LIBRARY CENTER

Compiled By Charles Tucker

OUTLINE

Why Do I Need a Library Center How Do I Make a Library Center What Should Be in a Library Center Examples of Library Centers Teacher’s Role Using the Pre-K Standards Good Ideas Resources

WHY DO I NEED A LIBRARY CENTER

Social/ Emotional Children develop skills necessary to read and write Children learn about people who are like them, and different Children develop empathy for others

Physical Development Children strengthen small muscles in the hands (writing, turning pages) Children’s eye muscles are strengthened as words and pictures are followed

in a book

Cognitive Development Children begin to understand the world around them. Children learn to relate the word “house” with a picture of one Children learn to sequence events as they develop the ability to retell a

story

Language Development- Children build up phonological awareness. “As preschoolers play with

sounds, they are actually modeling rhythm, tone, volume, and non-verbal expressions” Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D

WHAT CHILDREN LEARN IN THE LIBRARY AREA(FROM CREATIVE CURRICULUM® FOR

PRESCHOOLERS)

Print Motivation Books and reading are fun

Vocabulary Learns the names of objects/etc

Print Awareness Recognizes print and understanding of how books work

Letter Knowledge Understands each letter has its own name and sound

Narrative Skills Being able to tell stories and describe things

Phonological Awareness Be able to recognize and play with the smaller sounds

that make up words.

HOW DO I MAKE A LIBRARY CENTER FROM

CREATIVE CURRICULUM® FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Comfortable places to sit In a quiet area of the

classroom away from traffic

Carpeted floor with good lighting

Table and chairs for writing

Bookshelf to display books Books are accessible Big book stand Shelf for writing supplies

MATERIALS FROM CREATIVE CURRICULUM® FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Wide variety of children’s books:

Fantasy Factual Information Nature and Science Different Races and

Cultures Different Abilities

A selection of big books

Rotate books out; use books to reflect current themes or activities.

Displays on walls, including book jackets, posters, a job chart, schedule, and the alphabet

Tape or CD players and two headsets (or

individual Walkman-type players)

Computer word processing software

Hand puppets, flannel board, magnetic board, and other props for retelling stories

Assorted paper, lined and unlined

Assorted writing pens, paper, markers

Alphabet strips, name cards, letter and number stamps

Bean bag chair

Children’s furniture (chair/ sofa)

Paper and crayons Story clothesline

(children use clothespins to hand pictures from a story in the correct sequence on a clothesline)

Storytelling apron

MATERIALS FOR WRITING FROM CREATIVE CURRICULUM® FOR

PRESCHOOLERS

Variety of pencils- “chubby” and regular

Magic markers- thick and thin, water-based, variety of colors

Chalk and chalkboards

Lap pads Clipboards Letter and design

stencils Computer printer

paper Magazines Index cards Envelopes and

stationery Unlined and lined

paper Carbon paper Small blank books Hole puncher

Stapler Paste or glue stick Old wallpaper

samples to use as book covers

Scissors Paper clips Pencil sharpener

SELECTING BOOKS FROM CREATIVE CURRICULUM® FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Developmentally Appropriate Young children-simple books, pictures Older children-complex and more challenging Special Needs-large print, different textures

*****Books with violence are not appropriate Related to interests and life experiences of children Predictable books in which children can actively participate Books that enrich children’s language development Books that help children gain knowledge of the alphabet

and phonological awareness Books that reflect diversity and promote inclusion.

ACQUIRING MATERIAL

Ask parents to donate to the area Shop rummage or garage sales Visit your local library USE YOUR BLL AND JOURNEYS

READING RESOURCES!

EXAMPLES OF LIBRARY CENTER

MORE EXAMPLES

TEACHER’S ROLE IN THE LIBRARY AREA FROM CREATIVE CURRICULUM® FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Encourage students to have a love for books

Responding to each child Comment on what interests them, and ask

open-ended questions

Interacting with Children Reading books to children Have students take turns retelling stories

during reading circle Use a variety of materials to help students

retell stories; such as flannel boards Use non-verbal interactions

READ INFORMALLY (ALL ABOUT THE ECERS-R)

According to the ECERS-R, there needs to be at least one instance of informal reading

This can include reading to an individual or a group during: Free Play Extension of an activity If the child is having difficulties Requested by the child

