FREE LIBRARY LESSON PLANS FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIANS

 

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Literature and Library Lesson Plans - EXCELLENT!!!!

Literature Lesson Plans            

Menu: Curriculum and Standards | Flexible Scheduling | Instructional Models | Assessment | Information Skills Units | Literature Units | Technology and Internet Units | Using Primary Sources |

Literature Units - Web Sites

Menu for This Page: General Lesson Plan Sites | Book Reports | Fables, Folk and Fairy Tales | Genres | Literature Circles, Book Talks and Storytelling | Poetry |Nonfiction | Plans for Special Subjects | Elementary Level | Secondary Level | Children's Books and Technology | Miscellaneous

General Literature and Lesson Plan Sites

• Thinkfinity - Searchable site with literature lesson plans.
• Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Web Site - This site is filled with activities for teaching literature especially in the content areas.
• Read, Write, Think - Lesson plans for language arts from the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English.
• Lesson Plans for Childrens' Books - by Mrs. Donn.
• Teachers@Random - Teaching guides from Random House. This site has a monthly calendar which will help you to choose books related to seasonal events. There are also author biographies and lists of award winning books.
• Lesson Plans from Scholastic - There are many lesson plans from Scholastic Publishers. There are also Graphic Organizers for reading comprehension and records of books read.
• Literature Learning Activities - Literature lesson plans with Internet links. There are activities for Newbery and Caldecott winners in addition to popular children's books.
• Learn North Carolina - Search for literature lesson plans or take a look at their Best of the Web for links to many literature sites.
• Reading Fun - Many ideas for reading projects from Education World.
• Books for Children and Young Adults - Links to literature and reading promotion web sites. A part of the Resources for School Librarians web site.
• The Web English Teacher - Lots and lots of ideas for using literature.
• Crayola Lesson Plans - If you wish to incorporate a craft activity into your reading or library research, this is a useful site.
• Best Books for Students and Classroom Teaching Themes - Books on an elementary level which will go with classroom themes such as holidays, science, sports, and many others. This may also help you to find books for reading aloud. This is from Education World.
• How to Write a Children's Book Lesson Plan - For early elementary grades. This is by Peggy Epstein on eHow.

Book Reports

• Choosing the Right Book - Strategies for beginning readers (grades K - 2). This lesson plan is from ReadWriteThink.
• Collection of Book Report Ideas - 109 ideas from Barbara D. Martin.
• Book Report Makeover Archive - Are you tired of the same old book reports? Here are some new ideas from Education World.
• Book Reports - Lots of ideas from the Web English Teacher web site.
• 25 Book Report Alternatives - From Scholastic.
• Fresh Ideas for Book Reports - From Education World.
• Sundae of the Week - Students create a picture of an ice cream sundae to describe their book. This plan is by Kellie Hayden.
• Book Cover Creator - A site where students may create book covers for the books which they have read. There are also lesson plans and instructions for use.
• Book Trailers for Readers - A new way to present book reports. You may also need to watch How to Make a Book Trailer
• Book Report Forms - From ABC Teach.
• Reading Printables - Book report forms, reading logs, and other reading related materials from the Busy Teacher's Corner.
• Reading Forms - Book report forms including forms specifically for genre books.

Fables, Folktales, Fairy Tales

• Once Upon a Time: Lessons for Teaching about Fables, Fairy Tales, Folktales, Legends, Myths, Tall Tales - From Education World.
• Folktales and Fairy Tales - Lesson plans from Learn NC.
• Fairy Tales and Folktales - Links to lesson plans and literature sites by Web English Teacher.
• Folk and Fairy Tales - Lesson Plans from ProTeacher.
• Folk Tales and Fairy Tales - Lesson plans from A to Z Teacher Stuff.
• Twice Upon A Time: A Multicultural Cinderella Unit - Cindrella stories from many nations. From Ask Asia.
• Tall Tales - Teaching ideas and related web sites from 42 eXplore.
• Fairy Tales - Mainly worksheets from abc Teach

Genres

• Genre Studies: A Collaborative Approach - For gds. 3 - 5. From ReadWriteThink.
• Guess the Genre - An elementary lesson plan from Learn NC.
• Learning About Fiction Genres in the Elementary School Library. - This is an article from Bright Hub.
• Science Fiction - For grades 6 - 8.
• Science Fiction Lesson Plans - From Lesson Planet.
• Fantasy and Science Fiction - Teaching ideas and related web sites from 42 eXplore
• Raising Dragons - This is an introductory lesson in the elements of fantasy. It is based on the book Raising Dragons by Jerdine Nolan.
• Teaching Mysteries - Lesson plans from MysteryNet.
• Mystery - Teaching ideas and related web sites from 42 eXplore.
• Historical Fiction Genre Study - from Scholastic.
• Historical Fiction Timeline - Link reading to social studies. This is a lesson plan for all grades from Education World.
• Teaching the Horror Genre - This site has links to lesson plans. a horror handout, and horror discusssion questions. This site is by J. B. Benet.
• Genre Studies - Teachers report ideas they have used for teaching genres.
• Genre Definitions - From the California Department of Education.
• YA Genres - Good for definitions.

