Meet my super-elastic, fantastic library card/shelf markers/punch cards!
As you know, I used to make shelf markers out of paint stirrers. Several librarians commented that they put student barcodes on their shelf markers, and I really liked that idea. But the vision of painting 900 paint stirrers did NOT appeal to me!
So, I made combination library card/shelf markers on card stock. Then I had the idea to make them into punch cards. We'll punch a circle around the outside edge each time a student checks out or rechecks his books (because his account is current--no bills or overdues). After five circles, there's a star for the sixth punch, and the student will get to choose a-fun-but-not-too-distracting-school supply from the treasure box.
For our first graders, I have a different design: 3 circles before a number 2 on the edge, because I do 3 lessons with our fabulous firsties before I let them check out 2 books. I teach them book care, shelf markers, and choosing a just right book before they start taking 2 books home.
On one side of the library card/shelf marker/punch card, the students will write their first name (or the name they want to be called), and I'll stick the barcode on there. On the other side, I have one of our Leader in Me sayings ("think win-win") with the circles and stars, waiting to be punched.
I bought ocean stickers for students to add to their shelf marker/library card/punch card to personalize it even more. After we have names and bar codes and stickers on, we'll laminate them so they'll last all year.
And because I know my little angels and their wily ways, I bought heart-shaped punches for us to use at the circulation desk, instead of standard hole punches. Just in case they have an idea to try to punch their own card.
You can download my library card/shelf marker/punch card pdf for free right here, from my Google Drive.
I think this will help me to:
-reward the students who return or renew their books responsibly, and
-see at a glance which students haven't checked out for a while due to late or lost books!
I'll keep you posted on how this system works.
And, THANK YOU for helping this blog to reach half a million page views! That's a whole lot of collaboration going on!
Interesting idea! I love it. I'm interested to know how they hold up over the course of the year. I can see my kids folding, rolling, and bending them to oblivion before we hit fall break. Keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteAmanda, I have that vision in my mind, too. I'm hoping that they will understand that I can't give them a prize if the punch card is destroyed. We'll see!
DeleteThanks for the comment!
Cari
Please keep us posted on how this works. I'm all for any ideas to get the kiddos to return their books each week! Thanks for all your awesome ideas!
ReplyDeleteKebbie,
DeleteI will definitely keep you posted. This week I'll be getting the kids to write their names and add stickers. Step by step!
Thanks for your encouraging words!
Cari
Cari, this is a great idea. I have the plastic shelf markers from Demco, but am now considering this. Did you use card stock? I'm trying to think of what would be sturdy enough to last. Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteShawna, I did print them on cardstock. After the students write their name, add a sticker, and I'll add a barcode, then we'll laminate them to try and make them last all year.
DeleteWe'll see how it goes!
Thanks for the comment!
Cari
I printed these out yesterday and started letting the kids decorate them this morning. Thanks for the great idea. It was a perfect day to introduce it because I had a class with a lot of missing books this week. Hopefully this incentive will get them back next week.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to share my methord for returning library books, I have a drawing each month for students who return their library books. Each week, if the student has returned or renewed their library books, I give them a ticket to fill out. At the end of the month I draw winners from each grade level. I check their record to make sure they still do not have any overdue books and hand out a prize. My prize each month is a poster and a full sized Hershey bar. The students love it! I have been doing it for 2 years now. It's not expensive. The posters come from scholastic book fairs.
ReplyDeleteDo you keep the cards? Or do the students take them with them?
ReplyDeleteI made these at the beginning of this school year and I would say that, 5 months later, about 20% of them have been folded and rolled to death, while another 10% or so have either been lost or had the lamination picked off of them. Many bend during use as a placeholder, so this morning I decided to use OLD, weeded book covers to make placeholders (really sturdy!), and I will make library-card-sized library cards for checkout use. We'll see how this goes...
ReplyDelete