Librarian Without Walls

The CMS library does not charge fines for overdue books, so I have always told students that I would send the library cops after students with late books. The inspiration for the joke comes from the sitcom Seinfeld , In one episode, a New York Library cop named Mr. Bookman tracks down Jerry and asks him to return and pay the fine for a book he had checked out when he was in junior high school. In the last few years, I have tried different ways to encourage those students who have helped out in the library: shelving, checking books in and out, processing new books, and occasionally helping out with fifth grade STEM labs. A few years ago the award was a photo ID similar to the ones that CMS staff members wear. Last year, Nick Wethington, the spectrUM  Making and Tinkering Specialist who has been helping us develop a terrific making and tinkering program, laser cut some wooden "Library Special Ops" cards. Students designed the card: This fall, more students than ever be

Fifth graders began the fourth year of STEAM labs last Tuesday, October 1, by building and testing CD hovercrafts in the library. The STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) labs began and continue with the expert support of spectrUM's making and tinkering program. The hands-on experience has been so popular that teachers at all grade levels have begun developing their own labs. As the following photos illustrate, STEAM labs can create a bit of temporary mess in the library. But the apparent chaos and the exuberant voices are evidence of creativity in action. STEAM labs will take place every other week for most of the school year.

This year's seventh graders were the first group to participate in a STEAM program that began in the fall of 2016 and has turned into one of the highlights of fifth grade. The program - Making and Tinkering in the Bitterroot - features visits from Nick Wethington, a making and tinkering wizard from spectrUM Discovery Area in Missoula. Until now, the program has been limited to fifth graders. But beginning in January, seventh graders will have a chance to revisit the ozobots, squishy circuits, and other great design activities that they experienced as fifth graders. Beginning mid-January, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders can sign up for Maker activities in the library during advisory, lunch, and recess. Because eighth graders are eligible to participate, they will finally get a chance to do some activities that were not available to them three years ago. The idea for providing some making and tinkering time came from watching some seventh graders trying out an activity using s