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Written Instructions Document. Video down below

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Written Document Instructions. Video down below

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Perfect for in person or as take away craft.

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Great for in person or take away involves pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and scissors.

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The symposium will take place November 5 - 7, 2021 with a theme of Biggest Little Safe Spaces: Serving Teens During Times of Adversity.

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Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

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Friday, November 10 through Sunday, November 12 at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, MO.

Room Rate: $149 a night plus state and local taxes.

2023 Symposium theme: Gateway to the Best: Connecting, Creating, and Celebrating Young Adult Services.

Meet up and be inspired in St. Louis!

Join YALSA members from around the country as we connect, create and celebrate all things YA. Explore innovative programs, interact with an amazing array of authors, and discover new experiences with colleagues at this year's exciting symposium. Chart your journey to the Gateway Arch!

Early registration ends on Saturday, September 23rd
Opening Panel Meet Cute in St. Louis: Rom-Coms for Today's Teens
In the spirit of the famous musical, this lighthearted panel will feature YA authors as they discuss their recently published romance novels. What better way to open a symposium than a fun-filled discussion of romantic comedies and the connections found in those stories?
Closing Panel Gateway to Exploration: The Quest for Stories
Just as Lewis and Clark and other explorers embarked from St. Louis and journeyed to exotic and exciting places, many of today's YA authors explore the boundaries of the unknown through fantasy and science fiction. This lively panel about fantastic places, magical quests, and uncharted worlds will indeed provide a gateway to the best of YA literature.

The Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association fully complies with the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the rules and regulations thereof. Participants with ADA needs for this meeting must specify their needs via email to yalsaevents@ala.org by October 27, 2023, in order to allow YALSA to assess the situation and provide reasonable accommodation. If any participant in this educational activity would like to further discuss accommodations, please contact YALSA for assistance.
Past dates:

Baltimore, MD, Nov. 4-6, 2022 (visit the web site)

Reno, NV, November 5-7, 2021 (visit the web site)

Virtual Symposium, November 6-8, 2020 (visit the web site)

Memphis, November 1-3, 2019 (visit the web site)

Salt Lake City, November 2-4, 2018, (visit the web site)

Louisville, KY, November 3 -5, 2017, (visit the web site)

Pittsburgh, PA, November 4-6, 2016 (visit the web site)

Portland, OR, November 6-8, 2015 (visit the web site)

Austin, TX, November 14-16, 2014

St. Louis, MO, November 2-4, 2012

Albuquerque, NM, November 5-7, 2010

Nashville, TN, November 7-9, 2008

News
7/7/23
Call for author proposals is now open! YALSA is seeking authors to participate in our YA Services Symposium on November 10-12, 2023 in St. Louis, MO. Submit here.

6/13/23

The proposal portal has now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal! Notifications to come early July.
5/19/23 Submit a Proposal!
Don't miss this opportunity to engage with library colleagues from across the country and share your expertise. If your library has an innovative program, service, partnership, or technology, we want to hear about it!

Programs last approximately 60 minutes and run between November 10th, from 8 am and 5 pm, and November 11th between 9 am and 1 pm.

Have an idea for a Pre-Conference course? Pre-conference courses will be held Friday, November 10th in the morning or afternoon. They are typically 3 hours long.
Questions? Contact yalsaprojects@ala.org

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YALSA's 2023 Young Adult Library Services Association Symposium

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Registration| Participating Authors | Programs and Special Events | Sponsors | Travel Stipend | FAQ | Hotel | Health and Safety | Updates | Symposium Presentation Upload Friday, November 10 through Sunday, November 12 at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, MO. Young Adult Services Symposium information

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SRP/Youth Services Workshop Monday 6-21-2021

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SRP/Youth Services Workshop Monday 6-21-2021

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Monthly meeting of Nevada's public libraries to discuss Summer Reading Programs

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NSLA Summer Reading Program/Youth Services Meeting 6-21-21

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Book Recommendation from Boulder City Library Ms. Jesse

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Book Recommendation from Boulder City Library Ms. Jesse

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Bear Against Time by Jean-Luc Fromenta
Bear's inability to tell time results in chaos, so the human family he lives with teaches him to read a clock--but running on schedule means more time for activities and less for rest.

Dogography by Marlee Coote
"How do you spell DOG? In this brand new collection of typographic doggy delights this award winning illustrator show you a whole new way to spell your best friend. Each picture is created using only the letters that spell each dog's name, and is partnered with a brief, amusing verse. The exact fonts used are provided in a key on each page to help readers find all the letter shapes and that spell each dog.

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So you have an awesome new program coming up, and you're super excited. That's fantastic! Now, how are you going to get the attendance your program so richly deserves? That all depends on how you advertise.

Naturally, you want to tailor your advertisements to the program's target demographic, but don't forget that parents often make plans for their children, older patrons sometimes have visiting kids and/or grandkids, and word of mouth is incredibly valuable. It can't hurt to try some different things, right? In this three-part series, we will be discussing some average (and not so average) ways to advertise. First up...

Posters, Flyers, and Where to Hang Them

Sure, we've all made posters, and they go up on the door, or maybe on the bathroom door if we're feeling ambitious. Where else can we put them? Well, that depends on your audience. Have you tried...

Local schools - If you email the superintendent, you can often get permission to hang signs in the school library, if nowhere else, but making sure that the teachers know about your programs can help promote library services to students, school faculty, and parents. Don't forget that teachers are potential patrons, too. Maybe the English teacher is just dying for a book club to join; maybe she will see the sign in the Teachers' Lounge and be your new best member!

Senior centers - Again, the programs you advertise there don't have to be just for seniors! Yes, there is "competing" programming going on at many senior centers, but when you work for the town, collaboration is always a good thing. Unless you are doing a movie program at the exact same time as their movie program, you probably don't have to worry. I have often advertised Children's Room programs in the Senior Center, too, This is particularly helpful for Summer Reading ("the kids are visiting and I don't know what to do!") and the our library's circulating collection of toys and games ("the kids are visiting and I don't know what to do!").

Recreation centers, yoga studios, gyms - When playing sports and games, there is often almost as much time waiting (for your turn, for the game to start, for your ride home) as there is playing. Why not give these poor waiting people something to read and look forward to?

Local businesses - Coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores, and other places where people linger will often have bulletin boards dedicated to local events. If you ask nicely, you can often hang up a poster, which lets their customers (and staff!) know about your upcoming awesomeness. This is particularly useful if the business has a connection to your event. For example, hanging a flyer at a comic store or game shop is perfect for promoting teen Wii Game tournaments or board game parties.

Other areas of the library - You'd be surprised how few libraries will advertise the adult Summer Reading Program in the Children's Room, even though there are usually just as many parents as children! This holds true the other way around, as well. Patrons have families and friends, and they will let them know if they see something they might enjoy. If you have something complicated enough that a quick glance at a flyer might not be enough, try hanging them inside the bathroom stalls - you have a captive audience!

Inside of books - When I did a Zombie Party, I put flyers inside copies of The Walking Dead graphic novels. Pete the Cat party flyers are inside all Pete the Cat books. Hide Classic Movie Mondays flyers inside biographies of classic Hollywood starlets, Fantasy Book Club flyers inside fantasy books, and "Did You Know We Have A Database About This?" flyers inside reference books. I have also seen some great e-book bookmarks inside books on the shelf where the e-book version was available through our catalog. "Check it out now, or download it from home!"

Things to Remember:

If you're not used to posting flyers outside your library, there are a some things you might not have needed to think about before. A few things to consider:

Make sure that all flyers are clearly labeled with the library's name, address, and contact information. It wouldn't do for a potential patron to be interested in a program, and not know where to go.

Less (information) is sometimes more (attention). You want eye-grabbing art and words, because you are competing with not just the other flyers on the bulletin board, but the entire world around that bulletin board: smart phones, pumpkin spice lattes, best friends meeting up for lunch, someone's dog who is just so darned cute. Large blocks of text will be skimmed over if not ignored: it's better to get someone's attention and point them in the right direction for more information than to not grab them at all.

Also, please ask permission before you start hanging things up. Let's not be silly about this.

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Top Ways to Advertise Your Library Programs - Part 1

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So you have an awesome new program coming up, and you're super excited. That's fantastic! Now, how are you going to get the attendance your program so richly deserves? That all depends on how you advertise.

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Folks, felt crafts just don't get any sweeter than this. Maker extraordinaire Lia Griffith showed us how to DIY these pinecone bears, and we're completely obsessed. Look at their little noses! Plus, they only take a few minutes to create, and we guarantee your kids will adore them.

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This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

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This Pinecone Bear Is Officially the Cutest Craft of All Time

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Folks, felt crafts just don't get any sweeter than this. Maker extraordinaire Lia Griffith showed us how to DIY these pinecone bears, and we're completely obsessed. Look at their little noses! Plus, they only take a few minutes to create, and we guarantee your kids will adore them.

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Start a Dungeons & Dragon Club for Tails and Tales!!!

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Start a Dungeons & Dragon Club for Tails and Tales!!!

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Dungeons and Dragons have tales and tails and teens and adults love them. If you haven't considered this for 2021 Summer Reading, you should. Libraries have the space and there are always staff who volunteer for this program. ;D

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There have been plenty of posts on Dungeons & Dragons here at Book Riot.

From comic books for D&D fans to how to play on a shoestring budget.

I recently started one in the school library that I manage and it's been an amazing experience. I love watching the camaraderie, the strategy, and yes, even the arguments, which can sometimes be hilarious as long as they are in good fun.

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dnd | Library programs | Library program ideas | Dungeons & Dragons | Library Clubs | Libraries | Passive Programming | Passive Programming for Libraries | Events" srcset="https://s2982.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/5-reasons-to-start-a-dungeons-and-dragons-club-in-your-library.png 735w, https://s2982.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/5-reasons-to-start-a-dungeons-and-dragons-club-in-your-library-200x300.png 200w, https://s2982.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/5-reasons-to-start-a-dungeons-and-dragons-club-in-your-library-683x1024.png 683w, https://s2982.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/5-reasons-to-start-a-dungeons-and-dragons-club-in-your-library-100x150.png 100w, https://s2982.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/5-reasons-to-start-a-dungeons-and-dragons-club-in-your-library-33x50.png 33w" sizes="(max-width: 598px) 100vw, 598px">

Here are five reasons to start a Dungeons & Dragons Club in your library. Whether it's a public or school library, I'd highly recommend it.

