Materials for 3-5 Reading Workshop

Includes links to suggested vendors

Classroom Library Materials

The classroom library is the heart of the reading workshop. A general rule of thumb when provisioning
for libraries is about 30 books per child as a starting point. (Please keep in mind that this is a starting
point, most schools are regularly adding to classroom libraries in order to guarantee that students have
ample reading material.) These books might be organized in various ways including: Genre, Author,
Level and Text Set. In addition, most schools include multiple copies of books for partner and club work
across the year. Below, please see the numbers of books we have included in our On Level Libraries.
We have included the On Level Library and the range of book levels for you to use as a guide. As you
purchase books, consider the distribution of levels as well as numbers of books. If children are reading in
lower level books, they will need many many more books. We encourage you to add other shelves, below
benchmark libraries, new books, and book club collections, each year.

Third Grade On Level Fourth Grade On Level Fifth Grade On Level

Benchmark Library Benchmark Library Benchmark Library

Book Bin # of Books Book Bin # of Books Book Bin # of Books

H 1 J 1 L 2

I 2 K 1 M 1

J 8 L 4 N 5

M 51
K 44 O 4
N 49
L 64 P 8
O 61
M 67 Q 78
P 62
N 76 R 72
Q 71
O 63 S 94
R 98
P 66 T 99
S 87
Q 50 U 79
T 77
R 9 V 72
U 41
W 66
V 9

W 6 X 10

X 3 Y 13

Y 4 Z 5
When you decide to add additional leveled books to your library you can purchase shelves from the below
benchmark libraries based on your needs.

Materials for a Classroom Library

❏ Books
❏ Bins for both large and small books - to organize the library
❏ Book Shelves - to keep books at eye level for children
❏ Labels for bins - to assist children in shopping for books
❏ Colored sticker dots to level and help children shop for books

Materials Needed for Instruction and Management

❏ Mentor Texts - books used in units of study instruction, small group and conferring. These books
are included in the trade pack when purchasing the Units of Study.
❏ 3rd Grade Units of Study with Trade Pack
❏ 4th Grade Units of Study with Trade Pack
❏ 5th Grade Units of Study with Trade Pack
❏ There is also a need for wonderful picture books, alternative mentor texts, and short
stories within your library.
❏ Chart paper teachers will need 3-4 tablets per school year
❏ Large Post-its to create charts, annotate examples, create tools
❏ Chart markers to create charts that can clearly from most areas of the room
❏ Anchor chart post-its from Heinemann
❏ Repositionable glue sticks can turn any piece of paper into a post it
❏ Easel to create and display the daily chart as well as the anchor chart of the unit
❏ We highly recommend investing in document camera for your classrooms. It allows teachers to
model with any book for whole class teaching during the reading workshop and read aloud.

Materials for Children

❏ Book baggies or Book Bins for children to keep books
❏ Notebooks reading notebooks and journals
❏ Post-it notes in various sizes (small and large)
❏ Pencils/pens

Additional Tips on Materials

• Many teachers choose to devote a corner of the classroom to the library, this space can double as
a whole-class meetings area where we encourage the instruction for minilessons. This meeting
area might also have clear line of site to your smartboard and your easel. You’ll want to think
about what makes a classroom library inviting. It might mean adding a cozy touch like beanbags,
couches, pillows, or lamps and even a rug.

• When planning for your library, we encourage a flexible structure. Teachers need bins that can
move and change, according the Unit of Study, children’s progress in reading and interest. We
encourage an inviting space that allows children to touch the books in bins, self select texts or
shop. This requires large amounts of texts. We have done great work to start you on that journey,
but teachers and children always keep their eyes out for purchasing new books by loved authors,
information text that are supportive and of high interest, and of course the read aloud that will
make you laugh or cry. Libraries grow. Your current book collections are also a great start.
 Recognize that some books might exist in more than one bin, for example: Roald Dahl’s Matilda
might exist in a Dahl Bin, Leveled Bin (Q,R,S) and even in a Fantasy Book Club collection.

• Having a “book bin” in the upper grades, a place where a child stores their chosen books, a place
to store their reading journal is an important management component. Some teachers like to use
canvas book bags since they are sturdier and washable. Others still like book bins. However, if
you’re on a budget, large plastic baggies also work. This allows children to ‘stockpile’ 2-3 books
they want to read, allows for you to keep an eye on selection and balance of fiction and nonfiction
texts.

• Anchor charts are one of the hallmarks of a reading workshop classrooms.The Units of Study
feature anchor charts aimed at capturing the most essential teaching of the units for student and
teacher reference. In order to access the anchor charts and other resources you will have to create
an account at www.heinemann.com and register your unit of study. You can also print these and
use repositionable glue to create ‘post it’ charts. Please note that the anchor chart sticky notes are
only available by phone or FAX (not available online). Please call the Heinemann Customer
Service Department at 800-225-5800 (U.S. Only) +1-603-43-.7894 between the hours of 8:30am
and 5:00pm EST. When placing your order, you will need to provide the access code that can be
found on your digital resource page once your units are registered online at
www.heinemann.com.
Classroom Libraries
 Anchor Charts

Book Shopping Chart