COOL SITES!

NatGeo Kids: Things You Wanna Know!    NatGeo Kids: How Things Work!    ABCya!    KidzType!    

AMAZING Virtual Field Trips! Roadside Attractions- View, then create your own!

Social/Emotional Life Skills & Growth Mindset Read-Alouds in Every Elementary Library!

Narrative Nonfiction Inspirational Read-Alouds with Curricular Tie Ins!

INFOHIO AMAZING RESEARCH & VIDEO RESOURCES for ALL GRADES!!!! 

Click here for 5 minute or less video overviews of EACH RESOURCE!!!

Reading Activities (using "real" books) and FREE eBooks for School or for Home!

Don't have books at home or need some new ones? 

Our Medina City School libraries are open!!! We love seeing you!

The Medina County District Library is open, too!!! 

Mon, Wed 10am-5pm/T, Th 12pm-8pm/Fri, Sat 10am-4pm

Or click on the MCDL link to checkout eBooks or audio books!

Click on these FREE online resources:

For NONFICTION eBooks and Sites!

For EXTREME WEATHER eBooks and Sites (4th Grade Curriculum)!

Sora/Overdrive! ***Way to go Bees...Medina Elementary schools were top in the region for reading with Sora last year!!!- Login through CLEVER (click there). OR go to Soraapp.com--Click on the NeoNet green bar--Choose Medina City Schools from the drop down menu--Choose your MCS Google Login...click Explore at the bottom and get reading! HUGE eBook LIBRARY! An already paid subscription for MCS Elementary students and teachers. Medina- How to Login & Use Sora. This also shows how to add a public library (CLEVNET) to your SORA account!

MackinVIA!--Login through CLEVER (click there). Or go to Mackinvia.com. Start typing your school and choose it from the drop down menu, then use your MCS Google login! An already paid subscription for MCS Elementary students and teachers. Multi-user eBooks. Connects with Google Classroom. Step by step instructions: Medina How to use MackinVIA. MackinVIA Teacher Notes. 

Get the Hoopla or Libby app and visit the Medina County District Library site for eBooks for all!

Epic! Books for Kids- Library of popular eBooks. Syncs with Google Classroom to assign books. Teachers can create a free account and share their class code with their students for browsing!

Go to Infohio.org K-5 for TONS of READING RESOURCES:

*Bookflix, Capstone Interactive eBooks, World Book Kids, World Book Student, World Book Early Learners, World Almanac Elementary, Highlights eLibrary, and more!*

**IF you need a username/password for BookFlix OR World Book, it's medinabees/green44256.**

Libros en Español, tambien!

BookFlix (click here and then click OPEN)- Paired Nonfiction (eBook format with optional read-to functions) & Fiction (like a video version of popular picture books) with comprehension activities.  Syncs with Google Classroom (click on black apple and books icon in the top right corner, then click by the owl Resources (black apple and books icon)...search by Lexile, Content Standard, etc.). If needed (may not need if your server recognizes you are in Ohio), the username/password is medinabees/green44256.

Explore the rest of this site and again, Infohio.org, for more activities for all ages!!!

Infohio password info is medinabees/green44256, if asked for a username/password!

More FREE Reading Resources...

Storyjumper Library- Here's a site with a whole library of free books made by others where it's like you're actually flipping the pages. Just press your arrow keys or click on the page to turn it. You can search topics and everything. Or, make your own book! Syncs with Google Classroom.

CommonLit- A reading program, with many resources, that reaches all students. Drive growth. Measure progress. Syncs with Google Classroom.

Newsela- Takes authentic content from the world's most trusted providers and turns it into learning materials that are classroom-ready. Transform an article into multiple reading levels. Syncs with Google Classroom.

Storyline Online: Read alouds of popular picture books for all ages!

Story Place: Interactive books and activities! En Español, tambien!

BookCreator- Make your own digital books!

Read, Write, Think: Jam-packed with with lessons and interactive games for students of all ages.

Bee a Reader! Book Review FICTION Printable!

Great to use with Chatterpix, Stop Motion Studio, or Green Screen apps!

Bee a Reader! Book Review NONFICTION Printable!

Great to use with Chatterpix, Stop Motion Studio, or Green Screen apps!

Scroll down for more ideas to use with younger or older readers.

ACTIVITIES JUST USING A BOOK!

Students can do these independently after a quick demonstration. They can "read" any book! 

• Letter Look Up- Students find letters they know in their book and give themselves a quiet thumbs up every time they find one! Easy to praise students finding their letters from distance or close by. 

