Archives for STEAM

Black History Month Events

Black History Month Events

This February we're celebrating Black History Month with a variety of events for all ages. Below is a chronological list of events and various resources and reading lists. To see a full list of our February events, please check our online calendar. Through February 28th Film Screening: Black Ballerina Black Ballerina is a story of passion, opportunity, heartbreak and triumph of the human spirit. Set in the overwhelmingly white world of classical dance, it tells the stories of several black women from different generations who fell in love with ballet. Sixty years ago, while pursuing their dreams of careers in
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February 15, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: Black History, black history month, book discussion, book groups, civil rights, Jackie Robinson, jazz, library events, mamie johnsonson, Observances and Celebrations, Project Lit, Project Lit Community, satchel paige, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, and storywalk.

STEAM Picture Books: Engineering

STEAM Picture Books: Engineering

In this monthly STEAM series, I will highlight some wonderful picture books that fall under a STEAM category: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. For the month of January we will be concentrating on engineering books, including biographies, how to build a backyard, construction and building blocks, along with books on tools. These picture books can be found in our print collection at The Trove and on OverDrive. At the end of the post, you'll also find some fun and educational STEAM websites for kids. Future Engineer by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Allison Black Library Catalog This fun and playful
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January 25, 2021 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM books, STEAM learning, and STEM.

Grab & Go STEAM Kit: Magic Ice

Grab & Go STEAM Kit: Magic Ice

White Plains Public Library’s Grab & Go STEAM kits are a great way to unplug and be creative while learning about a STEAM concept. Youth Services Librarian Caroline Reddy has put together a fun STEAM activity for Grades 4-8 that allows you to experiment with the freezing temperature of water. In the past, Caroline has used ice and salt to make her own ice cream as a summer STEAM project. For the winter, you can try creating this “magic” ice and amaze your family. This kit will be available for pickup outside the Library's main doors on Monday, January 25.
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January 25, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Grab & Go kits, STEAM, STEAM kits, STEAM learning, and tutorials.

Grab & Go Kit Gr. 4-8: Paper Rollercoaster

Grab & Go Kit Gr. 4-8: Paper Rollercoaster

The next Grab & Go STEAM kit for Middle Graders will teach some paper engineering techniques. Kids and Tweens will assemble a rollercoaster using paper. This involves creating stability with a very unstable material. They will make pillars to hold up the rollercoaster, fold the paper to make stable rails, and learn how to cut paper to create curves. Limited kits are available at the Library. Couldn’t get a kit? No problem! All you need is paper, tape, and scissors. You can follow along with the video instructions.
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January 11, 2021 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: engineering, Grab & Go kits, Grab and Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM learning, STEM, and The Trove.

Grab & Go Grades 7-12 Kit: Popsicle Stick Grabber

Grab & Go Grades 7-12 Kit: Popsicle Stick Grabber

January’s Grab & Go STEAM kit for Teens is a Grabber Arm using popsicle sticks. You can pick up the kits at the Library, there are a limited number available so get there soon! The grabber arm is cool and educational. Teens will learn about a scissor lift, a piece of engineering that is used for lifting heavy objects like cars off the ground. Couldn’t get a kit? No problem. You can make these with some materials from home, just be creative! Just follow along with the video instructions.
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January 5, 2021 10:28 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Grab & Go, Grab & Go kits, STEAM, STEAM kits, STEAM learning, and teen kits.

Coding Workshops With The Techno Chix

Coding Workshops With The Techno Chix

Starting January 8, 2021, the Techno Chix, a group of young women in the Girl Scouts, will be teaching an 8 session workshop series on computer coding for Middle Grade students in grades 5-8. They will teach 8 one-hour workshops on Fridays, from 4:30-5:30 p.m., in January and February, covering the Python coding language. This is an in-depth course focusing on Python, and by the end of the workshops students will be familiar with Strings, User Input, Arithmetic Equations, Booleans, Loops, If/Else Statements, and Functions. Registration and attendance to all workshops is required. These workshops will be held on Zoom.
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December 17, 2020 10:00 am | by | 3 Comments
Categories: Events, Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: children's events, coding, STEAM, STEAM learning, STEM, technology, and teen events.

Grab & Go Kit: LED Creature

Grab & Go Kit: LED Creature

White Plains Public Library’s Grab & Go STEAM kits are a great way to unplug and be creative while learning about a STEAM concept. Edge Librarian Erik Carlson has put together a great STEAM activity for Grades 4-8 that allows you to create your own LED creature. The LED Creature Grab & Go kit will help young scholars learn some basic elements of electricity. If you have ever wanted to work on a conductivity experiment, or create a circuit bug or creature, here’s your chance! This kit will be available for pickup outside the Library's main doors on Monday, December
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December 14, 2020 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Grab and Go Kits, Grab&Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM learning, and tutorials.