It gives students control over the space

This is a big one for me. I'm always looking for ways to make students aware that the library belongs to them and that they should make the most of it. When I started the program, I put a questionnaire on the whiteboard. It said "Should We Start a Dungeons & Dragons Club: Yes / No / What's Dungeons & Dragons?"

I was immediately approached by a 14 year old student who said that he was an avid player and would like to be the Dungeon Master if at all possible. Boom, one job had been completed. He is now the DM and in charge. Not only does it provide him a leadership role in the school, it demonstrates to the other students that they can have a time when they are in control, and it's fun, safe, and engaging.

New faces

Starting the D&D club brought new faces to the library, and that is a goal of every librarian. New people means new brains to infect with a love of reading, and don't think I'm not there promoting fantasy-based books and comics around every dungeon corridor.

It's for everyone

We have 12 regulars who play every Monday and Thursday. The ages range from 11 to 17 years old. There aren't many programs in a school where you'll get that kind of age range, I can guarantee it. Also, D&D has, at least in my day, been perceived as a boys' game. I'm very happy to see that around 40% of the players are female, and I hope to bring more to the gaming table as we progress.

It's cheap to get started

You don't need to break the bank with fancy pewter figurines or bags and bags of glittery die. Sure, those things are awesome, but a D&D starter kit with pre-made characters and ready-to-go dungeons is only £12 ($15) and will get you where you need to go. All of the players that joined had never played before except for the 14-year-old DM, so it was a perfect set-up to have the starter kit and everything ready to go.

It's A LOT of fun

I've laughed a lot watching these kids play the game. I'm lucky because our DM is hilarious and patient, which is crucial when you've got a big group of players who are totally new to the game. There is a lot of silliness and a lot of improvising, but that's what the game should be about in my opinion. You as the adult also have to have a lot of patience, but the rewards are great. Starting a D&D Club in your library will be the most fun you've have in ages.

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5 Reasons to Start a Dungeons & Dragons Club in Your Library

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There have been plenty of posts on Dungeons & Dragons here at Book Riot. From comic books for D&D fans to how to play on a shoestring budget. I recently started one in the school library that I manage and it's been an amazing experience.

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Discover how force affects the motion of a projectile and how changing the angle of the launch affects the distance travelled with this easy catapult investigation based around the cow jumped over the moon.

You can see how to build a simple lollystick catapult in this video.

I’ve designed this activity to appeal to young children, but it can easily be extended for an older audience.

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Discover how force affects the motion of a projectile and how changing the angle of the launch affects the distance travelled with this easy catapult investigation based around the cow jumped over the moon.

You can see how to build a simple lollystick catapult in this video.

I've designed this activity to appeal to young children, but it can easily be extended for an older audience.
Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon. The little dog laughed to see such fun And the dish ran away with the spoon!
Lollystick catapults are inexpensive, easy to make and appeal to children of all ages. I've given this one a Preschool/Early Years theme by simply drawing a cow on a ping pong ball, but you could also use a ball as the Moon and investigate the conditions needed to catapult the cow over the moon or even draw planets and lay them on the floor as different targets.

Older children could design and make a target either stuck to a wall, a free standing structure or as a real challenge how about a target that flips backwards when hit?

Links to Literacy

Write a new version of the traditional nursery rhyme including the words catapult and force.

Write instructions for a game including a catapult and a target.

Links to Maths

Create a target ( this could be moon shaped ) with different numbers on different areas, the children could then keep track of either other's score over 3 attempts to hit the target.

Questions to ask about the cow jumped over the moon catapult

How do you think force affects the speed a catapulted ping pong ball travels?

How do you think force affects the distance a catapulted ping pong ball travels.
The greater the force the greater the speed and distance.
How can we test this using a catapult?

The further down you push the milk bottle top, the greater the force applied to the ping pong ball and the faster it will travel.

How to work scientifically

Design a question to answer
Does the ping pong ball travel further if more force is applied? Does the ping pong ball travel higher if launched from a greater angle? What will happen if the centre part of the catapult is made taller using more lollysticks?
Make a prediction - for example
If more lollysticks are added to the catapult, the ping pong ball can be launched from a greater angle meaning it will reach a greater height.
Design a fair test

Think about how to make the investigation fair, for example use the same catapult, the same person should apply the force, measure from the same release point.

Repeat at least 3 times and find the average distance/height.

Design a method of recording data

How about a table or voice recording?

Do the observations answer the original question? Was the prediction correct? If not why not?

How could the investigation be improved?

Extension tasks

Think about the angle the ping pong ball is launched from. To travel the furthest distance possible a projectile should be launched from a 45 degree angle, more that this and the projectile will go higher, but cover less distance.

Can you draw this?

Projectile - an object that is launched into the air by a force.

Catapult - a mechanism that launches a projectile.

Thank you to the fantastic Imagination Tree for the inspiration for this activity.

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Preschool Science - The cow jumped over the moon catapult

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Discover how force affects the motion of a projectile and how changing the angle of the launch affects the distance travelled with this easy catapult investigation based around the cow jumped over the moon. You can see how to build a simple lollystick catapult in this video.

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For those rainy days...varying levels of difficulty.

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Origami animals are a popular choice of origami. They're fun to fold and it's really cool to see them begin to take shape and look like their real life counterparts. There are instructions for various origami animals so just choose your favorite one and start folding.

We're always looking to add more instructions for origami animals because there is a lot more to share, but it takes time to take pictures and make instructions for them. Just keep coming back and you'll see new origami animals every now and then.

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Origami animals are a popular choice of origami. They're fun to fold and it's really cool to see them begin to take shape and look like their real life counterparts. There are instructions for various origami animals so just choose your favorite one and start folding.

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Last Halloween my family and I went with Safari themed costumes. All the costumes were pretty easy to make and ended up looking super cute when we were all together. Keep scrolling to see our family costume!

My boys went as a Lion and a Zebra. Both their costumes were not complete without a tail and what better way to add to a DIY costume than to make their tails.

To the best of my knowledge I have never made an animal tail or at least not out of yarn so this was a first for me. I'm sure there are several different ways to make an animal tail from using paper to sewing one like I did for Sully in our Monster's Inc. themed costumes to just tying on some ribbon and cardboard but in this case I made the boy's animal tails out of yarn.

If you don't feel like being crafty, you can usually find ear/tail sets out around Halloween but I didn't have any luck finding what I wanted and I already had most of the supplies so I was easier for me to make my own.

What you'll need:

1. Start by cutting the yarn to the length you want the tail to be. You will be braiding the yarn so make sure to cut it a few extra inches. You can always cut the yarn shorter if your tail needs to be shorter.

For the Zebra tail I cut the black yarn longer than the white yarn because I wanted the bottom of the tail to be black. You can cut the yarn different lengths like I did but if you forget, it's not a big deal because you can easily add the end of the tail later.

2. String the yarn through the center of the safety pin. Make sure that it is evenly divided on both sides of the safety pin.

3. Fold the yarn over the side of the safety pin and braid it until it is the length you want your tail to be. Tie a knot at the bottom of the braid to hold the yarn together.

4. If you have extra yarn at the bottom or cut the colors a different length like I did for the Zebra tail, you can SKIP TO STEP 6. If your yarn ends at the braid then you need to cut more yarn to make the bottom of your tail.

Cut several pieces of yarn at least 8" long. The more yarn, the fluffier the tail will be.

5. Tie the yarn just above the knot at the end of the braid. Tie the yarn in different directions so that it covers the entire knot. You want to use regular yarn for this part.

The yarn pictured is after it was brushed (step 6) but it shows it tied above the knot.

6. Using a hair brush, carefully brush the yarn at the bottom of your tail. You want to use the hair brush to basically unravel the yarn so that if becomes fluffy.

Some of the yarn may come off but it is okay. Don't brush it to hard or over do it.

If you don't like the thickness of the end of the tail or pulled out to much of the yarn you can easily cut and add more yarn to the bottom of the tail until it is fluffy enough for you. See step 5.

7. Using scissors, trim the bottom of the brushed yarn to make it even.

8. Pair the tail with a pair of animal ears and carefully pin the tail to the back of the person wearing the costume's shirt or pants and you are done!

I pinned the tails to my boys shirts so that they weren't sitting on the safety pin. Plus I left their shirts untucked so you could see the tail better pinned to their shirts than their pants.

You can make the animal tails any length or color you want. I prefer the look of multi-colored tails because it gives the tail more texture, making it easier to see and more realistic. You can use this tutorial to make several different types of animal tails - Cow, Giraffe, Cheetah, Tiger, Lion, Zebra. Just change the color scheme, the length and the fluffiness of the bottom and you are set!

You can even make a full fluffy tail for a Fox, Wolf, Squirrel, Raccoon, Cat or Horse costume by tying yarn up the entire braid and carefully brushing it out.

If you want your tail to bend, you can weave a thin piece of wire through the middle of the tail then bend the wire to the position you want your tail to be in. Just make sure you cover the ends so the wire doesn't poke you or whoever is wearing the tail.

These yarn animal tails are pretty easy to make as long as you know how to braid. If you don't know how to braid, I'm sure there are several tutorials out there you can follow! Basically all you do is cut some yarn, braid it and brush out the excess yarn at the bottom. These yarn animal tails are a great addition to any animal costume whether it's for Halloween, a school play or just because.

Comment below with what animal tail you made!

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Last Halloween my family and I went with Safari themed costumes. All the costumes were pretty easy to make and ended up looking super cute when we were all together. Keep scrolling to see our family costume! My boys went as a Lion and a Zebra.

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These woodland animal headbands – made from twigs and pine cones – are a simple & fun nature craft for both kids and adults.

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These woodland animal headbands - made from twigs and pine cones - are a simple & fun nature craft for both kids and adults.

Last autumn we collected a lot of pine cones! I mean a lot! - and we did a lot of pine cone crafts! Eventually we needed some new ideas - and we ended up creating these cute woodland animal headbands. Because we all loved them so much, I thought I would share this super simple nature craft activity idea with you!

Antlers headband from sticks - a simple nature craft activity for adults and kids

Enjoying a well deserved lolly after creating his epic stick antlers woodland animals headband!

