R is for ROBOTS - Sphero for 5th Grade

 We finished off the week with some pretty fun and engaging robots. Ollie and Sphero are fun and easy to code because (for now) students can code them on their chromebook using the Sphero Edu drag-and-drop block coding app. They are updating Sphero EDU in January, so I am hopeful we can get the updated app and continue to use it. 

If all else fails, we use the iPad mini and the Sphero app to steer the Sphero using the driving app. It is not as great as block coding, but it allows students to drive the robot and determine distance and speed to get Sphero over the ramp, and we relate this back to SOL 5.3.d Force, Motion, and Energy. Students plot the course, remove obstacles, set up the ramps, and steer the robot. I was worried it wouldn't hold their attention for the entire station time, but we have not had that problem. It takes time for them to adjust to the steering, and then they plot different courses, which has them redesigning the course a few times and experimenting with different options. 

Check out the station signs I have for our Ollie Robots: 5th Grade ROBOT Station. This freebie has signs, standards, and directions for this robot station. 

If you like the ROBOT station, here is the sign I created for grades 3-5: You can make a copy HERE:

R is for ROBOT: Ozobots for 4th Graders

 

Ozobot bits...the robot that follows code and reads colors! This is an awesome library station because it can be in the robot station OR the art station. 

Learners can code Ozobots a few different ways: 

• Using Ozoblockly on the chromebook, learners drag and drop block coding to get the Ozobot moving.
• Coloring with markers, learners color the correct code on Ozobot worksheets or just plain white paper. 
• Clipping together Ozobot puzzle pieces that can be purchased (I bought one set on Amazon and another through eBay), learners create a color-coded path for the Ozobot to follow.
• Just getting started with Ozobot? I use this introduction video with my students:
   
  Introduction to Ozobot - Part 1.

Depending on the week, we use the puzzle pieces OR we code with our makers. I love using the Ozobot worksheets, and in 4th grade when we are learning about the planets, earth, moon and gravitational pull, we complete the eclipses worksheet from the Ozobot worksheet. It directly relates to the fourth grade SOLS for this quarter, so now is the perfect time to use the Ozobots and have them follow a path around Earth. 

Here are the materials for the 4th grade Ozobot Station: (one per participating student)

• plastic bag with a black, blue, green, red marker 
• Ozobot worksheet: Eclipses-celestial-mechanics 
• Ozobot code cheat sheet:  Ozobot Code cheat sheets
• Ozobot robots (students can share or each have their own Ozobot...collaboration can be very successful with this station). 

Check out the 4th Grade Ozobot science and library Lesson  HERE. It outlines the lesson, the standards, and learning goals (freebie on TPT). 

If you would the station sign for grades 3-5, here it is for you to copy: 

Check out the station sign for grades 3-5 HERE and make a copy if it is helpful! 

R is for ROBOTS: THIRD GRADE

 

This has been a fun start to the week! Our robot CREATE station has been hopping. Third graders are getting to use the EDISON robots. These robots can complete different activities by reading a barcode. This is a great station to get students started on coding robots. I submitted the edmat into our county print shop where they were able to create these mats for us: 

You can find the mats and the file to print HERE: MEET EDISON EDMAT. My print shop charged the library $15 per board, and they are very sturdy. These will last for a few years. 

Once you have the mats, the directions are super easy to follow: 

Step 1: Place Edison on the arrow to the right of the barcode

Step 2: Push the ROUND record button three times and wait for Edison to move forward and read the barcode. 

Step 3: Play the code by pressing the TRIANGLE button. 

Check out my ROBOT freebies for this station HERE! These are the signs I use with the standards, procedures, and I CAN statements. You can edit them to fit your needs! 

Additional note ...I do love robots that students have to code using block coding, and Edison does not disappoint with this either. On their website, Edscratch, you can use their block coding program to get Edison to move around your library. 

EDSCRATCH WEBSITE

The video and directions are super easy to follow. My 4th and 5th graders love to use the block coding for Edison.

Here is the ROBOT chart I have at my RED STATION: 

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A COPY! 

