Engaging School Library Activities
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ScribdTranslationsEngaging School Library Activities
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ScribdTranslationsTHINGS YOU CAN DO IN THE
LIBRARIES AND PERHAPS NOT
Did you know!!!
Watch movies like in the cinema
Dance, practice tai chi, meditation...
Borrowing more than just books, CDs and
DVDs
Play and create by playing with playful materials
Trim
Coloring
Draw
Learning languages
Conduct a workshop
Diving in between readings
individual
Consult information
Carry out some teamwork
Book club
Carry out an activity for a subject in a
different space
Group reading
Activities for school classroom
"Convince me you", one of the activities for libraries
more complete classes
Depending on the age of the children, there are numerous simple and practical activities.
to carry out to promote the use of the library. For example, if the students are
consolidated readers around 8 years old will find this activity extremely
fun, as it involves choosing a book as a team and, after reading it,
convince others that his book is the best and that they have to read it.
With the help of the teacher, who will lead and moderate the debate, the students will be able
to express oneself orally while fostering a love for reading. It is important
Let the kids themselves choose the book that will motivate and encourage them.
to read.
Create your own story
Thewritten expressionand plastic arts are other aspects that should be more encouraged and
work during school education and, above all, during primary education. The
the activity we propose next will capture the children's attention.
that, based on a title given by the educator, the students will have to create their
own story. For this, the class will be divided among the students who want to develop
history through writing and those who want to do it through theillustrations.
Once finished, the book will be bound and, if possible, a
copy for each student.
However, the activity does not end here since, to promote reading, each
each class will create a different book and, once finished, these will be exchanged among
classes and that book from the classmates will be the one worked on in the library of
classroom.
The library is the playground and vice versa
This activity is inspired by aexperienceborn in the school library of
CEIP Los Montecillos, from Dos Hermanas, Seville. The teachers came up with the idea that the
the library was an extension of school recess. A suitable place for the
recreation, relaxation, and play within school hours.
On Mondays it became Drawingland, on Tuesdays it became Playland, on Wednesdays The
Pandila Lee, on Thursdays Filmolandia, a workshop for watching movies. And the
Friday, Cuentilandia, a story narrated by the librarian, the teacher, or some of
the students.
Where is this postcard sent from?
Emails and messages through networks have displaced letters sent by mail and the
postcards. But there is no doubt that it is romantic and exotic for a friend to
Write. The activity consists of receiving the postcard, opening it in front of the captive audience and
show, for example, the photo of a monument or a landscape,
At that moment, the search is activated in encyclopedias and other books or magazines to
to find the image in question and a related reading. It is important for teachers and
activity coordinators have the tact and insight to guide the search.
Considering that the mere search is a moment of unexpected encounters and
surprises.
The character of the week
Here the researchers propose that children be invited to learn weekly.
deeply a storybook character. If it's Little Red Riding Hood, they talk about building a sort of
museum of the famous girl. With stories of the forest, of the grandmother, of the mother and the
lumberjack, after all, of the characters and environment of the story.
The idea is to deepen the understanding of the characters, recreating the context and
giving rise to versions that would be born from the original story.
What will happen?
What if you resort to the old technique of suspense? Create a moment of absolute
expectation and when everyone thinks they are going to hear the conclusion, bam! close the
book and invite to continue the story afterwards.
The action is complemented if children are asked to work on their finals at home.
probables. Then, on the reading day, ask them to share before it is
the original ending revealed.
Reading has the charm of magic and the library is meant to become a
ideal space to discover the secrets of the Universe.
7 fun reading activities using
books from the school library or the classroom
Motivating students to read is a constant task in teaching, and without
Without a doubt, reading is the foundation of learning as it provides students with
possibility of searching for and managing information to build their own
knowledge and the ability to apply it in daily life. In relation to this, many schools
They have school or classroom libraries, which can be very useful to us.
to promote reading among students, it is necessary for us to have
various strategies and activities to get the most out of this
valuable resource.
Therefore, we share with you a series of strategies and activities
reading that you can implement using the books from the school library or from
classroom.
FROZEN STORY
Steps for its implementation:
1. Select a story from the classroom library.
2. Read the story aloud to the students.
3. Divide the students into teams (minimum of two).
4. Ask each team to choose a scene from the story read to represent it.
like a 'frozen scene'; that is, each of the participants adopts a
determined position and not to move.
5. Organize the team representation of your scene and explain it to the others.
teams will have to guess which part of the story is represented.