How to make Woodland Animal Headbands

Simply follow our step by step tutorial to make this easy nature diy craft

Plain sturdy alice bands

Twigs and pine cones (look for twigs that resemble antlers!)

Strong wire

wool or string

Glitter (optional)

PVA glue (optional)

For this project you will need:

Deer woodland animal headband with Pine Cones

If you would like glitter on your Deer headband apply PVA glue to your pine cones - drizzle with glitter - and leave to dry.

Attach wire to your pine cones. Push the wire into the base of the cone and go half way around the base, pushing the wire all the way into the cone.

Bring the wire ends together one side of the pine cone and twist to secure, creating a wire 'loop' at the base of the cone. Cut off excess wire.

Slide the pine cones onto your plain alice band, using the wire 'loops' you created earlier.

Add roses to your woodland deer headband for extra prettiness..

That's it! Your Deer woodland animal headband from pine cones is ready to wear!

How to make an Antlers headband from twigs

Firstly select a couple of good size twigs that resemble antlers! Twigs with a single wide base and narrower offshoots at the top are ideal. Cut your twigs to size, determining how long you antlers will be!

Secondly - if you would like a little sparkle - apply PVA glue to your sticks, sprinkle with glitter and leave to dry.

Now youre ready to assemble your antlers nature headband.

Fold a piece of wool/string in half creating a loop. Put the wool (loop end) around the alice band and twig. Thread the two loose ends of wool through the loop like above. Pull tightly to secure the twig to the alice band.

Continue tying the wool round and round the stick and alice band, until you get to the end. Fasten securely with a knot.

Your antlers nature headband is ready to wear! However remember to take care in doorways - we got caught out a few times with our new height!

How to make a pine cone unicorn headband

The cute pine cone unicorn headband is probably my favourite from this project! To craft is simply follow the instructions for the deer headband above. However - needless to say - only use one pine cone and position it in the middle!

Tip! If you have long hair, you can twist it around the base of the cone to hide the wire and alice band (as I did below). Alternatively you could use a ribbon for this purpose.

The woodland antlers headband goes surprisingly well with a flat cap!

I loved my unicorn headband so much, guess what I was for Halloween? You guessed it - a sparkly Woodland Unicorn!

In summary, we had a great time as a family with this nature craft diy activity. Two years later the headbands still make an appearance at various family celebrations - and I'm sure they will continue to do so!

I hope you have fun with this idea - and if you do please send me a pic! Or tag #theawesomechildhoodproject on social media so I can find your project and share it!

Want more nature craft ideas? Why not create some pretty Nature Confetti Poppers with flower petals and toilet roll tubes?

Please email me anytime at contact.ullalake@gmail.com if you have a question or would like to be updated on new blog posts by email

I love post! - and I will always get back to you as soon as I can x x

Or follow us on social media to see what we get up to

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Nature woodland animal headbands - simple nature craft activity diy! Kids

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Last autumn we collected a lot of pine cones! I mean a lot! - and we did a lot of pine cone crafts! Eventually we needed some new ideas - and we ended up creating these cute woodland animal headbands.

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A dedicated group of volunteers has done it again, and produced a supplemental manual for 2021! Below is a link to the full pdf (individual pages/components can be found in the online manual):

Perfect for grab-and-go, or a quick passive program. A button on the website's homepage also provides a direct link to the file.

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Tennessee shared this calendar, in collaboration with Ready to Read, are pleased to offer the Day By Day Family Literacy calendar, and all the resources on this site, to promote family literacy and family engagement.  The calendar has a monthly theme and unique daily entries that encompass books, songs, activities, and family health and wellness information.  Families, caregivers, educators and librarians can use Day by Day at home and in the library and classroom to further develop early literacy skills that help young children become prepared for and succeed in school.  Children will enjoy fun, positive learning experiences that support school success and, ultimately, lifelong learning.

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Libraries support family literacy. Libraries educate the whole family by providing computer and internet access, materials such as books and music, access to learning opportunities, health and wellness information, and interactions with librarians and library specialists who are dedicated to engaging young children to learn.

We, in collaboration with Ready to Read, are pleased to offer the Day By Day Family Literacy calendar, and all the resources on this site, to promote family literacy and family engagement. The calendar has a monthly theme and unique daily entries that encompass books, songs, activities, and family health and wellness information. Families, caregivers, educators and librarians can use Day by Day at home and in the library and classroom to further develop early literacy skills that help young children become prepared for and succeed in school. Children will enjoy fun, positive learning experiences that support school success and, ultimately, lifelong learning.

Research shows that a parent or caregiver who spends time talking, singing, reading, and playing with their child helps to increase the child's vocabulary, background knowledge, and an array of other skills. Early interactions with children directly, positively affect brain development. The calendar offers opportunities for parents and caregivers to work at home with their children, to come to the library, and to engage a variety of learning styles through reading, singing, playing, and creative activities.

Share Day By Day with Your Community

To reach families with young children, please share the Day By Day Family Literacy Calendar from your website, and with your partners and other community groups, and promote it through newsletters, blogs, and social media.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the South Carolina State Library (SCSL) and to Denise Lyons, SCSL Director of Library Development, who created the South Carolina Day by Day Family Literacy Activity Calendar and who, with the cooperation of other individuals and organizations, made their Day by Day website files available for customization by other states. Additional thanks to the State Library of Ohio Library Programs and Development, Information Systems & Technology (IS&T), and Marketing & Communication departments' staff, with assistance by Ohio Ready to Read, for their work rebranding the design and state-centric content to create the Day By Day Ohio Family Literacy Calendar, and special thanks to the IS&T department who developed an open source generic calendar for other states to easily access and customize. Special thanks to the Tennessee Secretary of State STS department who helped update the calendar for the Tennessee State Library & Archives (TSLA). Appreciation goes to students from the UT-Knoxville School of Information Sciences, members of the TN Library Association Children and Young Adult Roundtable, and employees of TSLA for their editing and contributions.
We dedicate this site to families across the state, and hope you use it to develop a love for books and learning that will last a lifetime.

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Libraries support family literacy. Libraries educate the whole family by providing computer and internet access, materials such as books and music, access to learning opportunities, health and wellness information, and interactions with librarians and library specialists who are dedicated to engaging young children to learn.We, in collaboration with Ready to Read, are pleased to offer the Day By Day Family Literacy calendar, and all the resources on this site, to promote family literacy and family engagement.

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I found self adhesive black felt and googly eyes. so no glue at all. used polar fleece. Highly recommend cutting cloth together with fuzzy sides out.

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Great Social Media PSA's and suggestions for weekly programming themes.

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CSLP Social Media Toolkit 2021 Tails & Tales

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Recipient of the NSN ORACLE Circle of Excellence Award!

With a face and voice that launched a thousand characters, Leeny Del Seamonds is a multi award-winning international performer of animated, uplifting Latino, original and World tales and tunes demonstrating the passion, resiliency and triumphs of the human spirit and inviting audiences to share in her Cuban-American sense of humor and joy of performing.

"Internationally acclaimed Leeny Del Seamonds is a natural entertainer whose multicultural stories and songs reflect her love of people. An award-winning master storyteller, Leeny peppers her tales with humor, mime, character impersonations and her vivacious personality. Storytellers are generally colorful, expressive folks, and Ms. Del Seamonds is no exception!" -The Boston Globe

"Leeny, a heartfelt thank you for sharing your multiple talents and superb stories-you are truly a wonderful ambassador for storytelling!"-International Storytelling Center, Jonesborough, TN, USA.

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Leeny Del Seamonds, Master Story Performer

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Bienvenidos - Welcome! Leeny Del Seamonds

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With a face and voice that launched a thousand characters, Leeny Del Seamonds is a multi award-winning international performer of animated, uplifting Latino, original and World tales and tunes demonstrating the passion, resiliency and triumphs of the human spirit and inviting audiences to share in her Cuban-American sense of humor and joy of performing.

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It can be for kids or 11-12. It can be modified for older kids.

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Confession Time: My son keeps bringing in weeds into the house to bring me "flowers" and I secretly throw them away hoping that he will forget. I just can't bring myself to tell him to his face to stop.

To curb his enthusiasm (and keep the weeds out of the house), I thought we could make some cute planters that he could take care of. Something super cute and super easy, like recycled soda bottle planters!

Aren't they just adorbable?! I love this little water bottle planter craft because it looks so cute with succulents and chances are that it will last for awhile. Cactus or herbs would also work.

Soda Bottle Planter Supplies

The first step is to clean the bottles thoroughly and remove the labels and adhesive.

After the bottle was clean and dry, I drew the ear shapes and cut the perimeter.

We simply cut holes in the bottom with an x-acto knife to allow for excess water to drip out, but you can also make a self watering soda bottle planter. Watch the video at the bottom of this post to learn how.

A ruler makes it easy to create a straight cut around the edge. Then I painted two coats of paint, letting dry between coats, and drew the faces on.

My son chose to create a bunny, a frog, and a piggy for his planters. I had more options like a bear, panda bear, cow, fox, dog, cat, and even a swan.

Aren't they just the cutest?!

And, if you are interested, here is how to make self watering bottle planters:

More Simple but Fun Craft Ideas for Kids

More DIY Craft Ideas

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Confession Time: My son keeps bringing in weeds into the house to bring me "flowers" and I secretly throw them away hoping that he will forget. I just can't bring myself to tell him to his face to stop.

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Fairy Tale STEM Activity for Rapunzel

Rapunzel can escape the tower with a little help from your students!

Materials Needed for this STEM Fairy Tale Activity

cardboard tubes

printable character

various recyclable materials

other crafting supplies (craft sticks, pipe cleaners, pompoms, etc.)

Before Getting Started with the STEM Tale

First your students will craft a tower. This is a fun standalone activity. You don't even have to let your kids know there will be another part to the challenge after this. Use long cardboard tubes from paper towel rolls (or tape TP rolls together). Cut out a window near the top. Decorate as desired. Washi tape is always fun for this activity!

STEM tales work best if you read the original fairy tale first (or do your own storytelling!). This also leads to great discussions during the engineering process, as kids love to compare the original story with the new version.

Fairy Tale STEM with the Engineering Design Process

I have designed STEM tales so that as students read the story, they will follow the engineering design process. First, they need to identify the problem (Rapunzel needs to escape from the tower). Then they need to think of some ways she could get down. Allow their imaginations to soar! I have had kids think of everything from a water slide to a parachute to a zip line and even a hang glider.