December Coding Programs

December Coding Programs

The Library will be celebrating The Hour of Code (December 7-13) by offering a variety of coding programs and resources for parents, caregivers, and children. The Hour of Code is observed during Computer Science Education Week, as it honors the life of computer pioneer Admiral Grace Hooper (born on December 9, 1906). We will be conducting programs such as Tech for Parents: Coding Resources, binary coding, and Code Heroes Camp (grades 6-8). Along with these fun virtual activities we will also have a binary bead Grab&Go bag kit (grades 4-8) available to pick up on December 28th. Please feel free
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December 9, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Library News.
Tags: binary code, coding, Computer Science Education Week, events, Observances and Celebrations, STEAM, STEAM learning, technology, and The Hour of Code.

STEAM Grab&Go Kit For Teens: Rubber Band Powered Car

STEAM Grab&Go Kit For Teens: Rubber Band Powered Car

Come to the Library and pick up a Grab&Go Kit with materials to make a cardboard car powered by rubber bands, available on December 7. The kit will have most materials except tape, glue, and a pencil. There are printed instructions to accompany the video instructions. Have fun learning how to make a car run using tension created by rubber bands. If you can’t pick up a bag, you can try to find the materials around your home and follow the video instructions.
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December 7, 2020 9:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Teens, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Grab and Go Kits, Grab&Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM learning, and videos.

STEAM Picture Books: Technology

STEAM Picture Books: Technology

In this new monthly STEAM series, I will highlight some wonderful picture books that fall under a STEAM category: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. This edition for the month of December celebrates the Hour of Code program. In this post you’ll find technology books, including biographies of notable figures in the tech field, books about coding, video games and robotics. These picture books can be found in our print collection at The Trove and on OverDrive. Please be sure to check out our coding programs for December. At the end of the post, you'll also find some fun and
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December 3, 2020 10:30 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, STEAM, STEAM books, STEAM learning, and STEM.

Hey Kids! It’s a Snow Day!

Hey Kids! It’s a Snow Day!

Need some ideas for making the most of your snow day? See some of our staff recommendations below. Snow Day Activities Polar Express Train! Read The Polar Express (Hoopla; OverDrive) by Chris Van Allsburg and let your child’s imagination run wild. Make decorated tickets from paper. Build a snow train outside or use furniture and blankets and more to make a train inside. All aboard! Host Your Own Winter Olympics A snow obstacle course with snow mounds to climb over, snow tunnels to crawl through. A sled race. Distance and accuracy snowball throwing competitions – setup targets, such as a
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December 1, 2020 12:01 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: activities, children's books, eBooks, fun, picture books, snow day, staff picks, staff recommendations, and STEAM.

STEAM Picture Books: Science

STEAM Picture Books: Science

In this new monthly STEAM series, I will highlight some wonderful picture books that fall under one area of STEAM [STEAM = Science Technology Engineering Art Mathematics]. For the month of November we are starting with science. These books include diverse biographies, books about the solar system, chemistry, physics, environmental science (my personal favorite!), and even a scientific parody on Goodnight Moon. These picture books can be found in our print collection at The Trove and on OverDrive. At the end of the post, you'll also find some fun and educational STEAM websites for kids. What Miss Mitchell Saw by
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November 30, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Authors & Books, Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: picture books, staff picks, staff recommendations, STEAM, STEAM books, and STEM.

Grab&Go: Tripod Catapult

Grab&Go: Tripod Catapult

STEAM Monday has been phased into Grab ‘n Go Craft Kits! Instead of finding material around your home, you can pick those materials up from the Library, then follow along with an instructional video for making a project. Our first project is a Tripod Catapult. You can pick up the materials with instructions from the Library and use the video to follow along. Or you can find the materials around your home and follow the video to make the project. How Is This Working? The most important part of a catapult is it’s base. For this catapult we made a
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November 10, 2020 2:58 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: Grab and Go Kits, Grab&Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM learning, and tutorials.

