My+Year+by+Colleen

Here's what I've done so far this year. We have a 6 day cycle at Saigon South, so I see every class for 40 minutes every 6 school days. This year we have 1 section of early childhood 3 year olds (EC3) and 3 sections of four year olds (EC4). I see them for 40 minutes, although the 3 year olds arrive late because they're just waking up from their nap. At this point I'm under planning for EC4 and Kinder and they have too much reading time. They're pretty hyper to read! It's still early in the year and I've already seen improvement, so I hope it continues.

I've started adding a simple activity for EC4 and Kinder. The craft or activity isn't mandatory. After they check out books, they can do the activity or read on bean-bag chairs. So far it's working. The kids are more on task and less crazy! Each week is actually 6 school days - we're on a 6 day cycle. = **WEEK 1 (Aug. 12 - Aug. 17)** =

**EC, K & 1st**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * The Napping House (big book) by Audrey & Don Wood
 * Piggies by Audrey & Don Wood
 * Do Not Open This Book (big book) by Joy Cowley. (The kids go **crazy** for Do Not Open This Book! Read it very dramatically and they'll eat it up!)
 * Theme:** Library Basics - Introduce myself. After you check out your books, put it in your book bag, DON'T put it back on a shelf! Use the bean bag chairs appropriately.

**Grades 2 - 5**
red - book or author green - food orange - place (could be their bedroom, the beach, Korea, etc.) blue - sport white - movie, TV show or TV channel
 * Read Aloud:** Dog Breath by Dav Pilkey (They **love** this book!)
 * Theme:** Library Basics (same as above) and Introduction Game: Students sit in a circle. Pass out jars of candy (dog or dog bone shapes if possible to tie in with Dog Breath!). Go around and each student tells their name and info based on the color of their candy. It doesn't have to be their FAVORITE, but just one that they like. Make up whatever categories you want!
 * Take photos of every student in grades 1 through 5 for next week's activity.**

= WEEK 2 (Aug. 20 - Aug. 27) =
 * (I had a sub this week because I had to go back to the US for my dad's funeral. :o( I kept it simple for the sub.)**

EC & K

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London
 * Wiggy by Doreen Cronin
 * If You Take a Mouse to School by Laura Numeroff
 * Theme:** Library basics again. Book check-out procedure, appropriate behavior in the library, etc.

Grades 1 - 5

 * Read Aloud:** Do Not Open This Book by Michael Muntean
 * Theme:** Shelf Markers. Students make their own shelf marker that they will use all year long. On thick paper, have them glue down their photo, write their name and class clearly. This helps me learn their names because I see the photo next to the name. (I'm a very visual learner!) They can decorate the other side. Laminate when finished.

= **WEEK 3 (**Aug. 28 - Sept. 7) =

EC - 5
Theme: **Book Care. (Sick Books).** Have several examples of "sick" books - those that are water damaged (even moldy), torn, drawn on, dog-eared, sticky from food, etc. Once you get a few wet books you just add the other stuff to it, if necessary. Talk about each book and ask they kids what they think happened and how it could be prevented. //*Book Care bookmarks.//
 * Read Alouds:**
 * I Took My Frog to the Library by Eric Kimmel
 * My Little Car by Gary Soto (for the younger kids - just tell the story instead of reading if they look bored.) This book is a good transition to the theme because she doesn't take care of her car.

=** WEEK 4 (Sept. 8 - Sept. 15) **=

**EC - K**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Duck's Key by Jez Alborough (EC3-K) It's a lift the flap book.
 * Goldilocks (big book) by Janet Hillman. After you read this, do the Goldilocks action rhyme (I'll attach soon).
 * Mud Walk (big book) by Joy Cowley
 * Theme:** Didn't really have one this week. Hmmm. At least I didn't write it down...

**Grades 1 - 5**
//*Just Right Books bookmarks.//
 * Read Alouds:**
 * Goldilocks (big book) by Janet Hillman for 1st and maybe 2nd grade, depending on the class.
 * Goldilocks by Jan Brett for all other grades. Tell kids about how Jan visited Norway and many of her characters wear Scandanavian clothing and hairstyles. Tell them that her borders often have clues of what's coming up or what is happening elsewhere in the story. I read through this very quickly - the kids helped me retell it - it was just a review of the story and an intro to Jan Brett.
 * Goldie and the Bears by Diane Stanley
 * Theme:** Choosing a "Just Right" Book. Grades 2-5: 5 finger rule.

= **WEEK 5 (Sept. 16 - Sept. 23)** =

**EC3-Grade 2**
//*Frog bookmarks.//
 * Read Alouds:**
 * Moonbear's Pet by Frank Asch
 * Life As a Frog by Victoria Parker (NF)
 * EC-K: Frog on a Log by Rosemary Irons (big book)
 * Grades 1 & 2: A Froggy Fable by John Lechner
 * Theme:** Frogs, Fiction/Nonfiction. Fiction = from imagination. Nonfiction = information.
 * Activity:** Simple frog puppet. (I'll attach info when I have time.)

