STEM kits are here!

Hopefully you've heard by now that we applied for and received a grant from the Library of Michigan to purchase STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) kits for the library. I really felt it was important to work on providing this resource to our community as i know how expensive these kits can be. I know I personally would not be able to provide such a great learning tool for my own son. With most kits costing a minimum of $30 and usually more around $50+ it just isn't always feasible to purchase something they can grow out of so quickly. By purchasing these kits for the Library it was my hope that we could provide another valuable resource for not only parents but also for teachers to explore, and utilize in their own classrooms. I know when i went home and told my oldest (almost 8) about these kits, he was beyond excited. Being able to find something to foster his constant curiosity and allow him to utilize his interest in science and engineering is such an amazing opportunity. He has been a STEM kid his whole life, always wondering the why's and how's of everything. Intelligent and mechanical he's been in love with building and taking things apart as long as i can remember. Providing kits like these to my son and other kids like him will allow them to flourish in ways simply attending school could not. The benefits of  such fun and interactive hands on learning are too many to even list. 

With the funds from the grant we were able to purchase 16 STEM kits! Since they have become available 2 weeks ago we have only had about 5 of them checked in at a time. This means about 2/3 of them are checked out, which is awesome! With so many checked out at a time it also means our Patrons don't always see all the kits we have, especially the more popular ones. Since they will not always be here at the same time, I thought people would appreciate a brief description of each kit we offer. 

Think & Learn Code-A-Pillar

Best for ages 3 - 6Y

Code-a-pillar inspires little learners to be big thinkers by encouraging preschoolers to arrange (and rearrange) the easy-to-connect segments in endless combinations, sending Code-a-pillar on his path. This learning toy encourages experimentation with fun lights and sounds while developing important skills like problem solving, planning & sequencing and critical thinking. There's no end to the combinations kids can make – mix up the segments and put them back together to send Code-a-pillar in a different direction every time. Kids can even configure the segments to make Code-a-pillar reach targets they set up throughout the room.

Code & Go Robot Mouse 

Best for Ages 5-10

The race is on to build hands-on coding skills! Build your maze, and then use the coding cards to create a step-by-step path for Colby, the Programmable Robot Mouse. Program the sequence of steps, and then watch Colby race to find the cheese! Code & Go Robot Mouse is a unique game that teaches the basics of coding to younger children in a fun, interactive process, it also trains kids on abstract thinking, and encourages them to solve problems using algorithmic thinking, similar to skills used in computer engineering.

Create-A-Chain Reaction

Best for Pre K– 2nd Grade

This starter set lets kids set up a course and then drop a ball onto the tracks and go for the goal box! After each test run, kids will fine-tune the placement, distance and angle of each piece—getting firsthand practice with STEM concepts such as gravity, force and momentum!

Survive the Quake Engineering kit

Best for Ages 4-11

Put your building skills to the ultimate test! Build a structure using 31 pieces in various sizes and then test to see if it will stand strong during an earthquake at 5 different intensity levels. A fun way to strengthen cause-and-effect understanding while exploring earthquakes and engineering concepts.

Hydraulics Engineering

Best for Ages 8+

Explore the mechanical power of liquid in motion and build your own hydraulic machines! This kit includes 4 step-by-step activity booklets and all the reusable  building pieces kids need to create 4 different hydraulic machines. This kit helps to develop skills in hydraulics, engineering and the design process.

100 PC Magnetic Stick N Stack

Best for Ages 3+

Teach your child the basics of geometry and architecture by letting them create. Simply building with these tiles helps to build fine motor skills, develop critical  thinking skills, and sharpen math skills.                   

Real Bugs Discovery Kit  

Best for Ages 3+

Kids get an up-close look at 12 amazing bugs—from a leaf beetle to a lantern fly! Each real specimen is permanently encased in indestructible acrylic, so kids can safely explore them from every angle.  

Shark Anatomy Model

Best for Ages 8+

Build your own anatomy model of the great white shark! Includes illustrated guide, a description of the anatomy, and information on sharks. A unique puzzle challenge that inspires critical thought and mental acuity while inspiring learning through hands-on exploration!

 Squishy Human Body  

Best for Ages 8+

Explore the human body with hands-on fun as you take apart and re-assemble the 12" human anatomy model. With 9 squishy organs, 12 Bones and Muscles, Plastic Tweezers and Forceps, an Organ-Izer Poster and a 24-Page Book, your little scientist is sure to have fun. 

Gravity Maze

Best for Ages 8+

This gravity-powered logic maze game builds reasoning skills and visual perception. Using 60 different challenge cards, strategically place towers to create a path for your marble to reach the target. 