Grab&Go Kits

Grab&Go Kits

The Library will now feature a variety of Grab&Go Kits that families can take home to enjoy. Librarians in the Trove and Edge are compiling several types of kits that will provide families with wonderful opportunities to unplug and engage in activities that stir the imagination and provide at-home learning and fun. Kits will be available outside our main entrance while supplies last. In October and November we will begin regularly offering the following kits for pick up on a varied schedule. The first day a kit will be available to pick up will be marked in our online calendar.
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November 10, 2020 10:00 am | by | 6 Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: activities, arts & crafts, at home learning, Grab&Go Kits, STEAM, STEAM at home, and STEAM kits.

STEAM at Home: Exploring Leaves

STEAM at Home: Exploring Leaves

Fall foliage is breathtaking, and provides the perfect opportunity to learn about leaves. Leaves are especially interesting to observe in autumn. Ever wonder how liquids travel through leaves? To find the answer, I worked on an easy STEAM experiment that is perfect for all who love nature and learning about leaves. Materials: Leaves Scissors Clear cups or glasses Water Red food coloring Paper and pencil, or another way to record observations Magnifying glass (optional) First, you can make a K-W-L chart, a type of worksheet that helps your child identify what they already know, what they would like to know, and
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October 21, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: fall activities, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM learning, and STEM.

STEAM at Home: Flying Dragon

STEAM at Home: Flying Dragon

This week we are going to make a dragon fly and learn about how levers work. Materials: Toilet Paper Roll Construction Paper Marker Pencil Ruler Glue Tape Yarn Getting Started: We are going to start by making our dragon. Cut a piece of construction paper so that it covers your toilet paper roll. Use tape or glue to attach it. Next design the head, wings, and tail of your dragon. Cut them out and attach them using glue or tape. You can use a marker to decorate your dragon and draw eyes and a mouth on it. Prepare For Flight:
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October 12, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM learning, STEM, and videos.

STEAM at Home: Puking Pumpkins!

STEAM at Home: Puking Pumpkins!

Halloween is a time to celebrate creepy crawlies, eat your favorite candies, dance like zany zombies and carve plump pumpkins! Halloween is also the perfect time to show off your creativity! Why not wear black nail polish to bring out the goth in you? Use purple Manic Panic to dye your hair! Wear your ghost or goblin costume and feel free to be a bit ghoulish! Have you ever been to Sleepy Hollow? If not, I highly encourage you to visit Sleepy Hollow with your family this year; it’s a great Halloween destination. You could take pictures of the Old
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October 7, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, and Library News.
Tags: halloween, halloween crafts, Observances and Celebrations, October, Spooktober, STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, STEAM learning, and STEM.

STEAM at Home: Fireworks in a Jar

STEAM at Home: Fireworks in a Jar

Today we are going to do a simple project making fireworks in a jar. This is cool and quite fun to watch, and a simple lesson in liquid density. Materials: Glass Jar or Glass (make sure it is clear) Small Dish Cooking Oil Food Dye (3 or 4 colors) Toothpick Water Getting Started: Fill the glass jar with water, but leave some room at the top. Take your little dish and cover the bottom with cooking oil. Add 3-5 drops of food coloring, keeping the drops separate. Take your toothpick and dab the drops of food coloring to break them
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October 5, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM at home, STEAM learning, STEM, and videos.

STEAM at Home: Human Robot

STEAM at Home: Human Robot

This week’s STEAM At Home project will teach you a little about coding, without needing a computer. Materials: Printable Scratch Blocks (or you can make your own!) Paper Scissors Tape – scotch and masking tape Pen Another Person Background: Scratch.mit is a website used for teaching simple coding and computational thinking. You drag and drop blocks into your work area to create a program, the coding is done in the background. They use visuals, simple language, and a snapping feature to fit your blocks together, making it easy to write a computer program. You need a computer and internet connection
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October 1, 2020 2:17 pm | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Homepage Teens, Kids, Library News, and Teens.
Tags: coding, STEAM, STEAM at home, STEAM learning, STEM, and videos.

STEAM at Home: How Strong is Spaghetti?

STEAM at Home: How Strong is Spaghetti?

How strong is spaghetti? In this STEAM project, we’ll use a foam block as a base for long strands of dry spaghetti. Then, we’ll balance various objects on top of the spaghetti to see how much weight it can support. This is a great opportunity to test out different variables and see what happens! For this project, you only need spaghetti and a piece of foam. I didn’t have styrofoam, so I used a yoga block instead. You can begin by taking a piece of spaghetti and pushing one end into the foam block, letting it stand alone. Have your
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September 23, 2020 10:00 am | by | No Comments
Categories: Featured, Homepage Kids, Kids, Library News, and Uncategorized.
Tags: STEAM, STEAM activities, STEAM at home, and STEM.