Technology and librarians

Makerspaces and STEAM classes in a library are considered "trends" or new hot topics.

However, yesterday while researching lesson plans for next week, the librarian and I found this awesome reproducible worksheet from a 1988 library lesson plan book.

1988 Center for Applied Research in Education
(I will take a picture of the book on Monday)

YES - this is all about hardware and software in a library setting.  I feel that this is a pre-cursor to my technology activities today in STEAM and library. 

Look for other inspiring lesson plans later this weekend :)

Tanagrams, plants, electricity

STEAM is in full swing.

Here are some of the lessons that the students have completed recently.

Kindergarten reviewed what an ENGINEER does with a video from Sci Show Kids.  Sci Show Kids Then it was a great time to introduce a new engineering activity.  It was a gift from our regional "Books are Fun" representative.  STEM JR 
Then students did 4 centers to practice engineering and math skills:  Three Billy Goats Gruff, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Space engineering kit, and a math center (shape puzzles, pattern mats, and cat/bat tanagrams!)

First grade learned about shapes and tanagrams in STEAM to focus on many math standards.  The students read "The Greedy Triangle".  Then the students did 2 different tanagram activities. One was create a bat, cat, and haunted house out of physical tanagrams.  Cat/Bat Tanagrams and Haunted House Tanagram

Then online students were exposed to two games that use tanagrams. The first one is part of ABCYA.  This one was much more student friendly especially on the "EASY" level.  ABCYA tanagram
The second one is through PBS KIDS and Cyber Chase.  As an adult, the introduction is awesome.  However, the shapes are a bit difficult to turn and place correctly.  PBS KIDS tanagrams

Second, Third, and Fourth worked on ELECTRICITY and PEBBLE GO.
Students started by watching a Sci Show Kids video about circuits.  Circuits

Then students learned how to work Pebble Go database as well as Snap Circuits.  The STEAM room has four kits of SNAP CIRCUITS.  So half did computers for 15 minutes and half did the Snap Circuits.  Then groups swapped.  Students had to use directions and a grid to make a light, fan, and/or a singing device.
As a teacher, I would purchase the educational kits from the main website, but currently I am using the 300 piece kits from amazon.
SNAP CIRCUITS
Amazon 300 piece kit

On Friday October 27, students in grades K, 1, 2, 3 all assisted in planting fall plants for the greenhouse.
Students will monitor what actually will grow in the fall in the greenhouse.  Look for some pictures tomorrow of the variety of seeds used!

Greenhouse, leaves, and more

STEAM has been fun tracking the temperatures in the greenhouse.  Students got to go out to the butterfly garden at the start of STEAM. 

Students talked about celcius vs farenheit in the upper grades.  Younger students brainstormed where they had a thermometer at home.

As a class, we read the temperature on the thermometer in the greenhouse.

Then in STEAM in the library, we recorded the temperature outside, the greenhouse temperature, the weather, and observed how to make a graph in EXCEL!

Here is a link to our data - Greenhouse Temperatures
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Next each grade level explored a variety of topics:

4th grade learned about SWAY and started a fall inspired SWAY presentation
3rd grade either finished up talking about Office 365 and Microsoft Word or re-visited Pebble Go.  The focus was on leaves, temperatures, etc...
1st and 2nd grade learned about Pebbe Go and how to use the safe learning platform.  In addition, students completed a variety of leaf based art projects.  2nd grade mostly did leaf creations.  Find leaves, create a person or animal, use a glue/water combo, paint the leaves into place, and allow it to dry!
The rest of 1st and Kindergarten used a leaf tracer to make a leaf "creature". 

Look for pictures soon :)

In addition, most of the students watched a science experiment on WHY leaves change colors.
Fun Science Demos

Shapes, leaves, and etc...

