Bulletin Boards
Got a great bulletin board idea? Or a display that earns you raves? Share it with us here. Post photos so we can all see!
Theme
Description
Photo, Materials, Resources
Pinterest Ideas
Library Bulletin Board Examples on Pinterest by Cari Young
http://pinterest.com/cari_young/library-bulletin-boards/
I wrote all our library-related vocabulary (book parts, text features, information sources...) on colorful sentence strips and stapled them to a bulletin board wall in my instruction area, with the heading "Library Word Wall." You can use the word wall during instruction, games, or review. Last year I added a "Parts of a Story Wall" using literary element vocabulary (plot, theme, main idea...). If it's a term that might turn up on a standardized test, it's on the wall. This year I'll probably add a "Genre Wall." I like to laminate cool scrapbook paper and make my die cut letters out of that. Adds interest. (Regina Hartley)
Sentence strips, scrapbook paper
Go Bananas for Books
I like to welcome classes back to school by creating a colorful display in our front window which includes the name of each classroom on it. One year I used Upstart's "Go Bananas for Books" theme. The monkeys (they look similar to Curious George) came from a pattern from a 1985 Copycat magazine). The arms and legs are connected to the body using brads so you can hang them in any position you want. I hung them from a very fuzzy yarn to resemble jungle vines. I laminated them, and then wrote the name of each class on their shirts (in washable overhead marker, so they can be reused). I wrote the names of new books on the bananas and books they are holding.
Upstart has lots of ideas (and a monkey pattern) to go with this theme in their activity guide .
(Nancy Alibrandi)
Buggy for Books
Similar to the idea above, another year I used a "Buggy for Books" theme. I photocopied bug patterns onto fluorescent paper. I wrote the names of each class on the butterflies (after their first visit to the library, it would be great to replace the teacher's name with a photo of the class showing students holding a book they've checked out - great to have up for Open House!). An alternative slogan would be Upstart's "Catch the Reading Bug. "
(Nancy Alibrandi)
Grow With Books (Sunflowers)
Another beginning of the year theme I've used is "Grow with Books" using sunflowers. I put sunflowers in the front window (the centers of the flowers are great for putting photos of library classes and library activities, or covers of new books). I also love to put real sunflowers strategically placed around the library to highlight new materials. For a sunflower pattern, use Google: sunflower coloring pages.
An alternative slogan would be "Growing Readers @your library."
(Nancy Alibrandi)
Sunflower pattern from KinderArt.com
Plant a Seed... Read!
I used a "Plant a Seed...Read" theme to welcome in Spring this year. I found ideas for this in the now defunct Copycat magazine (Nov/Dec 99), but here is a similar "Flowers in a Pot coloring page " pattern you can use. For a three dimensional look, accordian fold the stems. Some of the stems blossomed with the covers of books instead of flowers.
In conjunction with this theme, for our Family Math Night, I invited students to estimate the number of seeds in three different sized jars. The student with the closest estimate for each jar won a $10.00 gift certificate to a local bookstore. (Of course, there were plenty of math books on display that night as well!).
(Nancy Alibrandi)
Pop Open a Good Book!
Each year I use a theme in the library--it starts as the basis for the Birthday Book Club, and continues from there. This was the theme for the 2009-2010 school year. You can't really tell from the picture, but this is a huge bulletin board--it's over 8'x8'--and the popcorn box is 3-D. It sticks out from the wall. My husband made it, clever man.
This picture was taken at the beginning of the year, and as students bought birthday books for the library, their names went up on a popcorn kernal or a book. By the end of the year, it looked great! Here's a link to a popcorn theme by Upstart. I used their popcorn cutouts for student names, but it looks like they do not have that particular item anymore.
July 28, 2010: Yesterday I found this pkg of popcorn cutouts of assorted sizes at US Toy Co. It's $5.99 for 36 cutouts. Sorry for the lousy picture. My expensive phone's camera is hard to use. :(
BTW, the backdrop I used for that bulletin board also came from US Toy Co. It is in the section that has thematic backdrops for proms and stuff. It is plastic, like a plastic tablecloth. This was a perfect fit, b/c in our county, we can't have too much paper on the walls--against fire code. You read right. Limited paper on the walls in an elementary school. Nice.
