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Garden City School Library: Reading Plans

Essential Question

How can I find new books to read that match my interests and preferences?

Destiny Discover 1 - Grades 2-5

  • Introduction: Our library catalog is housed on Follett's Destiny Discover. This database tracks all collection and circulation data. Students can look up books and either find them on the shelf if they're in or place holds if they're out.
     
  • Activity: Show all students how to use Destiny Discover by walking them through this handout. Point out that new books are added to the home page as they get added to the catalog. Look up books that you know are in and demonstrate how to find them. Also show students how to use "Title Preview" to get more details about a book's reading/interest level and plot.
     
  • Grade 3 Assessment: All Cranston third graders must show proficiency in using Destiny Discover via the Library Department's T1 common assessment. (Final version to come.)
     

RICBA - Fall - Grades 3-5

  • Introduction: Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 are eligible to vote in the Rhode Island Children's Book Award if they have read at least 3 of the 20 books on the list.
     
  • Activity: Hand out copies of the book list and give the students several minutes to review the plot summaries. Ask them to circle the titles that sound the most intriguing. Then ask for a show of hands for how many kids want to read each book. Show the trailers for the most popular books.

Book Talks - Grades 3-5

  • Introduction: I can recommend books all day long, but sometimes kids' opinions and tastes differ greatly from mine. I want students to recommend books to each other via book talks - short little "commercials" for titles they love. This activity 1. highlights kids' favorites, 2. gives them experience speaking in front of a group, and 3. introduces me to books I don't know.
     
  • Activity: Walk the students through the rubric. Tell them that everyone needs to complete a book talk by the end of May. Then demonstrate with a few titles - do some well, and some badly, and have the kids score you according to the rubric.

    Advise the students to PRACTICE before they get up to deliver their talk. But you will probably have a few eager kids who want to jump up and do their book talk immediately. And they will probably leave out a key element or two.

  • Assessment: See rubric. I also give 4s to students who do multiple solid-3 book talks.

    Image from scholastic.com

Novelist - Grade 5

  • Introduction: Every year, circulation by class plummets between 4th and 5th grade. Often the students will say that they "have read all the good books in the library already." Tell them that one way to find a new book to read is to get a list of "readalikes" for a book you already know you enjoyed. 

  • Activity: Students will access and use Novelist as part of an introduction to AskRI. If we need to fill a week while other classes catch up, students will revisit NoveList and go more in depth with an assignment on Google Classroom. (Link to Google Form to come.)

Standards Addressed

AASL: I.C.4 - Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes sharing products with an authentic audience; III.B.1 - Learners participate in personal, social, and intellectual networks by using a variety of communication tools and resources; IV - Curate: Make meaning for oneself and others by collecting, organizing, and sharing resources of personal relevance; V.A.1 - Learners develop and satisfy personal curiosity by reading widely; VI.D.1 - Learners engage with information to extend personal learning by personalizing their use of information and information technologies.

RI Core: R.10 - Independently and proficiently read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts; SL.4 - Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning.

Rhode Island Cross-Curricular Proficiencies: Communication - Communicate understanding and interpretation of information, Integrate relevant information into a presentation to support a point, Present information and ideas coherently; Problem Solving and Critical Thinking -Identify, collect and analyze relevant information.; Research - Use research tools to access information.

Rhode Island School Library Curriculum Priority Skills: 1.1 Investigate - Searches the online catalog (author, title, and key words) with assistance to locate materials; 1.1 Express - Presents information clearly so that main points and supporting evidence are readily understood by audience; 4.1 - Identifies favorite authors, genres, and topics and explores them on own.