Six elements that made Library Tech Week a serious fun

An expression a "serious fun" describes a "learning environment where students are engaged, academics are rigorous and learning is clearly evident" (Hirst-Loucks and Loucks).

Activities offered during Library Tech Week were not only fun but integrated STEM subjects, promoted creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, project and idea exchange, and advocated the connection of academic learning with real life. Students did have "serious fun" during the week!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Integration of STEM

Two WBAIS critical values, STEM and recycling, were supported with various activities. 

An inclusion of artistic and creativity into science, technology, and engineering evolved STEM into STEAM. We admire imagination and arts! 

Maker space.

Kids used their artistry and played with paper rolls, buttons, broken computer parts, disposable plastic cups and plates and other recyclable materials.

Everyone was curious about 3D printers. They could watch for hours how the Chuck Hull's invention was building up white and red castles, robots, deer, star wars spaceships and other objects.

Collaboration

Students from different grade levels collaborated and participated in a project exchange by demonstrating their work and learning to peers.

High School students shared their skills with Middle and Elementary students while Middle School students presented their projects to the grade school.












Assembling electric circuits,  building molecular models, learning chess moves, and writing star related poems engaged students of all ages.







Students' Leadership



Jonathan and Kanishka ran a Star Wars booth. Younger kids were thrilled to see their photographs been Photoshopped into Star War characters.

Maria and Riti made a presentation about the evolution of their computer skills at Computer App class, and Matan demonstrated how playing DuoLingua could improve one's knowledge of a foreign language.


Teachers' involvement
Teachers generously offered their subject expertise. Their passion and enthusiasm were contagious. Students experimented with wires, lamp bulbs, batteries, fans, and bells.

Ms. Salem, English Language teacher, inspired her students to create bookmarks with Shakespearean quotes.

Language Diversity Booth

Modern Language teachers initiated celebration of WBAIS lingual and cultural diversity. 

The theme of the booth "In the galaxy of languages, every word is a star" motivated writing poems, proverbs and sayings, and just words related to stars in many languages.

Sra. Vahab and Sra. Cohen made two pinatas in a star shape to be broken  the last day of our special week. What a great cultural introduction!



Career orientation

Activities and an exposure to latest technologies introduced children and adults to new trends in real life. Guest speakers and student-presenters spoke about 3D printing, apps, robotics and applied sciences.

Mr. Librus brought many 3D objects and spoke about the use of 3D printing in research, medicine, industry and commerce.

The WeDiggit team explained what green-screen technology is and how it is used in media production. Students practiced composing a green-screen video stream.

Library Tech Week has brought the entire WBAIS community together.


Check out a Media Production Class message about the week:

Integration of STEAM, Makerspace, student collaboration and leadership, teachers' enthusiasm, and guest speakers' presentations made LTW of 2016 a "serious fun".


Thank you, everyone, for supporting our annual event!