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Paper Quilting – Colored Paper, Creativity, Geometry, and a Little History Mixed In

2017-03-08T19:27:53-07:00

    It's cold outside (OK, in some parts of the country it is)- the time of the year when people think about curling up under a warm quilt with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book, unless you're a kid, of course.  Sitting still under a warm blanket is really hard when you're young and full of the cabin fever wiggles. But what about reading a great picture book about quilts, enjoying the wonderful illustrations, then creating your own quilt squares out of paper?  There are plenty of books to choose from.  Not too long ago, I did [...]

Paper Quilting – Colored Paper, Creativity, Geometry, and a Little History Mixed In2017-03-08T19:27:53-07:00

Free Online Class for Librarians!!

2017-02-04T18:13:12-07:00

Any librarians who do programming may be interested in this great opportunity.  It's a chance to learn and help a library sciences student at the same time. The class is called "Mastering Program Planning" and it is being taught by doctoral student Jennifer Brown.  It's a five week class starting February 13, so if you're interested, click on over and get registered.

Free Online Class for Librarians!!2017-02-04T18:13:12-07:00

Poly- What? Learning the language of 3D Geometry

2017-02-04T17:52:03-07:00

    Shapes, shapes, and more shapes.  Circle, triangle, square, rectangle - it all starts of easy enough.  Then it get a bit more complicated when you move from two dimensional to three dimensional - sphere, cylinder, pyramid, cube, prism.  Then, before you know it, your tongue is in a knot, and you're totally confused.  Just what does a decagonal gyroelongated bipyramid, compound of truncated icosahedron and pentakisdodecahedron, or a prolate hectohexecontadihedron look like?  It's all in the name.  The trick is understanding the language of shapes, and a little bit of Greek and Latin.  For help with the Greek and Latin, [...]

Poly- What? Learning the language of 3D Geometry2017-02-04T17:52:03-07:00

Go (Igo, Baduk, ) for Kids? You Bet!!

2016-12-07T17:58:54-07:00

             What is Go?  Well, besides being one of the words in the dictionary with a ridiculous number of definitions, it is the American name for the oldest board game in the world still being played in its original form and using the same rules devised over 2,000 years ago. By comparison, the rules of chess were finally established a mere 200 or so years ago.  Go is also considered to be the world's oldest game of mental skill.             Unlike chess, which has six different kinds of pieces, which move and [...]

Go (Igo, Baduk, ) for Kids? You Bet!!2016-12-07T17:58:54-07:00

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

A Twist on Traditional Book Clubs Using Skype

2016-09-29T10:51:45-06:00

By: Monica Kuryla, Director of Innovation Acceleration   The Fayetteville Free Library (FFL) offers an innovative and inexpensive twist on traditional book clubs using Skype.  Adding technology to a traditional book discussion is a fantastic way to enhance the book club experience for both the author and book club attendees.  The lively conversations that come out of the Skype program add a new level of appreciation of the art of reading and literature.  Some of the bestselling authors we have had attend our book club include: Adrianna Trigiani, Jamie Ford, Chris Bohjalian, Lauren Groff, Joyce Maynard, Christina Baker Kline and Mary Kubica. [...]

A Twist on Traditional Book Clubs Using Skype2016-09-29T10:51:45-06:00

Tiny Terrariums

2016-09-16T21:24:32-06:00

Kenton County Public Library recently held a program called Tiny Terrariums at the Erlanger Branch, and it was very well-attended! Students ages 8-16 were invited to attend, and the program filled at 40 attendees. Many of the students were accompanied by interested adults as well.   We began the program with a presentation of some basics regarding terrariums. Scientific vocabulary was included to make the program a little more than just a "how-to." We discussed the differences between closed and open terrariums, kinds of soil, plants, and conditions they require, how the water cycle works in a closed terrarium, and more. The [...]

Tiny Terrariums2016-09-16T21:24:32-06:00

DIY Giant Bubbles

2016-09-16T12:03:01-06:00

The last weeks of summer are a great time to take science outside. At Skokie Public Library, we featured giant bubbles and bubble wand making at two outdoor events, one at a local school and one in conjunction with a bookmobile visit in the community. Here’s what we did. Photo by Andrew Dworek Two staff members were present to help with setting up the supplies and to assist participants with making wands and blowing bubbles. Supplies included water, liquid dish soap, yarn or string, scissors, plastic straws, and vegetable glycerin, plus a few plastic wash tubs for mixing the [...]

DIY Giant Bubbles2016-09-16T12:03:01-06:00

Carnivorous Plants and the magic of Plant Regeneration and Propagation

2016-08-19T11:43:05-06:00

               A few weeks ago,  I came across a very interesting online store, the Carnivorous Plant Nursery.   Their focus, shockingly, is on propagating and selling carnivorous plants from all over the world.  But they also believe in education and helping educators of all kinds.  To this end, they have a "Free Stuff" page on their website.  There I found a printable, color and cut flip book of a Venus flytrap eating a fly.  There are coloring pages of a Venus flytrap about to eat an insect, and a sundew with a trapped fly and spider. [...]

Carnivorous Plants and the magic of Plant Regeneration and Propagation2016-08-19T11:43:05-06:00

Learn About Other Cultures While Getting Fit – Make Your Own Skill Toys

2016-07-21T18:48:55-06:00

                There's lots of research these days that supports the idea that a healthy body supports a healthy mind and intellect, improving one's ability to learn, understand, and retain information.  Cultures throughout history may or may not have made the connection between a healthy body and a healthy mind, but they did encourage physical training and health for their children, as well as their adults.  Often physical fitness was required for their very survival.  That's not so much the case in the technologically advanced societies of today.  Because we have become more sedentary, spending more [...]

Learn About Other Cultures While Getting Fit – Make Your Own Skill Toys2016-07-21T18:48:55-06:00
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