Blog

Featured

School Library Freebies on TpT!

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

(There are also numerous links to free TpT products…which are free…so no one receives compensation for those…but if you click through on those YOU get a free resource! Hurray!).

It’s been awhile, librarian friends, but I’m finally back with another list of amazing FREE products for your school library / media center! If you’ve visited my blog before, you know that I love TpT (the amazing site formerly known as Teachers Pay Teachers…and still located at teacherspayteachers.com…but now officially just TpT…it’s a whole thing).

Anyway, I’m constantly buying and designing TpT resources – but really, my absolute FAVORITE thing to do on the site is to download FREE resources. It’s just like snacking on free samples at a wholesale club, but without the empty calories and sticky fingers!

Bon appetite!

Genres

Enhance your library lessons about book genres with these awesome freebies!

  • This colorful Book Genre List by Erica Daniels would look stylish on a bulletin board or make a great handout for your students!
  • Reinforce the concept of fiction vs. nonfiction with this freebie by SPO Resources! (Pssst! I also have a freebie available in one of my blog posts that you can add to your collection of resources for this topic! Might as well double up on the fiction/nonfiction freebie fun!)
  • Here are some task cards by Copeland’s Got Class that you can use with your genre lessons!
  • These posters by Karin Stephens explain basic information about popular genres of literature!
  • Or try this set of free genre posters by Sharp in Second!
  • And here we have a more complex genre categorizing activity by Teaching and Motivating Teens for middle school students!
Michaels Kids Crafts

Text Features / Parts of a Book

When it’s time to teach your library students about text features and parts of a book, these FREE resources can help!

  • I’m excited to try this one with my students this year! It’s called the Nonfiction Text Features LinktivityĀ® by The Classroom Nook, and at the time I’m writing this blog post, it has been downloaded over 39,000 times, so I’m guessing it’s pretty engaging!
  • From Deb Hanson, we have an amazing and versatile text feature resource that includes both printable task cards and a digital Easel activity!
  • Here is a popular text feature poster by Positively Primary!
  • Assess your students’ knowledge about text features with these free printables by Katelyn Shepard – Lip Gloss Learning and Lattes!
  • Julia Erin has designed this beautiful set of posters and printables for teaching about parts of a book!
  • Or try another set of printables by For the Teacher – Emilee Ray to help you with your parts of a book lessons!
This image is a derivative of a photo by
I. H Cho of Pixabay

Dictionary Skills & ABC Order

Students need plenty of practice with dictionary skills and alphabetical order!

  • Here is a dictionary skills printable by The Dinostore for your collection!
  • Your little library learners can practice their alphabetical order skills with this freebie by Resources by Rachel!
  • This resource (by me!) includes several literacy and math printables to go with the picture book The Leaf Thief, including one that gives your students a chance to practice ABC order!
  • This freebie by ACParker allows students to work on ABC order, and it’s a great resource to file away and use in the spring!

Dewey Stuff

Teach your students about how the library is organized and encourage them to sample books from different areas of the nonfiction section!

  • These classic, understated Dewey Decimal Signs from Boundless Teaching and Learning would be just perfect to display in your nonfiction section!
  • This free printable by The Middle School Librarian gives students practice identifying in which section they can find certain nonfiction subjects in the library!
  • Michael Zetterberg’s Do the Dewey reading challenge is a creative way to encourage your students to explore the nonfiction section when they are selecting books to read!

Coding & STEAM

Add to your bag of tricks for Coding / STEAM / STEM lessons with these free products!

  • This fall, you can begin educating your students about coding with this autumn-themed unplugged coding activity by Tonya Coffey – Shen Valley Teacher!
  • If your students utilize both code.org and Scratch, this comparison chart by Miss Martin on the Go will help your students keep track of the functionality of the different types of blocks they will use with each!
  • With over 100,000 downloads, there is no question that this Mystery Build STEM challenge by Teachers Are Terrific is an excellent resource for librarians!

Library Signage and Decor

Transform your library with informational, inspirational, or otherwise sensational printables!

  • Created by Mrs Millis has a free, gorgeous bunting in her shop that reads “Read, Grow, Inspire”!
  • Set up some new book displays in no time at all with these Book Display Signs by beckiegirlbooks!
  • Just in time for the Barbie movie, That Library Girl has designed a fabulous freebie to help you set up a Barbie-themed book display in your biography section!
  • Here are some posters by The Kinder Lab that feature book characters!
  • This set of posters by O Some Great Stuff for English Teachers displays the covers of many popular and classic books. What an excellent way to decorate your middle school or high school media center for FREE!
  • Stash this one away for February! How cute are these free library-themed conversation hearts by Lacey Librarian?! I can’t wait to print and display them in my school library around Valentine’s Day!
  • If your fiction section is organized by genre or you want to feature a certain genre in a display, you will love these free fiction genre signs by Janet Miller!
  • Remind your students of the proper way to take care of a book with this free poster by Good Times and Good Books!
S&S Worldwide Classroom Supplies & Storage

Clip Art

Decorate your library newsletters, posters, and more with cute and FREE clip art from TpT’s fantastic clip artists!