R is for ROBOTS (create stations K-2)

For grades K-2, R stands for ROBOTS. 

Kindergarten: Kindergarten arrives in library at 2:05 PM. Having the makerspace buckets ready to go keeps my sanity for when they enter. They enter in the library, stand on a velcro dot and then I announce which station they are attending and often times will walk them to their station. The station chart I use comes in really handy with kindergarten. 

HERE IS THE CHART IF YOU WOULD LIKE MAKE A COPY!

For our ROBOT activity, I love love love the alpha and number robots that transform. I received a couple sets through the Amazon #clearthelist movement and some others through a Donor's choose campaign. Students can use these to identify letters, sounds, and numbers. They also work togethter to make words and then transform the words into robots. This keeps their attention for the full 20-30 minutes we are in stations, so this is definitely a WIN! 

Check out the Kindergarten freebies for the ROBOT Station

I have included the station signs, AASL standards, and directions. 

Grades 1-2 get to code Beebot. Using Beebot on 2 different mats, students code Beebot around town and around a pirate island. Two rules: students can not pick up Beebot and Beebot can never leave the mat. Every where Beebot travels is because the students correctly coded him. This is the hardest part to teach...I let them know right away how to code his back so he moves forward and in reverse. 

Check out the 1st Grade ROBOTS HERE and 2nd Grade ROBOTS HERE. 

I have included the station signs, AASL standards, and directions. 

HERE IS OUR ROBOT CHART AT THE TABLE THAT OUTLINES THE STANDARDS. If you would like to make a copy to modify the above chart, click HERE. 

C is for COMPUTER (create stations grades 3-5)

Let's recap...we have an acronym for our Library stations, and we have a system. Now we can break it down. As mentioned before, the Letter C for grades K-2 indicates a CONSTRUCTION stations. 

Check it out here...CONSTRUCTION STATION for K-2

However, if you are in the upper grades, C stands for COMPUTER or CHROMEBOOKS. Our library has 10 computers, and we used library funds to purchase 4 chromebooks. On the computer, there are many websites, activities, and symbaloos that students can access... there is also a digital choice board that was inspired and modeled after Shannon McClintock Miller's choice board. I rearranged the activities to fit in my CREATE categories and added some of my own. I also included the National Day calendar that another awesome educator shares through facebook. 

Click on the picture below to check out my Gordon Libguides and take a look at my CREATE digital stations: 

If you would like a copy of the CREATE digital choice board for NOVEMBER to revise, click HERE.

To view it, click HERE. 

Even though I love the choice boards, I also created interactive bitmoji classrooms for students to look around and locate different activities by clicking on pictures.  This was compiled by using all kinds of resources in the bitmoji community and all the generous educators during the pandemic. Hope you enjoy it and can use it for your own classroom. 

COPY Bitmoji Classoom

VIEW Bitmoji Classroom

Finally, the upper grades also have access to Minecraft EDU (the really old version), but I have enough worlds downloaded that it still works and the kids still enjoy building. The kids do love playing in the interactive worlds as a team. It builds great teamwork and collaboration. 

Here is a sign I use at the ORANGE computer station: 

To view the COMPUTER STATION SIGN, click here. 

If you would like to use it, feel free to make a copy and edit the sign to fit your needs. 

C is for CONSTRUCTION (K-2)

 

Create Stations...Construction:

For grades K-2, C stands for CONSTRUCTION. There are so many tools that students can access. We have Roy Toys, Plus Plus, a wedgit table, STEM building blocks, and Kapla blocks. These have been accumulated over time and they have replaced some of the consumables I used to have (straws, construction paper, etc.) 

K - STEAM Building Kit 

This is construction at its best. It promotes problem-solving and fine motor skills. Learners can build several modes of transportation using these tools. We have 2 sets broken into four small boxes. Each student gets a box. I connect this to our "Building Community" theme, so I encourage them to build vehicles or machines that will make working in the community easier. 

If you would like to start your own construction station, I have library signs that include: directions, I Can statements, and AASL standards. Feel free to download the construction station and edit it to fit your needs. 

