Category Archives: Kids Korner

Review: The Zoo at the Edge of the World

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The Zoo at the Edge of the World
by Eric Kahn Gale
3.5 stars

The Zoo at the Edge of the World is an intriguing fantasy about a boy who is learning about what it means to protect the jungle. Marlin is the son of a world-famous explorer, Ronan Rackham. Rackham built a resort for the wealthy on the edge of the British Guiana jungle, and Marlin and his brother help tend to the animals. Marlin has trouble communicating with people because he stutters, but he has no problem talking to the animals in the zoo. One day, a jaguar is captured and added to the zoo’s collection of animals. He gives Marlin an amazing gift that will change his life forever.

 

Read-alikes

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce

The Last Wild by Piers Torday

Review: Superstar

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Superstar
 by Mandy Davis
5 stars

Moving back to Indiana where his late astronaut father attended Purdue University, Lester has a difficult time transitioning from home schooling to attending a 5th grade classroom.  As mom returns to work as a librarian it becomes apparent that Lester has sensory issues and is an undiagnosed autism spectrum student. The book gives Lester and his classmates authentic voices and is a heart-felt read.  I LOVED IT!

 

 

Read-alikes

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Rules by Cynthia Lord

STEAM for Toddlers

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STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) is all the rage in children’s programming at the moment. If you’ve been to our Children’s Department, you’ve seen our STEAM wall with kits full of fun activities that build these skills. We regularly offer STEAM programming for our elementary-aged kids on Mondays, and I wanted to extend some of these concepts into our Terrific Two’s class.

Both of my parents were chemists, and I was raised in what would now be considered a STEM-heavy environment. My brother and I heard lectures on space, chemistry, physics – whatever struck my father’s fancy when he drove us to school in the mornings. We were encouraged to be curious, ask questions, and experiment to learn more. To me, those are the core motivations in STEAM programming. I’ve always loved sharing STEAM stories in my baby/toddler storytime, Jump Start. We’ve talked about the chemical reaction that makes cakes rise in the oven, why trees change color in the fall, and so much more. Extending these STEAM concepts into our activities during Terrific Two’s seemed like a natural step.

This spring, I started including explanations behind the activities that we do, and the ways in which they connect with various STEAM concepts. Now, our activities have their usual signs that include additional information on the inside. I’ve also started adding more STEAM-heavy activities. For example, one of our activities was building a “bee hive.” I had a stack of yellow hexagons and children were encouraged to arrange them so that they fit together. In this activity, children were learning about shapes, an early math concept. They were also developing special relations, figuring out how to arrange the shapes to have them fit together. The end result created a pattern, also giving kids an opportunity to learn from what they’ve completed and predict future outcomes. And, of course, the biology inherent – how bees create hives using this pattern. The activity itself is basic, but the skills it develops are core to STEAM skills.

Our children are already learning STEAM concepts by playing and interacting in the world. But the knowledge of what they are doing allows us to scaffold these moments. Scaffolding in children’s education is using what children are already doing and building upon it – making suggestions, asking questions, and pushing them a little further. If they are already using basic engineering concepts to build a tower, you could make the suggestion that a larger base will help them create a sturdier structure. If they are playing with a toy car, ask them what they think may happen if the wheels were removed (and, if possible, try removing them to show the difference). Use scaffolding to encourage experimentation and curiosity. Answer questions, prioritize play, and – most of all – support your little scientist.

One of my favorite resources for creating these STEAM activities is “Let’s Talk, Read and Sing About STEM,” a tip-sheet created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education in 2016. If you want to learn more about STEAM programming for you children, especially ways in which you can encourage this type of learning, this is a great starting place.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ecd/learning-about-stem

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avoid the Summer Slide

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It is time for summer break again! Hurrah! Everyone can agree that the teachers and students in Greenwood have earned a well-deserved rest. In the age of standardized testing, studying can be stressful and grueling work. Everyone needs a chance to recharge their batteries. However, studies have shown that many kids lose the progress that they have gained over the school year during summer vacation. So how to you give kids a break while keeping them from falling behind?

These studies show that the students that fall behind typically were not engaged in any learning activities during the summer. They need to work their brains just like athletes need to work their bodies to stay in shape. Summer is a great time for kids to spend studying their personal interests and hobbies. It is important that they get a break from their routine at school, but they should still be reading and exploring.