Literature Circles, Book Talks, and Storytelling

• Literature Circles Resource Guide - by the College of Education, Seattle University.
• Booktalks - Quick and Simple - by Nancy Keane
• Book Talks - for Scholastic books.
• Digital Booktalks - Maybe your students would like to do a digital booktalk.
• Eleven Good Digital Storytelling Resources - by Free Technology for Teachers.
• Story Arts - How to tell stories. There are also lesson plans.
• Effective Storytelling - A manual for beginners by Barry McWilliams.
• Have You Heard the Word? For a low-budget way to get kids wild about reading, try readers theater. - An article by Avi in School Library Journal, Dec., 2009.
• Reading Aloud - Articles on the benefits of reading aloud to students. You might want to share these with your teachers. From Education World.
• Reader's Theater: A Reason to Read Aloud - An introduction to reader's theater.

Poetry

• Poetry Lesson Plans - Many plans for using poetry for all grades from Education World.
• Poetry Lesson Plans - From Teachnology.
• Poetry Teachers.Com - Many ideas for teaching poetry.
• Poetry Lesson Plans - from The Teacher's Guide.
• National Poetry Month - Celebrate this event in April. This site is by the Academy of American Poets.
• The Poetry Foundation -This site will help you to find poems by subject, title, author, and a number of other criteria.
• Poetry Worksheets - These are mainly for acrostic forms. From ABC Teach.
• Acrostic Creator - Online tool and lesson plans to help students create acrostic poems.
• Diamante Poems - An online tool for creating diamante poems, and lesson plans which may be used even if you do not want to go online.

Nonfiction

• 5-Day Unit Plan for Introducing Nonfiction - This is for grades 2 - 4. This unit is from Scholastic.
• Fiction vs Nonfiction - Lesson plans and printables from Scholastic.
• Lighthouses - A unit for gds. 3-5 for teaching the difference between fiction and nonfiction.
• Biography and Autobiography Lesson Plans - From Web English Teacher.
• Building on Biographies - Ten ways to teach biographies from Education World.
• Literature and Math Converge in Storyville - Second grade students read books and then make up math problems based on the book.
• Nonfiction Booktalking Tips - by Kathleen Baxter.

Plans for Special Subjects

• Back to School Books - Suggested books for teachers and librarians to read on the first day of school. From Education World.
• Celebrate Children's Book Week - Many lessons here are good for any time of the year.
• The Holiday Zone - This site has booklists, craft ideas, worksheets, and other materials for holidays and seasons.
• December Holidays - Ideas from Education World.
• Black History Month - Reading ideas and resouces from Reading Rockets.
• Holiday Resources from September to June - a great list by media specialist Julie Grelier.

Elementary Level

• Texas Librarian - "Connecting Books, Reading Strategies and Lesson Plans for PreK-5 Librarians". This site also has nice lists of titles for the months of the year.
• Book Related Printables - Links to sites for printable activities for mainly early elementary level books. From the BookLoons web site.
• Children's Book Breaks - Craft ideas, bookmarks, and writing paper templates for early elementary children's books such as Arthur, Clifford, and others.
• Picture Book Lesson Plans - From Grand View Public Schools.
• Reading Rockets - a project to promote reading by early elementary age students. It is a collaboration between PBS and just about every other group concerned with early literacy. There is a section for librarians which may be found on the menu choice For Other Professionals. There are also a large number of articles - some with teaching activities.
• Recent Read Alouds from the Grand View Elementary School Library - A year's worth of read alouds for grades 1 - 5.
• Themes - From A to Z Teacher Stuff. There are activities for holidays, weather, back to school, authors, and more.
• Caldecott Connections - List of winners and teaching ideas from Eduscapes.
• Teaching Caldecott Winners - Some ideas from Scholastic.
• Newbery Award Reading Project - For grades 5 and up.
• The Wolf in Children's Books - For grade 3. Students learn the definitions of protagonist and antagonist, and also research wolves in nonfiction books. From Learn NC.
• Puppets at Your Library - An introduction to their use.

