The Shelf Elf - shopcslp.com Elf LL.pdfenchantment of the shelf elf blossomed and so did the idea to ... After discussing the importance of shelf mark-ers and how to use them, sing

by Jackie Mims Hopkins

The Shelf ElfLibrary Lessons

Published by UpstartBooksW5527 Highway 106P.O. Box 800Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538-08001-800-448-4887

© Jackie Mims Hopkins, 2004Illustrations © Rebecca McKillip Thornburgh, 2004

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. The purchase of these lessons entitles the individual librarian or teacher to reproduce copies for use in the library or classroom. The reproduction of any part for an entire school system or for commercial use is strictly prohibited. No form of this work may be reproduced or transmitted or recorded without written permission from the publisher.

Author’s Note

Several years ago, Skoob, the shelf elf, left his first note in the Matzke Elementary School Library. When I asked the K–1–2 students what they thought a shelf elf looked like, I realized they didn’t have many preconceived ideas about elves. As a child, I remember being fascinated by a book called The Blueberry Pie Elf. I dusted off my old copy and intro-duced the children to an elf I once knew. With a better under-standing of an elf’s point of view, the fantasy of the shelf elf began. Each week we received notes from Skoob and talked about how we could help him take care of the books. We also tried to use quiet voices in the library so we wouldn’t hurt his tiny ears. Some of the children wrote notes and drew pictures for him. The enchantment of the shelf elf blossomed and so did the idea to write a book about him. I hope you will use The Shelf Elf and these story enrichment ideas as a springboard to create a charming and unique shelf elf for your library too.

Jackie Mims Hopkins

Story Enrichment IdeasDiscussionAfter reading The Shelf Elf to the children, ask them if they think there’s a shelf elf living in their library. Discuss where the shelf elf might live in their library and how they can help him take care of books. What do they think their shelf elf’s name is? Skoob’s name is “books” spelled backwards.

SongsShelf Elf SongSing to the tune of “Did You Ever See a Lassie.”

Do you think we have a shelf elf, A shelf elf, a shelf elf. Do you think we have a shelf elf in our li-bra-ry? Repeat, with the students joining in second time.

Shelf Marker SongAfter discussing the importance of shelf mark-ers and how to use them, sing “The Shelf Marker Song.” Sing to the tune of “The Hokey Pokey.”

You put your shelf marker in. (Put right hand and arm forward.) You pull a book right out. (Pull right hand and arm back.) You look through the pages, To see what it’s about. (Touch sides of hands together like an open book. Left hand closes on top of right hand and then back open like you are turning the pages of the book.)

You do the bookey lookey, And you see if it’s just right. (Continue to hold hands like an open book.) That’s what it’s all about! (Slap hands on thighs twice, clap hands twice, open hands on the word “about.”)

You do the bookey lookey, (Hold hands in the air and shake them like the hand motion in the Hokey Pokey.)

You do the bookey lookey, (Repeat, shaking hands in the air.)

You do the bookey lookey. (Repeat, shaking hands in the air.)

That’s what it’s all about! (Slap thighs twice, clap twice, open hands on the word “about.”)

Creative WritingHave your students write a letter to inquire about their library’s shelf elf. The students should dic-tate the letter for you to write on a large piece of chart paper or chalkboard for your shelf elf to read. After the children leave for the day, respond on a small piece of paper using tiny writing. In addition to answering any specific questions the children may have asked, the response could read something like this:

Continue to have the shelf elf write notes to the students throughout the year. He can comment on their library behavior, request certain books be read and ask for help from the children. A special mailbox can be put in the library for shelf elf mail.

Library MannersBrainstorm with the children the kinds of library behaviors the shelf elf is looking for. Write their suggestions on a poster or large chart paper and post them in the library.

Use tokens to reward desired behaviors when each class visits the library. The tokens may be

Dear Boys and Girls,

My name is _____________ and I am your shelf elf. I am glad you wrote a letter to me. Since no one can see an elf, and no one can hear an elf, writing a letter is a good way to talk to me. I really need your help taking care of all these books. I will watch each class to see who earns the Golden Shelf Elf Award.

Your Shelf Elf,

____________

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stored in a small box, sandwich bag, envelope or jar, one container per class. The class in each grade level (K–1–2) who accumulates the most tokens after six weeks receives the Golden Shelf Elf Award. The winning class may display the award in their room for the next six weeks.

To create a Golden Shelf Elf Award, I used metal-lic gold spray paint on a small cement gnome that I found at a garden center. I painted three of them—one for each grade level. I didn’t give the Golden Shelf Elf Award to the students in grades 3–5, but I did use the token system with them. Every six weeks, the classes in each grade level with the most tokens received small prizes.

