Over the summer I shared with you all some of my favorite classroom resources and things I consider ‘must-haves’ for our primary classrooms. At the *very* top of the list was a library display shelf (Amazon Affiliate links included in this post). Out of all the things on my list, it was the priciest so I hesitated to include it..BUT I just had to. Our library display shelf is one of the main focuses of our classroom and something that is used every.single.day by every single one of my students! Today I wanted to share with you how I use this display shelf.
Why a Bookshelf?
Walking into a 1st grade classroom after a year in 5th grade, I was blessed to receive a library display shelf from my school. Each weekend, I secretly replace the books on the shelf and watch the excitement as my 1st graders walk-in to discover new books. Last year, my friends thought Mo Willems’ Pigeon traded out the books (which was hilarious) and this year, it’s just magic! đ Many times our bookshelves match our science or social studies focus, other times I pull the books for specific comprehension mini-lessons, and other times, they are just-for-fun books. A library display shelf is the perfect chance to expose students to books that they might not normally pick-up on their own or might not be able to read on their own. Placing these books on their own shelf inherently adds value to them and tells students – “This book must be great. Ms. W really likes it/wants me to read it!” (To see most of our weekly shelves, search #1stGradeBookshelf on Instagram)
When do students have access to the display shelf?
I’ve replaced Morning Work with partner reading time, so after making lunch choices and getting unpacked, students grab a book (or a book bin) and find a spot to read. Sometimes students will read by themselves but most of the time, the books are difficult enough that it takes 2-3 readers to be able to successfully read and understand the books. Additionally, students are welcome to snag books from the shelf during our Daily 5 block (read to self, read to someone, listening to reading, work on writing), as well as, any time they finish quality work ahead of their peers. My friends know the bookshelf is always open to them, and they love plotting what book they will read next!
With our display shelves, I do expect students to take great care of the books. Students are welcome to grab one book at a time and when they place a book back onto the shelf it needs to go right-side up with the cover facing out. Students are asked not to put these books in their book bins, so all of our friends may enjoy them. Earlier in the Fall, we had several unfortunate incidents of friends being Book Bullies (books stacked on top of each other, book pages torn, books left on the ground) and we found a TERRIBLE note the following week. It hurt our hearts to be bookless and we wrote apology notes to the Book Hospital. Thankfully, that Thursday our books returned to our classroom!
Go-to Themes for Each Month
With the exception of some of our favorite series, our weekly shelves look something like this. I do like to add favorite authors (Mo Willems, Oliver Jeffers, Patricia Polacco, Dr. Suess) and favorite series (Lama Lama, Little Critter, Pigeon, Elephant and Piggie, Fly Guy, Biscuit) into the mix when I am short on or tired of seasonal books.
Where do I get of my the books for the shelves?
Most of the books come from Scholastic Reading Club. I am able to add hundreds of books to our classroom every year using the bonus points my classroom collects! (Learn more about how I maximize Scholastic Reading Club here.) I also love using our school and local libraries for checking-out themes books that I might not have. Additionally, for specific themes that are not as popular on Scholastic or in libraries (i.e. Kentucky Derby), I will purchase used books from Amazon!
What happens to the books when they are not on the display shelf?
While many of the books I pull for our bookshelf stay accessible to students year-round, some don’t. Many pictures books are incredible reads and nothing my students could attempt on their own (i.e. Guided Reading Levels of N and higher). Additionally, some books are so special, I like to personally introduce them to students. For these books, I place them in large Sterilite containers or magazine files from Ikea. Once or so a month, I will pull out a bin for a special “for-grabs-in-book-bin” but most of the time, these books are saved for the just-right moments!
Hands down, our library display shelf is one of my favorite resources in our classroom. It adds so much excitement to our classroom, exposes my friends to many different authors and genres of books, and helps integrate social studies and science into our daily learning.
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I've been dying to get one of these for my classroom. Right now I'm using the ledge on my white board! Ugh! This would be such a blessing!!
Me too! I also use the ledge of the white board to display books. They are always falling off it. Our class would love this book display shelf!
I've been dying to get one of these for my classroom. Right now I'm using the ledge on my white board! Ugh! This would be such a blessing!!
I used to have one of these that I used all of the time. When I changed schools I had to leave it. I would love to have another one.
