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Community Engagement

Gratitude/Kindness Rocks: Where Science and Art Meet

2021-03-23T11:43:46-06:00

By Donna Blomquist and Brittany Blomquist LaSalle Public Library Celebrate trees from April 15 to May 15, 2021 by joining the GLOBE citizen science community in the 2021 Community Trees Challenge: Science is Better Together! Connect science and art using the GLOBE Observer: Trees to extend popular rock painting into your library STEAM program. Rocks provide an endless canvas for creativity – here are a few ideas to get you started. One to two weeks before your program: Download the GLOBE Observer free mobile app (https://observer.globe.gov/about/get-the-app). Create an account with your email address. You will receive an email to confirm your [...]

Gratitude/Kindness Rocks: Where Science and Art Meet2021-03-23T11:43:46-06:00

New Community Dialogue Resources to Support Equity in Your Library

2021-01-27T16:16:27-07:00

The STAR Net team has been hard at work gathering resources to support Community Dialogues (including virtual dialogues during COVID) from around the informal education world. Consider these resources a sneak peak of the new STAR Net Community Dialogue site that's coming soon. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our draft resources, and feel free to reach out to us with questions or comments! To access all the new resources, use the clickable PDF below to navigate. Follow the instructions, or head directly to the areas that are of interest to you! (Make sure you click into the image, to activate [...]

New Community Dialogue Resources to Support Equity in Your Library2021-01-27T16:16:27-07:00

Beyond S-T-E-A-M: Playing, Creating, and Exploring

2020-08-10T14:03:03-06:00

Credit: Muhlenberg Community Library Some of us associate science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics ("STEAM") with FUN and MEANING for ourselves and our friends and family. We might imagine rockets blasting into space and the excitement of exploring the universe, or we might appreciate the chemicals in our sunscreen that keep us safe from UV. We might even realize how much STEAM is in our favorite hobbies, from the mathematics involved in sewing a garment, to the fertilizer we add to our prize tomatoes, or the family genetics that mean we hate broccoli as much as our brother. For others, [...]

Beyond S-T-E-A-M: Playing, Creating, and Exploring2020-08-10T14:03:03-06:00

Sounds of the Mountains Storytelling Festival, Dolly Parton, and More Available Online

2020-04-04T22:16:22-06:00

Hey, everyone! I hope everyone is staying at home and healthy. I wanted to share some exciting news! Instead of canceling the Sounds of the Mountains Storytelling Festival this year, the organizers and storytellers have opted to offer it virtually, free, and forever!! In fact, I am listening to a great story as I write this blog! Please check it out. There is little in life that can beat a great storyteller. www.SoundsoftheMountains.org Dolly Parton has also joined the ranks of those offering activities for children during our time of shelter in place. She is reading stories on Thursday evenings for [...]

Sounds of the Mountains Storytelling Festival, Dolly Parton, and More Available Online2020-04-04T22:16:22-06:00

February is Feed the Birds Month!

2020-02-18T19:52:37-07:00

On February 23, 1994, February was declared 'National Bird Feeding Month' by Congress. If you want to narrow things down to one day, February 3 is 'Feed the Birds Day.' February is one of the hardest months of the year for many animals in North America, especially those who depend on seeds and plants for food. That would make it the perfect time to start a new hobby - bird watching!  According to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, over 45 million people in the country participate in bird watching at home and at work.  It doesn't require special skills [...]

February is Feed the Birds Month!2020-02-18T19:52:37-07:00

Challenges and Strategies for Engaging Underserved and Underrepresented Audiences in Informal STEM Learning: Lessons Learned from Project BUILD

2019-07-26T20:30:06-06:00

by Keliann LaConte, National Center for Interactive Learning, Space Science Institute and Jen Jocz, Education Development Center Through Project BUILD, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) volunteers and public library staff are working together to engage children in grades 2-5 and their families in age-appropriate, technology-rich STEM learning experiences that are based on the Engineering Design Process. Project BUILD focuses on reaching audiences traditionally underserved and underrepresented in STEM. The combination of open-ended, hands-on experimentation; caregiver involvement; and the chance to interact with professional engineers are creating an engaging experience for youth. The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center and ASCE Miami-Dade [...]

Challenges and Strategies for Engaging Underserved and Underrepresented Audiences in Informal STEM Learning: Lessons Learned from Project BUILD2019-07-26T20:30:06-06:00
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