Book Talkin' Redux

Since my book talks have been such a success, here is my book trailer "parking lot" (need a better name!) for all the trailers I will be showing to my students!!

I AM SO EXCITED!

Eh hem.

Book Talkin'

So this past week I book talked books to my third, fourth and fifth graders.  I have, of course, introduced books to my students, but never in a one after the other, showing trailers, holding up books, drawing names, revealing the glossy new covers in all their glory, kind of way way.

The kids. went. nuts.

Like, Colby Sharp nuts.

Okay, so I know all of you who book talk on a regular basis are asking yourselves what took me so long to drink the book talk Kool Aid?

I don't know.

But things will never be the same around here!

Here are just a few of the links that I used to introduce new books:

  

George's Secret Key to the Universe 

Marty Mcguire 

Ivy and Bean 

Encyclopedia Brown from Kidsmomo

Take Me To Your Library - Rules from a Robot

Thanks to an inspirational presentation by one of our County's middle school librarians, I decided to give Xtranormal a try this year in order to cover some of the more...ehem...drier bits of library lessons.

I signed up for the Basic (read:  free) subscription and was able to create two similar videos with my allotted "XP" (Xtranormal points).  My two videos featured the same robots and background; one was for my primary grade students and the other was for my secondary grade students.

The kids loved the videos!  The younger ones were puzzled by the fact that the robot called me a friendly "robot".  Why did it say that?  It said I was a robot!  What did it mean that I was a robot?  Sometimes I forget how literal and how serious a bunch of first graders can be!  They are so earnest!  I cleared up any confusion and we were on our way to checkout!

If you go to the site in general and type in "library" or "library rules" or even "elementary library" you get quite a few hits.  I have yet to explore them all, but I have a feeling some of them might be "borrowable" and cover some of the same topics I cover in my library.

In the Home Office: Third, Fourth, Fifth Grade Book Menus

This year I have planned my lessons for every class for each week for the entire year.  It's really just a pacing guide because I have found that the end of the year sneaks up on me (hard to imagine in September) and I wonder where all the time went.  

Part of my plans include book talks and book trailers for every class once a month.  It doesn't sound like a lot, but I have to admit that last year my book talks were few and far between.

One problem (or wonderful challenge) with book talks is that there is then a mad rush for the books I've book talked and there are inevitable hurt feelings and discouraged students.  So I decided to create these book talk menus.  Students will leave their menus in the Library (any hints for managing the paper would be appreciated) for all third, fourth, and fifth graders.  Each time I book talk new books or highlight oldies but goodies, students can jot down the books of interest to them.  They will then have a running list of titles to chose from throughout the year.

Any suggestions for the format of my book menu?  I haven't made the photocopies yet. ; )