Kindergarten is continuing to learn and explore in STEAM.  Last week, the students learned all about SHAPES!  First, I did a read aloud called "The Greedy Triangle".  Then, the students used pattern blocks to create fall images with SHAPES!  What are pattern blocks?  They are wooden shapes.  I borrow mine from our Kindergarten team.  Here is a picture of what the blocks look like.
I got my print outs from this webpage and place them in clear binder sleeves.  I used pumpkin 1, apple, scarecrow, bat, and spider images.  Then as a wrap up, students listened to "Color Zoo".

Pattern Block link

Pattern Blocks

1st and 2nd grade are exploring LEAVES!  Week one was watching a video from Sci Show Kids, reading about leaves and fall on Pebble Go, then time to go on the computer to explore Pebble Go Science!   As a wrap up, the students explored and watched a video from Maine Foliage. 

Look for more information later this week for week 2 of leaves information :)

Sci Show Kids

Maine Fall Foliage website

I found most of these resources on Free Technology for Teachers Blog - Free Technology Blog

3rd and 4th grade learned how to use Office 365 and created documents about what they want to learn in STEAM this school year!

Makerspace Padlet

I love hearing how a teacher describes a topic before doing a presentation.

The librarians of Erie, Crawford, and Warren counties will be describing Makerspaces in the following ways on Monday afternoon.  Some might add to this early...check back for updates :)
Makerspace Padlet

You want to view the presentation on STEAM and Makerspaces - the information is below the padlet :)

Feel free to add to our Padlet as well!

September update!

September has been a busy month in STEAM and Library.  The first big change was that my educational aide, Sally, was swapped with a full-time librarian.  So I will primarily be posting STEAM and Makerspace ideas for the rest of the school year.

In STEAM, students are finally able to log in and almost every student finally has an account in first through fourth grade.  Next, students in second, third, and fourth played the "WEBONAUTS" through PBS KIDS.  The focus is on Internet Safety.  Here is the link - WEBONAUTS. 


First grade is learning to type capital letters to actually sign into the computer.   The students then re-visited PBS KIDS. 

Kindergarten, students are working on learning what STEAM stands for (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math).  Students completed an engineering project similar to this one from last fall -  Aluminum Foil Boats.

In addition, we read Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  Following this activity, the students used the LakeShore Learning Kits to engineer "chairs" for the bears. 

Today was the PUMPKIN RUN.  It was our school's 8th annual pumpkin run.  The idea was inspired by the book entitled "The Pumpkin Runner".  Students are encouraged to run 1 lap without stopping. 

Book handling, Dewey Decimal System, Digital Citizenship, and Engineering

Week 2 of the school year has to a close!

In Library here is a summary of what has been accomplished:

First, students read a required book based on a PBS show as a requirement for the WQLN reading challenge.  So, Ms. Sally read DW's Library Card to the younger students and Arthur's Teacher Trouble to the older students!

Additionally the students in grade K and 1 talked about book handling skills.  I used a worksheet that I found on Teachers Pay Teachers from ATBOT The Book Bug!

Second did another fun activity that I found on Teachers Pay Teachers a fun activity entitled "A _________ should not borrow a library book because he would ___________________"
Check out her blog post on this activity - Library Learners Blog.

Grade 3 and 4 worked collaboratively to create signage for the library.  Students were either assigned a range from the Dewey Decimal System OR a genre from the genrified fiction area.  The students had to find topics, themes, and more from the assigned area and design, draw, and hang a related poster!  Here are a few of the completed posters:

Students on Day 3 started to be able to check out library books with our working scanner and Follett Destiny System!

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STEAM:

The first and main goal of this week was to meet CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) requirements - especially step 2:

Schools subject to CIPA have two additional certification requirements: 1) their Internet safety policies must include monitoring the online activities of minors; and 2) as required by the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, they must provide for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response.

More information can be found at CIPA document and Federal Communications Commission.

Students in first through fourth grade watched videos from Brain Pop and Brain Pop Junior based on grade level.  Next the class went through the corresponding quiz online together.
Internet Safety - Brain POP and Brain POP Junior.