Bookmarks

Free bookmarks are awesome! Download and print some of these for your school library to encourage reading, creativity, and proper book care!

Free and Fantastic

These products don’t fit neatly into one the categories above, but they’re sure to be a perfect fit in your school library!

  • Share your class agenda with these stylish slides by The Sparkling Librarian!
  • This pack of library printables by Black Girl in the Library includes fun activities for your students!
  • These book series labels by Elementary Library Resources could be a spectacular addition to your library!
  • Add this free printable by The Adorable Librarian to book care lessons this year!
  • Use these book lists by The Hungry Teacher to get some ideas of books you may wish to purchase for your library or recommend to students!
  • Introduce the topic of citing sources with this free coloring page (by me!). I love how much big kids enjoy the opportunity to color!
  • Give the game “Would You Rather?” a library spin using this freebie from Jennifer Siderius!

That’s all the free snacks for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed downloading these fabulous freebies from so many wonderful TpT shops!

Still hungry for more freebies? I’ve written several other blog posts that will provide you with even more free products you can use in your school library!

Check them out:

If you enjoyed these TpT freebies, make sure to follow my blog so that you can be sure not to miss my next post!

**Thank you to the TpT teacher-authors who gave me permission to include their free resources in this post! Please feel free to support their small businesses by following their stores and leaving feedback on their freebies!**

(The following banner is an affiliate link…if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

Back-to-School Book Care with The Book That Jake Borrowed

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

Don’t you just LOVE those first few library lessons of the year? Getting to meet new students and see the sweet faces of returning students is *priceless*!

During the past couple of years, I have included The Book That Jake Borrowed by Susan Kralovansky as one of my first read alouds for my first and second graders. Reminiscent of the classic tale “The House that Jack Built,” this story has a “library book care” twist that makes it wonderful for little library learners. It tells the story of the misadventures of a book that a boy named Jake checked out from the library. Unfortunately, Jake does NOT take good care of the book he has borrowed. Throughout the course of the story, the library book has run-ins with a dog, a cat, a rat, and some jelly!

The kids really enjoy this book because it includes great moments for them to join in with me as I read. The students LOVE yelling out, “Oh no!” and making animal noises throughout the story.

To make the interactive aspect of the story even more fun, I created little “cue cards” to help make the students aware of when it is their turn to say their lines. I select five “helpers” to stand with me as I’m reading the story, and I cue each of them to hold up their sign when it’s time for the students in the class to say their line. The helpers AND all the other students always find this read aloud SO MUCH FUN!

You can visit Susan Holt Kralovansky’s website for free resources to go with the story…

…and I have created a FREE DOWNLOAD FOR YOU that contains the cue cards I use with my students as well as a word search to go with The Book That Jake Borrowed!

Just CLICK to Create an SEL Space!

(Btw, if you are teaching your students about book care, I also recommend the following book care coloring pages, available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. This has been one of my most popular products this Back to School season!)

Book Care Coloring Pages, available in my TpT store!

And, for more book care resources, please go ahead and visit one of my previous posts, where I have another book care freebie for you!

I wish you an amazing new school year! (And … I wish that no that library books that have had any interaction with dogs, cats, rats, or jelly are returned to your library!)

This Week's Coupon at Michaels.com

Free, Cheap, and Worth-the-Money STEAM Products for Your School Library or Classroom

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

With summer vacation here at last, I’ve been able to step back from the chaos of every day, pause, and evaluate. We have finished up a “more normal” school year, so to speak, where my students actually got to visit the library and touch books and share materials. Having gone without a lot of my STEAM stuff during the 2020-2021 school year, I think my students were at their happiest this past year when they were finally designing, constructing, and building!

Here are some of their favorite hands-on things…that they can finally put their hands on again!

Free & Almost Free

If you are new to integrating STEAM into your school library or classroom, it is important to know that it does not have to be expensive. There are thousands of really cool STEAM challenges that students can complete with upcycled materials or items that can be purchased for less than $5.

My students’ favorite things to build with that are free or super cheap include:

STEAM Products That Deliver Bang for Your Buck

Although the free and super inexpensive stuff is a great place to start, there are tons of fantastic products out there that may be a great fit for your library or classroom if you are willing to make a just little bit more of an investment. With shrinking budgets, I know how important it can be to make sure your students are going to enjoy and benefit from the products you purchase. I have bought a number of STEAM related products for my library over the last few years, and I believe these to be some of my best purchases in terms of value (and at the time of this post, each of these are less than $50).

