have found that, especially in the beginning, having them select
from a basket of books at each table is easier for the kids. They
aren't overwhelmed by so many choices at the shelves.
What I have done is to work with the music teacher and the principal
to set up what we lovingly call "Mooberry". The music teacher and I
team teach during both of these periods (actually, that 4 periods,
cause we have morning and afternoon classes). We tend to focus more
on music activities during one class, and library activities during
the other.
I usually have the children come in, drop their books in the drop,
and then stand in a big circle in the open area of my library. I
then teach them various fingerplays about the library, etc. Then we
all sit on the floor and I teach their library lesson. I let them do
thumbs up or thumbs down for various behaviors, with a "ding ding
ding" sound for up and an "annttt" buzzer sound for thumbs down.
Then we go to our story area/puppet theatre for story time. I may
use puppets, flannel boards, tell and draw stories on a small
whiteboard, etc. They also love stories THEY can participate in. I
always let them make "sound effects" at appropriate spots.
After story time I release them in order of good behavior to check
out. The first four check out while the others sit at three other
tables and do an activity/craft. I call each table when it's time
for them to check out. They may NOT get up until I tell them they
may.
I use a three strike system for discipline. Students earn strikes
by choosing inappropriate behaviors. (Talking, running, hitting,
throwing a book, etc.) If they don't earn any strikes, they receive
a small prize at the end of the visit. (Pencil, eraser, sticker,
Hershey's kiss, bookmark, etc.)
If they earn one strike, they do not receive a prize. If they earn
two strikes, they must go into time out for however old they are but
each year = one minute (5 year old = 5 minutes) Three strikes and
they miss the next library visit. I usually give them a grade level
worksheet on library behavior. Older kids get much longer, more
difficult assignements to help them reflect on their behavioral
choices.
I always stress that each visit is a new beginning, and I don't hold
strikes over from previous visits. I also stress that even though
they received a strike, it doesn't mean I don't love them. Just that
they made bad choices when they decided how to behave in the library.
I also talk about who decides if they receive a strike. They always
say "You!" at first, but I say "No, I just assign them. Who decides
if you get a strike?" A kid always figures out that he/she makes the
choice him/her self. I stress that, too - behavior is a CHOICE they
have control over.
I'd also suggest volunteers or class aides who stay and assist. Do
you have a clerk for checkout? That helps a lot. I've also used my
older students to checkout so I can "ride herd" on the little guys.
I also try to promote student ownership of the library.
Kindergartners can't do as much as my bigger students, but you'd be
surprised what they CAN do. They can push chairs in, sort papers (if
they don't need to read to do so), make decorations for your bulletin
boards, do minor book repairs, etc. I always teach a lesson on book
repair to each class, and at the end let them all work on a book.
They do a great job, and are very proud of their efforts. And more
respectful of our books, too.
They can also look at book catalogs and star or circle ones they'd
like your library to have. They can put very simple books/magazines
back, again if reading isn't required. I'm not trying to have them
do all of my work, of course; I just want them to see that although
they're small, they can still take action and make a difference.
There's a great book about that:
Paratore, Coleen, 1958-. 26 big things small hands do.
Minneapolis, MN : Free Spirit Pub., c2004. An illustrated
alphabet book listing an activity that can be done by small
hands on each page. Each letter's example encourages
children to appreciate themselves and the world around them.
I had kindergarteners for 45-min. classes. The first year, I was
desperate to come up with something. So this is what I did. I began
by seating them on the story carpet for a
story/fingerplay/movement/song that lasted 15-20 min at most. Also
when you do a story, you can practice having discussions. This was in
our state curriculum standards--raise hand, wait to speak, respond
appropriately. Then they moved to tables for checkout and center time.
I collected literacy-related games, toys, and activities such as
puzzles, alphabet blocks, memory game cards, dolls, cloth activity
books, etc. and had shelves for them. I also checked books out to
them, which they kept in the classroom for the first 6 weeks or so.
While one table was doing the shelf activities, the other would check
out library books. I allowed about five minutes for cleaning up and
lining up, which I also made into a game with a song.
There was also a "reading loft" that had been purchased by a previous
librarian/assistant principal. I had to teach the concept that it was
not playground equipment, and that students could take a book there
and "read" only if they felt like being very quiet. Any climbing up
and down or loud talking, and they were back to the "busy" side of
the library, the tables, where they could talk and move around freely.
You might look into a grant or mini-grant to get your shelf
activities going. I had magnetic letters and words, a magnetic "paper
doll", a small dry-erase board and marker, foam blocks, legos, and
some beautiful wooden European games I got from
<http://chinaberry.com>chinaberry.com. I especially liked puzzles
that had more than one right way of putting them together. Mindware
is another good source, though most of their stuff is too advanced
for K.
The shelf activities saved my life. Self-selected hands-on activities
can keep children engaged for as long as you want. They are learning
a variety of developmentally appropriate skills such as social
development, fine motor skills, and logic. Check out Montessori-type
resources for more ideas.
www.thebestkidsbooksite.com
click along the top for songs, crafts etc on different themes
I read the students a story, fingerplay and then we played stop and
go. we walk, jumped, etc around the library. It was lots of fun.
The I put the group at centers. My centers are legos, video
(Clifford), for the younger ones. For the older kids 1-4 I include a
listening center, music center, games Guess Who, . This helps the
time pass by fast.
If your district has access to Tumblebooks, that is an excellent way
to stretch time. I have a Smartboard and then have the students
watch the Tumblebooks and then they take turns touching the
smartboard to answer the questions.
--
Johanna Halbeisen, Library Media Teacher
Woodland Elementary School (K-4)
80 Powder Mill Rd, Southwick, MA 01077
JH@newsonglibrary.org
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