Secondary Level

• Literature Lesson Plans - From Discovery School. Most of these are on a high school level.
• AdLit - All about adolescent literacy. This site is for teachers and parents of students in grades 4 - 12. There are sections on classroom strategies, and videos so that you can see these strategies in action.
• Books R4 Teens - Book summaries, teaching ideas, related media and texts, and links to related web sites. This site is by the University of Texas at Austin.
• Teen Read Week - in October.

Children's Books and Technology

• The iPad Meets the Children's Book - An article by Karen Singer in Publisher's Weekly.
• Ten iPad Apps Based on Classic Children's Books - An article By Dianna Dilworth on June 22, 2011.
• Best of Children's Book iPad Apps 2010 - From the Kirkus Reviews.
• Digital Storytime - Reviews of Children's book apps.
• Reading 2.0 - a wiki on reading and book promotion.

Miscellaneous

• Page by Page: Creating a Children's Book - This excellent site takes you step by step through the creation of the book Zoom Upstream, written by Tim Wynn-Jones and illustrated by Eric Beddows. The site visitor will learn how the author got his ideas, how the illustrator drew the pictures, and how the publishing company prepared the manuscript for publication. By the National Library of Canada.
• Leaves of Gold - An introduction to medieval illustrated manuscripts. The Learning Center has teaching ideas. This site is by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Up to Top

Lesson Plan for "The Relatives Came" by Cynthia Rylant

Relatives Came, The

by Rylant, Cynthia. Illustrated by Stephen Gammell.  Picture Book. Grades 1+.  

Review

This is one of my all time favorite books.  The illustrations make it soooo much fun to read and look at.    The book tells of an old-fashioned family reuinion where relatives came from far across the mountains. They pile into and around the house with love and exuberance. Gammell's illustrations are so full of humor and distinctive characters that it's hard to get around to reading the delightful text.

Activities

• PreK - GRADE 3. QUESTIONING
• It appears that the driver of the station wagon isn't very good at it.
  Does he damage the car? Who fixes it?
• Where is their home?
• Where do the relatives live?
• GRADE 1 - 3. NUMERATION
  Figure out how many people there are. Be careful because some characters appear only once and others are on almost every page.
• PreK - GRADE 2. QUESTIONING, GATHERING DATA
  Look carefully at the boy in the blue-striped shirt, coming out to greet the people. Now find him on the next page.
  What is different about him?
  How could that have happened?
  Is it an illustrator's mistake?
• PreK - GRADE 3. CLASSIFICATION, PATTERN, NUMERATION
  Make a chart showing as many different patterns on people's clothing as possible. Make small squares of each kind of pattern, using wrapping paper or wallpaper.
  Form groups to find one pattern and post it.
  Which patterns are most frequently used?
  
  Patterns - - - - - - Number Found
  --------------------------------------------------
  Solid Colors
  Flowered
  Striped
  Plaid
  Checkered
• K - GRADE 3. TIME, ESTIMATION
  How far away do you think the relatives lived?
  What makes you think so?
  Have you ever traveled that long or that far?
  Did the relatives stay a long time?
  What makes you think so?

By Carol Hurst, thanks Carol for this great lesson plan... revised a bit by me.

