Lighthouse STEAM Challenge
45 mins, 01 Children, Low Cost, Craft, Chapter 6 Uncharted, Steam
August 9, 2021 0.00 KB 4245 downloads
Read a story about a lighthouse, or share fun facts about lighthouses (the National Park Service is a great resource). Then, participants compete to see who can build the tallest lighthouse using paper straws, craft sticks, or index cards. Those who finish early can work on a lighthouse coloring sheet or experiment with Morse Code to send messages to each other (see Printables). This program is easily adapted to Zoom.
Suggested runtime: 45 min.
Light Up Angler Fish
01 Children, 02 Teens and Tweens, Chapter 5 An Ocean of Wonders, 45-90 mins, Game/Activity, Steam
August 9, 2021 0.00 KB 3309 downloads
Create a circuit to emulate the angler fish’s lure! To ensure that you have enough supplies for an in-library program, be sure to have a sign-up sheet with a limited number of participants. These also make great take-and make kits. See Printables for an angler fish template by Christina Dorman of Maine State Library, Augusta, ME.
Suggested runtime: 60 min.
Great Tentacles! Octopus STEAM
01 Children, 02 Teens and Tweens, 45-90 mins, Chapter 5 An Ocean of Wonders, Game/Activity, Outreach, Steam
August 9, 2021 0.00 KB 4027 downloads
More than 150 species of octopuses exist in seas throughout the world. Famous for their bulbous bodies, bulging eyes, and eight arms with suckers, these “monsters of the sea” are invertebrates, solitary creatures, and highly intelligent with the ability to camouflage, move in and out of small nooks and crannies, and even the ability to expel ink. These group activities are designed to celebrate the unique cephalopod. You might also contact local marine biologists, aquariums, or other experts on octopuses and see if any can come present at your library.
Suggested runtime: 60 minutes.
Shark Week!
01 Children, Chapter 5 An Ocean of Wonders, Outdoors, Craft, Game/Activity, Steam
August 9, 2021 0.00 KB 4222 downloads
A fun program that includes a simple STEAM demonstration, active games that work well outdoors, and three crafts. You could run this as a party with multiple stations, or spread activities out over a week. Alternatively, pick and choose activities to use as filler for other programs or events. Two shark coloring pages are included.
Suggested runtime: Flexible.
DIY Cleaner and Greener Living
03 Adults, 45 mins, Chapter 4 Our Blue Planet, Craft, Passive/Display, Steam
August 9, 2021 0.00 KB 5760 downloads
Learn to make cleaning and household products from everyday items that do less harm to our planet! To inspire patrons to make a change to eco-friendly alternatives during an in-person program, present some facts about the toxicity of regular cleaning products. You could also make this into a passive program by printing recipes for patrons to take home (see Printables). The DIY recipes could also be recorded or run as an interactive Zoom presentation.
Suggested runtime: 45 min.
Under Construction - Seven Wonders of the Seven Seas
01 Children, 02 Teens and Tweens, 45-90 mins, Chapter 3 Seven Seas Infinite Stories, Game/Activity, Steam
August 9, 2021 0.00 KB 1825 downloads
In this program, teens build structures based on the New Seven Wonders of the World. They could use candy, veggie sticks and toothpicks, and/or non-edible building materials such as Legos, popsicle sticks, or balsa wood. Choose building materials that work best for your library and patrons. As an icebreaker, run a seven seas taste-testing challenge! Set out seven different flavors of Goldfish crackers (or nori, sea creature gummies, etc.). Participants can try to name the flavors or simply rank their favorites from best to worst. You could also feature one book to go with each flavor. See Printables for a Goldfish coloring sheet for teens who finish both activities early.
Suggested runtime: 60–90 min.
Sink or Float
01 Children, 45-90 mins, Chapter 2 Explore New Depths, Craft, Game/Activity, Steam
August 6, 2021 0.00 KB 2471 downloads
This sink or float program can be run in a few different ways. For early elementary or kindergarten prep, discuss sinking vs. floating or show a video. Ask the children to predict if they think a variety of objects will sink or float, then test each one in the tub of water. Discuss and record together. Older children can design their own boats to see which one holds the most weight in water. Other simple craft options include origami boats and tiny cork boats.
Suggested runtime: 30–60 minutes.
Aquanauts - Living on the Ocean Floor
03 Adults, 45-90 mins, 04 Multigenerational, Chapter 6 Uncharted, Outreach, Steam
August 4, 2021 0.00 KB 1639 downloads
Show the American Experience documentary Sealab (2019) (available on Hoopla, 54 min), which explains the early history of research into living on the ocean floor. Discuss some of the topics shown in the film. Optionally, show online content about the modern deep sea lab Aquarius and/or the proposed Seaorbiter. Discuss the differences between Sealab and Aquarius.
Suggested runtime: 60–90 min.