Fall Tinkertime and a SUPER Opportunity

Fall has officially arrived! One look outside your window will be all the proof you need.

While the trees have changed to their beautiful autumnal colors outside, there have have been some fall changes inside the Library Makerspace, too! To celebrate the season, we have addded three tinkertime stations for our friends to explore.

At our Pumpkin Build center the students were asked to build a stucture as tall as they could using only mallowcreme pumpkins and toothpicks. They quickly discovered that in order to make the structure stable enough to add mulitple levels, they needed to add support in the middle. It was interesting to see how students designed their structures with the added support.

Miss Whorton's friends make pumpkin structures at the pumpkin build center

The second fall center was the Spinning Ghost center. At the center our friends were challenged to get their friendly ghost that they cut out to spin and twirl like a helicoptor propeller. They were given a paper clip to attach to the bottom, and then had to figure out how to bend the ghost's arms. It took some trial and error, and plenty of giggles to figure it out, but we soon had spinning ghosts twirling all over the Library Makerspace. 

One of Mrs.Folluo's friends shows off a spinning ghost ready for flight

The third autumn themed center was the Dancing Shapes activity. Students chose from different fall tissue paper shapes, and after they decorated them with markers, were instructed to tape the bottom of the shape to the table. From here, they got to begin exploring the magic of static electricity. Once they charged a balloon with static electricity, either by rubbing it on the carpet, with felt, on their shirt, or on their head, they held the balloon over their tissure paper shape and delightedly watched it "dance". There was even a QR code for them to scan with their device that linked to a video explaining the science behind static electricity. Our friends were amazed!

Miss Whorton's friends trying out the Dancing Shapes center

Finally, we wanted to share an amazing opportunity for students ages 9-12 and their parents. UMSL's College of Education is offering a robot programming class two Sundays in November and a second session two Sundays in December. 

During the class, participants will learn the programming required for at least two different kinds of robots. The best part is that the programming languages used to make your robots do tricks will give you a better understanding of computer programming in general. No experience is necessary, and it is a great way to try something new with your child! 

For more information contact Amber Bell-Christian at (314) 516-4813.

To register for the workshop contact Jennifer Clemente at (314) 516-5994 or to register online click here to register for Section A and click here to register for Section B.