I come from a family of six kids, and we learned to be creative about finding fun things to do in the summer. Finding enrichment activities does not have to be expensive, and you do not need to rely on workbooks or computer programs. You do need to be on the lookout for fun, low-cost, or free programs for your kids that are offered throughout the community. Here are some of my favorite ideas for Greenwood residents:

  1. Sign up for summer reading! Talk to your children about their reading goals for the summer, and help them set a goal for a realistic number of hours to reach this summer. We will reward them for their progress. I would encourage you to let your children read whatever they want for the summer, but you can help encourage them to choose books that aren’t at a reading level so low that it will bore them or so high that it with discourage them. Talk to us librarians if you need some ideas.
  2. Go to library programs. They are free, and in addition to being a great time, they will help your child develop their fine motor skills.
  3. Visit the area parks.
  4. Vacation not in the cards this year? Spend each week “exploring” a different country. Check out library books and DVDs focused around that one country for the week. Create meals and crafts together as a family to learn more about this country’s culture. You can also do this with different time periods in history.
  5. Play a board game. Even if a board game doesn’t appear to be “educational,” it can teach important social skills, such as communicating verbally, sharing, waiting, taking turns, and enjoying interaction with others. The library has some board games that can be checked out.
  6. Look for museum free and discount days. The library has an Eiteljorg Museum and an Indiana State Museum pass that can be checked out. The Children’s Museum  of Indianapolis offers $5 nights from 4-8pm the first Thursday every month. The Indianapolis Museum of Art is free the first Thursday of every month from 4-9pm. If your family qualifies for the Access Pass, you can receive $2 admission at most area museums.
  7. Look up craft project ideas in library books or online.
  8. Visit the hardware store. Home Depot will occasionally offer free workshops for kids.
  9. Check out one of GPL’s science kits to play with at home.
  10. Visit Appleworks, the Johnson County Fair, or go to the Greenwood Farmers Market. Talk to the farmers about how they grow their food.

Have a great summer! I hope to see you at the library!

New Dyslexia Bill

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GPL is blessed to have patrons and staff well-versed in the complexity of dyslexia. This legislative session Indiana passed a new bill that will ensure proper screening for children with this issue. Below is an explanation of the new bill and its expected outcomes. It is written by Erin Houchin, the bill’s author who is the Assistance Majority Whip of the Indiana Senate representing District 47.

This session, I was proud to author and pass Senate Enrolled Act 217, which I am confident will have a positive impact on many children and families across our state.

Studies estimate that up to 20 percent of the population is affected at some level with dyslexia. Chances are, you may have a child with this learning disability, or know someone who does. Dyslexia is inherited, it can be detected at an early age, and there are proven, effective teaching methodologies that can help students overcome it with the right intervention. While students with dyslexia will have it for life, this specific learning disability does not have to impede a child’s ability to succeed at any level.

Non-existent screening procedures in our schools are all but ensuring many of these students are never properly diagnosed, and possibly being diagnosed with other learning disabilities. As a result, they may never receive the intervention needed to achieve their full potential. Up to 20 percent of our children may be falling through the cracks.

SEA 217 seeks to close the dyslexia gap. It requires reading plans for students in grades K-2 to include indicators to screen for dyslexia risk factors, using a screening tool approved by the Indiana Department of Education (DOE). If a child is determined to be at risk for dyslexia, the school shall administer a level I or level II dyslexia screening, after obtaining parental consent. Parents may also choose to obtain an independent comprehensive dyslexia evaluation. This will ensure we identify affected students early, with time to intervene, and provide these students with the right intervention.

Not all intervention practices used for students with other reading disabilities work for dyslexic students, but we know the methodologies that do, and it is critical to get these students the resources that will work for them.

SEA 217 requires schools to use specific response to intervention processes if a screener indicates certain characteristics of dyslexia, and for each school corporation and charter school to employ at least one authorized reading specialist trained in dyslexia no later than the 2019-2020 school year. This specialist can be a reading specialist trained in dyslexia, or a teacher or tutor who has completed dyslexia intervention training approved by the DOE. Furthermore, it requires the DOE to employ at least one reading specialist trained in dyslexia no later than July 1, 2019. The DOE shall also develop an Indiana dyslexia resource guide, and ensure that each teacher receives professional awareness information on dyslexia.

We cannot afford to let any of our students struggle through school, and potentially their lives and careers, without doing something – especially when we know what works. We can’t allow dyslexia to continue to be under-reported and misdiagnosed. The changes outlined in SEA 217 will ensure we are accurately identifying a pervasive issue among our student population, and make sure these students are provided with the tools they need to succeed.