Finally, students were given time to be engineers.  This activity meant students had 10 minutes of time to build, create, imagine with KEVA planks and LEGOS.  Using the ISTE standards, I felt that this was a vital skill toward developing "Innovative Designers" as well as "Creative Communicator".

Students worked hard this week and here are a few pictures of some of the engineering results from STEAM as well as the pictures from the Book Care activity!

Back to School

The first week of library and STEAM lessons are complete!  Here are some of the stories that were read and the activities completed.  The goal is to meet as much of the Model Library Curriculum for Pennsylvania as well as the ISTE standards.


Model Library Curriculum LINK

In Library, students in Kindergarten, First, and Second read "You're Finally Here" by Melanie Watt.
Then completed a variety of "bug" related projects to go with our entrance bulletin board entitled "Buggy For Books".  Here are pictures of the tree full of BUGS!  In addition, routines, procedures, assigned seats, and more were discussed.  NO BOOK CHECK OUT YET!

In third and fourth grade library, I pulled out a long time favorite entitled "Library Lil" by Suzanne Williams.  Then the rest of the library time was similar to the other grades.

In STEAM, the students in 1st through 4th grade discussed what STEAM is.  Students were inspired to be engineers and inventors when we read the book entitled "WHOOSH" from the Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice awards list.  The students also took a tour of the computer lab and courtyard.  Finally, grades 3 and 4 did an activity called "PASS IT ON" about digital citizenship as well as Internet Safety.  Grade 2 shared a picture or what they new about these topics and grade 1 just drew a picture of computer.

Pennsylvania Young Reader Choice Award books

Here is a link to an actual interview with Lonnie Johnson from August on CBS Sunday Morning.
Lonnie Johnson interview

Grade K is a Franklin video about taking care of a library book, taking a tour, and trying out some of the engineering and math centers such as DUPLO blocks, KEVA planks, and color/pattern sorting!

Franklin's Library Book - video link!

PICTURES OF THE TREE

Grade K - paper bugs on the trunk

Grade 1 - paper creations hanging

Grade 2 - egg carton bug creations

New School Year

Welcome back to the 2017-2018 school year!

I am excited by new decorations, new lesson ideas, and year 2 with the same schedule/set-up.

I have new bulletin boards and new decorations.

Look for week 1 wrap up on Wednesday since I do not want to spoil any surprises for my Tuesday students.

I hope that my fellow educators have a great school year.

WHY - part 2

WHY????

As I reflect on KTI as well as the 2016-2017 school year, I see how to make the 2017-2018 school year even better.

Last year, I was very focused on WHAT I was teaching and HOW I was teaching it.  As I was listening to the keynote speaker on Jared Mader, my transformation began!  It was my big AH-HA from the 5 day summit.  I was at a technology conference and my biggest take away was not about a website or an app or a fancy new makerspace toy.  It was a shift in mindset and pedagogy (how I teach).  I want to look at every lesson and ask myself WHY am I teaching this?  What will these young people take away from this lesson?  I started to teaching nearly 18 years ago with a passion for youth and wanting to make a difference in their lives.  I NEED TO REFOCUS ON MY WHY!

In addition, he and Ann Noonen talked about the ISTE standards.  ISTE stands for "International Society for Technology in Education". The standards focus on what our students will become by graduation.  It is exactly WHY I am teaching which is to make a difference in my students lives.  These standards have powerful language built into each one.

So I will be taking the next three weeks to dive in and fully comprehend how to implement these standards!  I cannot forget the model library curriculum created by the Pennsylvania State Library Association (PSLA).  Actually, the two items work hand in hand.

Here are the ISTE standards with more information at ISTE STANDARDS:



FELLOW TEACHERS/LIBRARIANS/ADMINISTRATORS -
what is your WHY?  Is this in the forefront every day?