Code and Go Mouse

Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set, 83 Pieces, Ages 4+, Screen-Free Early Coding Toy for Kids, Interactive STEM Coding Pet
Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set, 83 Pieces, Ages 4+, Screen-Free Early Coding Toy for Kids, Interactive STEM Coding Pet

My students absolutely love this guy. The Code and Go Robot Mouse helps students to learn basic coding skills without adding screen time to their day. Children also benefit from designing and building tracks for the mouse. If I were to pick one STEAM product that I have purchased that has been most beneficial to my students, this would be it! (I use this with kindergarten and up.)

Straws and Connectors

Roylco Straws and Connectors Building Kit - Pack of 230 - Assorted Colors
Roylco Straws and Connectors Building Kit – Pack of 230 – Assorted Colors

These are just so versatile. Kids use their imaginations to build so many different structures with these straws. I purchased the Roylco brand and my students have enjoyed using them, but there are tons of options on the market – you just want slightly flexible straws and something to hold them together and you’ll get hours of creative building. (I use these with preschool and up.)

Plus Plus Blocks

PLUS PLUS - Baseplate Duo & 240 Piece Basic Tube Set - Construction Building STEM Toy, Interlocking Mini Puzzle Blocks for Kids
PLUS PLUS – Baseplate Duo & 240 Piece Basic Tube Set – Construction Building STEM Toy, Interlocking Mini Puzzle Blocks for Kids

These blocks were new to my library this year and such a great addition to our materials. Students can build small structures or intricate designs in 2D or 3D, and they are perfect for individual use or collaboration. My students asked for these over and over. (I use these with preschool and up.)

LASER MAZE

Think Fun Laser Maze (Class 1) Brain Game and STEM Toy for Boys and Girls Age 8 and Up ā€“ Award Winning and Mind Challenging Game for Kids (44001014)
Think Fun Laser Maze (Class 1) Brain Game and STEM Toy for Boys and Girls Age 8 and Up ā€“ Award Winning and Mind Challenging Game for Kids (44001014)

I have some huge fans of the Laser Maze in my library. The goal of this game is to set up a series of mirrors so that a laser beam bounces off of them in a certain pattern. Students can also experiment and set up the mirrors in their own design. One downside is that this is essentially a one-player activity, so I have purchased two of them and use them in a center for two children at a time. (I use them with 2nd Grade and up.)

GeoMag CONFETTI Set

GEOMAG Magnetic Sticks and Balls Building Set | 50 Piece | Magnet Toys for STEM | Creative, Educational Construction Play | Swiss-made Innovation | Confetti | Age 3+
GEOMAG Magnetic Sticks and Balls Building Set | 50 Piece | Magnet Toys for STEM | Creative, Educational Construction Play | Swiss-made Innovation | Confetti | Age 3+

This was another new product I tried for the first time this year, and it was definitely a winner! These magnetic rods and balls are wonderful for building shapes and exploring the properties of magnets. (I use these with preschool and up.)

BrainBuilder Blocks

MindWare KEVA Brain Builders Set of 2: Original KEVA Brain Builders and KEVA Brain Builders Junior ā€“ Great Addition to STEM Building Toys and Classroom Games ā€“ 40 Planks & 70 Puzzles Total
MindWare KEVA Brain Builders Set of 2: Original KEVA Brain Builders and KEVA Brain Builders Junior ā€“ Great Addition to STEM Building Toys and Classroom Games ā€“ 40 Planks & 70 Puzzles Total

This is a very simple product but one that makes it easy to see the wheels turning in my students’ minds. I have both the BrainBuilders and BrainBuilders Jr. and I usually just put both sets out at once. The pieces are simple wooden KEVA planks with cards that show different items you can build. The students have to figure out how to assemble the blocks to make them look like the picture. They are always so proud of themselves when they succeed! (I use these with preschool and up.)

ECOBEAMS

Miniland ECO Beams Building Set
Miniland ECO Beams Building Set

These no-frills beams are great for little kids who would like to build large structures. Connecting these together takes a little bit of getting used to, but is great for fine motor skills. I have a couple of sets of these that I use all together so that students can build towers as big as they are! (I use these with preschool and up.)

Ready? Full STEAM Ahead!

By gathering these free, low-cost, or value-priced STEAM materials over the summer, you can integrate STEAM into your library or classroom as you begin the upcoming school year!

What are your favorite free, low-cost, or “worth-the-money” STEAM products? Share your favorites in the comments!

15 Favorite Picture Books of a Future Librarian

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

I didn’t always know I would end up being a school librarian, but I DID always know I loved books. With summer vacation starting and the crazy pace of teacher life FINALLY slowing down, I thought I’d take you on a stroll down Memory Lane with me as I share some of my favorite picture books I loved when I was growing up.

