September and Full STEAM Ahead

For the couple of weeks we were in school during August, I focused on library expectations. I read The Library Dragon with the older kids, and they had a library scavenger hunt with some cute editable cards I found online. I read Curious George Visits the Library with the littles. It was a big favorite, because Curious George actually visited, a small stuffed version anyway. Two other quick reads while focusing on library expectations were A Library Book for Bear and The Library. I have listed the books and their authors below, along with the slideshow I made on Canva to introduce expectations. 

Sidenote, I was so excited to find out that I can use my phone to advance slides on a Canva slideshow, AND also add in some special effects like confetti, bubbles, a SHHH emoji, an opening/closing curtain, and a drumroll. Message me if you need more information. These are game-changers!

On to September! Our library has never incorporated STEAM (or STEM) into any lessons before, and I have been tasked with making sure that STEAM concepts are taught to every grade level, TK-5th. I was super-excited about doing this. I decided to begin with explaining the acronym to TK-1st grade in ways they could understand and relate to. I am a big believer in beginning as many lessons as possible with a book (I am a librarian now, afer all) and was thrilled to find books to kick off each of my five STEAM lessons. 

These are the books I selected. They are arranged here in acronym order, but full disclosure, I began with Peppa Pig and the Career Day, which I chose to represent the T, for technology. I felt like an introduction to some of the jobs in the book and the tools (or technology) would make the fut

ure books more meaningful. After completing all five, I am happy I went with the order that I did. 

I began the first lesson with an introduction of the five letters and then focused on the letter for the day's lesson. I had the kids repeat the letter and what it stood for several times. In future lessons, I always reviewed the previous letters and what they stood for. Below is a breakdown of each of the lessons in the order I taught them. The kids really enjoyed learning about STEAM, and even today, over a month later, they can still manage to tell me what each letter stands for, with only a little prompting sometimes. 

T -- Technology 

• Read Peppa Pig and the Career Day
• Discuss the different jobs from the book and the tools which were used
• Explain that tools are another word for technology
• Show tool cards and go over what each tool is used for
• Pass out LED tablets and explain how to copy name of tool and picture and then erase
• For first graders, also have tablets opened to knowitall.org videos - meet the helpers

Here's a link to the LED tablets I used.

S -- Science

• Read Ada Twist Scientist
• Talk about what science means
• Discuss science safety -- following directions, moving carefully, wearing safety goggles
• Pass out safety goggles and move to lab tray
• Explain that we are going to do a science experiment like Ada did
• Ask kids to identify two items used -- vinegar and baking soda -- and to predict what might happen if they were combined
• Do the experiment!

E -- Engineering

• Read Rosie Revere, Engineer
• Talk about the things Rosie built
• Use "Tinker Toys" and "K-Nex" etc. to build things like Rosie built

A -- Art  (A was a little tricky. I wanted to use Iggy Peck, and architects use art in designing 

       their buildings, so I went with it. I did a more art-centered project with TK later on.)

• Read Iggy Peck, Architect
• Talk about what an architect is and that an architect uses art in designing buildings
• Create buildings with the larger-sized Legos

*Full Disclosure: I also ordered the Ada, Rosie, and Iggy dolls! 😀

M -- Math

• Read Isobel Adds It Up
• The kids get to use calculators. For the TK, we just practiced finding numbers that I first wrote on a small whiteboard and then called out. They got excited about creating larger numbers. For kindergarten, I started with calling out numbers and then moved on to calling out addition problems. For first grade, I had addition problem cards out on the tables, and they selected cards and keyed in the problems and checked the answer on the back of the card. All three grades were allowed "free play" time on the calculators for the last couple of minutes of the library class.

I was very pleased with all of the books and activities. I might look for a different book for "A" but unless something wonderful comes across my path, I am satisfied with what I chose.

Book List:

• The Library Dragon -- Carmen Agra Deedy
• Curious George Visits the Library -- H. A. Rey
• A Library Book for Bear -- Bonny Becker
• The Library -- Sarah Stewart
• Peppa Pig and the Career Day -- Candlewick Press
• Ada Twist Scientist -- Andrea Beaty
• Rosie Revere Engineer -- Andrea Beaty
• Iggy Peck Architect -- Andrea Beaty
• Isobel Adds It Up -- Kristy Everington

The scavenger hunt cards I bought to go with The Library Dragon are here.

The slideshow I used the first week of school for procedures is here.