How to Create a Leveled Library in a Second Grade Classroom
A leveled classroom library provides a quick, informal assessment of your second graders during independent reading time. Through the use of clearly marked attractive book bins, your classroom library will be accessible and enjoyable for all of your second graders. This approach will allow your students to quickly select books to read during independent reading time in your classroom. More importantly, it will give you, the teacher, a clear way of matching your students to books at their independent reading level.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic or cardboard bins Self-adhesive blank labels (2 1/3 by 3 3/8 inches) Self-adhesive dots (3/4 inch) in a variety of colors Permanent marker Leveled book list (see Resources) Variety of appropriate second grade independent reading books (examples include picture books, trade books, biographies, and chapter books)
Instructions
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Creating a Leveled Library in a Second Grade Classroom
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1
Decide how much of your classroom library you are going to assign levels to. All of the books in your classroom do not need to be assigned a level, but they can be placed in bins according to their genre to keep your library organized.
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2
Take an inventory of the books you have in your classroom by creating piles of books with the same title. Note the condition of the books you have. Your students will most likely be drawn to books that are in good condition, and those that are "unattractive" should not be included in your library.
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3
Using your leveled book list, begin looking up the titles of the books you have in your classroom. The leveled list will assign a letter to each book according to its difficulty.
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Once you find the title you are looking for, select a self-adhesive colored dot to assign to this particular level of books (A red dot could indicate books grouped in level "M"). Place one dot in the upper right-hand corner of the book cover. As you progress through your books, continue designating colored dots to each book level.
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5
Group your books according to the dots they have on their covers and place them together in a book bin. Using a permanent marker, write a "heading" for each book bin on a blank mailing label ("Red Dot Books") and stick on each bin. You can include a colored dot on the label to allow students to easily differentiate between book bins when searching for, or returning, a book in your classroom library.
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Place your newly leveled book bins on the shelves in your classroom library in random order. Be cautious not to place bins in such a way that would indicate their difficulty. Students should not become aware of how the books are organized, other than that they are now assigned a color as a way of selecting and returning books.
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By assigning colors to each group of books, and having books in clearly marked book bins, you will be able to quickly assess which level your students are reading at during their independent reading time and make adjustments, if necessary. (If a student is reading a book that you feel is too challenging for his or her reading level, you can quickly suggest another book in an appropriate level.)
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Tips & Warnings
If you find that you have run out of different colored self-adhesive dots for your bins, you can always use a variety of other stickers (animals or smiley faces) to place on the book covers. Furthermore, if you cannot locate a title on your leveled book list, read through the book and decide which level would best fit that particular book, based on the books you have already leveled using the list.