 Bloxels: Build Your Own Video Game 

Best for Ages 8+

Watch your game world come to life as you create and animate play spaces, characters and objects. The physical pieces in the Bloxels game set work with the free Bloxels Builder app to digitize your creations, put them on-screen and make them playable. 

 Puzzlets

Best for Ages 6+

This award winning, hands-on learning game system for thinking is truly outside the screen. Puzzlets combines hands-on play with interactive gaming to form one seamless experience, engaging the mind and teaching the player new ways of thinking.

Sphero SPRK+

Best for Ages 8+

Designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and invention through connected play and coding, SPRK+ is far more than just a robot. Powered by the Sphero Edu app, you can easily learn programming and complete hands-on activities. Navigate a maze. Program a painting. Mimic the solar system. Swim across the water. Have a dance party… The only limit is your imagination. 

Ozobot

Best for Ages 8+

Ozobot is a robot that can be programmed for action using paper and marker or its free app. Using color patterns and simple associations, you can program the Ozobot to move, play and dance through intuitive color code patterns. A fun and unique way to learn code sequence and logical behavior through music, dance and creative expression.

Snap Circuits ® LIGHT 

Best for Ages 8+

Give your child an exciting, hands-on introduction to electronics with Snap Circuits Light. This innovative kit contains over 55 color-coded, real circuit        components that snap together to create working electronic circuits and devices. With 175+ do-it-yourself projects that will give your child an           entertaining education on how electronics work.

Snap Circuits Green Kit

Best for Ages 8+

Learn about the energy sources and to "think green". Have fun learning about green energy and how the electricity in your home works with 125 different projects. Kit includes an educational manual that explains all forms of environmentally-friendly energy . 

Beginning Chapter Books

Recently I have had a number of kindergarten and first grade teachers, as well as parents, asking me for recommendations of beginning chapter books. You know, something other than Junie B. Jones or Magic Tree House. Now I am not saying that there is anything wrong with either of these series but, come on, there are so many other amazing books for kids just starting to read chapter books.

1. Galaxy Zack by Ray O'Ryan  

I confess that I ordered the first Galaxy Zack book because the title character on the adorable cover looks just like my son, Zane. I have continued to order the Galaxy Zack series because they are adorable and incredibly funny. O'Ryan puts a unique spin on the "new kid in school" plot by setting the books in the year 2020 and 8 year old, Zack Nelson, has just moved from earth to the planet, Nebulon. Kids will love all of the futuristic technology, from flying cars to I.R.A. (Indoor Robotic Assistant), and there are just enough illustrations to ease that transition to chapter books.

2. Captain Awesome by Stan Kirby

Eugene McGillicuddy (how can you not love a character with a name like that) is obsessed with comic books and superheroes. He even has his own superhero alter ego, Captain Awesome. Along with his best friend, Nacho Cheese Man (who has an unlimited supply of spray cheese with which to battle bad guys) and Turbo, the super hamster, Captain Awesome will protect the town of Sunnyview from evil. It is impossible not to giggle as Eugene (aka Captain Awesome) grapples with villains like the Fun E. Racer, Queen Stinky Pants, and the Baron and Baroness von Booger.

 
3. The Haunted Library by Dori Hillestad Butler

I couldn't resist throwing in a series about a library.  Edgar Award winning author, Dori Hillestad Butler, has written more than 40 books for children. The Haunted Library is her most recent series and revolves around a young girl named Claire who lives above the town library and is able to see ghosts. In this sweet and not really scary mystery series Claire and her ghostly best friend, Kaz, form the C&K Ghost Detectives to investigate hauntings around town










4. The Kingdom of Wrenly by Jordan Quinn

If you have read any of my posts you know that I am a huge fantasy nerd. The Kingdom of Wrenly is the perfect series to introduce young readers to the fantasy genre. The series follows 8 year old Prince Lucas and his best friend, Clara, who is the daughter of the castle seamstress, on their fantastical adventures throughout the magical kingdom of Wrenly.Outside the walls of the palace is Primlox, the land of the fairies, Burth is the island of trolls, dragons inhabit Crestwood, and wizards rule in Hobsgrove.

5. The Princess in Black by Shannon  & Dean Hale

Shannon Hale has written numerous books for kids and teens, including the 2006 Newbery Honor book, The Princess Academy. The Princess in Black series (which Shannon co-wrote with her husband, Dean) which came about after their young daughter insisted that black was not a girl color and it could definitely not be worn by princesses. Enter Princess Magnolia, who is right at home wearing frills and ruffles while dining with a duchess. When danger threaten the kingdom, though, she dons an all black disguise and uses her formidable fighting skills to kick monster butt back all the way back to Monster Land.