**Grades 3 - 5**
//*Bookcare bookmarks.//
 * Read Aloud:**
 * Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
 * Theme:** Book Care Review
 * Activity:** Put a bunch of stuff in a bag. Pull out an object and ask them what book care rule it relates to. The kids really enjoyed this activity! Objects:
 * Ketchup packets - keep your books safe when you're eating
 * Marker - don't color or draw in library books
 * Bookmark - don't dog-ear pages
 * Stuffed dog or dog bone - keep books safe from pets
 * Baby doll or baby bottle - keep books safe from babies and little kids (If you use a baby bottle, kids will say don't spill on your books. That's a good one, too!)
 * Rain poncho - keep books dry
 * Soap - have clean hands when you read books. Also, keep your books out of the bathroom so they don't fall in the tub, sink or toilet (yuck!).

=** WEEK 6 (Sept. 24 - Oct. 1) **=

**EC3 - Gr 2**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Stick by Stephen Breen (They looooooved this book! It's silly and cute.)
 * Growing Frogs by Vivian French (big book)
 * Theme:** Frogs! I was going to do a fiction/nonfiction table, but didn't have time. Next week.
 * Activity:** Frog life-cycle. (I'll attach an example when I can.)

Grades 3 - 5

 * Read Aloud:**
 * Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin (not as funny as Diary of a Worm)
 * Theme:** Intro to the Opac. Basic book searching. We share the catalog with the secondary library, so this lesson focused on determined which books are in OUR library. Those with call numbers E, BR and J. I made them point to which library a book was in. Quick and easy. It's a start!

= **WEEK 7 (Oct 2 - Oct 9)** =

**EC3 - Gr 2**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Froggy Plays Soccer by Jonathan London
 * Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni
 * Too Many Frogs by Sandy Asher
 * Theme:** Frogs and Fiction/Nonfiction.
 * Activity:** For grades 1 & 2, we talked about the difference between fiction and nonfiction. I told them that FIction means From Imagination. (FI) I drew a Fiction/Nonfiction table on the whiteboard and we brainstormed things for each side.
 * Choice Activities for ECs for the time after they check out books:**
 * Read in the bean bag chairs or on the floor.
 * Fish is Fish on DVD.
 * Frog coloring page at the low tables.

Grades 3 - 4

 * Read Aloud:**
 * Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
 * Theme:** Realistic Fiction. I book-talked a cart of realistic fiction books. The teachers are focusing on realistic fiction and the kids are required to read at least one realistic fiction book for their reading log.

Grades 5

 * Read Aloud:**
 * Where the Big Fish Are by Jonathan London
 * Baby Radar by Naomi Nye
 * Theme:** Personal Narrative, OPAC - finding fiction books, Just-Right Books reminder. The teachers are focusing on personal narrative. Both read alouds are good for that. We quickly reviewed the 5 finger rule for choosing a just-right book.
 * Activity:** Students must do a subject search on bears, dogs or cats. Then find the "dogs--fiction" entry and select an available books that's in the JF section. They write down the call number and title, go to the shelf and actually locate the book. They don't need to check the book out. I watch and help. I keep their library cards and give it to them when they've completed the activity - an easy way to keep track.

= **WEEK 8 (Oct 12 - Oct 16)** =

**EC3 - Kinder**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * More Spaghetti, I Say! by Rita Gelman
 * Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
 * No More Cookies! by Paeony Lewis
 * Theme:** Monkeys! (goes along with the EC3 class)
 * Choice Activities:**
 * Read - parent volunteers are now coming in to read with individuals or small groups during EC library time. It's great! :o)
 * Listening center: More Spaghetti, I Say!
 * Curious George connect the dots.

**Grades 1 - 2**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Where the Big Fish Are by Jonathan London
 * Baby Radar by Paeony Lewis
 * Theme:** Small Moments Stories, Fiction/Nonfiction
 * Acitivity:** Review fiction and nonfiction. Distribute laminated cards that are 2 colored and say "Fiction" on one side and "Nonfiction" on the other. I should have added a picture of a wizard on the fiction side and a picture of a planet on the nonfiction side. Doh! Have a stack of fiction and NF books. Hold one up and have them show you what they think it is. I had a few that were tricky - nonfiction books that looks fictiony! Read the blurb if there's debate. Quick, easy, fun activity!

**Grades 3 - 4**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Where the Big Fish Are by Jonathan London
 * Baby Radar by Paeony Lewis
 * Theme:** Small moment stories, OPAC - fiction.
 * Activity:** Students must do a subject search on bears, dogs or cats. Then find the "dogs--fiction" entry and select an available books that's in the JF section. They write down the call number and title, go to the shelf and actually locate the book. They don't need to check the book out. I watch and help. I keep their library cards and give it to them when they've completed the activity - an easy way to keep track.

