Place a single book at each seat in the library. You might include couches, lounge chairs and desk chairs as part of the game. Select a variety of books, including nonfiction, fiction, periodicals, newspapers, magazines, young adult fiction, biographies and reference materials. Ask each student to spend three minutes, until your timer rings, reading the book in front of them. Once the three minutes are up, students must leave the book in place and rotate to a new seat. After playing the book sampling game for 30 to 45 minutes, give students the opportunity to select one of the books they sampled to finish reading or check out.
Catalogue Races
Middle school children need to learn how to use library catalogues to find the books, periodicals, reference materials and literary works they need. Organize catalogue races where you give each student, or team of students, a list of books, reference materials or topics to research or locate. Make several unique lists, so the students aren't all hunting for the same book or reference materials. Show students how they can access the school library catalogue on library computers. You might review how the Dewey Decimal System works, so students can quickly locate nonfiction materials. Include fiction, nonfiction and non-circulating reference materials on each list, so students get familiar with all of the different library materials. Enforce quiet library voices, so the catalogue races don't get too noisy.