Students at South Clearfield Elementary are discovering that some of the best library experiences happen when the stories come to life.
Librarian Mrs. Wilson recently brought a group of dwarf bunnies to the library, giving students a chance to see the animals up close while exploring books about rabbits. The tiny visitors hopped around as students watched with excitement, making connections between the animals they read about and the ones right in front of them.
“The most exciting part of today was seeing the bunnies,” Jaden, a student, said.
For students, the visit offered more than a chance to see some adorable animals. They noticed the bunnies’ different colors, watched them move around and discovered details that made the experience memorable.
“Some of them were almost standing up, and then some of them were smelling me,” Julie, a student, said. “It tickled us, and that was great.”
But the visit was about more than just bunnies. Wilson used the interactive experience to help students practice being quiet in the library. She calls it “bunny quiet,” reminding students that rabbits can be frightened by loud noises and need a calm environment.
“We have been working on being quiet in the library, and so lots of times you'll hear me say, ‘Oh, I need bunny quiet,’” Wilson said.
The bunnies belong to Wilson’s daughter, who raises dwarf rabbits. By bringing them into the library, Wilson found a creative way to combine reading, hands-on learning and an important lesson about being considerate of others.
Students also explored books about rabbits, connecting what they saw in real life with the stories and pictures on the shelves. For some, seeing the bunnies up close made learning even more exciting than reading about them alone.
Wilson says that in a world filled with computers, video games and digital devices, it is important for students to have opportunities to experience things firsthand.
“At the end of the day, we are competing with video games and devices and we have books for them to read,” Wilson said. “But it's nice to see something real once in a while.”
Through a few small bunnies and a little practice with “bunny quiet,” Wilson is helping students build good library habits while discovering that reading can open the door to exciting experiences beyond the pages of a book.