When do your kids go book shopping?

I was sent a few emails in the past few weeks about how and when I let my students know when they can book shop for new books in the their book boxes.

I have a morning "Buzz Work" wheel that my students check each morning to see what they need to work on that day.  These are activities that they do for morning work and when they finish their work throughout the day. 

Basically each student's name in on a section and colored bee is pointing toward that section.  I turn it each day so that students have a new activity each day.  Below the wheel are baskets with bees attached to them that match the wheel above.

These baskets provide the work that they work on each day.  Every color bee is represented on a basket except for blue.  If a student is on blue, then they can book shop that day.  So each student gets to book shop once a week.  I also allow anyone to book shop during our social centers at the end of the day.

Before they can book shop, you will need to make sure your students understand your classroom library system and how to choose good fit books.  (You can read about my library here.)  Here is a chart that helps us with choosing good fit book.  I found this idea on Kim Adsit's site. 

I taught this lesson with the sisters' suggestion of using shoes.  I LOVE to use this book to help the lesson even more:

While we're talking about books, here is a little chart I made with photos of students showing them what good readers do:

I made this with the class by showing them the photos that I snapped and asked them how the kids in the photo were being good readers.  I was sooo proud of their responses!