Although a couple of these are holiday-specific and would work better in the fall or winter, most would make fabulous reads for your students or children any time of the year (so think about adding some of these picture books to your kids’ summer reading lists!).

How many of my favorite classic picture books do you remember loving as a child?

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Make Way for Ducklings
Make Way for Ducklings

Definitely an oldie-but-goodie, this book won the Caldecott Medal in 1942. It’s the story of how the Mallard family scours Boston for the best place to make their nest, stopping some traffic along the way.

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business
Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business

I’m not sure if I was more in love with the illustration of that peddler with a pile of hats on his head or the cheeky monkeys who steal the caps, but this is another one that brings back happy memories.

Just for You by Mercer Mayer

Just for You (Little Critter) (Look-Look)
Just for You (Little Critter) (Look-Look)

This is the original Little Critter book and by far my favorite in the series. Little Critter wants to do something kind for his mom but can’t seem to get anything right.

Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin

Cranberry Thanksgiving (Cranberryport)
Cranberry Thanksgiving (Cranberryport)

Cranberry Thanksgiving tells the story of Grandmother and Maggie as they share their Thanksgiving meal with two guests. Will Grandmother’s special cranberry bread recipe remain a secret, or is one of the guests up to no good? I definitely loved that the authors included a cranberry bread recipe at the end of the story…my seven-year-old self thought it was the coolest way to end a book.

Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids
Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids

I’ll never forget seeing the gorgeous illustrations in this picture book for the first time. I couldn’t believe someone really drew that perfect little jingle bell. Amazing!

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Corduroy
Corduroy

Corduroy’s after-hours adventure in the department store is magical and fueled my blossoming five-year-old imagination. And I just love that line when Lisa tells Corduroy she likes him just the way he is but that fixing the button might make him more comfortable.

Michaels.com: Your 24-hour Arts & Crafts Store

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

A Chair for My Mother: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Reading Rainbow Books)
A Chair for My Mother: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Reading Rainbow Books)

A beautifully-illustrated story of a family that starts over after a fire. I remember being captivated by the idea of saving pennies in a jar, and I loved the beautiful floral-printed chair the family purchases. I shared this one with my second grade library students this past spring, and they enjoyed it too.

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Amelia Bedelia
Amelia Bedelia

Oh, Amelia Bedelia! I have so many fond memories of reading about this queen of literal language when I was a first grader!

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Giving Tree
The Giving Tree

I remember being about eight and hearing this story for the first time during library time at school and being a little bit changed that day. I wondered, am I more like the boy or the tree? Should I try to grow up to become the tree? And it still gets me thinking.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Because we all have a day like Alexander’s from time to time.

The Little Duck by Judy Dunn

The Little Duck (Pictureback(R))
The Little Duck (Pictureback(R))

I had a copy of this book as a child and was thrilled to come across it on Amazon awhile back so I could enjoy this story again. With beautiful photography, this book tells the story of Henry, a duckling who is raised by a little boy on a farm and who eventually makes his way back into the wild. My favorite photo in the book would have to be the picture of Henry resting on the back of the boy’s golden retriever. Such a sweet book. (If you decide to read this one to your students, check out these print-and-go activities that go with this book!)

The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby by Stan and Jan Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears' New Baby
The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby

I was a HUGE Berenstain bear fan as a kid. When McDonald’s came out with Berenstain Bear Happy Meal toys, my parents let us have so much McDonald’s, and eventually when the fast food restaurant switched to a new kind of toy, my dad negotiated with the McDonald’s manager to find one last Mama Bear in a back room somewhere to complete my set. (Thanks, Dad! I still remember that!)

I’m a self-proclaimed connoisseur of the early books in this loveable series, and this one that tells about the birth of Sister Bear is my fave.

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

The Little Engine That Could (Original Classic Edition)
The Little Engine That Could (Original Classic Edition)

Such an inspirational little story! I remember loving the illustrations of the toys and the cheery little engine.

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

Round Trip
Round Trip

These illustrations…Wow! This is another one of the picture books that left me skipping out of my elementary school library with a new appreciation for human creativity. If you aren’t familiar with the book, all of the black-and-white illustrations can be viewed right-side up or upside down. I busted this one out for my own library students this year and they were just as excited as I had been years ago. I heard a lot of, “How did they do that?” “Turn the page upside down again!” and “This is awesome!” that day.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The Very Hungry Caterpillar

A creative twist was oh so fun for me when I was learning to read, and I just loved the pages of this book with the holes as part of the design. When I think back to early moments of childhood joy, I think of sitting on my mom’s lap and imagining that caterpillar eating his way through one watermelon slice and one slice of chocolate cake and one ice cream cone.