Design an Escape for Rapunzel

After thinking of some ways Rapunzel can escape, the kids will then choose one they can build. They will plan out the materials and design, and then construct their escape route based on the plan.

After the prototype is built, the kids then test it out! If something didn't work right, it's time to go back and improve the design.

STEM tales are a great way to foster teamwork and problem-solving. This STEM tale usually inspires amazing creativity and excitement from the littlest engineers.

To find the full resource, which includes an 8-page booklet, printable characters, check list for self-evaluation, and tips, visit this link:

Pin the idea for later:

To read more about how to conduct a STEM challenge, visit this post:

To see all posts in this series, click here:

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STEM Tale - Rapunzel Engineers an Escape

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Rapunzel can escape the tower with a little help from your students! cardboard tubes printable character various recyclable materials other crafting supplies (craft sticks, pipe cleaners, pompoms, etc.) First your students will craft a tower. This is a fun standalone activity.

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Easy Coffee Filter Peacock

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This easy coffee filter peacock craft is a cute and colorful bird craft for kids to make.

Create this coffee filter and clothespin peacock craft in about 30 minutes with your kids. using a few basic craft supplies and easy to follow instructions.

For more bird activities for kids, check out these coffee filter turkeys, shell bird feeder craft, and why Wingspan is a great family board game.

Get 15 easy coffee filter craft tutorials conveniently all in one place for you with our Cute Coffee Filter Crafts digital craft book! Access it on your phone, tablet, or computer any time.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, w e earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

Peacock Coffee Filter Craft

I absolutely love these adorable little peacocks. They are so bright and colorful!

Make it educational by adding this activity to a peacock unit study or bird unit study. You can look up fun peacock facts, learn about their habitats, and more!

While coffee filter crafts are perfect for preschool and kindergarten aged children, I think kids of all ages will have fun making their own peacocks out of coffee filters and clothespins. Even adults will enjoy this craft project!

Younger kids can help with decorating the coffee filter, which makes the main feathers, and painting the clothespins.

Older kids may be able to complete this peacock craft project on their own with adult supervision, but younger children may need more assistance with assembly.

I recommend using a hot glue gun because it makes the craft more durable, especially if you use it for a decoration. Plus, it dries quicker.

However, if you are making these with younger children, you may want to use tacky craft glue (that's my favorite one to use) instead, but you will need additional drying time.

When they are completed, hang the peacocks up, clip them onto a banner or to decorate the top of a gift bag.

Coffee Filter Peacock Craft Supplies:

How to Make Coffee Filter Peacocks:

Flatten out the round coffee filters and then fold them in half (one for each peacock). With a blue or green washable marker, draw teardrop shapes on the filter.

Then add a circle of yellow at the top of each teardrop. Color in the background with a green marker if you have blue teardrops or with blue around green teardrops.

You can also let the kids create their own unique patterns!

Place your colored coffee filter papers on a cookie sheet or plastic zip top bag and mist with water to watch the magic as the colors spread and blend.

TIP: Wax or freezer paper will work as well in place of a cookie sheet, but place an old towel underneath to protect your work surface.

Set them aside to dry. Depending on the humidity, it will take about 1-2 hours for the filters to air dry.

Some readers have suggested using a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.

Next, clip the wooden clothespin to a scrap of cardboard. This will make it easier to hold while painting. Paint all surfaces of the clothespin with bright blue craft paint and set aside to dry.

Glue two googly eyes to the top of the peacock clothespin. Cut a small triangle from yellow craft foam to make the beak. Glue it on directly under the eyes.

Cut the top couple inches off of a green craft feather. Squeeze clothespin to open it and glue the green feather inside behind the eyes and beak.

Once the coffee filter is dry, cut a three-inch slit starting at the folded edge. Then clip the coffee filter (feathers) into the clothespin (body).

Now you have a cute little peacock decoration!

Did you make this project with your kids or students? We'd love to see it! Take a picture of it, then join our private Facebook group and show us in there.

More Coffee Filter Crafts:

Materials

Round White Coffee Filters

Blue, Green, and Yellow Washable Markers

Wooden Spring Clothespins

Googly Eyes

Green Craft Feather

Yellow Craft Foam

Bright Blue Craft Paint

Tools

Low Temp Glue Gun and Glue Sticks (or tacky craft glue)

Scissors

Paintbrush

Scrap of Cardboard

Water Spray Bottle

Gallon zip top bags or cookie sheet or wax paper (to lay filters on for drying)

Instructions

Flatten out the round coffee filters and then fold them in half (one for each peacock). With a blue washable marker, draw teardrop shapes on the filter.

Add a circle of yellow at the top of each teardrop.

Color in the background with green. (You can also let the kids create their own unique patterns!)

Place your colored coffee filter papers on a cookie sheet or plastic zip top bag and mist with water to watch the magic as the colors spread and blend!

TIP: Wax or freezer paper will work as well in place of a cookie sheet, but place an old towel underneath to protect your work surface.

Set them aside to dry. Depending on the humidity, it will take about 1-2 hours for the filters to air dry. Some readers have suggested using a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.

Next, clip the wooden clothespin to a scrap of cardboard. This will make it easier to hold while painting. Paint all surfaces of the clothespin with bright blue craft paint and set aside to dry.

Glue two googly eyes to the top of the peacock clothespin.

Cut a small triangle from yellow craft foam to make the beak. Glue it on directly under the eyes.

Cut the top couple inches off of a green craft feather. Squeeze clothespin to open it and glue the green feather inside behind the eyes and beak.

Once the coffee filter is dry, cut a three-inch slit starting at the folded edge. Then clip the coffee filter (feathers) into the clothespin (body).

Now you have a cute little peacock decoration!

Notes

Drying time will vary. Coffee filters may take a couple hours to dry depending on how much water is sprayed on them.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

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This easy coffee filter peacock craft is a cute and colorful bird craft for kids to make. Create this coffee filter and clothespin peacock craft in about 30 minutes with your kids. using a few basic craft supplies and easy to follow instructions.

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Books that inspire nature explorations

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We came, we hiked, we conquered...

Well, not quite, but the boys sure felt like they had with a few small battle bumps and bruises to show for it!

After a morning of hiking, the kids had no trouble falling asleep tonight! It was a beautiful day for a hike - hovering in the 70's the entire morning!!! Of course, I wasn't liberal enough with the sunscreen for myself and I'm nursing my first sunburn of the year.

I love how quiet it is when you get out... Treyton (the three-year old) was on the verge of petering out about 45 minutes into our hike, so I stayed behind with him, while the others forged ahead. What an opportunity to sit and listen. We heard bees, some interesting bird calls and simply the sound of the wind whipping around the rock outcroppings!

The kids loved playing afterwards and experimenting with touching this barrel cactus. We've been out enough that they know which kinds of cactus they can do this with and what kinds they can't.
(Oops, forgot to take my camera off of blk&wh mode.)
Before I haul this poor sun-drenched pregnant body off to bed, I wanted to share a few of our favorite books that inspire nature explorations. If you have any favorites, I'd love to hear about those as well!!!

Picture Books

Nature Adventures ~ oh what a gem. This beautifully illustrated book is chock full of creative ideas for nature walks both near and far!

The Listening Walk ~ I found this book last year when we were learning about the 5 senses. It is a beautiful example of using our sense of hearing when out for a walk. While not completely 'nature' focused, it was still a compelling story about honing observation skills and noticing sounds around us!

I Took a Walk ~ The boys are just in love with this book which invites the reader to observe and discover wildlife hidden on each page. They love to see how many animals they can spot. I just noticed that the author has several related books and we are eager to check out On the Way to the Beach and On Meadowview Street.

A Walk in the Woods ~ I just love this book. We don't have 'woods' here, but we get to experience that when we head up to northern Arizona each summer to escape the desert heat and on trips back to the Midwest to visit family. It is a magical book about the beauties of exploring the variety that the great outdoors has to offer!
The Busy Tree Forest Bright, Forest Night
The Tale of Peter Rabbit or The World of Peter Rabbit (The Original Peter Rabbit, Books 1-23, Presentation Box) ~ There is nothing quite like Beatrix Potter's nature infused stories. It makes me want to go out and see if we can find many of the animal friends that she so beautifully draws and tells us about!

Birdwatchers ~ My kids loved this magical book when we were learning about birds last spring. It inspired them to spontaneously go out and try creative birdwatching for themselves and encouraged me to just take the boys out and explore. I'm intrigued to try Wild Woods by the same author. I'm hoping we can find it in our library before we make a trip up to any 'wild woods' this summer!

Birds at Home (by Marguerite Henry. Delightful prose and beautiful illustrations that provide helpful information about the birds you'll see out your back door. Out-of-print.)

A Seed is Sleepy - luscious illustrations that showcase the beauty and diversity in the seeds out there.

Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! ~ This is such a practical book, especially if you are new to nature walking. It is a story about a mother bear and her cub who go out during the various seasons and explore leaves and the changes they go through. It is just brimming with all kinds of ideas that will surely spark a few nature walks of your own!

Leaf Man ~ I pretty much love everything that Lois Ehlert does. She always has a way of inspiring creativity and ingenuity both in myself and my children. This book is no exception. It would be a perfect companion for fall explorations.

Look What I Did with a Leaf! (Naturecraft) ~ This book is similar to the above one and inspires kids to utilize leaves to create works of art! It seemed a little complicated last year for my rough and tumble boys, but we plan on picking it up from the library again this fall!

The Dandelion Seed - beautiful book to read and then go blow some dandelion seeds together and discuss.

A Log's Life - a beautiful and lyrical look at the life cycle of a tree.

In a Nutshell - a wonderfully illustrated book on the life cycle of the oak

One Small Place in a Tree - A fascinating book that will inspire you to inspect one small space in a tree and be captivated by the wonder of all the transformation and changes that take place there.

Around One Log: Chipmunks, Spiders, and Creepy Insiders - a captivating look at the animals that live inside a fallen tree.

Over in the Forest - Learn the ways of forest animals to the rhythm of Over in the Meadow in this delightful introduction to the woodland habitat.

Fun With Nature: Take Along Guide (Take Along Guides) - This is a great resource that touches on all aspects of nature that you might encounter on your walks.

