Quarter 1
Find sample lessons for each grade under the dropdown menus. Quarter 1 lesson topics include: Orientation, Community building, Book Joy, Introductions to eWISE and Inquiry, Digital Citizenship, and EL Curricular Connections.
New lessons added for the 2024-2025 school year are noted with a ⭐.
⭐For general help with collaboration ideas, view the chart of 1st quarter curriculum topics below.
Kindergarten
Book Care - Book Baby - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will be able to identify ways to take care of library books.
Summary: Using a baby doll as a model, we will explore how to care for library books.
Kindergarten Library Circulation Procedures - Orientation - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1-2 classes per quarter
Objective: Kindergarteners will learn the procedures for book selection and checkout.
Summary: Kindergarteners will be learning how to select and checkout books throughout the year. They will start slowly with browsing tables and direct assistance with checkout, but the goal is to have them accessing a majority of the library and participating in self-checkout by the end of kindergarten. Revisiting and increasing student responsibility and autonomy is key to developing these skills.
Your Name is a Song - Community Building - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will enjoy a read aloud and give the librarian and fellow classmates a chance to learn new names
Summary: This story reinforces names as a part of one's identity and the importance of them being pronounced properly.
School's First Day of School - Book Joy - contributed by Stephanie Powell, Turner Creek ES
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will gain an understanding of how a school functions (as they are part of the school community).
Summary: After reading School’s First Day of School, by Adam Rex and illustrated by Christian Robinson, students will create a model of their ideal/dream school.
Goggles, Makerspace - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 60 minutes (1-2 class periods)
Objective: Students will create their own goggles using maker materials. Students will understand expectations and procedures for using maker materials in the library.
Summary: Teacher will read aloud Goggles by Ezra Jack Keats. Students will create their own goggles using maker materials.
Choosing a Good Fit Book (Inquiry/Media decoding) - from Project Look Sharp
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students can articulate what makes a book a good choice for them
Summary: This short video models using a guided inquiry approach to lead students to determine how to identify books that are a good fit for them to check out.
Exploring Elements of Community - Paletero Man - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will identify how elements of culture can be found in our communities. Students will practice inquiry skills.
Summary: While reading the book Paletero Man, the librarian will lead students to identify elements of culture in the story. Students will practice inquiry skills as a group by investigating the recipe steps to making paletas.
⭐ Kindergarten Classroom Community: Intro to Coding - contributed by Star Davis, Underwood Elementary
Duration: 3-5 lessons; 30-40 minutes each
Summary: In this lesson, students will expand upon their knowledge of classroom procedures. They will play games and use vocabulary to explore procedures in the classroom.
Optionally they will use coding to connect to peers in order to solve typical examples of classroom problems.
Kindergarten Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
1st
Super Hero Book Care - Orientation - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1-2 class periods
Objective: Students will recognize environmental dangers to library books and problem solve ways to avoid them.
Summary: Students will enjoy the drama of identifying book hazards and become empowered to avoid them.
1st grade Library Circulation Procedures (Beginning of Year) - Orientation - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1-2 class periods
Objective: Students will learn the library procedures for book selection and checkout.
Summary: First graders will be building on their kindergarten experience of selecting and checking out books. They will start with browsing one section and have direct assistance with checkout, but the goal is to have them accessing a majority of the library and participating in self-checkout in a few months (depending on students' mastery of skills). This lesson reinforces social studies vocabulary about rules, rights, and responsibilities in a community.
Library Book Checkout Dance - Orientation - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services
Duration: 1-2 class periods
Objective: Students will explain and demonstrate the steps for self check-out in the library.
Summary: Students will work collaboratively as a class to choreograph dance steps to help them remember how to check out library books.
Your Name is a Song - Community Building - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will enjoy a read aloud and give the librarian and fellow classmates a chance to learn new names
Summary: This story reinforces names as a part of one's identity and the importance of them being pronounced properly.
School's First Day of School - Book Joy - contributed by Stephanie Powell, Turner Creek ES
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will gain an understanding of how a school functions (as they are part of the school community).
Summary: After reading School’s First Day of School, by Adam Rex and illustrated by Christian Robinson, students will create a model of their ideal/dream school.
