What Works Wednesday on Saturday

I'm linking up with my friend Gina in her What Works Wednesday linky party....a few days late. Today I'm going to share how I gather my level library books for my small groups without it taking up my entire planning period. 

At my school our leveled library is located in a room attached to the library. (*I'm thankful for all of the volunteers that help keep it tidy and organized!*) I used to take my list of group levels and write down each set of books that I picked up. Then I would haul my books back to my room and sort them out into groups. It really took my whole planning period. I knew there had to be a more efficient way to do things. After I thought about it I felt so foolish. Why was I making it so difficult for myself?! 

Here's what I do now:


My groups are leveled by color. I purchase the giant set of Post Its at the beginning of the school year from Costco and use them for everything! When I go to the leveled library I grab my sets of books for each group and stick a Post It on it for that group. I call my students up by their group color and write down the title of their book onto the Post It as I pass them out. I stick all of the Post Its inside one of my cupboards. If a book winds up on the floor I can easily look and see which group it came from. 


When it's time to pick up the books and return them to the leveled library I set the Post Its out on desks and students place their book in a stack. We put a rubber band around our books and put them back in our tub. The kids love that they can help out, and I love that my entire planning period isn't spent on gathering and sorting books. Be sure to check out the other blogs that have linked up what works for them! Have a great Saturday!

8 comments:

  1. Great organizational tip:) I wish we had a school book room! Love the post-it notes too.

    Tammy
    The Resourceful Apple

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  2. Well it's about time! Jk! But that is a really good idea... if only we had a leveled library room...
    Gina
    Third Grade Tidbits

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    1. I know! But the funk had set in and I couldn't post! I'm out of my funk now! XO

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  3. I LOVE me some post it notes!! Yo know what would be cool?? if you could find little baskets to MATCH the color of the post it notes for them to put the books in and then you could just stack the baskets when you're all done! :)

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  4. Oh sure, Jen...way to feed my OCD! Of course that would be PERFECT! But only if the shades of the baskets completely matched the color of my Post Its!

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