I think my interaction on any given Twitter post typically tops out at 14 likes, so 552 likes is pretty big! (Update: We're up to almost 900 likes!) My class was pumped when I told them we were famous on Twitter. What are we famous for? This little idea that popped into my head at 3AM...isn't that when all the best thinking happens?
My class and I had already torn apart our classroom library with our Fixer Upper Classroom Library Makeover project, and my "Construction Crew" was trying to think of a creative book display to put together.
To be honest, our library has been collecting a lot of dust this year! We're fortunate enough to have some amazing titles, but the kids just haven't been borrowing. (This was the whole reason we started the library makeover in the first place.) Here's how we tackled the makeover:
1. "Demo Day"
Before the kids arrived to school, I decked the whole library out in signs that said "Under Construction", blocking shelves off with cones and caution tape. The kids were invited to dress like Chip & Joanna from Fixer Upper, and they totally accepted that challenge. With our flannels, baseball caps, and hoop earrings, we went into the library and pulled out every book.
Fixer Upper Classroom Library Makeover Materials Download Here!
Yep. Every. Single. Book. came out of the library and was spread out onto tables for kids to literally dust off and also to be reorganized back into the shelves once they were cleaned.This was pretty scary for me (I put a ton of blood, sweat, and actual tears into that library's organization), and it was also SO LOUD. But that was all fine, because isn't Demo Day always a little messy...and loud? Everything has to come apart before it comes together. I've watched enough HGTV to know this!
2. Work in Teams to Put it Back Together
Something amazing happened during the mess of Demo Day. Kids started talking about books! I mean real, honest conversations about books. Which books belonged in which bins and why, the books they want to read next, the books they recommend to friends...it was the kind of talking about books teachers dream of, and I hadn't done anything at all.
The teams each had a mission to work toward putting our library back together. Jo's Design Team worked on a design for the furniture in our library, creating a wish list for any items they wanted to add. Chip's Construction Crew was in charge of the new featured books display, and Jimmy Don's Sign Team created labels for new specialty book bins created by the class. The Camera Crew documented the process, and the Silo-bration party planners worked out the details of a big reveal party where all kids would have a chance to try out the "new" library and check out a book.
After meeting with the Construction Crew, I knew they wanted a display that would knock the socks off the class. Something they would connect with. So at 3AM, I started thinking about how I could tie pop culture into the book display. When I came up short of a good idea, I did the worst thing anyone can do at 3AM...I started looking through my phone. As I scrolled my apps, I noticed the glowing red icon for Netflix. Yes!
Netflix has a home screen designed to attract viewers to binge-worthy TV shows, complete with catchy titles to organize your favorites. I opened a note in my phone and started jotting ideas for changing the titles to a reading theme. The Construction Crew was thrilled with the idea, and they ran with it! They got right to work adding titles and sorting books into categories.
Here's what we have so far:
Currently Reading
Trending
Because You Read (You could insert any title here, we used Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
Top Picks for 5th Graders
Read it Again
Recently Added
Most Popular
Comedy/Drama
Binge-Worthy (Series books or author studies)
The kids also designed their own "Who's Reading" avatars, and I can't believe how they turned out! Leave it to 5th graders to make a little square with weird eyes and a mouth look adorable.
Probably my least favorite part of the whole Netflix display was covering this long shelf with black paper. It was a major pain, but I think worth it in the end to achieve the whole Netflix vibe.
We used a long spring rod inside the shelf so the books could rest against it facing out. We added a bunch of book stands on top to achieve the same effect. (Thanks to our amazing school librarian for letting me borrow those & to my "work wife" for letting me rip down a curtain in her room to use the rod. When I have an idea, I have to see it through...ASAP.)
Click here to download all the Bookflix goodies!
So many people commented on Twitter asking for the printables, so I put it all together for you! If you'd like to be able to change the headers, you'll have to play around with fonts a bit, but you'll want the editable version. I did include a font guide with the font names inside and a copy of the Bookflix sign that's printable as is. Please, please, please send along any other ideas you have to add to the Bookflix display, and we'd love to see your Bookflix setup!
Happy Napping!
Update 1/21: We added another Booxflix display for our non-fiction books, and I have to add more books to the fiction display because the kids completely cleared it out!
No comments:
Post a Comment