CREATE Stations: E stands for EXPLORE for Grades K - 1

Our explore library station in our CREATE acronym can encompass so many different tasks. Often times, the activities in the EXPLORE station can be interchangeable with ENGINEERING. 

The explore station is slightly different because we often use this station to focus on science, research, nonfiction texts, and fiction storylines. We change it up throughout the year depending on the grade level, what we are studying, and the standards we want to cover. 

In fact, our EXPLORE station for Kindergarten involves our magformers. Students create buildings, structures, animals, and towns using these magformer tiles. 

The students love being able to manipulate these, and they are very easy to clean up! If you are looking for the lesson plan and station signs that are aligned with the AASL standards as well as NGSS and VA SOLs, you can find them HERE on TPT for free. 

For first graders, the EXPLORE station requires some fine motor skills. We used connectagons, which are wooden interlocking blocks. Check them out here on Amazon: Connectagons Interlocking STEM toys. These are different from the brainflakes because these have patterns and themes that allow students to create models. 

Years ago we purchased these, and we were able to get three sets: geometric shapes, woodland creatures, and space connectagons. The space connectagons are really fun; students love to create a galaxy of stars with the moon and constellations. 

It is exciting to watch students build, design, and even discuss their creations in their small group setting. The other set of connectagons we have, the woodland habitat, have different characters and animals. Students get caught up in imaginary role playing, and I love to watch them interact and create stories while they are building and designing.

Feel free to download the station signs HERE. Per usual, it includes the standards of learning as well as the AASL standards. 

Below is another example of a table sign I use that has both the kindergarten and first grade station information and standards. This is a great visual to show teachers and admin who visit your library how this station fulfills and supports their standards through application and play. Click HERE to may a copy of the chart if you would like to use it and make any changes. To view the chart, click on the image below. 

Next stop in our CREATE Stations....T is for THINKING LAB!

 We have had an exciting start to the month of May with the hatching of our chicks! Now we are continuing on with our CREATE Stations. What does CREATE stand for? It is the framework for our library stations. Students visit one of the stations below once a week and rotate to the next station the following week. Throughout the year, they will visit each station 3-4 times. Our stations are a fun way to cover the standards, keep students engaged, and complete different challenges. 

C - Computer (3-5) or Construction (K-2)
R - Robots 
E - Engineering
A - Art 
T - Thinking Lab 
E - Explore

The letter 'T' can stand for a couple of different activities in the library. T in our create acronym can stand for tablet, technology, Thinking Lab...there are several possibilities. 
We have used this station for both our tablets and our strategy games. Click on the letter T to view our inventory of Thinking Lab games, and the books with which we pair them: 

We have done our Thinking Lab several different ways. A great way is to have your class complete the same game while students work in pairs and see which pair of students can complete the most challenges. Another way is to have the Thinking Lab strategy games set up in stations where each small group completes a different strategy game. 

In our library, the Thinking Lab takes place at our GREEN table. In the past, we have rotated the games throughout the months we used them. These games are a great way to end the school year because it keeps the students' minds engaged and THINKING right up until the end! 

Our chicks hatched!

 

HERE THEY ARE! We have 9 healthy chicks! We had a great experience in library and STEAM watching our chicks in the incubator and then witnessing them hatch. 

Now that they hatched, our chicks have been moved into a sandbox with a warming plate, chick starter food, water, and shredded paper. They will stay with us for a couple of days before we return them to the farm. Returning them to the farm allows us to continue our program from year to year. The eggs we received this year to incubate may even be from chicks we hatched last year! Truly the circle of life! (Can't you hear the song?!)

If you are interested in hatching your own chicks, take a look at our earlier post HERE. We love teaching life cycles with our chick unit, virtual classroom, and google presentation. It has been a great month. 

Update on the HEN HOUSE

It is almost time! Sunday was DAY 18 for our eggs in the incubator, so we went into LOCKDOWN MODE! 

What does this mean? 

Step ONE: To get the eggs ready for hatching, we have to take out the egg turner, so the chicks have enough room to start zipping, pipping, moving and getting themselves out of their shells. 

Step TWO: Remove the red plug on side B of the water reservoir and fill up both sides (A and B), so the humidity increases to 80%. 

Step THREE: Open the vent on the front of the incubator lid ALL the way, so there is proper ventilation. 

Now we wait and see what happens over the next couple of days. Hopefully we will hear the chicks chirping in the next 24-48 hours, and then they will start using their egg tooth to zip and pip their way out of their shell. 

We will keep everyone posted! 

Here is a great presentation my colleague updated with pictures and information from different sources. We have been sharing this with our students: 

If you are looking for stories and videos, you can view the Hen House Bitmoji classroom HERE. If you would like to make copy and edit the links you can do so HERE.