SSHHH…
we’re going on a scavenger hunt. For this year’s library orientation, my students
looked for clues that were purposefully scattered around the room. Students
crept from clue-to-clue as if they were on a secret mission. They had tasks to
complete, and they were determined to do so. The scavenger hunt’s clues
familiarize students with the different areas of the library media center. Once
students figure out their clue and find the section, there is a task for
them to complete. My groups of students huddled around each task card to complete the
challenge.
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| CLICK HERE to find the scavenger hunt printables! |
I
assigned each student a job during the scavenger hunt as a motivational tool
and as a way to manage behavior. The
Reader read the clue aloud; the Doer was in charge of helping others complete tasks;
the Navigator pointed the group in the right direction toward each new clue;
and the Leader was the only team member who could ask the teacher-librarian any
questions. I pasted each task card onto a envelope similar to these at Amazon.com. Inside the envelopes students found the clues!
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| Students are active learners during this library orientation activity! |
The Library Scavenger Hunt familiarized my students with the library’s iPads and the
rules for using them properly. Students accessed the library’s online public
access catalog (OPAC) and practiced searching for book titles. After students found a book title for the topic on the task card, they began looking for books
that THEY wanted to read! The scavenger hunt orientation was working
already!
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| The library scavenger hunt includes clues, task cards, and a graphic organizer! Find it all HERE! |
Students
browsed shelves to find chapter books they wanted to read in the future. They
learned to read book’s spines for the title and author before sliding the book
halfway out to read the blurb on the back cover. This activity prompts students
to see what new and featured books were displayed in our special promotion area. Your students will quickly learn where to find nonfiction books of various
topics including science and biographies.
As
students completed the tasks associated with each clue, they wrote down their responses
on a student-friendly graphic organizer I created. Students write their
answers for each clue in the place where the image matches the picture on the
clue card. This helped keep students accountable of learning about each section
of the library, and we were able to use the graphic organizer to reflect on the
activity at the end of class.
This
activity is a fun refresher for your students after they have had break in school!
I am sure my students will need another review of how to access resources and
use the library after an extended break like the winter holidays. The Library Scavenger Hunt is designed to work with any library setting, and
revisions or additions can easily be made to your own version.
That’s enough talk for now. We must be quiet again. We’re going on a scavenger hunt.
That’s enough talk for now. We must be quiet again. We’re going on a scavenger hunt.
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| Get your copy of this activity at this LINK! |
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| Visit my TPT Store for your copy of this engaging, kinesthetic activity! |