Each and every one of these books came into my life courtesy of my parents, teachers, or school librarian. What an amazing gift a great book is for a child – for building language skills AND memories that can last a lifetime! Thinking about these stories makes me stop to appreciate the blessing of my job as a school librarian. I hope that one day my students can still remember some of these and other life-changing stories I’ve shared with them.

What books come to mind when you think about reading as a young child? Feel free to share one of your favorite childhood books in the comments!

Fabulous Face Masks for School Librarians

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

This image is a derivative of a photo by Robert Wilkos from Pixabay

I will admit it…face masks freaked me out at first. When people first started wearing them regularly in my area of the world, seeing folks wearing face masks would put me in a melancholy mood. Masks seemed like such a bold reminder that everything had changed. I remember distinctly when I started spending time at school again in August to get ready for the school year, I felt so awkward wearing a mask and seeing my colleagues wearing them. And when school started and I kept seeing all those cute little grins covered with masks, the sight made me feel so sad.

My school has been fully in-person, five days a week since August, and that has given me plenty of time to get adjusted to the face mask thing. Little by little, I became accustomed to the new normal, and now, once in awhile, I actually feel a little bit naked when I take my mask off.

This Week's Coupon at Michaels.com

I even discovered benefits to wearing a mask throughout the school year (in addition to the obvious benefit of reducing the spread of COVID). A mask DEFINITELY keeps your nose warmer during recess duty on a cold day, and I made it through the winter without getting chapped lips this year. A mask is great for “eeek…I have a big zit!” and “oh snap, some of my lunch has been stuck in my teeth all afternoon!” days. And finally, some masks are pretty adorable. And some of them are even library-themed!

My Favorite Four Masks for Librarians

These are my favorite library-themed masks in my collection. (You should know before purchasing any that I prefer my masks to be pretty full-coverage, to have a nose-wire, and to have a filter pocket, so if you prefer a small, thin mask, these are probably not for you. Also…Disclaimer: I’m recommending these because I have had positive experiences with them, but I can’t weigh in on whether they are effective at protecting against COVID because that is not my area of expertise!) I have found that these masks fit me well, have lasted through numerous library lessons, and usually prompt several compliments each time I wear them! šŸ˜

This was the first book-themed mask I purchased, and probably the one I get the most compliments on:

Here’s a bookshelf themed one:

Here’s another bookshelf mask that is super colorful and cute:

And here’s another stylish librarian mask, which combines design elements of the other three:

So, that’s the round-up of book-themed face masks I recommend. (Please remember that I’m basing this on personal experience as a teacher…I’m not an infectious disease expert, so I can’t speak to the effectiveness of these masks in terms of controlling the spread of illness! I just think they are cute.) šŸ˜Š

Feel free to purchase these masks for yourself and be my twinsie!

Yes! EVEN MORE Freebies for Your School Library on Teachers Pay Teachers

It’s THAT time of year – that stretch of late February when spring seems so close but SO far.

Spring…you are out there somewhere…right? RIGHT??!! – This image is a derivative of a photo by freegr from Pixabay

So…to brighten your day…I think it’s a perfect time for some freebies!

If you’re new around here, I should let you know that I LOVE the free products on TpT. (That’s why I design so many for my store!)

I also LOVE compiling lists of cool freebies on TpT for school librarians. (If you’ve never seen one of my lists before, check out this one and this one and this one too!)

So without further ado, here’s my latest list of FREE products for teacher-librarians on Teachers Pay Teachers. Snuggle up and get downloading, friends!

STEAM / Makerspace

Let’s start off with these imagination-boosting STEM challenge cards by Teaching Dinos! Students will enjoy building their way through desert survival scenarios!

And check out this playground design freebie from EdTech classroom! Your students will have a ball as they design and build a prototype of a playground!

Which of your students can build the longest paper chain? Find out with this easy and fun stem challenge. (This was a perfect fit for my firsties right before Christmas! We used red paper, and after our class, the kids brought them home to use as decorations!) The free resource includes a versatile engineering and design planning sheet that would work for many different types of stem challenges!

Here’s a perfect stem challenge to wrap up a long winter – a “build an igloo” challenge by The Classroom Around the Corner!

Coding

Help your library learners get ready for coding with these unplugged coding activities! TpT has this super freebie by PixelPixiesPH and this one by EdTech Classroom! So fun!

Genres

When you teach your students about literary genres, TpT has plenty of free posters to help you out! Try this set by Teaching Literacy, this set by A First for Everything with Julie Pettersen, and this set by Hillary Kiser – Hillary’s Teaching Adventures!

Over 100 NEW Products Added! Hundreds of innovative new products, just in time for a new school year

Library Signage & Posters

Bring some style to your library space and make things easy to find by labeling sections with these signs by Joyful Librarian or these by This Librarian Reads!

And these signs by TaylorMade-1st Grade are great for teaching students about how to take care of books!

