End of the Year Fun From the Pit

Each year I've been in the library, I've struggled to find the perfect activity to close out the year and wrap it up in a fun way. I think I may have discovered it this year. It's an idea that has been incubating in my brain for a while, and about 3 weeks ago I sprung it on Super Aid Yvonne. She liked it immediately, why do you think I call her Super Aid!? and we were on our way.

Here's the idea, I wanted to create a Museum of PIT Artifacts. One item to represent each book we have read together in THE PIT this year. I've read a total of 56 books so far this year and began making a list of titles and artifacts. I reviewed some of the books to come up with ideas and was actually able to come up with 37 artifacts. As it turns out, that's plenty, and so, the scavenger hunt was on. Yvonne and I scoured the library and every storage area we could find to locate the items we needed. We searched our own houses, children's toy boxes, friends' children's toy boxes, basements, garages, recycling bins, and created those didn't exist. When we were down to just a few items I emailed the staff and collected their stuff too. I even borrowed an Ugly Doll from one of my students to use. Actually it was pretty fun!

This week I set it up in the library numbering each artifact and displaying as many of the books that were available. When the kids come in I welcome them to the Museum of PIT Artifacts an describe the idea behind it. Each student takes a paper numbered 1 - 40 and then identifies the book that goes with each particular artifact.

It's been pretty fun and several kids have said they think I should do it every year, so, I probably will.




In addition to this, I'm reading what may be my favorite book of the year, Sunday Chutney. I'd also like to add it to Franki's list that I could read again and again and again!