Shelf Talker Lesson

Here is my lesson plan for introducing shelf talkers to my students. After the lesson, I make this activity an occasional work station in the library.

Materials: blank, unlined 4 x 6 cards; crayons, markers, or colored pencils;
Movie poster to display

Content Area: Language Arts

Grades: 1-5


Marzano Strategies:



Using Non-Linguistic Representations

Cooperative Learning
AASL Standards for the Twenty-First Century Learner:

3.3.5: Contribute to the exchange of ideas with and beyond the learning community.

4.1.8 Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.
Preparation:
Display an appealing, kid-friendly movie poster at the front of your teaching area. You can get one from a movie theatre or in the poster section of your local discount store.

Have tables set up with blank 4 by 6 cards and colored pencils, crayons, or markers.
Hook:
Have the students look at the movie poster on display. When they look at the poster, does it make them want to go to the movie? What is it about the poster that makes them want to go to the movie? Instruct them to turn to their neighbor and, in a library or level one voice, talk about why the poster makes them want to go see the movie.
After students have shared in pairs, ask for them to share their thoughts with the group. Together, you will come up with answers like color, illustrations, persuasive language.
Lesson:
Tell the students that they will make a small poster for a book that you’ve read.

Step One: Think of a library book that you’ve read and liked. It can be fiction or non-fiction.

Give students a few moments to think of a book.

Step Two: Just like the movie poster, you will try to convince someone else to read your book.

Remind the students of the techniques you just discussed from the movie poster (color, illustrations, persuasive language)

Step Three: Students begin work at the tables on their movie posters.
If needed, they can get a shelf marker and retrieve the library book to look at the spelling of the title, or the appearance of a character. Remind these students that we aren't looking for a copy of the book cover.


Extend the Learning:
After you’ve completed this lesson and collected the 4 by 6 cards, laminate them, and tape them to the edge of the library shelf where that title is located.

Next time the same class comes to the library, you can have a center set up with the 4 by 6 cards and markers, colored pencils, or crayons, and allow students to continue making shelf talkers for your library!
TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills):

First Grade: 110.12(b)(12) Reading/Comprehension of Text/Independent Reading. Students read independently for sustained periods of time and produce evidence of their reading. Students are expected to read independently for a sustained period of time.

Second Grade: 110.13(b) (12) Reading/Comprehension of Text/Independent Reading. Students read independently for sustained periods of time and produce evidence of their reading. Students are expected to read independently for a sustained period of time and paraphrase what the reading was about, maintaining meaning.

Third Grade: 110.14(b) (11) Reading/Comprehension of Text/Independent Reading. Students read independently for sustained periods of time and produce evidence of their reading. Students are expected to read independently for a sustained period of time and paraphrase what the reading was about, maintaining meaning and logical order (e.g., generate a reading log or journal; participate in book talks).
Fourth Grade: 110.15(b) (9) Reading/Comprehension of Text/Independent Reading. Students read independently for sustained periods of time and produce evidence of their reading. Students are expected to read independently for a sustained period of time and paraphrase what the reading was about, maintaining meaning and logical order (e.g., generate a reading log or journal; participate in book talks).
Fifth Grade: 110.16(b) (9) Reading/Comprehension of Text/Independent Reading. Students read independently for sustained periods of time and produce evidence of their reading. Students are expected to read independently for a sustained period of time and summarize or paraphrase what the reading what was about, maintaining meaning and logical order (e.g., generate a reading log or journal; participate in book talks).