WHAT REALLY GOES ON IN THE G.E.S. LIBRARY?
So what really does go on in library classes at Goessel Elementary School? A LOT OF THINGS! The library program is more than just reading books to students, although that happens a lot with the early grades. The library curriculum is designed to provide each grade level with information skills that will be useful long after leaving G.E.S. The curriculum also includes support lessons for college and career readiness standards being taught in the classroom. Oh yeah, we also have lots of fun!
PRE-KINDERGARTEN (4-YEAR-OLDS)
"Get to know me" activities
"Worm" project (I Can Only Draw Worms)
"Monster" books and project
"Bear" books and "Going on a Bear Hunt"
Action books
Amusement park unit
Following directions activities
Counting
Good news/bad news
"Peas" books by Keith Baker
Bill Martin books
KINDERGARTEN
Weekly accelerated reader tests taken as a class
How to take care of books and the library shelves
Becoming familiar with the different sections of the library
Nursery rhymes (Students learn and illustrate six nursery rhymes and then do a presentation for the 5th graders)
Mo Willems books (Mr. Pauls loves elephant and piggie!)
Writing and Illustrating Stories (Potato Pants, The Kindergartner's Picnic, and circle stories)
Point-of-view
Alphabetical order
Following directions activities
Making predictions
Reading spine labels
Vocabulary challenges
Beginning letter sounds
FIRST GRADE
Alliteration (tongue twisters)
Problem solving
Compare and contrast
Synonyms and antonyms
Context clues
Alphabetical order
Setting
Student presentations of favorite books
Story telling
Vocabulary challenges
"Martha" books by Susan Meddaugh
SECOND GRADE
Illustrator unit (Lane Smith, David Wiesner, Janet Stevens)
Compare and contrast
"Wumbers" project
Poetry unit (Each student writes and illustrates an original poem)
Vocabulary challenges
Ralph S. Mouse unit
Peter Brown books
THIRD GRADE
Biographies
Alphabetical order to the third letter
Locating books on the shelves using the library automated program
Tomorrow’s Alphabet project
Mystery/detective unit
Writing summaries
Vocabulary challenges
Self check-out
Research skills (for class animal reports)
FOURTH GRADE
13 Words project
Author's purpose
Cause and effect
Locating books in the nonfiction section
Vocabulary challenges
Alliteration
Descriptive writing
Editing student writing
Book selection by STAR Reading level
Recognizing accurate information
FIFTH GRADE
Graphic novel unit (Students create a four-panel graphic novel)
Book portfolios (Each student creates a book portfolio on the book of his/her choosing and presents it to the class)
Vocabulary challenges
Cause and effect
"Write around" stories
Critical reading/decisions
