My Classroom Library

      One of the most important parts of our day is the time we spend practicing our reading.  Each student has their own book boxes that they keep 4-6 books in as well as their poetry folder and an occasional magazine such as their Weekly Reader.  I have tried many, many different systems of organization for my classroom books.  I encourage the students to have a variety of non-fiction, poetry, and fiction books.  We also work all year on how to make good book selections.  I use the guidelines from Daily 5 called "I Pick".

At the beginning of first grade, particularly, we talk about different ways to enjoy books.  Many students at that time have very limited books that they are able to completely read independently.  These guidelines help them realize there is still a lot of enjoyment they can get out of the books in their book boxes.  These guidelines are also from Daily 5.

 Here are a few pictures of how my books are currently organized.

Here is our reading area.  The display shelves in this area hold all of my picture books that don't belong in a series or a popular author.  

I have all of my "series" books in baskets.  Junie B., Henry and Mudge, Berenstain Bears, Magic School Bus, Magic Tree House, Beverly Cleary, If You Lived At The Time Of, etc.

I have this book display that holds books related to our current theme or unit of study.  Many of these are books I intend to read aloud and teach a lesson from.

Next week, we will continue enjoying some fun Halloween books.  We will also talk about the election.  We will do some opinion writing after reading Grace For President.

I have all of my non-fiction books in baskets, not yet sorted by topics.  Hopefully, that will eventually happen.