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Learning the Colors With Wizard’s Brew and Picture Books

2016-12-13T15:34:27-07:00

Recently, I got the opportunity to fill in at another branch and do the preschool story times there while their children's librarian was out for several weeks.  It was great!  I had a wonderful time planning and presenting preschool storytime again after doing mostly school-aged programs for the last several years. One storytime the kids and parents really enjoyed was focused on the colors and how they mix to create new colors.   I used the books Press Here and Mix It Up! by Herve Tullet.  As I read the book, I let each of the children in attendance that day (It was a [...]

Learning the Colors With Wizard’s Brew and Picture Books2016-12-13T15:34:27-07:00

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

Origami Club for Kids! What a Hit!

2016-11-04T15:55:25-06:00

                           My first attempt at a long running kids' club was met with incredible enthusiasm, by kids and parents alike.  After years of watching kids come into the library asking for origami books, and walking out empty-handed, unable to find exactly what they wanted, or unable to decipher the instructions in the books, I decided to try having an origami club. I put a sign on the reference desk, and started taking registrations.  I'm limiting the ages to the 8-12 year old crowd for the time being.  I knew that there [...]

Origami Club for Kids! What a Hit!2016-11-04T15:55:25-06:00

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

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

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

Honey, what’s the deal with the bees?

2016-09-15T21:44:02-06:00

There had been a lot of talk about the decline of honey bees for a while, and then you heard less about it. As researchers were working to pinpoint what exactly was causing their demise, the news world moved on to more interesting topics. Now suddenly, after officials sprayed pesticides aimed at mosquitoes potentially carrying the Zika virus, they are sadly in the news again. Articles such as this one http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/01/health/zika-spraying-honeybees/  appeared all over the internet. This is a additional threat to the already threatened honey bee populations. So how can topics like this be addressed with children and families without both terrifying and upsetting [...]

Honey, what’s the deal with the bees?2016-09-15T21:44:02-06:00

Museum Alliance Professional Development Conversation

2016-09-08T09:51:08-06:00

Please join us for this free telecon! Museum Alliance Professional Development Conversation Date: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 Time: 12 noon Pacific (3:00 pm Eastern) Leader: Jeff Nee Subject:  Planetary Geology: How Old is That?      Overview: This presentation is an exploration of how radioisotopes are used to establish the ages of geologic materials from Earth and elsewhere in the solar system. Content includes: 1) basic concepts of radioactive decay are presented; 2) specific applications to the dating of samples from Earth, the Moon, and meteorites; and 3) how the resulting data help constrain the tempo of solar system evolutionary processes. Training Materials: Presentation materials will be posted on the NASA [...]

Museum Alliance Professional Development Conversation2016-09-08T09:51:08-06:00
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