Are you ready for the start of school this year?  It’s hard to believe that I go back on Wednesday!  Where on earth did the summer go?! LOL  So, of course, I’m trying to get everything copied, cut out, and assembled this weekend!  As I get all my things organized, I thought I would share some resources I’ve created that might help you get ready for school too!  Here are the top 5 activities I make sure I have ready for school each year.

Morning Messages

I always have morning messages showing on my interactive board or projector as the students come into the library.  It helps give them a quick peak into what we’re doing that day.  But to be honest, I also use it to keep myself on track!  I can add links to videos or other activities that I need for lessons that day.

If you would like to learn more, you can read about how I use morning messages on my blog here.

If you’re interested in using this in your classroom or library, you can find it here on my TpT store. 

New Year, New Books

Each summer, I use our Spring Book Fair profits to purchase new books for the library.  I love displaying the books all around on tables for my “Back to School Book Tasting”.   Students walk around and investigate all the new books on their first library rotation.  Then, on their second visit, they are able to actually check out the new books.  It’s a great way to get kids excited about reading right from Week #1!  I do this at the beginning of the school year, and again in January.

If you would like to learn more book tastings, you can read it on my blog here.

If you’re interested in using this in your classroom or library, you can find it here on my TpT store. 

Practice Library Book

I am always a little worried with the incoming Kindergarten students.  I wonder if they are going to be able to keep up with their library books, especially since we don’t have a set library day. (I’m currently a part of the Special’s rotation, and we are on a 6-day rotation.) Over time, I developed a system of using a “Practice Library Book” with kindergarten.  They take the “book” home on their first library visit, and if they bring it back the next time they can exchange it for a real library book.  The practice library book gives them an opportunity to review book care with their parents at home, and work on their accountability to bring something back.

If you would like to learn more about using a Practice Library Book with your students, you can read it on my blog here.

If you’re interested in using this in your classroom or library, you can find it here on my TpT store.

Teaching Book Care

Book Care is something I like to review at the beginning of the year with pretty much all grades, to be honest!  With the younger kids, I do a t-chart and we review things that are good for library books and things that are bad for library books.  With the older kids, I usually show them examples of damaged books after showing these awesome videos from BYU Library.   They older kids LOVE watching these videos, and always giggle during them.

Book Care is kinda a passion of mine! LOL  So I’ve created quite a few activities on this topic.  If you’d like to see other activities I do on Book Care,  you can find them on my blog here. 

If you’d like to use this Book Care Poster Set with your students, you can find it here on my TpT store.

Fiction and Non-Fiction

Another concept I review at the beginning of each year is Fiction and Non-Fiction. This is another passion of mine, and I have tried to create a variety of posters and activities that you can do with your students to help them understand this concept.

If you’d like to see other activities I do on Fiction and Non-Fiction,  you can read them on my blog here. 

You can also find many activities on Fiction and Non-Fiction here in my TpT store. 

Great Beginning of Year Videos!

Finally, there are some really good videos to show your students at the start of school.  You are sure to get a few laughs and giggles!  Here are my top favorites!

1. BYU’s Training Videos on Book Care are just absolutely HILARIOUS!  I usually do one video each library visit.
2. Mr. Bean’s Rare Book Episode is great to help teach kids to be honest about accidents that might happen to their books.
3. The Two Ronnies and the Confused Library is great to help introduce how books are organized in the library.

I hope you have found some activities to help you get ready for school this year!