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Middle Schoolers booked a trip to the local library, read all about it

A group of diverse children poses cheerfully in the foreground in front of a building with a "Warwick Children's Book Festival" banner in the background.

This week, fifth grade students in Elizabeth Sullivan's class at Warwick Valley Middle School stepped outside the classroom to visit our neighbors at Albert Wisner Public Library. The trip was a wonderful way for students to connect what they have been learning in ELA with real-world library skills and discover all that our local library has to offer!

After arriving at the library, students split up into two teams. One team began by exploring the library through a scavenger hunt style activity. The search took them through the different sections and collections, where they also learned how books are organized using the Dewey Decimal System, and how to locate and check out books.

There's a gallery from the library visit below this story!

The other team began with a stroll along the library's outdoor Book Walk. As students made their way through the display, they explored some of the books currently being featured at the library and learned about authors who will soon be visiting Albert Wisner Library for in-person events.

Both teams took part in read-alouds before swapping activities!

“We loved seeing students get excited about finding books that matched their interests and discovering new sections of the library,” Ms. Sullivan said. “Experiences like this help students apply what we’re learning in the classroom to real-world skills and opportunities.”

The trip to Albert Wisner Library is one of many that Warwick Valley students take from the middle school and both elementary schools each year. They help students learn how their local library supports reading, research, and learning across all subject areas. Research by the American Library Association shows that students who have regular access to libraries and guidance on how to use them are more likely to read for pleasure and develop strong research skills. Additional evidence reinforces this: students who read independently and have access to a variety of books show higher reading achievement over time.

And the library visits highlight how public libraries are not only important resources for developing literacy skills, but also for building community. There is something for everyone at the library, from books to activities to events covering all sorts of interests!  

As the visit wrapped up, one student from each team was chosen at random to select a book to take home. Back at school, students are continuing to reflect on their experience, and will be writing thank you letters to the library. They're also planning to practice using the library catalogs and other resources to support the reading and research they'll be doing this year.

“Our hope is that these trips inspire students to become frequent library visitors and lifelong readers," Ms. Sullivan added. "The resources and programs at our local library are amazing and can support their learning in every subject.”

Thank you, as always, to Albert Wisner Public Library for inviting our students in and sharing such wonderful knowledge and hospitality. Warwick valley Middle School is looking forward to hosting the Warwick Children's Book Festival on Sunday, October 11, from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm!

Library Visit Gallery
A group of diverse children poses cheerfully in the foreground in front of a building with a %22Warwick Children's Book Festival%22 banner in the background.
A young girl in a floral shirt stands in the foreground, watching a group of children walk toward a building with a %22Warwick Children's Book Festival%22 banner.
A group of diverse children pose for a photo around a table in a library filled with bookshelves.
A group of children with their hands raised stands in the foreground of a brightly lit room with large windows and a doorway in the background.
A woman presents a project to a group of children sitting on a colorful rug in a room with a wooden door and stuffed animals in the background.
A group of students and their teacher gather on concrete steps in the foreground, with a lush green park and trees in the background.
A woman stands in the foreground gesturing toward a group of children gathered around a black information kiosk on a grassy hillside.
A group of children stands on a grassy field near an information plaque, with a yellow school bus and parked cars in the background.
A young child in a pink floral jacket stands in the foreground reading an information plaque, set against a background of lush green bushes and foliage.
A group of children stands on a grassy slope in the foreground, listening to a guide against a background of lush green trees and a walking path.
A group of children stand in a grassy field looking at an information plaque, with lush green foliage in the background.
A group of children and adults walk across a grassy field scattered with autumn leaves toward a line of trees and informational signs.
A group of children walk across a grassy field toward a white bench and a line of trees in the background.
A group of children gather around a large open book on a table in a library, with bookshelves and a window overlooking green trees in the background.
A woman reads a book to a group of children sitting on a colorful circular rug in a classroom.
Three boys stand in the foreground looking at a variety of DVDs and media on wooden library shelves in the background.
A group of children stands in a line in the foreground, waiting to enter a brightly decorated classroom visible through a glass door and windows in the background.
A woman reads a book to a group of children sitting on a rug in a library room filled with stuffed animals and a display board.
Two children look at a tablet on a table next to a warty pumpkin and a ghost figure, with bookshelves and a classroom wall in the background.
Two young girls stand beside wooden bookshelves filled with colorful books in a library setting.
Three children stand in a library, with one boy browsing a shelf and two others discussing a small card in front of rows of books.
Two young girls look down at materials on a table in the foreground, with bookshelves and a library setting in the background.
A group of children browse books in a library aisle lined with tall wooden bookshelves.
Children interact with computers and each other in a brightly lit library featuring a decorative tree and large windows.
Children explore a library's children's room, standing near bookshelves and tables in a brightly lit interior.
Children stand in a line at a counter in a library, with computers and bookshelves visible in the background.
A young girl with long red hair and freckles holds a purple book titled %22Guts%22 in the foreground, while a window reveals an outdoor courtyard with red benches in the background.