Lewis and Clark Learns

We are entering our 2nd full week of school and I have seen each class two times. So far we have reviewed our Missouri Reading Award Programs, checked out for the first time, learned how to access digital materials at home, set up Google Classrooms, and become familiar with Overdrive ebooks.  Mrs. Haynes met with each class before their second checkout (first with their classroom teacher) and chatted with the kiddos about checkout expectations and a couple of other new things she is working on.  She is so good about being proactive instead of reactive to what we know happens each year in our library. Tomorrow each grade level will begin their first maker unit.  These units will include inquiry, mini lessons as necessary to teach/review note-taking, selecting best sources, questioning, citing sources, locating materials in our library and on our website, and instruction/exploration on databases and apps we will be using. This is our plan... Fifth graders are des...

This morning over 175 moms, dads, grandparents, and kids gathered at Lewis & Clark to participate in a Saturday morning of play.  From 9:00-11:30 families created, built, played, laughed, smiled, and connected with one another.  It was so heartwarming to see families having so much fun together.   Stations were set up in five different areas of our school.  Cardboard arcade games made by our 3rd graders and PVC pipe building was located in our gymnasium.  Stop motion animation and FLOORS video games created by 4th graders were located in our 5th grade commons area.  In the library, families worked on Lego WeDo building and programming.  In the MakerSpace families could create with cardboard and recycled materials.  In the cafeteria, families could build with Legos, K'Nex, and TinkerToys,   Familes could also yarn bomb and play marble mazes designed and built by our 1st graders.   Mrs. Norton, one of our kindergarten teachers...

The end of 2015 is bringing new units and much excitement to our Library Maker Center.  Here is the lowdown on what is happening... KINDERGARTEN Kindergarten kiddos have been working on a whole group research project trying to determine what animal our mystery skeleton belongs to.  After questioning and conducting research through print and online resources we determined that our skeleton belongs to a bat.  My kindergarten researchers will be working on learning more about dinosaurs while learning how to record what they learn by using picture notes.  We will share our learning using our MakerSpace resources. FIRST GRADE First grade kiddos finished up their marble mazes (saved for our upcoming Maker Day of Play) a while ago and have been working on an insect inquiry unit.  We are learning to take great notes using PebbleGo, Britannica Kids, and print resources.  After our research is completed, kids will partner up and create a SuperBug by combining...

Kindergarten building challenges, marble mazes, Rube Goldberg Machines, Coding workshop, researching, MakerKid's Club, reader reviewers, genre experts, Lego WeDo, train your robot...all that and more has happened in our library in the last few weeks.  Every grade level is busy making and thinking and researching and problem-solving and learning from failure and collaborating and reflecting and having fun while learning! Discussing plans and ideas before getting started...Smart! 1st graders finally getting to play with the marble mazes they have been working on. Lego WeDo...another experience in our 2nd grade robotics unit. First time working with Lego WeDo... completely focused.   Reading with an adult volunteer. Teamwork to create a fabulous Rube Goldberg Machine.  Researching with a split screen.  Working smart!  5th graders working independently on a video in our production room to promote Red Ribbon Week. Ho...