Grades 5

 * Read Aloud:**
 * Canoe Days by Gary Paulsen (picture book)
 * Theme:** Personal Narrative, OPAC - finding nonfiction books.
 * Activity:** Students must do a subject search on a topic of their choice. They find a books that's available in our library and has a dewey decimal call number. They write down the call number and title, go to the shelf and actually locate the book. They don't need to check the book out. I watch and help. I keep their library cards and give it to them when they've completed the activity - an easy way to keep track. They had an easier time with nonfiction than fiction. Weird. I thought it would have been the other way around. Maybe I explained it better or they are a little better because this is our 3rd brief OPAC lesson?

= **WEEK 9 (Oct 26 - Oct 30) Last week we had a week off for Fall Break.** :o)=

**EC3 - Kinder**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Mouse's 1st Halloween by Lauren Thompson
 * Froggy's Halloween by Jonathan London
 * Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
 * Theme:** Pumpkins & Halloween!
 * Choice Activities:**
 * Read - parent volunteers are now coming in to read with individuals or small groups during EC library time. It's great! :o)
 * DVD: Good Night, Gorilla
 * Texture pumpkin crayon rub

**Grades 1 - 2**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Froggy's Halloween by Jonathan London
 * Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
 * Theme:** Pumpkins & Halloween
 * Acitivity:** Texture pumpkin crayon rub.

**Grades 3 - 5**
= **WEEK 10 (Nov 4 - Nov 11)** =
 * Read Alouds:**
 * The Perfect Pumpkin Pie by Denys Cazet
 * Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman (if time)
 * Theme:** Pumpkins & Halloween!

**EC3 - Kinder**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Anno's Counting Book by Anno (Big Book) - for 3 year olds.
 * Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
 * Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
 * Nine Ducks Nine by Sarah Hayes
 * Theme:** Number & Counting Books
 * Choice Activities:**
 * Read - parent volunteers are now coming in to read with individuals or small groups during EC library time. It's great! :o)
 * DVD: Caps for Sale
 * Dot to dot

**Grades 1 - 2**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * What the Sun Saw/What the Moon Saw by Nancy Tafuri
 * Round Trip by Anna Jonas
 * Theme:** Grade 1 is doing day & night and grade 2 it learning about maps. I didn't have many map books, so for grade 2 the book theme was unusual books - both of them you flip upside down and read another story.

**Grade 3**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkin by Barbara Kerley (long story, summarize some pages)
 * Theme:** Biographies/Parts of Book
 * Activity:** Table of Contents - Work with a partner. Create and answer questions using a table of contents in a nonfiction book. Turn in sheet or do orally with whole class if not enough time.

**Grade 4**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * A Small, Tall Tale from the Far, Far North by Peter Sis
 * Theme:** Explorers/Parts of Book
 * Activity:** Table of Contents - Work with a partner. Create and answer questions using a table of contents in a nonfiction book. Turn in sheet or do orally with whole class if not enough time.

**Grade 5**
= **WEEK 11 (Nov 12 - Nov 23) We had 2 PD days without students during this time.** =
 * Read Alouds:**
 * Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
 * Theme:** Personal Narratives/Parts of Book
 * Activity:** Table of Contents - Work with a partner. Create and answer questions using a table of contents in a nonfiction book. Turn in sheet or do orally with whole class if not enough time.

**EC3 - 1**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Cha-Cha Chimps by Julia Durango
 * Duckie's Ducklings by Frances Barry
 * One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root (We viewed on Tumblebooks because our subscription just started!!!)
 * Theme:** Number & Counting Books
 * Choice Activities:**
 * Read - parent volunteers are now coming in to read with individuals or small groups during EC library time. It's great! :o)
 * Listening Center: Goldilocks & the 3 Bears
 * Goldilocks color page (for EC and kinder)

**Grade 2**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * As The Crow Flies: A First Book of Maps by Gail Hartman
 * Diary of a Fly on TumbleBooks!
 * Theme:** Maps.
 * Activity:** I created a map of my house to school including the land marks that are important to me (home, smoothie stand, traffic light, school.) They created a map of the library with landmarks that are important to them. We brainstormed first: computers, bean bag chair, rocking chair, circ desk, tepee, basket books, tables, fiction, nonfiction, etc.

**Grade 3**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * Ruth Law Thrills a Nation by Don Brown
 * Theme:** Biographies/Parts of Book
 * Activity: TumbleBooks!** Show them Diary of a Fly on TumbleBooks. Give out bookmarks.

**Grade 4**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * White Water by Jonathan London
 * Theme:** Water (They pushed explorers back to January.)
 * Activity: TumbleBooks!** Show them Diary of a Fly on TumbleBooks. Give out bookmarks.

**Grade 5**

 * Read Alouds:**
 * The Sea, The Storm and the Mangrove Tangle by Lynne Cherry
 * Theme:** Ecosystems
 * Activity: TumbleBooks!** Show them Diary of a Fly on TumbleBooks. Give out bookmarks.