School Library Pokémon Club Application

A School Library Pokémon Club program is currently on pause, but if you would like to fill out this form AASL will keep you up to date when any new information is available.

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Frequently Asked Questions

I am not familiar with Pokémon, can I still start a club?

You don’t need to be a “Pokémon Master”!  As a school librarian, you already know that games in the school library are an essential component of your collection.  Information presented in new formats, that encourage critical thinking and problem solving, and games that encourage social interaction among peers are just a few of the reasons to consider starting your own school library Pokémon Club.  But this is also a perfect opportunity to let the learners be the teachers, and believe us, Pokémon players will love to bring you and fellow students into the game. 

What grade levels/age is Pokémon Club intended to serve?

Pokémon Club is intended for elementary school libraries.  As schools serve a variety of grades it is not a requirement that your school only serve primary grades, or be called an “elementary school,” but the recommended age range for participation is 6-10.

I am a middle school librarian; can I apply?

Yes and no.  Before applying we would ask that you confirm student interest and administrator support.  AASL understands that there is fluidity between grade levels as well as a wide variety of learning levels, activity interests, and skill levels.  If the interest from students, and support from administrator, is present, then yes, please apply.

I am not a school librarian or work at a school outside of the U.S., can I still apply?

The current program is for Pokémon Clubs in school libraries in the United States, or US military schools.

What is the commitment of running a Pokémon Club in my school?

The club is designed to run once a week for one hour.  Of course, every school has different schedule options, so we just ask that the club meet consistently.  When, where and what is up to you. In addition to the activities listed below there are also videos available to help students (and school librarians) learn how to play the game, episodes of anime Pokémon the Series you can watch, or even watch footage of competitive games where students can watch their favorite players compete.

Participants will be asked to submit a brief monthly survey from their club.  No student identifiable information will be requested, but AASL and Pokémon would like to gather data to inform the next stage of this program.  Questions will include items such as, how often you met, number of participants, primary activities, and feedback.

What happens after I sign-up?

After signing up you will receive an email confirmation with instructions for registering a Pokémon Club Trainer ID.  From there you have access to current club activities for download and use in your club.  You will never run out of ideas or options with activities like word searches, spot the difference, trivia, coloring pages, bingo, origami.  You will also find codes for kids for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, and they will also be able to sign up with their parents and play Pokémon cards with their friends in a digital format. New activities are added on a regular basis.

Can clubs be virtual, in-person, or a hybrid?

We understand that learning environments will likely remain a bit more flexible for the foreseeable future and we want all learners to have the opportunity to participate. Even if your school is in-person/hybrid, having a virtual club is a great way to pull in those remote learners for an interactive peer-to-peer social experience.

We do ask that you select the setting for your club so we can match the resources you will need to the format you will be using.

 

My administrator is not on board, how can I convince them a Pokémon Club would be a great activity for our students?

There are educators who need assistance in connecting the dots of activities to the mission and goals of the academics of the school/district. Several years ago, the idea of graphic novels appearing in the school library needed some ‘connecting the dots’ of literacy expanding beyond traditional books.  Similarly, the cognitive processes required for game play, and well as expansion of creativity, imagination, logic development, experiment and evaluation process should be more than enough reason to incorporate into your student offerings.

If there are concerns regarding student privacy, please refer to “Supplemental Kids’ Privacy Notice.”