And now, it’s time for a freebie designed by me! I made this free poster set to spread positivity and remind students that libraries offer something for everyone!

Dictionary Skills / ABC Order

Give your students a chance to practice their dictionary skills with this great freebie by Little Red Writing House and another one by Free to Teach.

Now here’s a cute one for winter! Students can review ABC order and using guide words with this freebie by Wild in Second Grade!

From Mrs Humphries class, try this free activity to give your students an opportunity to practice alphabetical order!

Image by Stock Photo Stop

Setting the Standard has a double feature for us – ABC order printable task cards and Boom Cardsā„¢. Your little library friends can practice those ABCs whether you are teaching in person or virtually or a little of both!

In this freebie by More Than Math by Mo, students can enjoy an arctic animals theme as they practice their alphabetical order skills!

And as we move toward St. Patrick’s Day, you can download this free ABC order activity by Teaching with Love and Laughter that has a fun St. Patrick’s Day theme.

This Week's Coupon at Michaels.com

Research

Here are some terrific resources you can use when you are teaching your students how to research.

For your littles, this animal-themed research freebie by ATBOT the Book Bug would be a fun way to learn beginning research skills!

Here are two research-related freebies from This Librarian Reads…a PowerPoint presentation to introduce the research process, and a bookmark to pass out when you discuss evaluating sources!

And this freebie by Travis Terry would make a great research assignment for your older students (and their science teachers will love you!)

This image is a derivative of a photo by VIVIANE MONCONDUIT from Pixabay

For The Little Ones

Your preschool or kindergarten library students will love making these adorable library memory books by the Brave Little Librarian!

And this resource by ATBOT the Book Bug includes several activities your littlest library students will enjoy during your lessons about fiction and nonfiction!

Here’s a cute puzzle by Naomi Meredith for your little guys to complete when you introduce the topic of digital citizenship!

And let’s not forget these adorable library-themed songs by Vr2lTch!

Bookmarks

You can never have too many bookmarks! There are tons of cute, printable, and FREE options on TpT! Such as…

Especially for Library Life in a Pandemic

Now it’s time for a SHOUT OUT to my fellow sanitizer-scented librarians who have the pleasure of teaching in person this school year! Here are a couple of goodies especially for you.

Did you ever think that book quarantining would be a thing? Yeah, me neither. But since it is, here’s some signage so you can label those potentially germy books while they de-germify! We’ve got a free book quarantine sign by To the Classroom and Beyond and a few cute quarantine and safety signs by Jessica Zannini. And if you want a poster that really gets into the nitty-gritty of book quarantining dos and don’ts, here’s one from Flip and Flutter Creations!

And here are some signs by Shirley Anderson to remind students about sanitizing their hands before and after they touch books.

And to encourage social distancing, here is a free printable sign I designed that you can print off as a reminder of the expectation to social distance in the library or media center.

Fantastic and Fun Finds

These freebies didn’t fit neatly into my other categories, but they are just too darn awesome to pass up!

Are you teaching virtually and need a banner to make your Google Classroomā„¢ a little brighter? Byte Sized Resources has you covered with this free banner set! Or, try this one by The LibrariYan! Or download both and keep switching them up!

I made this free deck of Boom Cardsā„¢ to help students practice organizing fiction books in alphabetical order by call number! It’s great for in-person learning or digital learning (if I do say so myself!). šŸ˜

And this free product from Hands on Reading includes a fun library scavenger hunt and a book spine poetry activity!

So Many Freebies!

This concludes our latest TpT-freebie-ganza! Please visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store (and the stores of any of these great TpT teacher-authors!) so you can discover other fantastic resources that will help you through that last L-O-N-G stretch of the school year!

**Thank you so much to the Teachers Pay Teachers teacher-authors who gave me permission to include links to their free resources in this post! Donā€™t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my blog so you donā€™t miss my next post!**

Disclosure: The banner below is an affiliate link. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. 

Fiction vs. Nonfiction Freebie!

Approximately 99.9340394% of primary teachers and elementary librarians spend at least a little time going over the difference between fiction and nonfiction. A similar percentage of children LOVE robots.

So I decided to switch up one of my usual lessons in my “fiction vs. nonfiction” unit this year in kindergarten library class and go with a robot theme. Our read aloud for one of the days was part of a nonfiction book about robots, and one of the accompanying activities was a robot-themed coloring page that compares fiction and nonfiction.

It was a hit!

And here’s that printable…for you…for FREE!

Free Printable!Download

Enjoy! For more resources for your library littles, please visit my TpT store!

Disclosure: The banner below is an affiliate link. If you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.


Five YouTube Videos to Help You Crush 2021

I don’t know about you, but I’m REALLY looking forward to a fresh start in 2021. With a New Year RIGHT around the corner and a couple extra hours of free time on my hands (thank you, Christmas break!), I decided it was time to hit up YouTube and try to get inspired to make my New Year the BEST YEAR EVER!