Goggles, Makerspace - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 60 minutes (1-2 class periods)
Objective: Students will create their own goggles using maker materials. Students will understand expectations and procedures for using maker materials in the library.
Summary: Teacher will read aloud Goggles by Ezra Jack Keats. Students will create their own goggles using maker materials.
Intro to eWISE: Deep and Shallow Questions - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services
Duration: 1 class period (2 class periods, with extensions)
Objective: Students will evaluate questions to determine what types of questions are best for research.
Summary: Students brainstorm "wonders" they have on sticky notes, then evaluate their questions to determine if they are "shallow" or "deep".
Choosing a Good Fit Book (Inquiry/Media decoding) - from Project Look Sharp
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students can articulate what makes a book a good choice for them
Summary: This short video models using a guided inquiry approach to lead students to determine how to identify books that are a good fit for them to check out.
Exploring Elements of Community - Paletero Man - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will identify how elements of culture can be found in our communities. Students will practice inquiry skills.
Summary: While reading the book Paletero Man, the librarian will lead students to identify elements of culture in the story. Students will practice inquiry skills as a group by investigating the recipe steps to making paletas.
⭐ Jabari Tries: Force and Motion - contributed by Amy Galvan, Stough Elementary
Duration: Two 45-minute class sessions
Objective: By connecting a character’s experience in a story with a hands-on experience in class, students will identify/discover elements of a design or research process. I specifically used the vocabulary of “wonder,” “investigate,” “synthesize,” and “evaluate” relating to our eWISE model, but it could easily adapt to any design process.
Summary: After reading Jabari Tries, students will work in teams to build a track where a marble will roll from the beginning into a cup at the end.
1st grade Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
2nd
Super Hero Book Care - Orientation - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1-2 class periods
Objective: Students will recognize environmental dangers to library books and problem solve ways to avoid them.
Summary: Students will enjoy the drama of identifying book hazards and become empowered to avoid them.
School's First Day of School - Book Joy - contributed by Stephanie Powell, Turner Creek ES
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will gain an understanding of how a school functions (as they are part of the school community).
Summary: After reading School’s First Day of School, by Adam Rex and illustrated by Christian Robinson, students will create a model of their ideal/dream school.
New Name - Community Building/Book Joy - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 45 minutes
Objective: Students will learn more about their peers and build community.
Summary: Teacher will read aloud Thunder Boy Jr., by Sherman Alexie. Students will create a new name for themselves along with an illustration that represents why they chose that name.
Goggles, Makerspace - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 60 minutes (1-2 class periods)
Objective: Students will create their own goggles using maker materials. Students will understand expectations and procedures for using maker materials in the library.
Summary: Teacher will read aloud Goggles by Ezra Jack Keats. Students will create their own goggles using maker materials.
Intro to eWISE: Deep and Shallow Questions - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services
Duration: 1 class period (2 class periods, with extensions)
Objective: Students will evaluate questions to determine what types of questions are best for research.
Summary: Students brainstorm "wonders" they have on sticky notes, then evaluate their questions to determine if they are "shallow" or "deep".
Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt - contributed by Felecia Washington, Sanford Creek ES
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: To familiarize students with the Library Media Center
Summary: This lesson is a fun way for students to become familiar with the Library Media Center
2nd grade Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
3rd
New Name - Community Building/Book Joy - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 45 minutes
Objective: Students will learn more about their peers and build community.
Summary: Teacher will read aloud Thunder Boy Jr., by Sherman Alexie. Students will create a new name for themselves along with an illustration that represents why they chose that name.
Library/Maker Self Portrait - Community Building/Orientation - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: Students will find and discover items in the library that represent their interests.
Summary: Students will get to know one another and library materials by creating a self portrait using objects in the library.
Welcome Back: Library Orientation - Orientation - contributed by Sharon Hart, Forestville Road ES
Duration: 1 or 2 sessions
Objective: Students can share what they know about the library's rules and procedures.
Summary: Students work together to define how they think they should behave in the library as it pertains to our PBIS slogan. They will also work together to create a map of the different areas of the library, which includes where they should go for different drills.
