MCBD: Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen

 

A is for ART: A 5th Grade Quivervision Art Station

Quivervision...it is the best thing to happen to our ART station in the library! I love connecting students' stations in the library to the content in the classroom. I have been using Quivervision for the past 5 years, but this year I noticed they were making changes to their format, so I applied to become a Quivervision Ambassador. This has been a really fun and different experience. I have access to the educational dashboard, coloring sheets, and I am beta testing the app...something I have never done before. I am loving it and so glad I put myself out there and applied!

How do we use this platform? In fifth grade, we study plant and animal cells, so I use this plant cell coloring sheet  and this animal plant cell coloring sheet for our 5th graders. 

What other  materials do we need for this station?  

print encyclopedia with cell diagram (a chance to incorporate reference materials!) 

markers 

colored pencils

coloring sheet (see links above)

iPads 

How does it work? Well, our learners use markers and/or colored pencils to color in the worksheet. Once they are done, they open the Quiver app, press the butterfly icon and then have the app scan their picture until it is turned into augmented reality. Learners will then need time to explore because there will be interactive buttons and teaching tools incorporated for extended learning. 

For the entire lesson plan (and more detailed step by step directions), check it out here on the Quivervision website: Lesson Plan on QUIVERVISION Website.

Here are the library signs that I have for the 5th grade art station: LIBRARY SIGNS.

This is the sign I have posted at my ART table, so the teachers can see how the station relates to their classroom lessons and standards: 

If you would like a copy of the chart to edit, you can make a copy HERE.

Hope you can find a way to incorporate this into your classroom...it really is super fun.

E is for Engineering - K-2 Grade - Let's BUILD!

There is no doubt that our engineering station is one of the favorites in the library. Here is our breakdown (although these can all be interchangeable).

Kindergarten: Brain Flakes

First grade: Garden Gears

Second grade: IO Blocks 

We discovered IO blocks through the scholastic catalog. There are mini blocks (for older students) and the larger blocks we use for this station with the second graders. There are cards they can use to give them inspiration or they can free build. In order to connect to the standards, I challenge our second grade learners to design and build their very own plant, animal, or flower. They always come up with creative designs.

If you would like view our station materials, you can check them out HERE. 

First grade students study plants and the life cycle of plants, so it makes perfect sense that we build our own gardens with our garden gears. They even have pollinators they can include in their garden. They build all sorts of garden designs, big and small. Often times they will join their designs together to form one massive garden, which is pretty impressive. 

If you would like to check out station materials for our first grade garden gear center, you can look view them HERE.  

Have you have had the joy of building with brainflakes? We have used brainflakes across all grade levels. I can't wait to share all the ways we use them (more to come later). For kindergarten learners, they like to sort them by color and make patterns. They design snowflakes, flowers, rainbows and sometimes just sort and classify them. This taps into their math standards and re-enforces patterns. 

Check out our station materials HERE.

Below you will find one of the charts I have at my YELLOW, Engineering table. It covers the standards for grades K-2. I love these visuals because the teachers can see how we are connecting our library CREATE stations to the activities and skills they are learning in the classroom. 

To make a copy of the chart below, click HERE.

CREATE Stations: January Digital Stations - Inclement Weather Plans

Watching the forecast, it looks like we may be getting some snow! We love a good snow day! In the event of snow days or when I am absent, I have set it up for students to access our CREATE stations in a digital format. I have 3 separate google slides that can be accessed.

This is my January bitmoji classroom with interactive pictures, games, and coding actvities set up in a winter scene for students to search, explore and access: 

The students can click on almost anything in the classroom to get to a game or a book. This is fun for the upper grades who like to explore. 

Feel free to view the bitmoji classroom HERE.

If you would you like to edit the classroom, click to MAKE A COPY. 

My next google slide is where I have taken my CREATE stations and put them in a digital format for my kindergarten and first grade students. This gives them some structure and takes the guessing out of a bitmoji classroom. My favorite part of this choice board is that my first graders get to practice with beebot, which helps when they code the actual robot in person. I have also included a couple of choice boards and activities that I found from other sites and librarians (credit is given on their google slide). 

The hardest part is trying to figure out where to put these links for the younger students to access easily. I have the K-1 CREATE choice board embedded in my Gordon Libguides, but my Instructional Designer also put my link in the students' Clever backpack. This was a perfect solution because they are already used to accessing their backpack for Dreambox and Lexia. This has been really convenient. 

Take a minute to look at the CREATE digital stations and VIEW HERE. 

If you would like to edit the digital activities, feel free to MAKE A COPY. 

Finally this is the choice board I use for learners in grades 2-5.This has more coding, building, and even an art hub station that the students really like. 

For the second grade through fifth grade CREATE digital stations, you can  VIEW HERE. Scroll down and you will see the choice board!

If you would like to edit the digital activities, feel free to MAKE A COPY. 

THINK SNOW!! In the event we are asked to provide a choice board or an enhancement activity, I thought this would be a good start for January. Hope that this helps and someone is able to use these actvities! Be safe and stay healthy my friends!