Creative Curriculum Interest Areas Library Creative Curriculum Interest Areas Adapted from Creative Curriculum, 2010

Creating An Environment for the Library Area Location Furnishings Materials Location Quiet, away from traffic Carpeted floor & good lighting Near electrical outlets Furnishings Comfy places to sit and look at books or listen to recordings Table & chairs for writing Book shelf to display books with covers facing out Shelf for writing materials Materials Wide variety of children’s books Wall displays (book jackets, posters, schedule, alphabet) Tape or CD players and headsets Hand puppets, flannel board and other props for retelling stories Assorted paper (lined and unlined) Assorted pens, pencils, crayons, markers Alphabet strip, name cards, letter and number stamps

What Children Learn in the Library Area Social-Emotional Physical Language and Literacy Cognitive Social-Emotional Learn about people who are similar and different from them Comforted, knowing that others have managed experiences and fears similar to their own Share books, re-enact stories and write messages Physical Strengthen hand and eye muscles Language and Literacy Learn new words Develop phonological awareness Learn to follow the direction of print on a page Use language in meaningful ways Cognitive Gain a better understanding of the world around them; Interpret symbols and make predictions Make connections between stories and what they already know Sequencing skills

What Children Do In the Library Area Explore Books Listen to Stories (read by adult or on a tape) “Read” to each other Retell a story using props “Write” a note Make a book

What Teachers Can Do to Expand Learning in the Library Area Read with the children and model appropriate book use Ask Questions Comment on Child’s Writing Describe what you see Help the child use writing tools Ask questions or make statements that help a child solve a problem Create a blank journal for each child Read with the children and model appropriate book use Ask Questions “How would you feel if [event in the story] happened to you?” (open ended) “What did the [character] use to make the [item]?” (wh question) “Have you ever eaten [food item in story]?” (connection) Comment on Child’s Writing “I see you’ve been busy writing. Will you tell me what you wrote?” Describe what you see “You made a whole row of A’s and then a row of M’s. Help the child use writing tools Ask questions or make statements that help a child solve a problem “Do you want to know how to write Alexa’s name? I wonder whether we can find her name on something in the classroom.” Create a blank journal for each child