You know how on the radio or something you will hear "today is national taco day!"? Well, I follow that calendar for my bookshelf books. We've celebrated talk like a pirate day, national elephant day, etc through our bookshelf. Every week there is a day worth celebrating with literature.
Me, me, me!! I don't have anything but plastic bins to store mine in- all on top of each other. This would be wonderful! Love all of your ideas!
I love all your ideas!!!! I hope I win! it would be a great addition to my classroom!
I have such a sad flimsy metal one that holds a whopping 6 books lol. I would LOVE to have the displays I keep seeing pop up on your blog and all over tpt. Such a great way to promote extensions for a unit of inquiry!
This is amazing! I so need one in the classroom for my students!
Great ideas for books by the season/month. My students would love a seasonal collection of books displayed for easy take and go reading.
Would love one of these to display those special books! I teach in SC. My students would love this!
Teresa
I'm a sub right now looking for a permanent position as an art teacher. I have been collecting art heavy books over the years while my kids grew up to add to a classroom book shelf. Would love to go into a classroom with books and a lovely inviting way for students to see the books a want to read them.
I have been wanting one of these for my Kinders so bad!!! We don't get nearly enough instructional money to be able to get one.
I would love one of these! My library is a hand me down mess which arrived unleveled and unsorted in piles. I'm working hard to make exciting categories, but they are all in mismatched baskets. All my money is being used to get more exciting and appropriate books. I'd love this way to display them!
I would love one of these! My library is a hand me down mess which arrived unleveled and unsorted in piles. I'm working hard to make exciting categories, but they are all in mismatched baskets. All my money is being used to get more exciting and appropriate books. I'd love this way to display them!
Definitely would love one! We make do but I don't have a good way to display the books I soooo want to share!
I love this idea! I had never thought of using my bookshelf this way. Fabulous! I already set up my bookshelf with next week's books!
I love your ideas! Books are such wonderful treasures to be shared.
I love your ideas! Books are such wonderful treasures to be shared.
I would love this book display!
I love introducing students to books, authors, and issues through read-alouds. I've matched read-alouds with themes from curriculum and seasonal events. Then put them out for students to read–they end up being the most popular choices.
I would love to win this bookshelf! As a student, I always loved seeing the different books my teachers would put on display for the different holidays or seasons. I am just finishing up student teaching and will be graduating in three short weeks! I hope to have a classroom of my own very soon with a space where I can display books for my students, just as my teachers always did growing up. What a wonderful giveaway for one lucky teacher!!
Where did you get the blue book bins (the ones you have the numbers on)? Also, where did you get the clear ones with the guided reading level (letters) on?
I'm going to be a first year teacher- would be awesome to get a head start on classroom setup!
I would love to see a list of books you keep in each bin! I have trouble figuring out what I want to buy! But I also know that would take a lot of time. Thank you for sharing this idea! My favorite part is how you organize them!
This would be an amazing blessing in my Kinder class! I love to inspire and motivate my students' love for learning and books but I don't have the bookshelf space to allow them to explore all the amazing books I have to offer.
This is such a great giveaway! I'm currently student teaching in Lake Stevens, Washington, but I've been collecting books and supplies for my future classroom! đ I graduate June 2016 from Western Washington University with my Bachelor's in Elementary Education and Major in Special Education. This would be an amazing addition to my future (hopefully K-2nd grade) classroom! đ
Our Bilingual Kindergarten room has no book shelves. I am entering this contest for them. Shelves like this are so needed with little ones. They need to be able to see the cover of the book to spark interest. I love mine and wish every primary classroom came with at least one!
I have started collecting books for my first year of teaching. I have found a ton of books at our local Salvation Army. One trip the books were 10 for $1. I bought Tools for Teaching, and Harry Wong’s book about the first days of school , and a ton of other Scholastic books. I got a total of 70 books for $7. Love your website. It will be my Bible when I start teaching! Thanks for your effort and devotion to education.
I have a smaller bookshelf display- it still holds quite a few picture books. However, I teach 5th grade. When we write personal narratives, I use lots of picture books as mentor texts, so they are housed in my display shelf. But I don’t use picture book mentor texts for informative writing, which is a bulk of our year. Do you have any ideas for using such a display for chapter books, etc.? I have a decent-sized chapter book library, but very few picture books (or I would just put up picture books!).
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Why did the teacher hesitate to include the library display shelf on the list of must-have resources?
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