OBSERVING STUDENTS IN THE LIBRARY CENTER

Observe if the student: Is developing skills as they progress to become readers Talks about the story, pretends to read it, and points out

words in the text Is making predictions about what comes next Retells stories in their own words Handles a book appropriately and follows print from left-

to-right and top-to-bottom Writes or scribbles messages to communicate meaning

From: Creative Curriculum® for Preschoolers

SKILLS FOR ENGAGING WITH BOOKS FROM

CREATIVE CURRICULUM® FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Listening for understanding Exploring books Understanding how stories work Understanding the function and value of print Recognizing that written words are symbols Connecting written symbol with sounds Matching words with the printed text Recognizing printed words

*These skills often develop simultaneously

USING THE PRE-K STANDARDS

Goals of Pre-Kindergarten literacy: Foster knowledge about print and the

uses of literacy Promote vocabulary Motivate children to read

NV PRE-K STANDARDS NEVADA’S PRE-KINDERGARTEN STANDARDS GUIDEBOOK FOR TEACHERS

Reading Children begin to recognize and understand

new words (Pre-K Standard 1.0)Teacher may see children begin to:

Identify the initial sound of own name Recognize environmental print and symbols Identify some letters in own name

Activity: Make a book out of cereal boxes (cut the top off and put on rings), candy wrappers (mount on index cards and laminate).

NV PRE-K STANDARDS (NV GUIDEBOOK FOR TEACHERS)

Reading Children begin to understand books and the process of

reading (Pre-K Standard 2.0)Teacher may see children begin to:

Identify the front of the book and how to turn pages when reading Use pictures to aid understanding Ask questions or make comments important to the story being read

Activity: Have students do a scavenger book hunt. They have to identify the front cover, back cover, spine, and pages. Have the students identify different pictures and make inferences using the pictures about what the book will be about.

NV PRE-K STANDARDS (NV GUIDEBOOK FOR TEACHERS)

Reading Children begin to apply early reading skills (Pre-K

Standard 3.0)Teacher may see children begin to:

Retell a story using pictures, props, or a book Predict what will happen next in a story and respond Listen and respond to stories from different cultures and time periods Listen and respond to rhythm or rhyme Listen and respond to age-appropriate material for a variety of purposes Listen and respond to poetry and prose

Activity: Read the book to the students but pause before saying the rhyming word. Allow the students an opportunity to make up the words. Make up your own book, or re-write the ending of a book.

NV PRE-K STANDARDS (NV GUIDEBOOK FOR TEACHERS)

Reading Children begin to use reading as a way to learn. (Pre-K

Standard 4.0)Teacher may see children begin to:

Demonstrate an understanding that printed materials provide information Recall information from an event, text, or picture Respond to or ask a question about an event, text or picture Follow with teacher assistance, a simple display of pictures

Activity: Book Review: Give each student a book and give them five minutes to look through the book. Based on what the child “read” they have to tell the other students about the book. The group will then vote on what book should be read. Students can also “read” their book to their friends.

LIBRARY CENTER ACTIVITIES

CLASS BOOKS (HTTP://WWW.PRE-KPAGES.COM/CLASSBOOKS/)

Class books are an excellent way to encourage students to read. They feel a part of the experience. It is also a cheap and easy way to increase your book inventory.

LIBRARY ACTIVITIES

Telephone Switchboard Materials: old phone cord, file folder, Singing

Glo Tube or another tube shaped to look like a phone.

– Tie one end of an old phone card around the whisper phone. Use duct tape to attach the other end of the cord to a file folder on which you have written each letter of the alphabet. Children put the whisper phone to their ears, close their eyes, put their finger down on the folder, open their eyes, then reproduce the sound on which they landed.

From: The Best of Dr. Jean: Reading & Writing

MORE ACTIVITIESMagnetic Letters

Materials: assortment of magnetic letters, jumbo craft sticks, glue, metal cookie sheet, magnet

– Place the letters on a table. Have each child find the letter that begins his or her name.

– Glue magnetic letters to jumbo craft sticks. Children can use these to match letters on print they see around the classroom. They can also take letter sticks and find something in the room beginning with that sound.

– Demonstrate how to build words with magnetic letters. (This is really neat on the overhead projector!)

– Use magnetic letters on a cookie sheet or file cabinet. What a fun way for children to make word families!

– Hide magnetic letters in your sand table. Children can hold a magnet and try to identify letters that they attract.