6. Conclude with a round of comments regarding the activity.
SHADOWED TALE
Steps for its implementation:
1. Have white fabric or paper on hand; dark cardboard or cardstock; sticks of
wood, pencil, scissors, glue and a light source (a bulb, a candle or a flashlight).
2. Choose the silhouettes of the characters or representative objects from a story.
school library.
Draw and cut out the silhouette of the character or object on the cardboard or cardstock and
hit it with a wooden stick that will be used to hold them.
Hang the fabric or white paper over a frame that is large enough.
so that the silhouettes, like puppets, move easily; place the source
light approximately two meters behind the fabric or the white paper and direct the light
to the silhouettes so that they project the shadows on the screen.
5. Ask the students for help to move the silhouettes in a coordinated manner with the
reading of the story.
6. Practice reading the story aloud along with the outlines, so that it
coordinate the movement and appearance of the silhouettes with the reading.
7. Ensure that the area where the activity takes place is dimly lit.
8. Start the activity by mentioning the title of the reading and a brief biography of the author.
author.
9. Carry out the reading accompanied by the shadows.
10. Ask the students for their opinions on what they liked most about the activity.
IMAGINARY READING
Steps for its implementation:
1. Before carrying out the activity, select a book from the school or classroom library.
that the students do not know. Look for one that is in line with the group's interests, or
Well, it relates to some of the topics covered in a subject.
2. Present the book you have chosen to the students. Show the cover and read aloud.
the title
3. Explain that the pages will be turned slowly. Ask the children to pay close attention to
what you will see. Start by showing the first image of the story; make sure that
Everyone has seen her. Then show the following illustration; without making comments,
continue in the same way until the story is finished.
4. Request a volunteer to narrate the story they built according to
with the illustrations.
5. Ask the rest of the group to complement the story told by their partner, so that
expand the information. Whenever doubts arise in the narrative, show it again.
corresponding illustration and invite the group to observe it carefully. Ask
explanations regarding the inferences that students are making; for example:
Why do you think the boy was scared? Where are they headed? What will it be like?
place where they are located?
6. Organize teams of four members and invite them to collectively write the
story developed from the illustrations.
7. In the end, each team will read their text to the rest of the group.
SOUND STORY
Steps for its implementation:
1. Select a book from the school library that contains many characters and
situations.
2. Read the story to know the history and be able to determine what sounds can
accompany the characters or the situations.
3. Explain to the participants that you will read the story again and you will tell them what sounds
they accompany the characters or the situations.
4. Read the story aloud and ask the students to imitate the sounds of the
characters or situations that will appear throughout the story.
5. End with a round of comments regarding the activity.
INVENTIONS
Steps for its implementation:
1. Choose a story or legend from the school library where angels appear,
fantastic animals or mysterious characters.
2. Transcribe the text and omit the title and the end.
3. Ask one of the students to read the text aloud.
4. Explain to the students that they must give a title to the story they listened to and
also think about an ending for it.
Give the students about ten minutes to choose the title and the
final.
6. Ask some students to read the title they invented. Afterwards, ask them to
others who share the endings they created.
7. Conclude the activity by reading the true title and ending and inviting the
participants to comment on which title and ending they liked the most.
DISORDERED TALE
Steps for its implementation:
Have tongue depressors or strips of paper and enough pencils for the students on hand.
2. Select a short story from the school library.
3. Ask some students to take turns reading the text aloud.
4. At the end of the reading, provide each student with a tongue depressor or strip of paper.
and a pencil.
5. Ask the participants to write on the tongue depressor or strip of paper a
event of the reading that caught their attention.
6. Collect the tongue depressors or paper strips, mix them up, and provide them randomly to
each student one for them to read silently.
7. Organize the students to form a line, as they see fit, to
recreate the story; those who have an event from the beginning should place themselves at the
front; those who possess events of development, in the middle, and those who have the
latest events at the end of the line.
8. Ask the participants to read their tongue depressors or strips of paper in turns; in the
In case someone finds themselves in the wrong place, they can change their location.
9. Finally organize the participants to discuss the reading.
HIDDEN WORDS
Steps for its implementation:
Have cards and markers at hand.
2. Select a story, fable, or legend from the school library and choose some
phrases to transcribe, each one on a different card.
3. Start reading the chosen text aloud. When the first sentence appears
selected to suspend the reading and show the students the card. Immediately
place it in a visible spot in the classroom for everyone. This will be done with each of the
cards until the text is finished.