Bulletin BoardTake a picture of the winning (K–1–2) teacher of each class and glue his or her face onto the shelf elf pattern from page 4. Also take a group picture of each teacher’s class. Put the shelf elf teacher picture and his or her class picture on a bulle-tin board that says, “Look Who Won the Golden Shelf Elf Award.”

ActivitiesThe Shelf Elf ’s HouseRead a note from the shelf elf asking the children to build a house for him. Brainstorm objects that can be used for beds, tables, chairs, building materials, etc. The children can bring in mate-rials to create his house. In my library, some of the students created a house for Skoob at a “Creation Station” in the classroom. We had several houses on display in the library. When the house is finished, put a clay doormat at the front door. (Use a craft clay that won’t crack when it air dries.) After the children have left for the day, create footprints on the mat by press-ing cardboard shoe prints into the clay, or by pressing doll shoes into the mat. The footprints can appear to go into the house and then back out. The next day when the children come to the library, excitedly show them the footprints that the shelf elf left on the doormat. Even though no one can see an elf, and no one can hear an elf, footprints and occasional notes from him certainly enhance the fantasy of this little guy. When Skoob’s footprints appeared on the clay, one of my second graders said, “Wow, I thought Skoob was just pretend!”

How Would the Shelf Elf Feel?

Materials:• 2 fabric elf hats from a costume shop or 2 elf

hatbands made from the pattern on page 5

• 1 smile and 1 frown pattern from page 5

• 2 tongue depressors

• a variety of damaged books (torn, scribbled in, water damaged, dog-eared, chewed, etc.)

• list of scenarios that would make the shelf elf happy or sad (see page 3)

Prepare in Advance:• Cut out the hatband pattern or buy elf hats.

• Cut out 1 smile and 1 frown pattern. Glue them on the tongue depressors.

• Gather the damaged books.

Activity Directions:1. Choose two children. One child will stand on

one side of you to represent a sad shelf elf and the other child will stand on the other side of you to represent a happy shelf elf. Put the elf hats on both children and give the smiling mouth to one and the frowning mouth to the other.

2. Explain to the students that you are going to tell them about something that happened in the library. The class will decide how the shelf elf would feel about it. If the situation would make him happy, the student with the smiling mouth should hold it up and the students in the audience should smile while making a thumbs-up gesture. If the situation would make the shelf elf sad, the student with the frowning mouth should hold it up and the students in the audience should frown while making a thumbs-down gesture.

Scenarios:Ask “How would the Shelf Elf feel?” after reading each scenario to the class.

1. You use a bookmark to save your place.

2. You dog-ear a page to save your place in a book. (Show a dog-eared page.)

3. You keep a library book for a whole year.

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4. You eat a snack and have some juice while reading your library book. (Show a food-stained page and rippled pages from water damage.)

5. You have clean hands when reading your library book.

6. You use a shelf marker when looking for a book on the library shelves.

7. You put a book back on the shelf with the spine showing.

8. You use a loud voice in the library.

9. You push someone out of the way to get to the books on the shelf first.

10. You use walking feet in the library.

11. You draw or write in a library book. (Show a page that has been scribbled on.)

12. You keep your library book in a safe, dry place at home.

13. You turn the pages of your library book care-fully and slowly.

14. Your dog chews on your library book. (Show a book that has been chewed on by a dog.)

What is Wrong with this Shelf?

Materials:• fun foam

• pointer patterns/pointing Skoob pattern from the last page

• dowels

• ribbons and craft jewels

• tacky glue

Prepare in Advance:1. Create pointers using fun foam and the point-

er patterns from the last page. Tie or glue ribbon streamers on the dowel near the fun foam shape. Glue craft jewels on the pointer for a final flashy touch, or use the pointing Skoob images on the last page. Sandwich the dowel between the images. Glue them together.

2. Prepare a bookshelf of misplaced books. For example, have several books with pages showing instead of their spines, have some books upside down with the call numbers at the top, have some books lying flat on the shelf or on top of the books, etc.

Activity Directions:1. Have the children look carefully at the shelf

to see if they can find what is wrong with the book placement.

2. Select a child to use one of the special point-ers to touch a book that has been put back on the shelf incorrectly. Discuss what is wrong with the position. Talk about using shelf markers and demonstrate how to put the book back in the right direction on the shelf.

3. Continue to have the students take turns pointing out the misplaced books and cor-recting their positions until all the books are back in place.

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Shelf Elf Pattern for Bulletin BoardEnlarge to desired size.

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Elf Hatband PatternIncrease band length to fit child’s head.

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Smile and Frown PatternsEnlarge to desired size.

Pointer PatternsEnlarge to desired size.

Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin39702