Elementary Lesson Plan
Title: Don’t Wake the Dragon”
Grade Levels: 1st or 2nd grade
Subject: Library Orientation
Brief Description:
Using the read aloud, The Library Dragon, by Carmen Agra Deedy, students will discuss the librarian’s conflicted roles of protecting the books while allowing students to enjoy them. Students and librarian will discuss rules for taking care of books. Students will then construct dragon masks on paint stirrers, which they will use as shelf markers. To tie the dragon shelf markers with the book and the lesson, students will be advised to act appropriately with the library books, or the library dragon may return.
Materials Needed:
1. The Library Dragon, by Carmen Agra Deedy
2. Toy stuffed dragon or large dragon poster
3. One paint stirrer for each student
4. Colors, markers, or paints
5. Dragon face template (cut out ahead of time)
a. http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/thumbs861-865/sb865prev.html
b. http://www.thebestkidsbooksite.com/craftdetails3.cfm?CraftID=887
6. Glue
Learning Objectives:
1. The learner will list three ways to treat books properly in the library.
2. The learner will construct a shelf marker.
3. The learner will demonstrate knowledge of how to use a shelf marker and how to treat books properly.
AASL standards:
Category I: Information Literacy
Standard 1: Accesses information efficiently and effectively
5. develops and uses successful strategies for locating information.
Category II: Independent Learning
Standard 5: Appreciates and enjoys literature and other creative expressions of information
2. derives meaning from information presented creatively in a variety of formats;
3. develops creative products in a variety of formats.
Standard 6: Strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation, as described by the following indicators:
1. assesses the quality of the process and products of one's own information seeking;
2. devises strategies for revising, improving, and updating self-generated knowledge.
Procedures:
1. Once class is seated in a circle, pass around four examples of books for each student to examine. One book should be brand new, one should be really old and in good condition, one should be relatively new but have torn pages or ink marks, and the fourth should be really old and in horrible condition.
2. Allow several minutes for students to examine the books, without prompting from librarian. After about five minutes, ask for volunteers to share what they observed about the books. (Write observations on chart paper or board.)
3. Read the book, The Library Dragon, aloud to the class.
4. Explain that our library has a dragon (hold up stuffed dragon or point to poster), and that our dragon remains asleep as long as the books are being cared for properly.
5. Have children sit at tables (which have already been set up with dragon mask templates, markers, colors, glue, paint stirrers, etc). While students are coloring, cutting, and pasting, tell them that they have new jobs now…they are official assistant dragons. Their dragons will be important for two reasons.
6. The first use is as a shelf guardian. When they see a book they’d like to look at more closely, they need to stick the paint stirrer end into the exact spot where the book is. The dragon will hang out there and guard the spot so that no other book ends up there, and so that the book will make it home safely. (Demonstrate several times with different students).
7. The second use is as a library/book guardian. If students see anyone tearing, writing in, stealing, or otherwise mistreating a book, their dragon defenses must sound the alarm. They are to hold up their dragon and roar. Demonstrate by pretending to write in a book, and see how many students can roar to let an adult now about it.
8. Have students write their names on the back of their dragons. Laminate them, attach to paint stirrers, and have students bring them with them when their class travels to the library. At the beginning of each browsing/check-out session, remind students to get their dragons and protect the books. (Classroom teachers should store all shelf markers in a box at bring with the class to the library.)
9. Before the library time is finished, hand each student the smiley/sad face icons, and instruct them to be seated. Ask each question on the quiz, and have students show the happy face if they agree with the answer, or the sad face if they disagree. For example, one of the questions says, “It’s okay to let younger children play with your library books.” All students would need to show the sad face.
10. Discuss the correct response to each statement on the quiz. Collect smiley/sad faces and shelf markers on their way out.
Assessment Methods:
1. Each student will have the dragon shelf marker as an assessable final project.
2. Librarian and teacher will utilize a checklist to observe student behaviors surrounding the treatment of books and the placement of shelf markers to mark the correct placement of the book on the shelf.
3. Oral quiz on the use of shelf markers and book treatment.
Quiz (Modified for younger students)
Copy and cut out a smiley face image and a sad face image for each student. Glue them back to back and laminate.
Ask each question out loud, and have students show you the smiley face if the statement is true (or correct), and show the sad face if the statement is false (or wrong).
As each question is asked, the librarian can quickly assess which students know the answer and which ones don’t. In the event that the school or the teacher require a written grade, the smiley/sad faces can be printed after each question on a quiz, and the students can circle the correct face.
1. It’s okay leave your library books outside.
2. It’s okay to loan your library books to other people.
3. You should wash and dry your hands before reading your library book.
4. Your dragon shelf marker should always stay in your back pocket.
5. You should take good care of your books and return them to the library on time.
6. It’s okay to let younger children or babies play with your library books.
7. It’s okay to read your book while eating or drinking.
8. You should turn the pages of your book as fast as you can.
9. Using a pencil for a bookmark is just fine.
10. Using your dragon shelf marker to hit someone coloring in their library book.
11. You should never write or color in your library book.
12. You should throw your books into a pile on the shelf when you are finished with them.
13. The dragon shelf marker guards your book’s spot on the shelf.
14. The shelf marker must stay on the shelf forever.
15. The library is a great place to be.