Who Pooped in the Sonoran Desert? - Scat and Tracks for Kids ~ I can't decide whether to include this book here or as a 'field guide', so I'm going back and adding it to the last post as well. My kids just love this book. It is about a family who stops on a drive through our desert and look for signs of various animals that live here. After reading this book last year, we set out to see what we could find. We had a blast! There is a whole series out covering various regions and national parks around the country. I just love that this website has a map of the U.S. We will definitely be picking up more of these as we travel more! More nature books on the Arizona Sonoran Dessert.

One Small Square: Backyard There are a bunch in this series that are all great "how-to guides for nature exploration in a variety of contexts - the woods, pond, seashore, and cactus desert.
Chapter Books
Nature Anatomy - This is an absolute favorite in our home since we discovered it. The kids love to scroll through and read, they use it when they are drawing, etc.

The Complete Tales of Winnie-The-Pooh ~ Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends seem to always be off on some kind of an adventure, from expeditions to playing pooh sticks. We've read these classics through several times already. Great read-alouds from the youngest on up to mom and dad!

My Side of the Mountain ~ This was a childhood favorite of mine that always inspired me to enjoy the outdoors and learn how to be quiet and observant!
Parent Resource Books
Pocketful of Pinecones: Nature Study With the Gentle Art of Learning : A Story for Mother Culture ® ~ I actually haven't read this yet, but it is on my wish list of books to eventually read... I've loved Karen's Andreola's

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder~ This book is full of lots of research and an appeal to preserve time for your children to play in and explore the great outdoors - specifically 'wild' or 'mostly-wild' places.

I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature ~ Wonderful, wonderful book!

Related Posts in this Nature Walking Series:
Part 1: Why Nature Walks?
Part 2: Some Potential How To's
Part 3: Nature Walking: Resources

WOULD YOU ADD ANY OTHER BOOKS TO THIS LIST?

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Books that Inspire Nature Explorations - Heather Haupt

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We came, we hiked, we conquered... Well, not quite, but the boys sure felt like they had with a few small battle bumps and bruises to show for it! After a morning of hiking, the kids had no trouble falling asleep tonight! It was a beautiful day for a hike - hovering in ...

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I combine my passions for storytelling and nature in my work. I tell folklore, original tales, and personal stories. My stories build connections with the natural world and between communities. My hands-on nature activities facilitate exploration and foster curiosity.

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Live and pre-recorded virtual programs are now available including workshops (teens, adults, and families) storytelling programs (preschoolers, children, families, teens, adults, inter-generational, and seniors), and nature activities (crafts, exploration activities, and guides for caregivers).

How'd you become a Storytelling Naturalist?

With my parents and sister being educators, I fled from the idea. It took me years to realize that every job I'd ever had was an educator position - from teaching swimming and backpacking to tutoring and environmental education. I eventually realized that education was my passion, but desks were not.

During one of my jobs as an environmental educator, I was teaching 4th graders about the Missoula Floods. I taught the same information day after day, and even though I knew the Missoula Floods were wildly fascinating, I watched 100s of kids' eyes gloss over every week when I threw big numbers like 10,000 years, 500 cubic miles, 60 miles per hour, and 300 feet at them. One day, I had them close their eyes. Together we traveled to the ice age and built a fire along a creek. Then they built a raft as a lake formed in front of them. Pretty soon they were racing through the Columbia Gorge at 60 miles an hour as trees snapped like twigs and boulders crashed around them. They were hooked and so was I.

I combine my passions for storytelling and nature in my work. I tell folklore, original tales, and personal stories. My stories build connections with the natural world and between communities. My hands-on nature activities facilitate exploration and foster curiosity.

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Coral Conant Gilles | Storytelling Naturalist | Wisconsin

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Hands-on nature activities and traditional oral storytelling, ages 2-adult. Folklore and original stories meet pond, worm, and animal track exploration, nature-based arts and crafts, hikes, and more with Storytelling Naturalist Coral. Environmental education, STEAM/STEM, literacy, and stories for all ages.

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Make this unique weaving rainbow fish with your kiddos! All you really need is paper and glue! The kids could really choose any colors they would like though.

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Make this unique weaving rainbow fish with your kiddos! All you really need is paper and glue! The kids could really choose any colors they would like though.
Supplies Needed:

Rainbow colored paper

Googly eye (or make one out of paper)

White or black card stock paper

Scissors/glue

Start by cutting strips of the colored paper (using the long side). Cut out the shape of a fish with card stock paper and fold it in half. Use a scissors and cut slits close together not going too close to the bottom and mouth.

Weave the colored pieces of paper through and trim the top and bottom to look like fish fins. Add the extra scraps around the body and add yellow ones on the tail. So cute!

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Make this unique weaving rainbow fish with your kiddos! All you really need is paper and glue! The kids could really choose any colors they would like though. Supplies Needed: Rainbow colored paper Googly eye

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response to the needs of library staff and their patrons who are practicing self-isolation and social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19), STAR Net and its NASA@ My Library project have developed a special collection of resources through a new “STEAM Ahead @ Home”

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*Incorporate "Stay at Home" tips from NASA astronauts into virtual programs.

Google "Astronaut Stay at Home tips" for links and videos

*Have a virtual Community Dialogue to see what your patrons really need right now!

Learn new ways to reach your community

Find partners like your local food bank that could use help

* Story-time from Space (but really, kids would rather see their favorite library staff member!)

*Use apps like GLOBE Observer to encourage citizen science projects that you can still social distance with.

Re-opening Strategies
*limit access to at risk groups like the homeless? We have to keep numbers down, how do we do it fairly?

*Creating different bins for returned items that we don't touch for 3+ days for our safety

*Do programs in the parking lot where patrons stay in/near their cars like a spaced out drive-in movie!

Community Assistance Strategies
*Host a Community Dialogue with other local businesses to see how to combine efforts (Housing Authority, grocery stores, food bank, fire department, rec center, etc)

*Wifi Maps! Talk to other businesses about making their wifi password free and pointed to their parking lots so people don't have to unsafely congregate in the library lot.

*Moving our wifi router to the front of our building to reach more patrons in the parking lot

*Helping over the phone with filling out unemployment or other important forms for those patrons without computers or internet

*We're doing limited curb-side pickup

*Not allowed to do curbside, but are allowed to take items and drop them off for schools to distribute

*Take and Make activities for Summer Reading! (Distribute curbside, food bank, schools, shelters)

*I heard of a library making an app to schedule curbside pickup

*We've started to checkout seed kits!

*How do we decontaminate things? Can I just leave it for a few days when it comes back?

Try different bins for each day and rotate! Look at the CDC guidelines for how long before you touch. Ours is usually 3-5 days before we touch them

*What activities are good on the clearinghouse for patrons to do at home?

*We didn't have great relationships with our community organizations, but signed up for the Earth Day Community Dialogue event and decided to conduct a virtual one. It was really great just to hear what others were doing, and how we could combine efforts. We've made wifi maps, have distribution sites for summer reading, and even got some new volunteers!

*We've been working with Parks and Rec for outdoor activities (like "Bear in the Window" or Story-Walks), they were able to provide some materials to us.

*We've been coordinating with the food bank to get books to the families who use that service. We're letting them hold onto them until we re-open.

*Working with the Solar System Ambassadors gave us the opportunity to host a Subject Matter Expert even though we are all still at home!

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Resources for Home Use Our STEAM Ahead resources have been divided into tabbed categories to allow you to easily find the type of activities or resources that your library is searching for, which may depend on your library's online programming needs or goals. Learn More About This Initiative In

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The CSLP’s Child and Community Well-Being committee is developing resources to support and encourage library participation in the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program and other initiatives to help kids and teens stay nourished, active, and healthy when school is out. These resources include the Libraries and Summer Food page on the CSLP website; a Facebook group for news, support, and resource-sharing; and an ongoing series of stories showcasing the experiences of libraries around the country.

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Why Partnerships?
A summer food program is an outstanding opportunity to connect with other community entities toward the shared goal of improved child and community well-being. By building or joining a coalition of partners (formal or informal), you will position the library as an important, recognized stakeholder in supporting wellness and positive child outcomes. You will expand your capacity to assist children and families in new ways. You will learn about and support the work of other agencies and organizations in your community, and they will learn about and support the library. And you will all benefit the children and families that you serve.

Partnerships are key to successful implementation of summer feeding. This is not an area to venture into on your own. You are not a food service professional, nor are you expected to gain the knowledge and credentials to become one. Reciprocally, experts in the food delivery/anti-hunger ecosystem are not expected to know how libraries work and what capacities and assets you bring to the task of feeding children and addressing food insecurity. The library is focused on the whole child, and can be instrumental in bringing all of the community resources together to meet the needs of children.

Identifying Promising Partners
As a prospective or current SFSP site, your #1 partner is your SFSP sponsor, which may be the local school district, food bank, social service agency, nonprofit, faith community, or other entity. An easy first step to expand your partnerships is to reach out to your sponsor and to the other SFSP sites managed by your sponsor. Share notes and tips on site operations and collaborate on publicity and enrichment activities. Library programming is an area of strength and expertise that libraries bring to these partnerships!

Another easy step is to review the partnerships you already have in place. Do outside organizations support your summer library program, or other programs or initiatives? Reach out to tell them your plans for providing or supporting summer meals. Set up informal meetings to brainstorm ways to collaborate.

If your school district is not your SFSP sponsor, it is still a key partner. The children and teens you feed during the summer are in their buildings during the school year, and you and they are essential aspects of the support structure for students. Contact the school librarian, principal, psychologist, or social worker, as well as PTA representative or school district parent liaison, to share the news that you will be distributing summer meals and to ask for a meeting to discuss opportunities to collaborate. If you have no active contacts at a local school, consider reaching out to the school secretary, who can connect you with anyone in the building.

Think broadly about your community and brainstorm a list of every entity you can think of that is or could be invested in child and community well-being, from municipal and county government agencies like the health department, to nonprofit organizations and businesses. Some good prospects include:

Friends of the Library

Master Gardeners, community gardens, garden clubs

PTA and parent groups

Farm Bureau

State agriculture agency

4H

Local restaurants, grocery stores, hotels

See the Lunch at the Library handout, "Building Partnerships to Support Your Program," for many additional examples of potential partners:
lunchatthelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Building-Partnerships-Lunch-at-the-Library.pdf

The Lunch at the Library website also offers an extensive bullet list of potential partner agencies and organizations.
Mobilizing Partnerships
What can your new partners do to support your summer food program? A lot! These capacity-expanding ideas are just a start:

Ask other organizations to provide staff or volunteers to spread out the responsibilities of set-up, service, and clean-up. See this example from Red Lodge, Montana.

