Welcome to a new “Off the Shelf” blog post highlighting important key dates, ideas, and activities for May that you can incorporate into your library lesson plans or classroom activities. My goal is to help you stay organized and inspired as you plan your month, making it simpler to bring exciting and meaningful activities to your students. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas or resources to save you time, I hope these posts help make your planning process smoother and more enjoyable.

Key Dates, Ideas, and Activities for May:

May 1 = Space Day
*Explore Space through books and/or databases.
*Then have students fill out their learning on this Space Fast Facts or write a limerick about space.

May 2 = Free Comic Book Day
*Create your own comic book.  Share with your friends.

May 5 = Cinco de Mayo
*Explore Cinco de Mayo or Mexico using books and/or databases.
*Then have kids share their learning. You can use this Country Fast Facts.

May 5 = National Teacher Day
*Create a unique “Thank You” card for your teacher(s). Here are a few fun examples.

May 6 = Nurses Day
*Explore different careers using books and/or databases.
*Then have kids create a collage of careers they are interested in pursuing.

May 9 = National Train Day
*Explore trains through books and/or databases.
*Then have students create a new mode of transportation and share their creations.

May 10 = Mother’s Day
*Have students research different types of poems. Then write a poem for their mother.

May 12 = Limerick Day
*Read about limericks or watch this short explanation video.
*Practice writing your own limericks to share with others.

May 13 = Frog Jumping Day
*Explore frogs through books and/or databases. Then have students fill out their learning on this Animal Fast Facts.

May 14 = Dance Like a Chicken Day
*Have students create their own dance routine.  Then let them perform for others.

May 15 = Chocolate Chip Day
*Make your own dessert using chocolate chips!  Share it with a friend.

May 18 = Museum Day
*Go to a local museum and explore!

May 23 = Turtle Day
*Explore turtles through books and/or databases.
*Then have students fill out their learning on this Animal Fast Facts.

May 25 = Memorial Day
*Explore Memorial Day through books and/or databases.
*Write a letter or create a poster honoring soldiers for Memorial Day.

Activities For May:  

These bookmarks have been a lifesaver for me this year in the library! After students check out their books, they choose one of the bookmarks to color. This gives them a fun, new bookmark each time they visit the library, but it also gives them something to do while they wait for others to finish finding their books.

Activity Link: TpT Store

The end of the year is always such a blur of activity that it’s hard to keep things straight and not lose your mind! Luckily, I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to organization, and I had collected notes for the past 4 years on what I needed to do differently. I’m hoping that these “ah-ha’s” will help you as well!

Activity Link: TpT Store

Do you need help getting all your library books returned at the end of the year? Then this poster set is for you! It includes everything you need to set up a reminder bulletin board or display to help parents, teachers, and students remember to look for and return their library books.

Activity Link: TpT Store

Want a fun way to encourage kids to read this summer?  These summer reading challenge brochures combine a calendar (upper grades) or a road map (lower grades) in which kids can document their reading progress over the summer. There’s a camping theme as well as a beach theme.

Activity Link: TpT Store

I hope you found this helpful!