(Or at least better than 2020. But preferably the best year ever!)

I was looking for motivational videos to give me some productivity tips, get myself goal-focused, and just overall inspire me to be my best self and hit the ground running as we start the year.

But Then…There Was Inspiration Overload

It turns out there are A LOT of videos to choose from. As I sat on my couch and YouTubed it up, I must admit found it a little ironic that I was spending a decent amount of time watching YouTube videos…in an effort to learn how to get more done, to stop wasting time, and make the most of my life.

But they DO say you have to spend money to make money, SO I rationalized you might have to spend time to make time.

Or at least I had to spend time – but now if YOU are looking to get some tips and inspiration to start your year…without feeling that couch potato guilt…here is a short list of some of my favorites from the search.

I picked out videos that are short with actionable steps and/or a strong, inspiring message. Now you can cut to the chase and get a strong dose of positive New Year’s vibes in about 40 minutes with these five inspirational YouTube videos!

Derivative of an image by Valentin J-W from Pixabay

Most Likely to Stop You From Hitting Snooze: Mel Robbins: Why hitting “snooze” ruins your brain

I ended up watching a couple of helpful videos by Mel Robbins in my YouTube binge, but here’s a quick one to get this party started. Robbins talks about the brain science about why we need to wake up when our alarm goes off the first time, and introduces her “5-4-3-2-1” technique for getting out of bed. (I’ve only tried it once, but so far so good! Check out some of her other videos too to find out more about her 5 second rule and other ways it can be applied).

Derivative of an image by Valentin J-W from Pixabay

Most Likely to Help You Make the Most of Your Mornings: 10 Morning Habits Geniuses Use To Jump Start Their Brain | Jim Kwik

This short video packs a punch and got me excited about making more of an effort to solidify a healthy morning routine in 2021.

Derivative of an image by Valentin J-W from Pixabay

Most Likely to Build a Couple of Extra Hours into Your Week: How To Multiply Your Time | Rory Vaden

In this TEDx Talk, Rory Vaden makes some interesting points about prioritizing our tasks. For me, the reminders to automate and delegate tasks were big.

Derivative of an image by Valentin J-W from Pixabay

Most Likely to Get You to Look for Half-Full Glasses: Getting stuck in the negatives (and how to get unstuck) | Alison Ledgerwood

In her TEDx Talk, Alison Ledgerwood shares her interesting research about negativity and positivity. It turns out there’s a reason that a negative comment can do so much damage. My takeaway was to watch my negativity this year and try harder to focus on positivity and gratitude, whether I’m talking to a student, a family member, a colleague, or even myself.

Derivative of an image by Valentin J-W from Pixabay

Most Likely to Light a Little Fire in Your Teacher Heart as We Start 2021: Motivational Speaker for Teachers | Professional Development | Jeremy Anderson

Not quite ready to go back from Christmas break? In a short clip of a speech he delivered to 1,400 teachers, Jeremy Anderson hits you in the feels, reminds you about why you became a teacher, gets you pumped and jacked to go back to school after New Year’s.

I hope those vids gave you some thoughts and ideas to get you going in the New Year! Happy 2021 from So Blessed to Be a Teacher. šŸ˜

Disclosure: The banner below is an affiliate link. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support of my blog!

Back to School with a Boom!

It’s probably safe to say there has never been a wackier back-to-school season. With COVID-19 forcing schools to hop back and forth between different possible scenarios for how school will look this year, so much is still up in the air for everyone.

As it stands, it sounds like I will be teaching in-person, but going into the classrooms instead of having students visit me in the library. But who knows when we’ll turn on a dime and enact either the hybrid or virtual learning backup plan?

I recently started exploring Boom Learningā„ , and with all the uncertainty surrounding the new school year, I’m excited about the possibilities it provides. If you’ve never used it before, Boom Learningā„  is a platform on which students can complete interactive digital task cards. I’m excited to get my students started with this platform because it seems like it will be super easy to transition from using Boom Cardsā„¢ for in-person learning to using them as a part of virtual learning and back and forth as needed.