Encourage other organizations to refer young people to the library for summer meals.

Consider ways that community partners could offer enrichment activities before or after food service time. A local gym or wellness entity might provide a fitness program or coaches for pick-up sports games. Teachers from the schools, or faculty at a local college or university, might share their expertise from music to zoology. The Lunch at the Library "Building Partnerships to Support Your Program" handout offers an array of activities that different partners could make available at your summer food site.

For an inspiring story of how creative partnerships made it possible for the island community of Sitka, AK to provide summer meals, read this article from Sustainable Southeast Partnership:

"When the Going Gets Tough: Alaskans Come Together to Tackle Food Insecurity in Sitka"
sustainablesoutheast.net/when-the-going-gets-tough-alaskans-come-together-to-tackle-food-insecurity-in-sitka
Beyond the Basics
Other than serving as a summer food site, another beneficial role for the public library is to create a pop-up library at meal sites. In partnership with the meal site, the library might provide a storytime while the kids eat, bring summer reading materials for the kids, and circulate library materials or administer a book giveaway (in partnership with a donor organization or individual donors!) at meal sites. Level up by collaborating with the SFSP sponsor in your area, a food bank, or anti-hunger organization, to identify locations in the community where you can reach underserved populations, such as affordable housing developments or human services agencies. How can you partner to bring food and library services to such locations?

Another creative partnership idea for libraries is to serve as a food collection site for the local food bank. This can be as simple as making space available for community members to drop off food items. Level up by incorporating food collection into programs and services, such as a food-for-fines opportunity (patrons receive overdue fine forgiveness in return for donating food items) or including food donation as a summer challenge activity. The Hemet Public Library in California held an end-of-summer carnival. Kids earned tickets by completing summer reading activities and could earn bonus tickets by donating canned food. The Friends organization provided a free book to patrons for every 5 cans of food donated. The area food bank provided collection barrels and picked up all the donations.

The library can also be an access point for food bank grocery distribution. The Fairborn Community Library, part of the Greene County Public Library in Ohio, partners with The Food Bank, Inc. of Dayton on a grocery pickup program. Listen to this podcast to learn about this innovative partnership.
Case study: Wilkes County Public Library, North Carolina
Based on an awareness of food security issues in the county, the Wilkes County Public Library started offering free summer meals in 2015. The library is in North Wilkesboro, NC, the largest city in a rural Appalachian county of 70,000. The North Carolina Department of Commerce labels it among the most distressed counties in the state ( County Distress Rankings, 2020). According to a report put out by the NC Poverty Research Fund ( Mountain People and Resilience: Wilkes County, North Carolina, 2017), 15% of the population is food insecure, and only 16% of eligible children actually get free summer meals ( Southeastern University Consortium, 2015).

To begin the summer meal program, the Wilkes County Library partnered with the school district to provide meals in June and July. The program was called "Imagination Café." It paired summer meals with the summer learning program. Since school did not resume until mid-August, the library sought to augment the program to fill the gap. Farmers, Master Gardeners, and the local community college donated produce to local restaurants, who in turn donated meals to the library. The library started out with plans to give away just 45 meals to local kids every week, but the program was so popular that it quickly became the largest summer food distribution site in the entire county!

In 2016, the Imagination Café expanded through a partnership with the health department, which provided the library with Market Bucks to give away. Families can redeem Market Bucks for free food at local farmers' markets. In 2017, the library expanded Imagination Cafe to include the library's sole branch, which is located in the rural mountains, and is open two days a week for eight hours each day.

After a statewide stay-at-home order in late March 2020, the Wilkes County Library created a list of places in Wilkes County where people could go for free food. This list was kept up-to-date and pinned to the top of the library's social media and posted outside the library. The library also printed this guide so that those who come to curbside pick-up could take it home with them. The library's summer feeding program was cancelled due to the pandemic, but they kept distributing Market Bucks as part of curbside summer programming.

While the Imagination Café has been the library's signature food program, it is just part of its multi-faceted approach to food security which also includes a seed library, food drives, cooking and nutrition classes, a library garden, and programs that highlight connections between food and local cultural heritage. The common factors are food security and an emphasis on partnerships.

For more information on libraries and partnerships:

Lunch at the Library, "Building Partnerships to Support Your Program"
lunchatthelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Building-Partnerships-Lunch-at-the-Library.pdf

ConnectedLib: Community Mapping
connectedlib.github.io/modules/communitymapping/index.html

ALA's Libraries Transforming Communities toolkit
www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities
Next: Resource List

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Why Partnerships? A summer food program is an outstanding opportunity to connect with other community entities toward the shared goal of improved child and community well-being. By building or joining a coalition of partners (formal or informal), you will position the library as an important, recognized stakeholder in supporting wellness and positive child outcomes.

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A collection of ideas for summer reading from across the country!

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Created in collaboration with the CLSP Tails and Tales 2021 Program.  It's the perfect way to engage your entire community with the program.

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Created in collaboration with the CLSP Tails and Tales 2021 Program. It's the perfect way to engage your entire community with the program.

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Summer Reading and Youth Services Meeting 4/19/21

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Summer Reading and Youth Services Meeting 4/19/21

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Nevada Libraries Meet to discuss ideas, share information for the upcoming 2021 Summer Reading Program.

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Summer Reading Program Youth Monday Workshop 4-19-21

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We'll have some ideas printed but the teens can use acrylic paint pens to paint an animal on their rock.

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Having family time with your kids but didn't know what to do? Looking for enjoyable and funny craft to do with your kids yet budget-friendly in your home? Maybe, you need to consider this one... ROCK PAINTING..

It's just perfect, simple, fun, budget friendly and enjoyable. You may draw your favorite rabbits, tiger, elephant or your favorite animal character there. Here, we will show you some tips to make adorable painted rocks.

How to Paint Rocks

We will show you how to make animal painted rocks.

Step 1: Gather Your Rocks

Best quality of "river rocks" which have very smooth surface could be utilized to make this craft. This smooth surface were polished by water current by years.

Rock with very smooth surface could make your painting easier. Semi-smooth rock may be used, but smooth river rock is still the best. Make sure to select rock shape which could resemble your favourite pet characters.

Step 2: Assemble Needed Painting Supplies

You may use regular acrylic craft paint since it's completly dry rapidly. Another equipment that you need includes brushes, liners, rounds, flats, shader and so on. You may use the lining brush to get fine details.

Step 3: Sketch Picture on Rock

Below we show you the action in choosing and sketching a feline on a rock. The rock has actually primed with white paint so that your pencil lines will sure to turn up on the other hand.

From here, it's the actual step of rock painting.

Step 4: Paint Rascal of Choice on Rock And Finish

Let's do the enjoyable parts. Use your painting skill to paint your family pet image on the rock. Give special attention to the eyes since they could make the whole picture/sketch.

Best Animal Painted Rocks

This interesting list of animal painted rock will give you many ideas. See 50 examples of this extraordinary animal painted rocks.

Rabbit Painted Rocks

Ladybug Painted Rock

Penguin Painted Rock

Fish Painted Rocks

Frog Painted Rocks

Panda Painted Rocks

Hippopotamus Painted Rocks

Cat Painted Rocks

Dog Painted Rocks

Snail Painted Rocks

Lizard Painted Rocks

Bird Painted Rocks

Keyword: Animal Painted Rocks

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✓ 50 Best Animal Painted Rocks for Beginner Rock Painters | How to Paint Rocks

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Having family time with your kids but didn't know what to do? Looking for enjoyable and funny craft to do with your kids yet budget-friendly in your home? Maybe, you need to consider this one... ROCK PAINTING .. It's just perfect, simple, fun, budget friendly and enjoyable.

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Monday  Summer Reading and Youth Services Meeting 3/15/21

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Monday  Summer Reading and Youth Services Meeting 3/15/21

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Nevada Libraries Meet-up to discuss ideas, share information and ideas for the upcoming 2021 Summer Reading Program

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I am in Colorado and I can do virtual programs. My website is:  http://www.lindabatlin.com, and my email is: Lbatlin@aol.com. I would love to provide a program for your Summer Reading Program. Thanks

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Linda Batlin is a storyteller who writes Stories filled with wisdom and mirth tailored to fit your needs for classroom, libraries, museums, conferences and festivals, senior centers and others. Her stories feature significant women characters, folk tales, ghost stories, Asian stories and more.

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Traditional Japanese Folk Tales Storytelling

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Welcome to the homepage of Karin Amano, the Japanese Storyteller! If you are looking for a Japanese storyteller who is animated and funny, makes you laugh and cry, and teaches you about authentic Japanese culture, then contact Karin Amano!

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Virtual StoryFaces from Christopher Agostino
Here are some of my favorite stories told in a new way, combining video of live performances with painted face art, featuring The Amazing Face Story At Home Activity, a fun way for you to create your own tales to tell, and four stories chosen to inspire your imagination.

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The StoryFaces Movie - available for streaming Watch the Trailer
Here are some of my favorite stories, chosen to delight viewers and inspire the imagination, told in creative ways designed to encourage viewers to imagine their own stories and their own ways to tell them. "The Tiger That Went to the House of the Sun" and "The Amazing Face Story", two of my uniquely animated original StoryFaces tales, come to life on the faces of audience volunteers in video footage shot prior to the pandemic. Also included is an interactive telling of the Aesop Fable "The Lion and the Mouse" and a newly illustrated version of the inspirational hero tale from ancient China, "Li Chi Slays the Dragon".
-- The Amazing Face Story At Home Activity --
The centerpiece of the movie is "The Amazing Face Story Activity" to give kids a new d.i.y. way to create their own tales at home or in class to show and tell. In "chalk-talk" style, I show viewers this activity they can do themselves with pencil and paper. This hands-on activity was developed in school residencies to give students their own experience in the visual storytelling they see me use to tell my tales. The goal is to get kids to create an original story starring themselves, first through a drawing exercise, then as a written story meant to be told. See the The Amazing Face Story Activity webpage for instructions, examples and optional drawing form for this d.i.y. at home/in class activity.
Scroll Down for Teacher's Guide information, including Story Content, Discussion Topics, Activities and "The Power of a Story" essay. The StoryFaces Movie is 45 minutes long and suitable for family audiences and students grades K - 6. Please contact us for information about streaming the video. email: info@agostinoarts.com or call: 516-771-8086. --- TEACHER'S GUIDE --- My intention is to move viewers with an experience of the traditional power and value of storytelling. Through creative and surprising tellings, I will expand their understanding of how a tale can be told while engaging their imaginations so as to inspire them to create their own stories. -- Story Content and Discussion Topics --
The Amazing Face Story uses my visual storytelling technique to tell the tale of how I learned to do this art. This "living cartoon" shows kids right from the start that there is more than one way to tell a story - and that it will be fun.

