Patricia Ensminger SLMS
Common Core Lesson
Grade Level – Grade 3 regular education class
Differentiation plans added for co-teaching and special education classes
Lesson/Unit:
Library Organization – Including library catalog (OPAC) skills, library sections layout, locating sections of the
library, locating information in the library catalog, and locating library materials on the shelves
SMART Objective: All grade 3 students will understand the organization of library materials in the LMC, and how to use
the library catalog (OPAC) to locate those materials on the shelves in four 45 minute lessons.
Activity/Lesson:
Lesson 1.) Activate schema/prior knowledge. Have students sitting at tables of 4 or 5 per table. On the anchor
chart/Smartboard write the word organization. Gather responses from students regarding definition of the word. Review
how a kitchen drawer is organized, how their locker/desk is organized, how their closet is organized. Explain to students
that organization helps to find things more easily, and keeps our lives less hectic. Librarian will ask students how does
your mother/father find peanut butter in the grocery store. Direct the class to turn and talk at their table to brainstorm
ideas. Chart answers. Using the grocery store as a model, draw a floor plan of the grocery store and have students help
you label sections of the store. Explain what the term “bird’s eye view” means. Model labeling the sections of the
grocery store, where the checkouts are, how things are put on the shelves. Chart conclusions that the grocery store
needs to be organized, so patrons can find things easily. Co-teaching or special education classes skip to lesson 3.
Lesson 2.) Have students break into groups of 4 or 5, and as a group draw out the floor plan (bird’s eye view) of a place
that needs to stay organized in order to find things more easily. Examples to assign to groups: toy store, post office, pet
store, shoe store, pharmacy, gaming store, and dollar store.
Lesson 3.) Review plans that students made in last lesson. Ask students if the library needs to be organized. Hand out to
students an outline of your library. Begin to complete the library map with key, title, compass rose. Continue with color
coding library sections. Use the document camera to allow students to see each section as it is color coded. Using
colored pencils, color in fiction, easy, nonfiction, biography, reference, professional, magazines, paperbacks, graphic
novels, computers, checkout desk, OPAC stations. Discuss each section of the library by modeling with the library catalog
(OPAC) finding a book title and call number on the computer, then walking to the section of the library and taking the
book off the shelf. It may take longer for the co-teaching class/special education class to finish the map.
Lesson 4.) With a finished map, have groups of 2 students visit different sections of the library to see how the spine labels
are in order on the shelves. Finish labeling the map with letters and numbers on the shelves. Explain that each book has
a call number on the spine of the book. The call number is like an address for the book on the shelf. Use the OPAC and
ceiling projector to show students the title/author names/call number in software. Practice using their maps to find
different call numbers. Now use the map and the library catalog (OPAC) to find library materials, first on the map an
then on the shelves.
Materials/Resources:
Library catalog, library map, Smartboard/chart paper, crayons/colored pencils
Assessments:
Visual assessment of students placing finger on library map in correct section
Grade 3 CFA
Common Core Learning Standards:
RI 3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as a basis for the
answers.
RL 3.11a Self-select text based on personal preferences.
Focus Area/American Library Association Standards:
ALA 1.1.6 Read, review, and listen for information presented in any format in order to make inferences and gather
meaning.
ALA 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
ALA 4.4.6 Evaluate own ability to select resources that are engaging and appropriate for personal interests and needs.
I Can Statement: I understand how to use the library software to find library materials that I want and need.
Name: _______________________________________________________________ Room ____________________
Map Title: ______________________________________________________________________________________