THURSDAY'S THEMES TO GROW ON: Early Literacy for Toddlers+

In my latest reading class, Literacy in the Early Years, the professor mentioned that some struggling readers may have been toddlers who have dealt with ear infections over their short little life span.  My own grandson has had WAY to many and even had a couple of small surgeries to help him overcome the issue.  The minute he could adequately hear again, he took off like a rocket, speaking. Here are some great ideas to help boost toddlers reading readiness, especially helpful for those kids who have struggled with ear infections or issues of any kind that affected their hearing.  Hearing, of course, affects their progress with speaking.  The most important thing you can do is to talk to them, ALOT!  Ask open-ended questions that don't require a yes or no answer. (Go to READINGROCKETS.com, best website around, to learn much more about getting your toddler ready for reading.  ) Reading Tips for Parents of Toddlers By: Reading Rockets Being a toddler is all about action. Encourage continued language development and interest in books and reading by keeping things lively and engaging. Everyday experiences are full of opportunities to engage in conversation and develop language skills. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child. These tips for parents of toddlers are also available as a one-page handout to download and print. Reading tips in English (95K PDF)* Reading tips in Spanish (118K PDF)* Our reading tip sheets, for parents of children in preschool to grade 3, are available in 9 other languages. Don't expect your toddler to sit still for a book Toddlers need to move, so don't worry if they act out stories or just skip, romp, or tumble as you read to them. They may be moving, but they are listening. Recite rhymes, sing songs, and make mistakes! Pause to let your toddler finish a phrase or chant a refrain. Once your toddler is familiar with the rhyme or pattern, make mistakes on purpose and get caught. Choose engaging books Books featuring animals or machines invite movement and making sounds. Books with flaps or different textures to touch keep hands busy. Books with detailed illustrations or recurring items hidden in the pictures are great for exploring and discussing. Keep reading short, simple, and often Toddlers frequently have shorter attention spans than babies. Look for text that is short and simple. Read a little bit, several times a day. Encourage play that involves naming, describing, and communicating Set up a zoo with all the stuffed animals. Stage a race with the toy cars. Put your toddler in charge and ask lots of questions. Every day is an adventure when you're a toddler Choose books about everyday experiences and feelings. Your child will identify with the characters as they dress, eat, visit, nap, and play. Ask questions Take time to listen to your toddler's answers. Toddlers have strong opinions and interesting ideas about the world. Encourage your toddler to tell you what he or she thinks. You'll build language skills and learn what makes your toddler tick at the same time. Play to their favorites Read favorite stories again and again. Seek out books about things your toddler especially likes — trains, animals, the moon. These books may extend a toddler's attention span and build enthusiasm for reading. Not having fun? Try a different story or a different time during the day. Reading with a very young child is primarily about building positive experiences with books, not finishing every book you start. ELSIE: Early Literacy Storytime Ideas Exchange Find delightful picture books recommended by our librarians that are perfect for reading aloud to young children. Stop by weekly to get the latest recommendations or search anytime by keyword for recommended books on a specific topic. You probably have many books at home that work just great, but these are lots of fun!