CONSTRUCTION STATION FREEBIE - Kindergarten 

1st GRADE - WEDGIT TABLE 

Students are able to build and create structures using the wedgit table (bought at teacher store clearance sale) along with the wedgit kits (bought through Amazon with book fair money).  These are just like the name indicates, the pieces 'wedge' together to create structures, animals, towers, and anything the students can imagine. 

Here is the Construction Station FREEBIE for first grade. Feel free to download and edit to fit your needs. 

2nd GRADE - Roy Toys  

Think Lincoln Logs but locally sourced wooden toys from the Maine woods (where my entire family...except for me…was born!). 

In second grade our theme is connecting to Earth. We read books about dinosaurs, animals, and nature. Students construct animal habitat structures using the Roy Toy building blocks. As you can imagine, students create all sorts of fun homes and habitats. 

Feel free to access the CONSTRUCTION STATION FREEBIE for second grade!

My K-2 construction stations take place at the same table, so I have this chart that I put on the table to show everything we do for the K-2 construction activities in one combined chart. This chart can also be used to submit to admins and faculty to show the big picture of what is accomplished in library and how classroom standards and concepts are also being presented in library. 

If you would like to make a copy to modify the above chart, click HERE. 

If you would like to view it, click HERE.

Almost There...counting down the minutes

Maximizing the Minutes: 

Check out these online timers...these are great to count down the time. 

Stopwatch Timers 

If you need something more peaceful, I like this  fireplace timer.

Time keeps ticking: back in the day, we used to teach English in a 45 minute block before we went to block scheduling. It was hard, but it could be done! Now I teach library in that same amount of time. 

Students enter the library and line up on velcro dots. If you have tile instead of carpet, any graphic or indicator taped to the floor will work. Students just need a visual. 

After students enter the library and are standing on their velcro dots, it takes about 3-5 minutes to sort them into their stations. They can view the board from their spot in line, but I also announce the names and then send them to their table one group at a time. 

HINT: after a couple of weeks, students in the upper grades enter the library, look at the board and just walk over to their stations. They get down to business quickly because they do not like to waste time! More about the mechanics, seating, and Google charts can be found in the post, Create Stations....the mechanics. 

Once students walk to their stations, they begin the activity in their tub right away. It is set up so that the stations do not require a whole lot of instruction to get them started. (The only exception to this is the robot station.)  After 5-10  minutes of building, I take one group at a time to the shelves and help them make their book selections for checkout. After they take their book to the checkout desk, they return to their (SAME) station. With 10 - 15 minutes left, we listen to a story. I will have the kids transition to the story well or the areas around the story well (now we are all 3 feet apart), so they can hear and see. 

We'll break it down here...If the class starts at 9:45 AM...

9:45-9:50 - Sort students into their stations, and have them report to their tables. I use this chart: GOOGLE SLIDES to COPY  (this is the same chart I shared in my post The Mechanics). 

9:50-9:55 - Students begin stations. They open their bin and begin to build, design, or code. At the beginning of our kindergarten, first, and second-grade classes, we take a moment to let them know how many books they can check out (sometimes the younger students can't remember if they returned their books, so we give them a reminder).

9:55-10:15 -  Stations start to check out one table at a time. We help individuals find books. 

10:15 - 10:30 - Story and/or lesson: we listen to the story or participate in a 15-minute mini-library lesson.  At this point, students will transition to their "listening" spot. Red station gets the chairs in the story well. Other stations move to the colored dots that surround the story well.  If their station is close to the story well, they will just remain at their table and remain seated on their stool. When we no longer have to social distance, students will sit together in the story well. 

One station fits in the story well. 

This is a new schedule for us, but it is working well. In the past, we always started in the story well with a story and a lesson first. However, COVID-19 had us mixing things up and changing the order of how we operated!  We currently don't use the story well like we used to; instead, we have some students sitting in the story well with social distancing and other students remaining in their station seats.  If you like to start with the story and lesson and then move into stations, that worked for us too! There is a lot of flexibility. In the end, I felt that starting with stations had us transitioning fewer times in the 45-minute time period. 

