Newbery and Caldecott Cafe

Not that this is a new year's resolution, but trying some new things this year.  One is the Breakout box (breakoutedu.com - think Escape Room) when it gets here (only ordered it back in November!) and the other is a tasting party.  Now, the tasting parties have been around for awhile and I've been wanting to try, but haven't quite found the right time or lesson.

Enter January.  January is a great time to work with kids - it's cold, the kids need to be more active since sometimes outdoor recess isn't an option, they're coming down from sugar highs they've had since October....

So, I've also been wanting to do more with the awards books earn.  I've made a show to all my ages about when a book has a medal on its cover.  I do a brief "this is what this award is for" to the students, but that's about all.  Since I'm getting ready to start Virginia Readers Choice with K-3, I decided fourth and fifth would learn about Caledecott and Newbery awards!  After all, they are getting to that point where they are reading more Newbery and have previously read some of the Caldecott, so I figure it's a good age!

After looking at some ideas from lesson books that the former librarian left me, I thought why not a book tasting?  At first, I thought of having students create mock awards for books, based on the criteria.  However, I want our first one to be fun and inviting and the kids get excited if we do it again!  So, instead, I'm pulling books we have in the library and doing one week Caldecott winners/honor books, the next week Newbery.  After experiencing this and other awards, I might then go to the mock awards, but students need some background first on what has already been chosen.  It's also a great way for students to experience new books they may not have read or - even better - realize they've read an award winner and get excited and share it with others!

I created menus based off of many many ideas I found on Pinterest and blogs.  I wanted the focus to be more on books, but wanted the students to reflect on the books, so I made the questions a yes/no answer, and a rating of 1-5 stars.

So, I'll be doing this the weeks of the 9th and 16th.  I'll be sure to post pictures on here on how it goes!  If you'd like to see more, I've decided to go ahead and put my menus on TPT and TN since award season will be here soon, and people might want to use them!