Multiple Days 3: Golden Ticket
OVERVIEW
The librarian will hide a pre-determined number of “golden tickets” in the library. If you want, you can provide clues to help students locate the tickets and this would be helpful for younger grade levels. Tickets can be hidden in newer books to promote circulation, books that were written or inspired by Road Dahl, or in lonely, unread, and “dusty” books. The scavenger hunt will be a month-long celebration that can be held in December 2023 to correspond with the release of Wonka and in subsequent years can be held in September in honor of Dahl’s birthday. If a student checks out one of the lucky books, that will bring their golden ticket to the librarian to claim their prize. Tickets can be redeemed at the circulation desk through the end of the year. Golden tickets are only good for books that are check out and taken home.
MATERIALS
Golden Tickets
Rules for Display
Laptop Stickers
Bookmark Book Trackers
Gift Cards
Book Fair Items
Books
Chocolate (of course!)
PLANNING
The librarian will decide on the number of golden tickets to print based on the goals of the activity. Tickets will be hidden in books to excite students about new books, older titles, or certain authors the librarian wants to promote for the event. Once the student finds the ticket, checks the book out, and returns it, they can return the ticket for a reward. To add some excitement, or another layer to the scavenger hunt, you can use a UV pen to date the back of the ticket to see how long it has gone “unfound.” This would be a good tool for data collection as well
PROMOTION
The event will be promoted using the following tools:
• ELA Classrooms
• Golden Ticket Display in Library
• Bulletin Board or Window Display
• Daily Announcements & Weekly Broadcast
• Library Calendar
• Library Webpage and/or Canvas Page
PREPARATIONS
Librarian will need to print materials, purchase books, and prizes for the event. You can also create a book display of Dahls’ books and/or books inspired by the author.
Purchase golden colored paper that will be used to print tickets or design them in Canva and print them in color. Make them special!
Type up the golden ticket rules that will be included on the ticket.
Printout tickets, label them, and write the date on the back with a UV pen. Make sure to have a trademark on the tickets, so there can’t be forged copies.
Curate a selection of books that correspond to the books you will promote during the event.
Hide the golden tickets in books around the library
PAYOFF
This is a fun way to catch kids reading and reward them for checking out library books that don’t see a lot of action or promoting new books in the library. You can appeal to student’s sense of intrigue and keep a bit of mystery about the event. First Rule of the “Golden Ticket” is we do not talk about Golden Ticket! Tell students & classroom teachers that there is a book promotion for the month and that they will be rewarded for “thinking outside of the box” and choose something different.
REFERENCES
Morton Public Library https://www.pekintimes.com/story/news/local/2014/08/04/morton-public-library-hides-golden/36740551007/
The Nifty Librarian https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Nifty-Librarian
RESOURCES
Bookmark Book Tracker https://www.etsy.com/listing/1142005394/bookmark-book-tracker-book-stack-double?click_key=26181500caca622dbdfa47f9f8395b3a60cf8881%3A1142005394&click_sum=8447e4a0&ref=shop_home_recs_1&crt=1
Road Dahl Stories https://www.roalddahl.com/