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	Mandel, Peter Jackhammer Sam Easy Picture Book added Jul 1, 2012 Tips for sharing: How many kinds of noises can a jackhammer make? Jackhammer Sam, a man who takes pride in his work, is happy to demonstrate as he choppa-chops his way through barrage of tasks. This ode to a messy job ...read more
	Andreae, Giles Bustle in the Bushes Easy Nonfiction Book added Jun 24, 2012 Tips for sharing: The bugs are out in full force this summer. For me, bugs often have the YUCK factor, but I am trying to tame that because I know the importance of bugs in our ecosystem. The book Bustle in th...read more
	Lallemand, Orianne The Wolf Who Wanted to Change his Color Easy Picture Book added Jun 21, 2012 Tips for sharing: Wolf is not happy with his dreary gray color. Thinking he will be happier if he changes his color, he makes various, silly attempts, before realizing that his perfect shade is his original color. Thin...read more
	Bonwill, Ann I Don't Want to be a Pea Easy Picture Book added Jun 17, 2012 Tips for sharing: Friendship is hard. Especially when friends are stubborn and won’t give you your way! Hugo (a hippo) and Bella (a bird) are best friends and are going to a Bird and Hippo Costume Party or a Hipp...read more
	Lord, Janet. Where is Catkin? Easy Picture Book Appears on the following book lists:  Librarian Favorites 2010 •  Meow! Favorite Cat Books •  Cat's Meow added May 30, 2012 Tips for sharing: Clever Catkin is on the prowl and readers are invited along, but not as mere voyeurs: in this hunt, we are all participants.  Just as Catkin never merely walks, we are called upon to sneak and cr...read more
	Thompson, Lauren. Polar Bear Night Easy Picture Book added May 25, 2012 Tips for sharing:Baby Polar Bear is not sleepy and, like many a wound-up toddler, prefers to explore his surroundings to counting sheep.  What will he find on his journey?&nb...read more
	Goodrich, Carter. Zorro Gets an Outfit Easy Picture Book Appears on the following book list:  New Picture Books added May 22, 2012 Tips for sharing: I love finding picture books that are short but have a solid storyline. This book fits that category perfectly! Zorro’s person makes him wear a doggie costume and Zorro does not want to. Althoug...read more
	Fox, Mem Two Little Monkeys Easy Picture Book Appears on the following book list:  New Picture Books added May 15, 2012 Tips for sharing: This is a cute, rhythmic story about two mischievous monkeys and one a-little-bit-scary leopard. With lots of repetitive phrases, it should be an easy book for children to learn and enjoy re...read more
	Davey, Owen Night Knight Easy Picture Book added May 11, 2012 Tips for sharing:A Knight at night needs to go to bed just like everyone else. This creative book plays with words and enhances imagination. Readers will be taken to the world of knights and castles. Encourage chil...read more
	Springman, I. C. More Easy Picture Book added Apr 24, 2012 Tips for sharing: What happens to all those lost marbles and bits of ribbon? The magpie wants to collect all the different objects and it makes a more cheerful nest. But the magpie is so enthused he keeps adding and ad...read more
	Jeffers, Oliver Stuck Easy Picture Book Appears on the following book list:  Classroom Read Aloud - picture books added Apr 13, 2012 Tips for sharing: Floyd’s kite is stuck in a tree, testing his problem solving skills and causing all out calamity! How would you get a kite out of a tree? Oh, you wouldn’t throw a cat, chair, and gorilla u...read more
	Yoo, Taeeun You are a Lion! : and other Fun Yoga Poses Easy Picture Book added Apr 3, 2012 Tips for sharing: Perfect for introducing yoga into storytime, or just for settling your child down before bed, this book teaches children animal yoga poses through bright illustrations and a simple, non-rhyming verse,...read more
	Sauer, Tammi. Me Want Pet! Easy Picture Book added Mar 30, 2012 Tips for sharing: Ooga! Ooga! Cave Boy want pet! Cave Boy is in se...read more
	Kraus, Robert Whose Mouse are You? Easy Picture Book added Mar 26, 2012 Tips for sharing: In this classic, the reader asks a sad little mouse a series of questions to discover why he is all alone. This unique storytelling style will engage young listeners as they learn what ...read more
	McGinness, Suzanne My Bear Griz Easy Picture Book Appears on the following book list:  Favorites for Preschoolers added Feb 25, 2012 Tips for sharing: Billy is learning about things to do with a friend, his best friend, the bear Griz. This is a bit bigger-than-average pictur...read more
	Wolff, Ashley. Baby Bear Sees Blue Easy Picture Book Appears on the following book list:  Favorites for Preschoolers  Concepts: Colors and more  Letter Sounds: B added Feb 21, 2012 Tips for sharing: This is a sweet and simple concept story about a bear and his mama.  Baby bear explores his habitat, asking his mother appropriate toddler-like questions, such as “Who is singing to me, Mam...read more
	Gershator, Phillis Time for a Hug Easy Picture Book added Feb 17, 2012 Tips for sharing: What time is it? Time for a hug!  Mama and Little Rabbit do many fun things together throughout the day, but always make time for hugging each other.  What can be better than that?  As ...read more
	Meltzer, Lynn The Construction Crew Easy Picture Book Appears on the following book list:  Favorites for Preschoolers  Word Play  Things That Go •  Workers & Trucks added Feb 4, 2012 Tips for sharing: The construction crew gets right to work and we see them busy at their tasks. We build our vocabulary as we learn the names of the machines. Short, rhythmic rhyming moves the action and helps us devel...read more
	Slate, Jenny, 1982- Marcel the Shell with Shoes On : Things About Me Easy Picture Book added Feb 3, 2012 Tips for sharing: From the oft-viewed YouTube videos, comes Marcel the Shell: Book Star!  Silly but endearing, Marcel takes readers on a tour of his apartment home, stopping to point out neighbors, ...read more
	Shaskan, Stephen A Dog is a Dog Easy Picture Book Appears on the following book list:  Word Play  Minnesota - picture books •  Storytime Favorites for Crowds added Jan 10, 2012 Tips for sharing: Simple rhymes and playful illustrations work together to create a fun story of a dog who is in the habit of changing his identity. Some pages offer up a bold-print, one-word spread—perfect for d...read more

BONUS: Early Literacy - Helping your children get ready to learn to read.

What is early literacy? Helping your children get ready to learn to read. You are your child's first teacher.

Enjoy five playful and simple ways to prepare your children to become readers! Children learn about language by listening and joining in the conversation. Talk as you play and choose whatever books interest your children to give you more to talk about! Fingerplays, Rhymes & Songs slow down language so children can hear the different sounds that make up words. Have a librarian show you the Library's extensive CD collections to find familiar or new songs to sing together. Shared reading--or reading books together--is the single best way to help children get ready to read. Kids who enjoy being read to are more likely to enjoy reading themselves, which leads to success in all school subjects. Watch short Read To Me videos to see how fun and easy shared reading is and find tips for choosing books your child will enjoy. Provide your children with lots of opportunities to write or draw. Many of our libraries have either writing stations or toys that stimulate small motor muscle control, which is a first step to writing. Children learn language by interacting with others and also by interacting with their physical surroundings. Come to the library and see all the ways we encourage play within our spaces.