Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Library Crossword Center

This center is Pinterest-inspired.  If you aren't using Pinterest, you're missing out on some really amazing classroom and library ideas!  Pinterest has a really amazing teaching community and it is such a great way for teachers to share ideas about what is going on in their classrooms.  There's a good deal of school library ideas too.  I also find I can easily take "classroom" ideas and make them work in the library.  

 Here is my Library Crossword Center: 

Set up: 
I don't have any magnetic surfaces in my library so I bought an oil drip pan (pretty cheap for the size  ~$10 at AutoZone).   I cover the Blitz logo, which is raised, with a sign telling the topic of the week.  I change this sign weekly using topics such as: library, genre, mystery, nonfiction. 

To make the letters, I cut foam sheets into squares, wrote letters on them, and stuck a magnet strip on the back.  I realized after the fact, there are TONS of Scrabble and Scrabble Jr. games at Savers that you could use.  These letters were more work but they are pretty and colorful!



 This center gets the kids thinking of vocabulary and lets them work together.  It also helps them practice spelling.  I even had kids using dictionaries to check their spelling!  I love seeing what words they come up with.  I think my favorite was when they incorporated my name into their library crossword :)

 This center is available on TPT.
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 23, 2012 at 7:39 PM

    Hi~

    I have been enjoying following your blog and love your ideas & creativity!!

    I would love to start a crossword center like yours. I have found a drip pan and some foam to use for letters. Did you glue the magnetic strips to the back of the foam before you cut them? How did you determine the number of each letter?

    Thanks for all the great ideas AND for sharing!!

    Anne-Marie Ross
    Library Media Specialist
    Manomet & Indian Brook Elementary Schools
    Plymouth, MA 02360

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    Replies
    1. Mrs. LodgeApril 23, 2012 at 8:19 PM

      Hi Anne-Marie! To make my letters, I cut foam sheets into 1" squares. Then I used a sharpie to write letters on the front. I went through the alphabet 3 or 4 times and made a few more for letters I thought would be frequently used - S, E, O, etc. I bought adhesive magnetic strips from AC Moore, cut them into small squares, and stuck them on the backs of the letters. They're used multiple times a day and I haven't had any magnets fall off.

      After making all my letters, I saw tons of Scrabble Jr games at Savers thrift store. You could easily use those letters if you just add the magnets. They wouldn't be as colorful but would definitely be a time~saver!

      :)

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