The Lower School Library curriculum focuses on three main areas of instruction. First is the goal of instilling a love of literature and reading by exposing students to the best of both classic and current titles. Second, navigating the library collection in order to locate materials, is a skill essential to the lower school students. Through direct instruction and independent practice, students are guided towards the goal of being completely self sufficient patrons of their library. In addition, before students leave Lower School, they should master appropriate research techniques using both print and online resources. The library curriculum offers various opportunities for students to strengthen their research skills. Finally, in all aspects of the Library curriculum, librarians strive to integrate literacy skills with areas of study being covered in the classroom.
• Choice of appropriate books from smaller collection
• Poetry recitation and songs to complement curriculum
• Parts of book – spine, cover, end papers, table of contents, page numbers
• Author and illustrator
• Holiday literature
• Visiting author/illustrator/storyteller
• Collaboration between library and classroom curriculum
• Choice of appropriate books from smaller collection
• Poetry recitation and songs to complement curriculum
• Parts of book – spine, cover, end papers, table of contents, page numbers
• Author and illustrator
• Fiction/nonfiction characteristics
• Holiday literature
• Personal book sharing
• Visiting author/illustrator/storyteller
• Collaboration between library and classroom curriculum
• Choice of age appropriate books
• Author and illustrator
• Fiction/nonfiction characteristics
• Holiday literature
• Visiting author/illustrator/storyteller
• Collaboration between library and classroom curriculum
• Library layout
• Online catalog
• Nonfiction as alternative
• Multicultural literature
• Space books for projects
• Caldecott Award for illustrations
• Series fiction
• Beginning research projects
• Choice of age appropriate books
• Knowledge of author and illustrator
• Fiction/nonfiction characteristics
• Holiday literature
• Visiting author/illustrator/storyteller
• Collaboration between library and classroom curriculum
• Library layout/call numbers/signage
• Online catalog
• Folk and Fairy tales
• Multicultural literature
• Native American literature
• Dinosaur books for projects
• Author studies
• Choice of age appropriate books
• Knowledge of author and illustrator
• Fiction/nonfiction characteristics
• Holiday literature
• Visiting author/illustrator/storyteller
• Collaboration between library and classroom curriculum
• Library layout/call numbers/signage
• Online catalog
• Humor in literature – irony, surprise endings, puns, fractured fairy tales
• First grade Buddy Books
• Biography book reports
• Animal habitats and survival
• Picture books with serious themes – underground railroad, woman’s place in society, special needs children
• Fables
• Historical fiction
• Multicultural literature
• Choice of age appropriate books
• Knowledge of author and illustrator
• Fiction/nonfiction characteristics
• Holiday literature
• Visiting author/illustrator/storyteller
• Collaboration between library and classroom curriculum/book selection
• Library layout/call numbers/signage
• Online catalog
• Historical fiction
• Novel studies
• Award/Animal/Historical Fiction Book Reports
• Encyclopedia research – Black American project
• Accurate citations
• Advanced themes – discrimination, Great Depression, WW II
• Author’s point of view
• Multicultural literature
• Choice of age appropriate books/audio books/graphic novels
• Knowledge of author and illustrator
• Fiction/nonfiction characteristics
• Visiting author/illustrator/storyteller
• Collaboration between library and classroom curriculum / book selection
• Library layout/call numbers/signage
• Online catalog
• Novel studies
• Mature themes – discrimination, homelessness
• Encyclopedia research
• Online encyclopedia research
• Nonfiction State book research
• Additional resources research – Atlas, Almanac
• Accurate citation
• Revolutionary and Civil War literature
• Multicultural literature