Book Talks - Community Building/Book Joy - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 90 minutes (3 class periods)
Objective: Students will create Book Talk videos for K-2 students.
Summary: Students will record a Book Talk video on book they would recommend for younger students (picture books, early chapter books, easy non-fiction books, etc.).
eWISE with Wonderopolis - Intro to eWISE - contributed by Stephanie Powell, Turner Creek ES
Duration: 2 class periods (ongoing is used as a center throughout the year)
Objective: Use the eWISE model to investigate/research a topic.
Summary: Students will use Wonderopolis to investigate (using eWISE structure) ideas that may cause them to wonder.
Ways to School - Intro to eWISE/EL Curricular Connection - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1 class period
Objective: Students will recognize global challenges some students have getting to school.
Summary: Using the suggested nonfiction book, or Creative Commons photos, students will make observations and ask questions (I Notice/I Wonder) about the images they see. Librarian will also use this opportunity to introduce the “Wonder” aspect of eWISE.
Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt - contributed by Felecia Washington, Sanford Creek ES
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: To familiarize students with the Library Media Center
Summary: This lesson is a fun way for students to become familiar with the Library Media Center
⭐ Jabari Tries: Force and Motion - contributed by Amy Galvan, Stough Elementary
Duration: Two 45-minute class sessions
Objective: By connecting a character’s experience in a story with a hands-on experience in class, students will identify/discover elements of a design or research process. I specifically used the vocabulary of “wonder,” “investigate,” “synthesize,” and “evaluate” relating to our eWISE model, but it could easily adapt to any design process.
Summary: After reading Jabari Tries, students will work in teams to build a track where a marble will roll from the beginning into a cup at the end.
3rd grade Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
4th
Library/Maker Self Portrait - Community Building/Orientation - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: Students will find and discover items in the library that represent their interests.
Summary: Students will get to know one another and library materials by creating a self portrait using objects in the library.
Book Talks - Community Building/Book Joy - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 90 minutes (3 class periods)
Objective: Students will create Book Talk videos for K-2 students.
Summary: Students will record a Book Talk video on book they would recommend for younger students (picture books, early chapter books, easy non-fiction books, etc.).
eWISE with Wonderopolis - Intro to eWISE - contributed by Stephanie Powell, Turner Creek ES
Duration: 2 class periods (ongoing is used as a center throughout the year)
Objective: Use the eWISE model to investigate/research a topic.
Summary: Students will use Wonderopolis to investigate (using eWISE structure) ideas that may cause them to wonder.
Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt - contributed by Felecia Washington, Sanford Creek ES
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: To familiarize students with the Library Media Center
Summary: This lesson is a fun way for students to become familiar with the Library Media Center
4th grade Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
5th
Library/Maker Self Portrait - Community Building/Orientation (printable version) - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: Students will find and discover items in the library that represent their interests.
Summary: Students will get to know one another and library materials by creating a self portrait using objects in the library.
Library/Maker Self Portrait - Community Building/Orientation - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: Students will find and discover items in the library that represent their interests.
Summary: Students will get to know one another and library materials by creating a self portrait using objects in the library.
Book Talks - Community Building/Book Joy - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: 90 minutes (3 class periods)
Objective: Students will create Book Talk videos for K-2 students.
Summary: Students will record a Book Talk video on book they would recommend for younger students (picture books, early chapter books, easy non-fiction books, etc.).
eWISE with Wonderopolis - Intro to eWISE - contributed by Stephanie Powell, Turner Creek ES
Duration: 2 class periods (ongoing is used as a center throughout the year)
Objective: Use the eWISE model to investigate/research a topic.
Summary: Students will use Wonderopolis to investigate (using eWISE structure) ideas that may cause them to wonder.
Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt - contributed by Felecia Washington, Sanford Creek ES
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective: To familiarize students with the Library Media Center
Summary: This lesson is a fun way for students to become familiar with the Library Media Center
5th grade Digital Citizenships Lessons from Common Sense Media
ECS I and II
⭐Adapted Lesson Ideas for Little Ruby's Big Idea series - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services - shared by Courtney Walker and Brenda Maier at Inclusive Libraries for Students with Special Needs session, ALA Annual 2024