Next Step....the materials

 

Managing the Materials:

The library space has evolved in the 10 years I have been the librarian.  I started out with all consumables and have slowly built up the materials that we use today. For example, the first-grade art station focuses on symmetry. In the past, students completed symmetry pictures that I found on the internet with pencils and crayons. Now I have the students design symmetrical creations using Cuisenaire rods and 2 small whiteboards that we can use over and over again. 

Symmetry Art Station - First Grade

Yard sales, Donor's Choose campaigns, and Scholastic dollars have all been sources for my materials. I also HIGHLY recommend joining your local BUY NOTHING Facebook group. I have received several library manipulatives thanks to neighbors cleaning out closets!

To store the materials, I have plastic bins located at the tables and in various places around the library. 

Not only do I try to store the materials at the tables, but I have also discovered that color-coding the tables and bins is EXTREMELY helpful. Here is what my ROBOT or R table looks like...this is my RED station: 

Color-Coded Station Tables

The dots are dry-erase spots and the letters are red Cricut vinyl. Each table has an assigned color. Students eventually learn that we rotate through the stations and each color in order of the letters in our word (our framework): CREATE. Once we really get underway, there is very little confusion. 

Create Stations....the mechanics

 

Maneuvering the Mechanics: 

If you have a name for your stations....your framework has begun! Like I mentioned in my previous post, we complete CREATE stations in my elementary library. These stations are aligned with the AASL library standards while also helping to support teachers in the classroom by aligning with their grade-level SOLs.  More to come on that later...(with charts!)

The next question to tackle: how do we know which students report to which station and how do we get them there? 

The basic mechanics have to be put in place. During the first couple weeks of school, I plug students' names into a chart I created. This year, I used google slides. In the past, I have used Active Inspire. Other ideas: a color chart with clothespins or a felt board. This doesn't have to get technical. Because of Covid-19 and contact tracing, I like having everything on Google, so if I am home and get a phone call trying to contact trace, I can access my seating charts from anywhere! 

Feel free to use these Google slides below if they are helpful! 

GOOGLE SLIDES to PREVIEW

GOOGLE SLIDES to COPY 

Once the charts are created, we are ready to begin our stations. Starting right away, students enter the library and stand on a velcro dot where they can see their class chart on the board. The chart on the board shows them our stations, and the color station they will be attending that day.  I invite students to one group, station, or color at a time to have a seat and get started on their activity. 

These are the basic mechanics …this can be done in a 45-minute time frame or a 30-minute time. I have another article that will tackle the challenge of TIMING! 

CREATE: It's all in the name...Start Here

Formulating a Framework:

Library stations are my passion and the inspiration behind my library lessons.  Libraries have become active hubs, but to keep my sanity, I try to avoid chaos! This can be hard when you are seeing over 100 kids a day for only 45 minutes per class. Similar to my fellow librarians at the elementary level, I am on a fixed schedule and each day I see 5-6 classes, grades K-5. Whew! It is a whirlwind.

Organization, structure, and repetition are the key ingredients in the station framework I created; this framework can be adapted to fit any need, class, or lesson plan. Take a look! 

This is where I started...I wanted a word that would convey a big idea... concept...theme to my students. That word would become the structure for my library. 

In my library, I wanted an environment and space where we can CREATE. That is the word I chose... my acronym, my BIG IDEA. Using the word CREATE, my students rotate through 6 stations attending one station a week. Each letter in the acronym represents an activity.  My CREATE stations are implemented across all grade levels with different activities for each grade. I will share my framework and the mechanics over the next couple of blog articles, but here is the overview: 

C - Computer Choice Board (3-5)/Construction (K-2)
R - Robots 
E - Engineering
A - Art
T - Thinking Lab/Tablets
E - Explore and Research 

I have included a video where I am featured with my CREATE stations in the library...it is a very short overview that will give you the big idea: 

 CREATE Stations in the LIBRARY!