(jamie camp)
More about Popcorn and other Back to School ideas
In reference to the Popcorn Bulletin Board above (fabulous idea, by the way!): www.teacherhelp.org has pdfs that you can print out - popcorn kernels, a popcorn machine, bowl of popcorn, and a popcorn banner.
Teacherhelp is a commercial web site, but has an abundance of Back to School bulletin boards ideas, free printable patterns, tips , etc. Definitely worth checking out!
Speaking of popcorn, we have a third grade class that sells popcorn on Fridays for several weeks while they study a math unit on money. Every year, we get a new book from the "popcorn money." I put a fancy bookplate inside the front cover, and the students sign their names on the endpapers. Students love to read the books donated by previous classes, and are very proud of the one they have donated. (Nancy Alibrandi)
Look Who is Popping into Our Class Banner
Name That Book
Find illustrations from children's picture books, and create a display to challenge your students to identify the title of the books ( I used the covers of old Booklist magazines, and old catalogs - mounted them on oaktag and laminated). This is a great Children's Book Week activity, and could be run as a contest. It's a great way to see which books the students are familiar with, and stimulates interest in the ones that they don't know. (Nancy Alibrandi)
Bulletin Board of Story Elements
This Learning NC lesson will introduce young children to the elements of stories starting with characters. Children will be involved with interactive writing as they respond to shared reading lessons. Students will illustrate a caption of a character to be displayed on a bulletin board. (Keisa Williams)
Classroom Displays Flickr Group
Over 3,000 images of classroom displays. Browse for ideas! (Keisa Williams)
Flickr Classroom Displays Group
Mrs. Pancake
Free educational printables to use in your bulletin board. Once you find a regular page sized poster (8 1/2x11), use Block Posters to blow it up to any size you need. I used Block Posters to create a huge version of a laptop keyboard to display. (Keisa Williams)
Reading Rainforest
Brookhaven Elementary, Morgantown, WV.
2010-2011 The library will be decorated to reflect a rainforest theme. Vines and trees will be made of construction paper links and roll vinyl table coverings (100 ft. per roll.) I plan to decorate with blow-up animals found from Oriental Trading or other party stores, as well as using my daughters Beanie Babies. Each child will receive a marker in the shape of a rainforest animal. As the child accumulates Accelerated Reader points, his marker will be moved along a 'rainforest path'. Displays of rainforest materials as well as posters and wiki pages of news regarding the rainforest will be featured throughout the year. Children who reach their AR point goal for a month will be invited to participate in a rainforest craft or some other treat during his recess. (Suzie Martin, MLIS, NBCT)
Attachments: I will attach photos as soon as the decorations are complete!
Explore New Frontiers...Read!
During the year of Lewis & Clark's Expedition's 200th anniversary, our library used this theme. I am posting the bookplates that I used for that theme here and will link to it from the bookplates page. They're formatted for use with the Avery 8254 labels. I embedded the fonts in this document, so I hope it comes out looking right for you. When I look at it on my Windows machine, all looks well, but when I use Word on my Mac, it is messed up. :( So, just for information's sake, it uses Papyrus font, 18 pt. (jamie camp)
Book Plate Explore Avery 8254.doc
"Gutter" shelving for open face book display
Bookstore type shelving on the cheap. We purchased rain gutters and hardware at a local big-box home remodeling store. (Credit for this idea goes to Jim Trealese) Here is an album of photos (some are from our other district libraries) (Kathy Kaldenberg, Solon Community School District)
Gutter Shelving
Creative Library Displays blog
Here's a blog that has lots of interesting ideas! I just discovered it through a tweet--haven't looked through it extensively yet, but it looks interesting!
Beanie Baby strategies
This is a fun way to teach reading strategies through using a few posters and Beanie Babies. On the Real Classroom Ideas website.