Variations:

• • • First Name Letter Look Up: Ex: If their name is Lola, they find as many L's as they can on the cover, spine, and each page. Bonus: Even on the itsy bitsy copyright page! 

    • Partner Letter Look Up Game- Students go back and forth on a page asking their partner to find a certain letter on that page in their book.

    • Letter Count- For math practice, they can count the number of times they find a certain letter on a page. Play with a partner to see who has more.

• Sight Word Search- At their seat, have students look for sight words they know in their books. Each time they find one, they give themselves a quiet thumbs up! Easy to praise students finding their words from distance or close by. 

Variations:

• • • Words of the Day- Put words up where the whole class can see them. Pick words that are in almost every book (a, the, in, he, she, it, on, to, etc.) for students to try to find. 

    • Partner Sight Word Scavenger Hunt Game- Students go back and forth on a page asking their partner to find a certain word on that page in their book.

    • Sight Word Count- For math practice, they can count the number of times they find a certain word on a page. Play with a partner to see who has more.

• Partner Picture Walk- Students share with the student next to them what they think is happening in the story/what the characters are saying based on the pictures. They can also share what they would do if they were in the page/book.

• I Spy with any picture book- Students go back and forth on a page asking their partner to find items in their pictures.

• Spelling Game- Students go back and forth on a page asking their partner to spell a certain word. (Difficulty varies per grade.)

**More Quick Options for School or Home: 

• Choose a Fiction chapter book or two. Choose a high interest Nonfiction or two (can match or not). Read the back or inside cover and the first few pages of the Fiction book. Look at the cover and a really awesome page of the nonfiction book. 

• Show a short video from online that matches books to pique interest. Author's websites, National Geographic kids, Bookflix, etc. Show the kids the book's call number and how/where to find books on these subjects.

• Read a favorite picture or chapter book and read a low level Nonfiction book that matches (aka Library Lion and a short book on lions or big cats OR Hedgie Blasts Off and books on space).  Use BookFlix for Fiction/Nonfiction pairs!

- What are the differences between the books?

- Why do you think the author wrote each book?

- Why did they choose to have someone draw (illustrate) or take pictures instead for their book? How did that change the the book? 

- Vote for which was their favorite this time. Interesting to see which kids pick F or NF. 

- Offer some great choices of both F and NF. 

• Have a bookmark for them to color (can be with that animal or subject on it). 

• Also draw/write fiction or nonfiction stories or cartoons given a blank sheet or half sheet they can fold in half (about their animal experiences or what they would do if a lion came to library or school, if they got to go to space, etc.). If they finish making their book in or out of class, it can be read aloud! 

My Library Routine (#5 could be used also/instead as PLC centers):

#1. Students sit quietly at the carpet or seats. Preference based. Favorite day in library! Share mini agenda for the day.

#2. (5-15 minutes) Share Time

Ask the students to raise their hand to share something about their day/week, or a question that may lead into a story/lesson. Ex: Before reading a book about a dog (Marley, Clifford)...How many of you can tell one story about when your dog or a friend's dog did something silly? If it's not possible to get to everyone, ask individually during checkout/silent reading/activities. Or, just ask a quick version question...Favorite place you've visited in 1-3 words...Weirdest food...Best book ever...Random fact of the week...If still learning names, ask them to say their name before they share. Other students practice Look and Listen.

• Also works to do checkout here before #3, #4, and #5.

#3. (5-20 minutes) Story and/or Group Lesson & Activity and/or Booktalks (kids are great at these, as well)

• It can be necessary to dismiss rows/tables to go straight to #5, and skip #4, if #3 was longer that day.

#4. (10-25 minutes) Activity at seats- Having to do with lesson 

Coloring sheet/bookmark to higher level (call # sort, research, etc.)

#5. (10-20 minutes) Checkout/After-Checkout Seat Activities/Silent Reading/Trust Time Centers 

Trust Time after checkout (and/or PLC options)- Pick from a few choices (demonstrate expectations for centers that day and quick cleanup prior to calling students to go to center choices): Reading Train, Silent Reading at Seat, Read with a partner or stuffed buddy, Craft, Puzzle, MakerSpace centers on tables or carpet: Make/color a bookmark, Origami books w/paper, Drawing books w/paper, Make-your-own book w/paper, Make-your-own puzzle w/paper, Building (playing cards/index cards for an inexpensive card construction building option), Coloring, etc.). 

• After checkout, or as a Trust Time/Silent Reading choice, students can go directly to the Reading Train (always a choice)...aka sit in a line reading their books by the door until their teacher arrives. If short on time, this also works well so they are already lined up when the teacher comes.