I love Shannon Hale's books because they all feature strong, resourceful, and intelligent female characters. Two of my favorites are Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel, Calamity Jack. These two graphic novels (which were also co-authored by Shannon's husband, Dean) are wonderfully unique, steampunk western spins on the classic fairy tales of Rapunzel and Jack and the Beanstalk.  In both books, Rapunzel is not some damsel in distress who is going to wait for someone to rescue her. Instead she uses her lengthy locks to save herself and protect her friends.

6. Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

Kate DiCamillo is another incredibly prolific children's author who has won two Newbery Medals for her books The Tale of Despereaux and Flora & Ulysses and a Newbery Honor for Because of Winn-Dixie. The Mercy Watson stories are hilarious beginning chapter books with gorgeous color illustrations by Chris Van Dusen. Of course, how can you go wrong with an adorable pig who has a penchant for hot buttered toast and getting into trouble.


7. Nancy Clancy by Jane O'Connor

Young readers who loved the Fancy Nancy picture books will be exited to follow an older Nancy in her own chapter book series. Nancy is now is third grade, but she still loves to stand out in a crowd whether she is starting her own detective agency, playing soccer, or auditioning for the school play. If you have a girly girl and want something that emphasizes positivism, kindness, and friendship Nancy Clancy is a terrific beginning chapter book series.










8. George Brown, Class Clown by Nancy Krulik
Is there a kid out there who would not be attracted to titles like Super Burp, Attack of the Tighty Whities, How Do You Pee in Space?, and World's Worst Wedgie?  George Brown is actually a spin off Krulik's other early chapter book series, Katie Kazoo. The former classmate of Katie Kazoo has moved to a new town and is determined to not just be the class clown at Sugarman Elementary School. It turns out that being funny and staying out of trouble is not always easy (at least for George).

Krulik has recently come out with a new early chapter book series, The Kid from Planet Z, about a family of aliens that has crash landed on earth and now has to blend in with humans.

 


9. Branches Books by Scholastic

Branches is an entire line of book series published by Scholastic that are targeted at beginning chapter book readers. There is a Branches series for every genre and interest: humor, fantasy, realistic, mystery, animal stories, etc. At our library Owl Diaries, The Notebook of Doom, and Dragon Masters are hugely popular with young readers.

Tank and Haggis Unleashed is a relatively new Branches series that has instantly become one of my favorites. The stories follow the hysterical adventures of a sweet and clumsy Great Dane named Tank and Haggis, a cantankerous Scottie dog. So far there are only two Tank and Haggis books by I found them to be utterly charming.


Branches books are particularly great for reluctant readers.  In addition to the regular text there are plenty of pictures and comic book style pages to keep less enthusiastic readers or those intimidated by full pages of text engaged.

If you have a young reader making the transition from easy readers to chapter books, hopefully, this post has given you some new books to check out.

#SaveIMLS

Recently, I attended my first National Library Legislative Day to learn how to advocate for our libraries.  We started the day listening to Hina Shamsi, the Director of the National Security Project for ACLU.  She spoke of her own experience with the Muslim ban. She has lived and worked here legally for over a  decade, however, after the first ban was enacted she was returning to the country after interviewing a person in relation to a case she was working on. She was detained and interrogated at the airport simply because she had a Pakistanie passport.  This story led to the main topic of her speech. To impress upon the importance of libraries in the fight for intelluctual freedom and the importance of real privacy and surveillance law reform. There are several acts that are being reviewed  in the legislature at this time. 

With all of the political unrest and threats to the future of libraries I felt the need to become more actively involved. To start, I decided to attend National Library Legislative Day in Washington D.C.
What a great learning experience.
There I was in a room full of more than 500 librarians all with the same goal. To visit with our federal Representatives and ask them to save the funding for libraries. Funding that provides the statewide MeLCat interloan service along with over 4 million in grants to libraries in Michigan. These funds help us provide many of the programs that we offer to the public for free.

The Email Privacy Act: This act fully protects your right to privacy in communictions via emails, text tweets, and cloud-stored files under the fourth admendment act. Currently such forms of communitcation can be accessed without a warrent or probable cause if they are older than six month. It has passed in the house but is still sitting on the senate floor.
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: This act is in need of being reformed.  Under this Act, the NSA was able to collect all communitcations and store them for later use. This includes but is not limited to  phone messages and conversations, texts and tweets, and social media comments. The reforms would stop or limit the collection of these communications without a warrent or probable cause.
Why is this important for libraries you ask? Well, as a philosohpy of the library we believe in the freedom of privacy for our patrons. The Email Privacy Act helps to protect your freedom and privacy.
While the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act erodes your freedom and privacy.