Beanie Baby Strategies
I have used this site as a great resource for school year themes, bulletin boards, etc. Try the genre link to download some fabulous posters for your library! Overall awesome classroom blog - great ideas here!
(Nancy Alibrandi)
Jan Brett's Months of the Year Signs
On her website, http://www.janbrett.com/, Jan Brett has beautiful signs for each month, featuring characters and images from one of her books. Print in color, laminate, and use on a changing monthly display. (Regina Hartley)
Jan Brett's Months of the Year Signs for Bulletin Boards
Teaching Photos
A variety of bulletin board displays covering every curricular subject. (Keisa Williams)
Become a Reading Butterfly!
For the hallway to the library, I used The Very Hungry Caterpillar Bulletin Board set from The world of Eric Carle. I used green sheets of scrapbook paper as a background for the letters "Become a Reading Butterfly!" Our district theme is Transformation this year. I will use this bulletin board interactively this year when we read Eric Carle and discuss his illustration techniques. I also plan to use it for student retelling of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, with students using the big hand pointers. Kind of a Hallway Lesson Plan. Another title option would be: "Very Hungry for a Good Book". (Regina Hartley)
Become a Reading Butterfly
Dr. Seuss Theme
On the iLearn Technology Blog
Dr. Seuss Themed Classroom Bulletin Boards
Interactive Literacy Bulletin Boards
Ms. Spucci's Class has some great ideas for interactive bulletin boards that are intended to promote a love of reading: Books We've Read Together; Unlock the Door to the World of Reading: Genre Keys; Be a Word Catcher; Reader's Choice; StarBooks Book Awards; Student Book Recomendations; Reading Takes Us Places; and The D.E.A.R Diaries. (Nancy Alibrandi)
Interactive Literacy Bulletin Boards
Hop on in to the Library!
I started off this year with a "Hop on In" to the Library frog theme. You could also use a "Leap into Learning" theme. My frogs are reading on a log made of crumpled up brown paper bag paper, and the frog pattern is from the now defunct Copycat magazine (Mar/Apr 1999 issue). You can find free patterns for frogs, lily pads, water lilies, frog incentive charts, name tags, and labels at Teacherhelp (see link under picture).
There are so many great books to use with thisFroggy Goes to School by Jack London and The Frog Principal by Stephanie Calmenson are good ones to start off the year. I found Bradley McGogg The Very Fine Frog by Tim Beiser in a local bookstore with a frog puppet to match. I picked up a Frog and Toad game and some Frog and Toad jigsaw puzzles which were a big hit during Open House. You will find lots of great activities at this "A Frog's Life" webquest.
(Nancy Alibrandi)
Back to School Bulletin Boards and Open House Displays from Teacherhelp
Which Book is Best?
Posted by Library Girl (@jenniferlagarde) on Twitter.
Library Bulletin Boards
Barbra Hesson's Archive for the Library Bulletin Boards - Lots of great ideas with photos. (Nancy Alibrandi)
Library Displays
Blog with "creative ideas to promote books from your library collection."
Pinterest is a great resource for bulletin boards and everything else! (Nancy Alibrandi)
http://pinterest.com/sotomorrow/library-bulletin-boards-displays/
http://pinterest.com/cari_young/school-library-decorations/
Visit Your Library...
It's Out of This World!
Our library has an 8'x8' bulletin board that is just about the first thing you see when you enter the school building, so it's important that it's inviting, colorful, and fun.
Luckily, I am married to an engineer who is evidently also a frustrated set designer! LOL! Each year he helps me create a great board/decoration that can serve as the theme for the library program and, by extension, the school for the year. This year, we had lots of space aliens (created by my graphic designer daughter), stars, and comets zooming around our building! Here's the bulletin board at the end of the year, when it's most colorful with student names on it.
The UFO has solar powered lights on it slowly change color and go on/off. Very big hit with the kids--and with the dads!. Fairly over the top, I know, but hubby LOVES doing this for us every year. Who knew? :)