The Basics of Boom Cardsā„¢

  • Your students must be connected to the internet for Boom Cardsā„¢ to work.
  • They’re interactive task cards, so your students will be clicking on correct answers, dragging and dropping, or typing in responses on each card.
  • They cover many disciplines – from speech therapy to algebra to library skills.
  • They are designed by “teacher-authors,” just like the products on TpT.
  • They are self-checking and provide instant feedback (including a cheery little “Ding” sound when you get an answer correct. Click here to try a deck and enjoy the “Ding” for yourself!).
  • You as the teacher can view the data it collects when a student completes a deck of Boom Cardsā„¢ to gauge mastery.
  • The membership fees for teachers range from $0 to $35 a year, depending on what features you wish to use and how many students you have.
  • In addition to your membership fees, you can purchase additional “points” that can be used to buy more Boom decks in addition to the free ones.
Here’s an example of what you might see on a Boom Cardā„¢! This is a Boom Cardā„¢ I created to allow students to practice ABC order. Clipart on this card courtesy of MyClipArtStore | http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Myclipartstore and TQ Colours | https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Tq-Colours

What I Love About Boom Learningā„  So Far

  • You can open an account for free. I love to try before I buy!
  • I purchased the Ultimate plan for $35, which didn’t seem bad at all for a year’s subscription to an educational website. With this plan I have access to the entire library of free decks and am able to create as many decks as I want for up to 200 students.
  • There are a lot of decks available for free, and any that need to be purchased seem like a good investment since they can be used over and over again.
  • If you use free or for-purchase decks, Boom Cardsā„¢ are no-prep.
  • But, if you want to create a customized deck for your students, Boom provides you with that option as well. (And making decks is really fun!)
  • In addition to buying decks with points through the Boom Learningā„  website, you can also purchase them on TpT (where I hang out a lot anyway…and where I can use TpT giftcards).
Michaels Art Supplies

Make Room for Boom

Since you can open a basic account for free, why not give it a go? I think we can all agree that the more tools we have in our teacher toolbox as we head into this school year, the better!

Here are a couple of simple FREE decks I have designed…feel free to give Boom a try with one of these freebie decks!

Click above to try out a FREE deck for the elementary school library!
Click above to try out a FREE deck for practicing addition facts!

You can also check out the whole collection of free and paid Boom decks I’ve designed here:

OR take a peek at them in my TpT store right here…where they are all ON SALE until 11:59 PM ET on August 6, 2020. Wahoo!

Reflections on 2020

Well then.

I haven’t written in a long time, because, really, what do you say?

So far 2020 has brought us problems that have never happened before, like COVID-19, and issues that have happened all too often before, like racism. It has been a storm of confusion for everyone, and teachers and students have had to process it all while trying out an uncharted teaching and learning lifestyle called “distance learning.”

It’s a lot for everybody. And it’s even more for some, especially those who have experienced the evils of racism firsthand, or those who are struggling to manage during the widespread economic hardships of 2020, or those who have lost a loved one to COVID-19.

I want to start writing light blog posts again about things like free TpT products and awesome books and super-duper fun school library ideas. And posts like that are on the way, because any type of normalcy provides at least a temporary escape from the perils and pains of right now, both for me and (I hope) for you too. And because, despite the obstacles of 2020, education, and life, must go on, and things like cute children’s books and free printables do add to the sparkle of teacher life.

But.

First, I want to address the bowels of 2020, even if what I put out there might feel inadequate to some.

I don’t have any of the answers, guys. But things need to change, and here’s my take.

Driving Change

This is what I know to be true about making things change.

1. Money can drive change. I’m no millionaire, but thanks be to God, my family has enough, and I have this blessing of this teeny, tiny business that I call So Blessed to Be a Teacher. Knowing that I am a (very, very small) part of the solution is worth a lot to me, especially in these crazy times, so 100% of my TpT profits for June went to charitable organizations (Water for South Sudan and Catholic Relief Services). And, as I mentioned early on in 2020, I’m planning to continue making donating to charity a regular part of what I do here at So Blessed to Be a Teacher. I truly believe that every little bit helps, and I think we have a shot at making this world work better again IF we share with other people.

2. Mindset can drive change. I love that quote attributed to Henry Ford that goes, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” We will get nowhere on any of these issues if we have a negative mindset or a belief that things can’t change. I’m sure every single one of us has had a chance to spin our wheels in plenty of negativity mud puddles in 2020 already. I think we can all agree that we’ll get moving a lot faster if we get out of the mud.

3. Prayer always drives change. Prayer works on so many levels that it always drives some type of change, big or small. Prayer humbles us. It reminds us of our place in the scheme of things, helping us feel both tiny in a big world and significant enough to matter to God. Prayer helps us to realize all that we have to be grateful for and where it all comes from. Prayer softens our hearts, changes our mindsets, and slowly chips away at our fears. It weaves us together as part of something bigger than ourselves. Prayer works to align our will to God’s. Prayer connects people all over the world and allows for conversation and collaboration with our Creator.

I don’t know how to solve 2020, but I wanted to share what has helped me so far. Feeling like I am a (teeny tiny) part of the solution keeps me going. In a nutshell, what I have to offer is: in 2020, there are many things that we can’t do and can’t control, but we CAN trust in the Lord, we CAN encourage each other to keep thinking positively, we CAN pray for each other, we CAN choose to be part of a positive change, we CAN view this broken world through a lens of love, and we CAN keep moving forward, one day at a time.