Homeschool Meet-Up: Lucky Rocks and Microscopes

A monthly Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

 

 

Activities of the day:

 “A” is for art: Paint Lucky Rocks

I spray painted some rocks gold.  I also bought some St. Patrick’s Day shamrock temporary tattoos.  I encouraged the children to paint the rocks or add the tattoos to the rocks.  Apparently temporary tattoos can be applied to rocks the same way they go on skin. 

  

 

“S” is for Science: Microscopes

I got the microscope kit from my library!  The kit includes traditional microscopes as well as a few hand-held microscopes.  The kit also comes with a variety of prepared slides.  The children enjoyed seeing cat fur, carrot skin, and a bunch of other everyday items at the microscopic level.   

 

 

“E” is for Engineering: Build with Blocks

I opened up the wood block cabinet for some creative building. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Shrinky Dinks and Block Play

A monthly Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

  

Activities of the day:

 “A” is for art and “S” is for science: Shrinky Dinks

I borrowed the library’s toaster oven and brought in “shrinky dink” plastic sheets for the children to design their own little pieces of plastic to watch them shrink in the oven. 

  

“E” is for Engineering: Build with Blocks

I opened up the wood block cabinet for some creative building.  I also brought out the bristle blocks and Unifix cubes to build with. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Light Bending Lasers & Spring Gnomes

A monthly Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

 

Activities of the day:

 “A” is for art: Spring Gnomes

I put out the leftovers from a previous gnome craft activity and invited the children to make spring gnomes with the art materials on hand. 

  

 

“S” is for Science: Light bending lasers

I got this laser kit from my library’s main office.  The kit included some laser pens and mirrors.  The children were invited to see how many times they could get the laser to bounce off the mirrors.  Easier said than done.    

 

“E” is for Engineering: Build with building toys

I got out the wood stacking rocks and the marble run sets for the children to play with.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Basic Circuitry & Greeting Cards

A monthly Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

 

 

Activities of the day:

“S” is for Science and “T” is for Technology and “A” is for art:

-          Learn about simple electric circuits by making a paper circuit similar to what is found at https://www.instructables.com/Paper-Circuits/  

  

 

-          Create a cupcake greeting card where the candle on the cupcake lights up similar to what I found at https://youtu.be/7hb-9eUpfbQ?si=LHM-0A6imBZCghFF 

 

 

-          Create a robot greeting card where the heart of the robot lights up similar to what I found at https://youtu.be/7hb-9eUpfbQ?si=jQI5nEf_W1ZpCEwN 

  

 

-          Create a shining star greeting card where one point of the star lights up

  

 

“E” is for Engineering:

-          Big blue blocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Levitating Tinsel Orbs and Moon Ornaments

A monthly Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

 

Activities of the day:

 “S” is for Science:

-          Levitating tinsel orbs similar to what I found at https://sciencebob.com/make-a-levitating-orb/

-          SPECIAL NOTE: This activity was hard to do!  It was difficult to get the proper amount of static electricity into the PVC pipe to cause the tinsel to stay afloat.  But when the children did get it right, the smiles were huge. 

 

“A” is for Art:

-          Moon ornaments using leftover wood drapery rings, leftover yarn, and some moon charms I bought online

 

“E” is for Engineering:

-          Wood blocks from the block cabinet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Weaving & Jenga

A monthly Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

 

Activities of the day:

 “A” is for Art:

-          Basket weaving using a kit I found at Baker Ross

 

Building toy:

-          The students were invited to play with the giant Jenga blocks.  Some played games of Jenga while others used the large cardboard boxes as blocks.