Dear Librarian: On Books & Reading Activities

Lou Rodriguez Miranda, school librarian of Collegio San Agustin, Binan Laguna sent me a query on book and reading activities. Here are some activities I thought of.

a. Have students create their own illustrated story books and include these in the collection.

b. Have a reading idol every month - feature a teacher or school admin and his or her favorite book.

c. Stage your own book award for best story of 2013 and best illustrated story book of 2013.

d. Integrate with a subject area an activity that will inspire literacy development, for example grade 2 Science class will read one non-fiction book a week or a month depending on lesson for the unit or the month.

e. Provide grade levels with recommended reading list from your collection.

Lou is assigned in the preschool library. So here's a new set for other school librarians out there who are working with children in the grade school and older kids in the high school level.

1. Reader's Choice - Read five books from the library’s storybook collection. Pick the top three from the five you selected. In your group, collate all your top three choices in one list. Include annotations for your book choices. Your annotations should not be longer than three sentences. Publish your list, Readers Choice, in the library’s bulletin board, in a blog, in a newsletter or send it via email to faculty, student and parent communities of your school.

2. Reading Passports - Read one story book. Log in your reading passport the title, author and publisher of the book. Do the assigned activity in your passport after reading the book. Share your output to others during book discussion time.

3. Story Theater / Puppet Show  / Storytelling / Kamishibai - Older kids can make their own story telling props and materials, puppets and flash cards. Have them perform for the younger set.

Involve the community in reading campaigns and activities as well. As I said before, a reading community is a learning community.
 

4. Family Read-in @ the Library - Parents and their kids come to the library for an evening of reading activities.

5. Book Trailer Making - Upper grade students create book trailers, videos, of their favorite books.

6. Read-in & Read-Out - Provision of reading materials for school helpers, yayas, drivers and caretakers / Mobile Library.

7. Book - Movie Tie Ups - Donate a book get a movie pass on library film viewing day. Donate two books, get a movie pass + popcorn.

8. Social Media for Books and Reading Campaigns - Create an account in FB or Twitter, Pinterest or any social networking site where books and reading are campaigned and advocated.

How do you celebrate books and reading in your school? How does the library contribute and participate in the celebration? Send over your ideas, activities and pictures for a feature on this blog!