4. Request the students to voluntarily retell the story.
When one of the phrases written on the cards is mentioned, they will go to the place where it
they will locate her and show her to the group.
5. The activity ends when the story is finished.
Common questions
Powered by AIThe 'Inventions' activity encourages storytelling adaptation skills by inviting students to creatively invent new titles and conclusions for familiar stories. By omitting the title and ending of a chosen tale, students are pushed to reinterpret and adapt the story's narrative, fostering flexibility in thinking and creativity . This activity allows students to explore alternative plot developments and character arcs, encouraging them to think beyond fixed narratives and develop proficiency in storytelling, critical thinking, and adaptability .
'Imaginary Reading' fosters imagination by having students create narratives based on illustrations without prior textual context, thus they must use their imagination to infer plot details and character motivations . This exercise also enhances comprehension as students practice interpreting visual cues, translating them into cohesive stories. It encourages learners to construct meaning and make connections between sequential images, which strengthens their analytical skills and narrative understanding. Additionally, the collaborative aspect of narrating and refining stories enhances conclusions drawn from visual interpretations .
The 'Frozen Story' activity improves teamwork and creativity by requiring students to work collectively to choose a scene from a story and represent it as a static tableau. This exercise encourages students to collaborate in selecting and creatively interpreting the scene's emotions and actions . Team members must communicate effectively and trust each other's judgment to convey the story visually, which nurtures teamwork and fosters a creative reinterpretation of text into visual art forms .
Suspense in the 'Story with suspenseful ending' activity keeps students engaged by creating anticipation and curiosity. By stopping at a crucial moment before the story's conclusion, the teacher engages students' imaginations, prompting them to speculate and create potential endings . This not only motivates students to think critically and creatively about narrative possibilities but also enhances their investment in the story, as they are involved in the speculation and resolution processes. This dramatic tension can increase enthusiasm for reading and storytelling .
'The library is the playground and vice versa' activity effectively promotes literacy by integrating leisure and learning, which encourages children to associate reading with fun and creativity. Each day of the week is dedicated to different creative and narrative activities—like Drawingland and Playland—that engage students in active and imaginative participation, transforming the library into an immersive environment . This approach reduces anxiety around reading, making it a playful and desirable activity, and thus fostering a positive lifelong relationship with books and learning .
The 'Character of the week' activity can lead to multiple learning outcomes, including enhanced comprehension skills and empathy. By focusing intensively on a story character like Little Red Riding Hood, students can explore different perspectives, motivations, and backgrounds of the characters, facilitating deeper understanding and emotional engagement . This activity encourages critical thinking as students are tasked with recreating and potentially reshaping the story's context and narrative endings, promoting imaginative and analytical skills .
Library activities like the 'Convince me you' book debate and the story creation project encourage both individual expression and teamwork. In 'Convince me you', students individually express their opinions about books and work in teams to present their arguments, promoting public speaking and critical thinking . The story creation project involves students in both writing and illustrating parts of a story, allowing them to choose their preferred form of expression while collaborating to make a collective class book . These activities support personal development and collaborative skills.
Both 'Hidden Words' and 'Disordered Tale' activities make reading interactive by involving students physically and cognitively in the storytelling process. 'Hidden Words' requires students to listen carefully to the reading, using key phrases as cues to interact with the story, making it a communal and engaging experience . Meanwhile, 'Disordered Tale' involves students in reconstructing a story from disordered cues, promoting critical thinking and collaboration as they must determine the correct sequence of events through discussions and logical reasoning . These activities turn passive reading into an active, participative process.
'Sound Story' activities enhance educational benefits by incorporating auditory learning, which can help in developing listening skills and attentiveness. By requiring students to mimic sounds corresponding to characters or situations, it immerses them into the storytelling, which can improve memory retention and understanding of the narrative . This type of multimodal interaction promotes active listening, a deeper engagement with the text, and encourages creativity as students experiment with creating appropriate soundscapes .
Incorporating storytelling and shadow puppetry into education can significantly enhance learning by engaging multiple senses, making learning more memorable. Shadow puppetry adds a visual and tactile element that can enhance understanding and retention of the story through movement and manipulation of objects . It encourages creativity, improves coordination by synchronizing the reading with puppet movements, and enhances listening skills as students must pay attention to both the narrative and the corresponding actions . This multimodal approach can help cater to diverse learning styles and needs.