Thrive After 3

Building successful after-school programs Thrive After 3

Plan after-school sessionsYou already have a storytime audience, keep them coming back once the children enter school.

Plan 6-8 week sessions just like storytime:Fall session: Mid-September to mid-NovemberWinter session: January-FebruarySpring session: March-AprilThis will give you May/June open to plan summer reading and get your school visits in.

When?It may take some time to figure out what days and times work for your patrons.Directly after-school? After dinner? Saturdays?Do an informal survey with regular patrons.Ask the school what days/times there are no school sports.The School Calendar is your friend. Plan programs on half-days, professional development, parent conferences.MarketingCreate flyers or brochures to pass out to the schools. Sometimes you need Superintendent/ Principal permission to distribute through the schools.Market to parents. Theyre looking for activities to improve their childs life. Give them a reason! Parents sign their child up for soccer to learn team work, theyll sign up for your program if they know the benefits of reading.Market to both genders and all abilities. How to build a successful programRead the books!Dont assign homework. Kids have enough.Dont make it a book club. Save that for the summer reading program.Mix it up with crafts, activities, games, competitions.Create a 45-minute program15 mins of reading30 mins of activity

Set-UpJust like storytime, have everything ready for the children. Put items on plates/cups, or bag everything up in sandwich baggies. This will alleviate fighting over colors and numbers of items.

Early Elementary(K-2 or K-3)After School AdventurersSuper Sleuth ScholarsStory CraftersCreative CharactersChapter MastersGenre Gobblers

Upper Elementary(3-5 or 4-6)Mystery MavensPage TurnersThinking Cap SocietySeries StartersNutmeg Novelists

Budget & FundingStart out using storytime supplies: photocopied paper, scissors, glue, crayons, markers, colored pencils.As attendance grows, request more funding.Apply for grants from Womens Clubs, Veteran Clubs, Friends of the Library.Dont waste money on snacks. If your program is right after school, encourage children to bring their own snack they can eat when you read aloud.Lets Play! Early ElementaryBookPages to ReadActivityFall SessionShark vs. Trainwhole bookstick puppets and votingSuperhero ABCwhole bookmaskDark Day in the Deep Sea (Magic Tree House)chapter 7Jack & Annie with octopusFlat Stanleypicture bookFlat SelfMercy Watson Goes For a Ride24-41stick puppet raceStink and the Ultimate Thumb Wrestling Smackdown38-42thumb wrestling with tattoosWinter Session: Books and SnacksMary Poppins seriespick any chaptersnackMrs. Piggle-Wiggle seriespick any chaptersnackPippi Longstocking seriespick any chaptersnackStuart Littlepick any chaptersnackRamona Quimby seriespick any chaptersnackToys Go Out seriespick any chaptersnackSpring SessionThe Great Monster Huntwhole bookMonster Catcher NetNot So Jolly Roger (Time Warp Trio)Wanted PosterLet's Go For a Drive (Elephant and Piggie)whole bookLunch bag puppetsNever Glue Your Friends to Chairschapter 7bee antennaeGingerbread Girlwhole bookGingerbread girlPete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttonswhole bookPete with "buttons"Lets Play! Upper ElementaryFall SessionThe Name of This Book is Secret (Secret Series)40-48smell a thonIf You're Reading This, It's Too Late (Secret Series)121-124sound prismWhere the Mountain Meets the Moon12-25fortune cookiesThe Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson)258-261Hold Up the Sky RelayDiary of a Wimpy Kid seriesany passageCheese Touch Game & JeopardyThe Puzzling World of Winston Breen1-9code breakerWinter Session using Legos13 Wordswhole bookbuild one wordMy Heart is Like a Zoowhole bookbuild a shapeGoldilocks and the Three Dinosaurswhole booksomething from a fairy taleDuck or Rabbitwhole booksomething that could be 2 thingsBalloons Over Broadwaywhole booksomething from a paradeGreenwhole booksomething monochromaticSpring SessionFairy Tale Detectives (Sisters Grimm)149-157Magic mirror craftHugo Cabret (ch.2) Robot Dreams, Wimpy Kid (167-178)see handoutDesign Graphic NovelSword Thief (39 Clues)106-111Notice the Difference GameSplendors and Gloom28-33Marionette PuppetMysterious Benedict Society3-14puzzle contestGollywhopper Games71-80board gameIdeas for Future ProgrammingRead aloud winter program (Books & Chocolate)

If you get extra funding, provide hot cocoa or smores (Honey maid graham and chocolate graham with fluff is a peanut-free snack).

Run a 6-8 week program and provide a paperback copy of the book.

Lego ProgramsThis would be a one-time expense.Additional ResourcesConnecticut State Standards:http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=322592Common Core Standards:http://www.corestandards.org/Lisa Shaias Series Programming for the School Aged Class offered by ALSC online: http://www.ala.org/alsc/edcareeers/profdevelopment/alscwebLisas blog: thriveafterthree.wordpress.comLisas forthcoming book: After-School Clubs to Encourage Reading ALA , September 2013