First Grade Library Lesson Plans

September

Meet in the story corner. Read aloud Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett. After reading the book, show the children a powerpoint entitled Animals Should Definitely Not Borrow Library Books that reviews book care rules. Take the children on a tour of the different sections of the LMC with emphasis on the easy fiction, nonfiction, chapter book, reference and biography sections as well as the circulation desk. Discuss and review book loan policy and sign out procedure. Review fire and color code drills and posted library behavior rules.  At the end of the library tour, assign students seats in the library media center.  When everyone is seated, ask the students if they remember the Mr. Wiggle book we read last year.  Also, tell them to think about all of the book care rules in the powerpoint and review good book care with the children. Next, ask them to return to the reading circle.  Read aloud But Excuse Me That is My Book by Lauren Child.  Review how many books are in the collection and how the students can definitely find a book they would like to borrow.  Line the children up and give them all a LMC newsletter to take home and a book care bookmark. 

Meet in the story corner. Read aloud The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy. Discuss the story to reinforce keeping books on shelves in good order. Explain that books are arranged on library shelves by standing upright with spine labels facing out. Children will be asked to offer ideas as to why proper shelf placement is important. Show the students a short video describing how to use shelf markers. Then, move the students to their assigned seats at the tables. Explain and model how to correctly use a shelf marker. Next, have the students look at a big bookshelf. They will cut the small shelf markers out and tape them on the shelves where a shelf marker should be. When the students are finished, review the rules in the library and dismiss them to check out a book.

October

Check in the students books and meet in the story corner.  Read aloud Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett.  As the book is being read compare the sizes of the bowls, chairs, and beds to books.  Books can be too easy or too short, too hard or too long and also just right.  When finished the story, talk about "The Goldilocks Rule".  Is this book too hard?  Too easy?  Just right?  Using a short powerpoint presentation, teach the students the Five Finger Rule.  Hold up your fist.  As you try to read a book, put up a finger each time you find a word you don't know.  If you get to 5 fingers before you are done with the book, it is too hard.  After the powerpoint, move the student to their assigned seats.  Have them fill a a purpose for reading form.  I want to read about _____________________ because _________________________.  Review their work and the rules in the library.  Dismiss the children to check out a book.

Check in the students’ book and meet in the story corner.  Next, read aloud “Book Fair Day” by Lynne Plourde. Ask, “What is the difference between a regular library day and a Book Fair day?” Discuss what a book fair is, when their class is coming and review the rules of the book fair. Also, review the differences between a hardback book and a paperback book and explain that for their purposes, paperback books are a better value. When finished discussing the book, show a Scholastic video highlighting some of the books that will be for sale at the book fair. Ask the students what looks appealing to them at the video’s conclusion. Review the rules in the library and dismiss the students to check out a book.

November

Meet in the story corner. Read aloud Mr. Wiggle Loves To Read by Carol Thompson. Discuss the difference between fiction and nonfiction and review the fiction/nonfiction chant from Kindergarten. Show the students a short video entitled  Fiction vs. Nonfiction: African Tales. Discuss the differences between fiction and nonfiction and show the kids where each are located in the library. Move the students to their assigned seats in the library media center. Have the students look at several titles and color the books that are fiction on one side and nonfiction on the other side. When they are done review their answers and review again how to correctly use a shelf marker. Dismiss the students to get their shelf markers and select a book to borrow.

Enrichment Lesson

Meet in the story corner. Introduce the concept of voting to students. Ask and explain why we vote - so that a group of people can make a decision. Ask the kids: What do you know about voting? What are some things you vote about in the classroom? What different kinds of elections are there? What do you know about the upcoming election? Show the kids the book Duck for President by Doreen Cronin. Notice the emphasis on red, white and blue colors. Ask the kids: why do you think these colors were used? Why might Duck be standing at the microphones? Why do you think there are balloons and hats in the pictures? Explain that when the story opens Duck in unhappy with his present job. What are some things he can do about that? Read aloud Duck for President. Lead a discussion about the book with these questions: Which of Ducks activities do you think he enjoyed the most? What makes you say that? When Duck ran for president, what are some steps he and his supporters took to get him elected? What are some things Duck learned from his experiences? Did anything in the story surprise you? Please explain. How do you think this story is like elections in real life? Next, using a powerpoint presentation, review the basic facts of Election Day and running for President. Have the students complete a ballot voting for either Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss or The Polar Express by Chris VanAllsburg. Cast their votes on the www.voteforbooks.com website. Talk about the elements that make a good poster. Have the students create a poster encouraging people to get out and vote in the next presidential election. Display the posters in the library media center.

December

Collect any books the students are returning to the library and meet in the story corner. Read aloud Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Bruss. Discuss the story and move the students to their assigned seats. Review the definition of fiction and explain how fiction books are kept in order (ABC order by the 1^st 3 letters of the author’s last name). Name and locate the “Easy Fiction” section of the library. Next, have the students look at a big empty bookshelf. They will cut out the books and place them on the bookshelf in “ABC” order (tape them down). Let the students who finish first color the books and when all of the students are finished, review the rules in the library and dismiss them to check out a book and go to their assigned centers.

January

Check in the students books and meet in the story corner.  Read aloud The Missing Mitten Mystery by Stephen Kellog.  Discuss the story and ask the children comprehension questions.  Move the children to their assigned seats.  Review the two types of fiction books kept in a library (chapter books and easy picture books) and review how they are kept in order.  Have the children work on an assignment putting fiction call numbers in order  by the first two letters of the author's last name.  When they are completed, review the rules in the library and dismiss the children to check out a book.

Check the students books in the story corner. Discuss what animal Arthur is (aardvark) and show the progression of Arthur through the years the Arthur series has been published (his nose was long, now he looks more like a bear than an aardvark).  Read aloud “D.W.'s Library Card ” by Marc Brown. Discuss whether the book is fiction or nonfiction and why and that the author of all of the Arthur and DW books is Marc Brown.  Ask the children what D.W. and Arthur's last name is. Show the students a picture of Marc Brown and give a little of his background. Show the Arthur video "Locked in the Library".  Review the rules in the library during book check out.  When the children come up to the desk to check out a book, give them an Arthur bookmark to color.  Have the children explain why a bookmark should always be used in a book and have them either color or look at their book until their teacher arrives to pick them up.

February

Check in the students books and meet in the reading circle.  Discuss Read Across America Day with the children.  Talk about Dr. Seuss and his contributions to children's literature.  Show the children several books that Dr. Seuss wrote, using the overhead projector.  Tell the children that to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday, which is in the beginning of March, we will have author Dar Hosta visiting us.  First read aloud, If I were a Tree by Dar Hosta.  Talk about Ms. Hosta's illustrations and describe how an illustrator creates collage illustrations.  Next, read aloud I Love the Alphabet.  Move the children to their assigned seats.  Have the children complete a First Grade word search that goes along with I love the alphabet.  Dismiss the children by table to check out books.