– Place several letters you are working on around the door frame. As children leave the room, ask them to touch the letter they hear at the beginning of any given word

From: The Best of Dr. Jean: Reading & Writing

MORE ACTIVITIESBody Letters

Challenge children to make letters of the alphabet with their bodies. Take a photograph of them and use these to make an alphabet book. Write the letters on the photos of children’s bodies so they can see the correct letter.

From: The Best of Dr. Jean: Reading & Writing

Letter “B”

AND MORE Peek a boo Put a picture for each letter of the alphabet on a different

page. (you can cut these from magazines or let children draw them.) Cover the picture with a piece of construction paper and tape it at the top so you can lift and see what the picture is. Write the word for the picture on the construction paper flap. Children try to sound out the word, then “take a peek” to confirm their guess.

A B C CamouflageWrite a large letter of the alphabet on a sheet of paper for each child. Challenge them to “camouflage” their letter by turning it to an object, animal, or person. Put their pages together and see if they can find the letter on each page. To make this activity more difficult, ask children to create something out of their letter that begins with the sound their letter makes (for instance, S for snake.)

Alphabet Yearbook Collect pictures of children, special activities, field trips, parties, themes, etc., throughout the school year. Toward the end of the year, type “A is for>>>” and glue pictures of events and children whose names begin with A on that page. Do a page for each letter of the alphabet. Run off a copy for each child, then let him or her decorate a pocket folder and insert the page to make a personal yearbook. Have an “autograph” party where children collect their friends’ signatures.

Textured Alphabet BookOn each page, form letters from felt, sandpaper, yarn, glitter, foam, and so on. Encourage children to close their eyes and fell the letters.

Hidden LettersScramble the letters of the alphabet on a piece of paper. Write “Where is A?” at the top of one of the pages, “Where is B?” on the second page and so on. Bend a pipe cleaner to look like a magnifying glass. (you can also use a bubble wand to frame the letters.) Use construction paper to make front and back cover of the book. Hole punch and bind the pages with book rings. Children take the “magnifying glass” and find hidden letter on each page. Adapt this activity by using fewer letters on each page and limit the number of pages in the book. You can also make a similar book with lowercase letters, vocabulary words, children’s names and so on.

From: The Best of Dr. Jean: Reading & Writing

BUDDY BAGS (HTTP://WWW.PRE-KPAGES.COM/BUDDY-BAGS/)

EXAMPLE OF BAG

NOTE THAT GOES HOME A Buddy Bag is a book and activities

you send home with a student so they have an opportunity to experience reading at home.

Bag # 8  Brown BearContents:

Stuffed brown bear Brown Bear book Parent Journal Class made book “Pre-K, Pre-K, What Do You See?” Instruction Sheet Brown Bear recorded on CD or IPOD

Check out website to see all the buddy bags

Leader Backpack

PLEASE RETURN THE BACKPACK AND ALL CONTENTS TO SCHOOL TOMORROW.

Dear Family:Your child is bringing home the ________ Backpack today. Askyour child what types of special things he/she did at school

today.Please read the book(s) in the backpack to your child. There may

beother activities such as flash cards, games, or puzzles included

alongwith the book. Please help your child complete any other

activitiesthat are included in the backpack.

Please return all the contents of the backpack in the samecondition that you received them.

Please keep the backpack and all contents safe from youngersiblings and pets.

There is a list of contents on the back of this note; please check the list to make sure everything is in the bag.

Thank you for your cooperation and have a wonderful evening!

RESOURCES

http://www.mrsmcdowell.com/Literacy%20Boxes/boxes.htm

Creative Curriculum® for Preschoolers ALL ABOUT THE ECERS-R http://www.pre-kpages.com/

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

http://www.ldcm.org/ Las Vegas-Clark County Library District

http://www.artslasvegas.org / City of Las Vegas- Office of Cultural Affairs and Community Events and Leisure Activities

http://www. mypubliclibrary.com / Henderson Libraries

http://www.cityofnorthlasvegas.com/departments/library/library.shtm / North Las Vegas Library District

BOOKS FOR LIBRARY CENTER IDEAS

Literacy and The Youngest Learner- Best Practices for Educators of Children from Birth to 5 Susan Bennett-Armistead, Nell K. Duke, Annie M. Moses

Best of Dr. Jean- Reading & Writing Dr. Jean Feldman