> DISCUSS the multiple methods used here to tell the tale: talking and painting, sound effects, pop culture references, acting/gestures, and animation of the facepaint.

Activity Demonstration: how to create your own Amazing Face Story starting with a drawing, to loosen imaginations and offer an alternative to writing as a way to develop an idea. > SEE the webpage and separate teacher's guide for this d.i.y. in-class/at-home activity.

> ASK about fables/folktales kids may know, how they learned them? Books, movies, bed time stories? Are there stories most everybody knows, like The Tortoise and the Hare?

> ASK:What makes someone a hero? Discussion starter: "a hero is someone who will risk themself in order to help others" - which would include Li Chi as well as the mouse and tiger in these tales, along with most modern movie heroes and many people in our everyday lives.

> ASK: Who are your heroes from a story/ from your life?

> DISCUSS: Why do hero tales survive? Fables exist to preserve lessons learned; hero tales function more to inspire individuals to take action and change the world.

> ASK: What are you inspired to do by your heroes?

The Tiger That Went To The House Of The Sun is my original story, exploring themes of sacrifice and transformation, as a tiger goes on a quest to save the forest.

> DISCUSS: Transformation through trial: the tiger in my tale is changed by the journey. A common trope in folktales (and video games) is of the hero character being transformed in appearance or gaining special qualities after combat or facing danger.

> DISCUSS: Are superhero and horror movies today's myths and folklore? Today, special effects in movies take us into worlds where superheroes battle monsters, much as makeup and masks once brought to life the gods and myths in the rituals of our ancestors.

--- Activities ---

Some kids may be more comfortable with words than others, some may love to draw and some may start to shine when they are in front performing. I want to give all students the option to find their inspiration where they can, and then to bring that confidence into other areas to complete the full process of creating and presenting a visual story. Here are some suggestions offering multiple avenues into creating a story.
See the separate page for The Amazing Face Story Activity that I demonstrate in the video - with instructions, drawing form and examples.
WRITE a story with a creative reason for why an unusual animal looks or acts the way it does, as my tiger tale explains their colors and stripes - a "Just So" type story.

DRAWa Movie Poster for your story. Take a story (one of your own, one of mine, folktales, etc.) and create a poster for it - synthesizing a narrative into a visual image. Maybe a single image poster that sums up the whole story (like the Jaws poster with the shark rising from the bottom) or a show everything poster (like the Star Wars posters with all the characters and little scenes).
--- Telling ---
CREATE a "found image" story. Using photographs you've taken, or images from other resources, create an original visual story or illustrations for a story you've written. To find images for the Li Chi and Tiger stories I searched through 40 years of my painted faces.
A story grows in the telling and changes as your audience responds. You never really understand the full meaning of a story until you tell it, and young story creators need the experience of presenting and interacting with audience response. I believe that an important part of my role as a visiting artist is to show kids there are other options: "If I can do this (or more practically: if I can make a living doing this), then you can do anything".-- The Power of a Story: why I do storytelling -- So I am endlessly encouraging of kids to fully engage their imaginations in discussion or as they create their own stories. My general answer to any questions about what a student wants to draw or write is "go ahead" or "try it and see what happens". I want them to think of themselves as artists, to engage in new ideas and to dream big.
RE-CREATE a familiar tale. Take a story you know and change the characters into animals, or change their temperament, motives, genders, time periods, etc., and see what else changes.

RE-USE and RE-PURPOSE: As a professional artist I am constantly re-using ideas, images characters and resources in new ways and different stories to find deeper meaning in them.

It's important to give kids the chance to share their stories however possible, in school or at home, and especially in repeated tellings if you can. Explore possibilities for sharing presentations online, to have students record themselves, to create videos with images and narration, to create galleries of story pictures and text.

******************
Learn about all we do at: agostinoarts.com
Who won the race, the tortoise or the hare? We all know the answer, and we know it from a story. With that story comes an intrinsic reminder about the value of perseverance: slow and steady wins the race. This is why such stories survive. The traditional function of folktales to pass wisdom and cultural information on to children via entertaining stories they will remember (and repeat to their children) is still effective today. We remember stories. They are the building blocks of memory. Current memory research says that we are always telling ourselves the stories of our own lives, creating memories by repackaging our experiences into stories to retain and recall them, and, importantly, how we re-write those experiences effects the choices we make when presented with similar opportunities in the future - so even our personal stories serve to retain life-lessons in the same way as Aesop's Fables do.

The power of a story also resides in its ability to inspire the listeners and elevate their understanding of what they can achieve beyond their personal experiences, as in the Native American tale of the mouse who becomes an eagle through his acts of compassion, or the ancient Chinese legend of the brave maiden Li Chi who slays a dragon then chastises the spirits of the maidens sent to sacrifice before her for not taking care of the dragon themselves. Taking control of our life through the story we make of it is the essential lesson of the hero tale.

Hero tales are the original motivational programs, designed and time-tested to inspire positive behavior and exemplify attributes such as courage, perseverance, intelligence and self-sacrifice. These types of tales are important for older kids and teenagers to hear as they begin to deal with personal responsibility and the emotional turmoils of life, questioning who they are and seeing themselves as either victims or heros in a challenging world. Folktales also allow for ways to discuss real life more abstractly, through parables and imaginary characters, so that a story can approach difficult subjects without being too personal.

Young people need to hear stories, both traditional folktales and original life stories, not only for their ability to pass on received wisdom but also for the insight they give kids into understanding the story of their own life, into taking control of how they write that story. Beginning with the concentration skills that develop from listening to stories, the ability to parse the essence of the story within a folktale, anecdote, life experience, etc., engages higher reasoning and comprehension skills that can be applied directly to writing, reading and all forms of problem solving.

When I am telling a story to an audience, what I am listening to is their silence - when the audience is silent I know they are experiencing the story for themselves, living it. It is becoming their story too. In that silence I recall that this is something we humans have done from our very beginning. The power of a story is an essential expression of human consciousness: to understand ourselves better by learning about others, to reach forward into the future through what we pass on to our children and to take control of who we are and all that we dream of becoming.

Related articles

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The StoryFaces Movie - available for streaming Watch the Trailer Here are some of my favorite stories, chosen to delight viewers and inspire the imagination, told in creative ways designed to encourage viewers to imagine their own stories and their own ways to tell them.

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We will be doing a recorded video of some healthy Dog Treats.

https://communikait.com/2017/03/diy-frosty-paws-dog-treats/

https://damndelicious.net/2015/06/10/spinach-carrot-and-zucchini-dog-treats/print/

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getting native flowering seeds for starter plants. Brittnay Trimble is the expert to contact to get seeds. btrimble@ndow.org

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 Animal Safari Stories, storytelling show (For live-stream or pre-recorded video)

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 Animal Safari Stories, storytelling show (For live-stream or pre-recorded video)

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Go on an adventure with Storyteller Katie Adams! Travel around the world and hear folk tales about animals that teach us life lessons. Katie’s animated storytelling show includes mime movement, a variety of rhythm instruments, a beautiful jungle backdrop and audience participation. Kids especially enjoy participating with animal movements and sounds. The stories in this popular show are Anansi and his Six Sons, from Africa, Coyote and the Laughing Butterflies, from the southwest United States, Papagayo, from the Amazon rainforest, and The Crocodile’s Tale, from the Philippines. 45 minutes. Best for ages 3 to 8

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Katie Adams is a professional storyteller and puppeteer.

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 "Jaws, Paws & Claws - Animal Wisdom Tales!" 

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 "Jaws, Paws & Claws - Animal Wisdom Tales!" 

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Luann Adams: I have a terrific program that you might like for your upcoming 2021 Summer Reading Program "Tales and Tails" titled:

"Jaws, Paws & Claws - Animal Wisdom Tales!"

I can customize this program for various age groups & I use props, artifacts & more in the sharing of the folktales.

I offer this program both LIVE via Zoom or Pre-recorded.

*There is also a downloadable free PDF Study Guide with activities included on my website page:

https://luannadamsstoryteller.com/programs-available/
I LOVE Nevada Librarians!

I have had the opportunity to share stories in Clarke County Schools & School Libraries in 2010 & 2019 & also present performances for the Clarke County School Librarian Association's Kickoff & Final Meetings.

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LuAnn Adams, Storyteller - LuAnn Adams, Storyteller

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Children's Entertainment for the virtual world that captures young minds and hearts (in a fun way not a zombie overlord way).

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Simple, Intermediate, and Complex patterns

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Wolf Tail Keychains

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2021 Virtual Summer Reading Program Workshop

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2021 Virtual Summer Reading Program Workshop

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NSLAPR 2021 Summer Reading Program Work Shop Day 2 1-14-21
Introduction
Great Basin National Park
Nick Glass, Diversity & Inclusion
Kym Davick, Book Connections
Terri Farley, Author & Wild Horse Advocate
Sharing & Wrap up

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2021 Virtual Summer Reading Program Workshop

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2021 Virtual Summer Reading Program Workshop

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NSLAPR 2021 Summer Reading Program Workshop Day 1
January 13, 2021
Introduction
Jessica Castle, Nevada Department of Wildlife
Megan Crowley, World Book
Rebekah Garrety, Beanstack
Working with Schools Panel
Sharing & Wrap up

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Local Artist can teach a painting class via Zoom

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Foil Art

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Thirty-three animals who call Nevada home have been chosen to compete in a single elimination tournament. Kind of like March Madness, but with animals!

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Welcome to the new Nevada Knockout web page! Here you'll be able to download brackets, easily find the rules, access lesson plans, learn about this year's contenders, and most importantly read about who wins!

