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Monthly Archives: October 2016

Cardboard Creations!

2016-10-17T16:28:16-06:00

What can you do with an hour, a large box, some assorted IKEA packing materials, a few plastic fasteners, and some kids? All kinds of cool things! We recently held another "open building" program at KCPL. This time, our building materials included one very large box, pieces of cardboard of various sizes, shapes, and thickness, some plastic hinges and fasteners, and plastic saw/punch tools. Those in attendance were given a few basic rules: 1. Only use the tools on the cardboard. :) 2. If you use the fasteners and take your creation home, the fasteners must be returned the next time [...]

Cardboard Creations!2016-10-17T16:28:16-06:00

Looking for programs in all the cool places…

2016-10-16T22:07:05-06:00

In the never-ending quest for new/different/more/exciting program opportunities, I often find myself attending events for which I may or may not actually be the target market. One such recent event was the Ultimate Educator Expo sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Environmental Educators at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. http://cincinnatizoo.org/events/ultimate-educator-expo/ I have attended this event in the past, finding many useful programming ideas and contacts. While the event is generally aimed at formal educators, there are many programming opportunities for non-formal educators as well. Exhibitors and presenters from many Greater Cincinnati organizations are included, along with raffle prizes, snacks, and drinks. [...]

Looking for programs in all the cool places…2016-10-16T22:07:05-06:00

Pumpkins! (with STEMs!)

2016-10-16T16:27:32-06:00

Happy October! Like the rest of the known (well, at least here in the Midwest!) world, you CAN bring pumpkins into your programming! But there are ways to do this which include many STEM concepts as well as fun! There are many great fiction titles about pumpkins, some of which actually follow the life cycle of the pumpkin. A few of my favorites of those titles are: Pumpkin Pumpkin, by Jeanne Titherington;     Pumpkin Town! (or, Nothing is Better or Worse Than Pumpkins!) by Katie McKy; and of course, Pumpkin Cat, by Anne Mortimer. The whole host of usual pumpkin [...]

Pumpkins! (with STEMs!)2016-10-16T16:27:32-06:00

Tools & the Brain

2016-10-07T09:45:37-06:00

Our library recently hosted the traveling exhibit Exploring Human Origins, which came to Skokie from the Smithsonian Institution through an ALA grant. In addition to the exhibit itself, we hosted a number of programs for all ages to engage in the topic of humans and evolution. Our cornerstone youth event, for kids in third through fifth grade, focused on exploring tools and the brain. Here’s what we did. To kick things off, we started with a conversation about human brains and our ancestors’ brains over time. The Exploring Human Origins exhibit came with replicas of skulls from the human family tree, [...]

Tools & the Brain2016-10-07T09:45:37-06:00

STEM in Libraries: Resources for Emerging and Established Leaders

2016-10-05T08:00:57-06:00

The 2015 Public Libraries & STEM conference was the first of its kind for bringing professionals from the library and STEM professions together. Here, participants engaged in hands-on teamwork with Keva planks. The National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL)/Space Science Institute is pleased to announce the launch of a new collection of resources on the STAR_Net website to support library staff who want to begin or further develop their involvement in STEM:  STEM in Libraries. The resources are intended for those who might be experienced in STEM, as well as those who are beginning to lead the way forward [...]

STEM in Libraries: Resources for Emerging and Established Leaders2016-10-05T08:00:57-06:00
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