This is the Spring version of Nevada Knockout. If you participated in the live version this Fall it's exactly the same, except we will be giving you (the teacher) access to the battle results. If you haven't signed up for Spring please do so so you can have access to the google slides.

Follow the links below or the links in the side menu to check out the content on the site:

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Welcome to the new Nevada Knockout web page! Here you'll be able to download brackets, easily find the rules, access lesson plans, learn about this year's contenders, and most importantly read about who wins! This is the Spring version of Nevada Knockout.

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Nevada has a wide variety of unique and interesting animals. Click on the different types of animals you would like to learn more about. From there, you will find detailed fact sheets on certain critters, and quick facts on others that call Nevada home.

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Webinar announcements and "What's in Your Backyard?" posts (NextDoor.com)

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Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auratus)

--- Who are they? ---

The double-crested cormorant is a large water bird with black or dark brown feathers. They have a small orange patch of skin on their face, and adults develop a white crest of feathers above their eyes during breeding season. They are rather heavy-bodied and tend to float low on the water's surface; you may only see their long, snake-like necks sticking out of the water. They are excellent fishers and use their powerful webbed feet to help them maneuver quickly after fish under the water's surface. Although their diet is made up primarily of fish, they may eat an occasional crustacean or amphibian if one is within reach.

--- Where can I find them? ---

The double-crested cormorant is a common bird throughout most of the United States and can be seen throughout the year in many areas. These cormorants spend most of their time doing two things: Floating on the water to search for fish and sunning themselves. Look for them on and around bodies of water, both coastal and inland. They build large colonies of stick nests with other cormorants, so be sure to look up into the trees as well.

--- What makes them unique? ---

Although associated with the water, they lack waterproof feathers and must sun themselves dry. After successfully catching a meal, a double-crested cormorant will fly to a high perch and sun itself while it digests its meal. By spreading out its wings and resting in this open position, air and sunlight can pass through the feathers and help dry the animal. As part of their mating ritual, both males and females will stand with their mouths gaping open, showing off the bright blue skin inside their mouths. When accompanied by hissing noises and wing flapping, this gaping behavior can also be a threat to intruders.

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State of Nevada - 189 updates - Nextdoor

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Hello Neighbors! Multiple departments from the State of Nevada are using Nextdoor to engage and connect with residents across the State. Please keep in mind that this page is intended to be a forum between State of Nevada departments and members of the public about specific topics and is not monitored on a 24-hour basis.

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YouTube Channel

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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2021 Workshop presentation

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Life Size by Sophy Henn
This book is amazing! Would be fun for story times to show actual size of some animals.

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Pahrump Community Library

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Great Basin Observatory lessons/ Great Basin National Park

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Great Basin Observatory lessons/ Great Basin National Park

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www.greatbasinobservatory.org

Lesson plans, distance learning, placed based learning in Nevada. Try the Darkness Matters lesson, will work great for summer programs, and use elements of the Seeing with Ears lesson plan for a program on Bats.

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Social Media Toolkit

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New events are added daily

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Deadline January 15
Every Child a Reader is currently accepting proposal submissions from schools interested in hosting an event with Jason Reynolds, the 7th National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. If you are a bookstore, library, or other organization, please connect with a school or group of schools in your area to plan an event. Find out more.
NEW!
January 13 - 16
The 9th Annual Schomburg Black Comic Book Festival
It's a new year, and time to celebrate Black fantasy, Afrofuturism, and Black imagination in world-building and freedom dreaming! Among the many highlights of the festival are launch events for several new titles, a how-to-draw Black superheroes workshop, and a tribute to award-winning actor and former Schomburg Center theater teacher Chadwick Boseman, presented by some of his former students.As always, the festival is free, and you can register here. Find a full schedule of eents

You can find the full festival schedule at SchomCom.org. Discover new Black comic artists at the Schomburg Shop and our Exhibitors Showcase.

The New York Historical Society offers virtual events for the entire family.
January 13
3 p.m. ET
Living History @ Home: Cooking for the Civil Rights Movement

Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and discover the overlooked work of Black women in the civil rights movement. Sexism often forced them to serve in behind-the-scenes roles, but women are creative! Learn about the story of Georgia Gilmore and how she used her kitchen skills to raise money in secret for the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott. Cook along with us as we bake Gilmore's sweet potato pie! January 12 and 15

3:30 p.m. ET
Little New-Yorkers @ Home
For ages 3-6 celebrate Martin Luther King Junior's birthday and talk about love, compassion, and community as we read We March by Shane W. Evans. Afterwards, create a dove paper airplane with a special message to share the words of love and hope from MLK at home.

DiMenna Children's History Museum family programs take place over Zoom.

January 13
In our January cover story, Betsy Bird takes on Travis Jonker in Newbery and Caldecott trivia. You can join Betsy and Travis on Zoom January 13 for a YMA Trivia Smackdown. Registration is open for this free, fun event that will get everybody excited for the 2021 Youth Media Awards ceremony on January 25.
Ongoing
Learn at Home with Scholastic
Scholastic created Learn at Home, an online curriculum for students in grades Pre-K to 6-and made it free for all to use. A five-day program of lessons are posted every week one Mondays. There are texts to read, videos to watch, questions to answer and interactive activities. Why not reach out to other families who are also following Scholastc's Learn at Home, and let the kids video chat about the day's lessons? No registration is required, although you might need to sign up for a free trial of one of the book readers depending on the course. Ages 3-13.

Khan Academy
From one of the most comprehensive educational resources in the world, with free online courses that address essentially every topic a student could encounter from Pre-K to 12th grade. Choose from interactive math tutors to video lectures that make history come alive.

Students Get Free Newspaper Access
The New York Times is offering free subscriptions to students through September 1, 2021. Share this link widely!

Virtual Bookish Events is Sarah Nicolas's amazing weekly calendar of writing events, author talks, and more. Sign up for her newsletter for all the details.

Open Submissions for Native Creators
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Penguin Young Readers is trying to ensure that all voices are heard. They are opening up their manuscript submissions process to "do more to publish and promote Native voices." If you are a Native creator, find all the information you need to participate here.

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Virtual Events Calendar | Deadline: Jason Reynolds in the Schools, MLK Events for the Family, 9th Annual Black Comic Book Festival, and More

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Last chance to apply for Jason Reynolds to come to your school, the 9th Annual Schomburg Black Comic Book Festival on January 13, Khan Academy, Scholastic, and the Smithsonian are continuing to support online learning, plus we have story hours, streaming opera, and some free activities for kids

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Lesson plans, Printables, Distance learning, Starter Kits!

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Promote World Book Online in your school or library. Remind users they have access with the ready-made material below.

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Jeslyn MacDiarmid, Churchill County Library

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A different kind of Flannel Friday to kick off the New Year!

This is my hugely successful, used in nearly every toddler storytime, song cube. The first time I saw this prop used was from Melissa at Mel's Desk. Since then I've seen it in a whole lot of places because it's the best thing ever.

And here's mine:

I have six songs on my cube and since I use the cube in every program, I also took the time to pair up each song with an early literacy tip:

ABCs - If you child is having trouble with mashing up LMNOP, try singing the ABCs to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to break up those syllables.

Five Green and Speckled Frogs - Counting helps to develop early math skills and prepares children for school readiness.

I'm a Little Teapot - Pretending helps your child develop their imagination. By pretending to be a teapot, we are encouraging dramatic play.

Itsy Bitsy Spider - Because we sing Itsy Bitsy Spider three ways (Itsy Bitsy, Teensy Weensy, Great Big Hairy), we are giving children more vocabulary. And repetition helps with learning!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star - Lullabies or other slow songs can help children to relax. Sing this song when you need your child to settle down.

Wheels on the Bus - Songs like "Wheels on the Bus" teach children about how things work. You can expand this song throughout different places and include new lyrics.

As for the actual construction, I went a bit advanced and bought these dice to use as the contents. It's saved me from a lot of "OH MY GOODNESS, DON'T CRUSH THE CUBE, HELPFUL TODDLERS" stress. After that, it's laminated pieces taped together with book tape. No one has destroyed it yet!

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Anne is hosting the round-up today! You can also check out our website, Pinterest, or Facebook!

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A different kind of Flannel Friday to kick off the New Year! This is my hugely successful, used in nearly every toddler storytime, song cube. The first time I saw this prop used was from Melissa at Mel's Desk. Since then I've seen it in a whole lot of places because it's the best thing ever.

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CSLP's Official Summer Library Programming Group! - 2021 Tails & Tales has 1,489 members

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Author, Teacher, and Wild Horse advocate

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Analyze collections, identify and bring to life diverse texts, and encourage reflection on cultural representation

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As you infuse diverse, inclusive, and culturally relevant materials into fiction and nonfiction reading experiences, this toolkit helps analyze collections, identify and bring to life diverse texts, and encourage reflection on cultural representation. see more

As you infuse diverse, inclusive, and culturally relevant materials into fiction and nonfiction reading experiences, this toolkit helps analyze collections, identify and bring to life diverse texts, and encourage reflection on cultural representation.

Identify exceptional diverse books for all children and teens.

Bring culture and race to the forefront of literary conversations with culturally relevant, primary source materials.

Facilitate conversations about children's and young adult books by learning the inspiration of these books, directly from the author or illustrator.

Analyze and generate reports that examine the genre and cultural inclusion of books in your custom lists and collections.

Facilitate student reflection on the cultural representation of the characters, setting, and events in the diverse books each student reads.

For historical context, see data on children's and young adult books by and about Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) published since 1985, compiled by the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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As you infuse diverse, inclusive, and culturally relevant materials into fiction and nonfiction reading experiences, this toolkit helps analyze collections, identify and bring to life diverse texts, and encourage reflection on cultural representation.

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Learn with Smithsonian! Activities, games, experiments, quizzes, ebooks, coloring, augmented reality, and more!

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Fun Stuff for Kids and Teens | Smithsonian Institution

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Entertaining activities, games, and fun stuff to do online from the Smithsonian's museums, research centers, and zoo.

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It's time for extreme, fun, and safe experiments for the mad scientist in you on "Try This!" from National Geographic.

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Tails and Tales! 2021 Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) for Young Adults

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Sponsored by Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP)

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Tails and Tales! 2021 Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) for Early Literacy

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Sponsored by Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP)

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Tails and Tales! 2021 Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) for Children

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Sponsored by Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP)