Free materials for this Take and Make, for ages 5-12, are available starting today at area PPLD libraries. For more pictures of this project, click on the pdf link included at the end.
Materials and Directions:
Materials we provide:
Circle Template
Large Paper Clip
Large Straw
Materials you provide:
Scissors
Tape
Markers
1. Color the sections of the circle template with rainbow colors.
2. Cut the circle out. Also cut on the lines between each color, stopping about ½” from the center. Fold flaps down.
3. Straighten the paper clip and then fold a small part of one end down to a 90 degree angle. Carefully poke the paper clip through the center of the circle and tape the small folded part to the colored side.
4. Bend the other end of the paper clip so it can be inserted in the straw and stay secure. Cut the length of the straw in half.
5. To fly your spinner, hold it between your palms with the circle at the top. Roll it quickly and let go. It should spin and float. The colors will blend as it flies. It may take some practice.
It’s time to get creative!
The Homeschool Art Show returns in April, giving local homeschoolers a chance to share art with the community.
Homeschoolers, grades K - 12, can submit one artwork (drawing, painting, sculpture, needlework, etc.) for this non-juried exhibit.
Choose a favorite piece and submit your art at the East Library Children’s Department between March 20 - March 30, 2023!
Artwork will be displayed at East Library throughout the month of April.
If you have any questions, please contact jfleishhacker@ppld.org.
Take and Makes for this project, for ages 5-12, will be available at PPLD locations beginning Friday, January 13, 2023.
Supplies and Directions:
Materials we provide:
Colored Cardstock
Stickers
Materials you provide:
Scissors
Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
Alexander Calder was an American sculpture known for his colorful giant sculptures . See some examples of Calder's work in the pdf link below.
Directions:
1. Take a cardstock rectangle. Decorate it with markers, crayons, or colored pencils if desired.
2. Fold it in half.
3. Make cuts similar to those in the picture that almost reach the fold.
4. Unfold.
5. If desired, use colored stickers to decorate.
6. Fold, alternating folding one toward the back and the next toward the front. Alternate this way to allow your sculpture to stand. (For example, the right side would be back, front, back, front, etc. and the left side would be front, back, front, back, etc.)
Get creative with your cutting to create additional amazing sculptures!
Reflecting on 2022 and looking ahead
As we welcome 2023 and what’s to come, I want to take a moment and reflect on the past year for Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD).
The Library has been a staple in our community for more than 130 years, evolving to become a public institution that offers physical and digital spaces for belonging, personal growth, and strong communities. Thanks to the investment from El Paso County taxpayers, we can provide residents like you with access to 16 facilities, three mobile library services, and a large online hub of resources and services that are inclusive and welcoming to all.
Because of you, we were able to do so much for the community this past year. PPLD connected hundreds of thousands of people with services, resources, and spaces to help them achieve their goals. Many patrons visited one of our libraries, whether to browse our collection and check out an item, attend a program, use a meeting or study room, create something in a makerspace or recording studio, or use a computer, copier, scanner, or something else they needed. Library cardholders checked out more than 4 million physical items, and we surpassed more than 2 million digital checkouts via OverDrive and Libby by the end of September 2022.
We hosted another year of successful programs that strive to improve literacy like the Winter Adult Reading Program, Summer Adventure for kids and teens, and All Pikes Peak Reads this past fall. PPLD expanded the PowerPass partnership program to include Calhan School District and Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8, providing more students with access to Library resources and services to help further their success in and out of the classroom. And we also added a few new museums and attractions to the Pikes Peak Culture Pass, meaning individuals and families can check out even more cultural experiences right here in our community and beyond.
In the spring of 2022, PPLD also announced its new vision, mission, and values. This became the starting point to develop a three-year strategic plan, which was publicly released in December and officially kicks off this month.
The plan for 2023 - 2025 was informed by staff and public input. Last summer, our team hosted multiple opportunities for Library patrons and other community members to engage with us as part of the planning process, and nearly 1,200 participated, whether online or in-person at one of our libraries. With rich qualitative data from the public and 400-plus staff, we uncovered several common themes – and those helped guide a strategic planning committee of staff, Board, and community representatives in identifying PPLD’s six areas of focus. If you want to find out more and see where, why, and how the Library District will reinvest taxpayer dollars back into the community through 2025, please visit ppld.org/strategicplan.
It's because of the community’s continued support for PPLD that we have been able to do all of this in 2022 and what we’re planning for 2023. Your investment, trust, and patronage truly are an investment into improving the Pikes Peak region for everyone.
We look forward to serving you throughout this new year – and using our new strategic plan to fulfill our mission, uphold our values, and aim to achieve our vision for this great community!
Teona Shainidze Krebs
Interim Chief Librarian & CEO
Pikes Peak Library District
Get ready for a weekend of epic sports history! PPLD and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum have teamed up to offer a discount weekend at the museum for library cardholders. Share your library card (or card number) to enjoy interactive exhibits and an immersive and accessible look into the journey of Team USA’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
When:
- Sat., Jan. 28 from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
- Sun., Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m
Present your library card at the museum for $10 admission. The PPLD Bookmobile will be on-site for library card registration and will also put on a special Storytime Saturday morning at 9 a.m.
Bookmobile on-site:
- Sat., Jan. 28 from 9 a.m. – noon
- Sun., Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. – noon
From a small reading room established 136 years ago, PPLD continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of our sprawling community. Our service area covers 2,070 square miles of El Paso County with a population of nearly 700,000 – people of all ages and backgrounds with varying views and interests.
Thanks to taxpayer funding, we can continue to provide residents with access to 16 facilities, three mobile library services, and a large online hub of resources and services, all of which are inclusive and welcoming to everyone. The Library team strives to make its physical and digital spaces safe and respectful for diverse voices, perspectives, and pursuits; to foster community dialogue and connections; and to help people achieve their goals and dreams in life.
Overview and Process
In the winter and spring of 2022, our Board of Trustees and staff revisited PPLD’s mission statement and developed a vision statement and organizational values that best reflect our public library system and growing community in El Paso County.
This became our starting point to develop our new strategic plan for 2023 - 2025. After months of input from the public through surveys and in-person meetings, PPLD staff, Library patrons, and other community members and government officials, PPLD used the rich qualitative data it received from more than 1,600 responses to develop a new strategic plan for 2023 - 2025. Below are the six areas of focus the team identified that became the foundation of the plan.
Strategic Plan: Areas of Focus
- Access
PPLD is an access point for everyone to engage with resources, services, and spaces as they choose.
Accountability
PPLD is accountable to all stakeholders through fiscal responsibility, continuous evaluation, and by sharing findings with the public.
Communications
PPLD invests in and elevates community awareness of its resources, services, and spaces.
Community Connections
PPLD builds community through relationships and partnerships to connect people to relevant resources, services, and spaces.
Physical and Virtual Spaces
PPLD provides equitable access to physical and virtual spaces in safe and inclusive environments.
Staff
PPLD values, trusts, and invests in staff.
PPLD publicly released this plan in detail on Dec. 6, 2022, so everyone could see where, why, and how PPLD will reinvest taxpayer dollars back into the community through 2025. We look forward to using our new strategic plan to fulfill our mission, uphold our values, and aim to achieve our vision for this great community.
View the complete plan here:
Free materials for this Take and Make will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Dec. 9, 2023.
Materials provided:
Spool
Washer
Rubber Band
Toothpicks
Materials you provide:
Scissors
Tape
Markers, if desired
Directions: (see additional pictures in the pdf link below)
1. Use markers to decorate the spool, if desired.
2. Push the rubber band through the center of the spool. Use a toothpick to help poke it through if needed.
3. Break a toothpick, slide it through one rubber band loop, and secure it to the spool with tape.
4. Slide the washer onto the rubber band loop at the other end of the spool.
5. Insert a toothpick through the loop.
6. Wind the toothpick.
7. Set it down on a smooth surface and let go. Watch it race or spin!
8. Experiment with how you can adjust it to make it go straighter or farther. You can also race your friends.
How does your brain understand how far away something is? This experiment shows how your eyes work together to perceive distance.
Our eyes both face the same direction. Because they do, they produce slightly different views of the same object. Our brains are able to use this overlapping information (retinal disparity) to figure out how far away an object is. (If our eyes were on the sides of our heads like some animals, we would have poor depth perception.)
Try this: Close one eye and focus on a nearby object. Switch which eye is open and focus on the object again. You should see the object shift. Try it again with a faraway object. When you use just one eye, your brain can’t use feedback from both eyes to discern depth perception.
Materials needed:
Pipe cleaners – use half for each
Clay
Scissors
Pencils
Instructions:
1. Cut your full pipe cleaner in half. Use ½ pipe cleaner for each.
2. Bend the end of a pipe cleaner so you have a circle that’s slightly bigger than a pencil. Twist it to secure.
3. Use a bit of clay to make a stand for the pipe cleaner.
4. Make 2 more pipe cleaner stands with slightly bigger circles. You should have 3 pipe cleaners on stands.
5. Test your depth perception – Place the pipe cleaner with the largest opening on a table in front of you so you cannot see the opening. Close one eye and try to put the pencil through the hole. Try it again with both eyes open. Which is easier? Try it with each sized hole and see the difference.
6. If this is too easy, try getting a needle and thread and threading the needle with one eye closed!
Based on: https://www.kiwico.com/diy/stem/anatomy-biology/seeing-depth-perception
Interested in seeing some amazing experiments from up-and-coming scientists? Visit our annual Homeschool Science Fair to browse and chat with project creators. Kids can fill out a "What I learned" and receive a prize! Come and discover something new, or be inspired for next year!
- When: Fri., Feb. 17 at 10 a.m
- Where: The Venue at Library 21c
- Registration: Open from Thu., Dec. 15 at midnight to Mon., Feb. 13 at 10 p.m.
Our annual Homeschool Science Fair is open to grades K-12! Homeschool students are invited to demonstrate a science project for other families. There are no rules or guidelines for this non-competitive event, and planning is left up to individual families.
Registration required. Students will arrive by 9:15 a.m., and the event will be open to the public from 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Need help planning your project? Download our Science Fair How-Tos Document!
Be the Hero: Empowered and Impactful
Submissions open from Dec. 1, 2022 - Wed., March 1, 2023.
The Awards Ceremony
April 29, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.
Knights of Columbus Hall
20 W. Pikes Peak Ave.
What superpower, real or imagined, would you use to change the world?
Questions to ask yourself as you write your poem:
- Can we see, smell, hear, and taste the imagery in your poem?
- Have you used rich vocabulary that tells us a story or paints a picture?
- Does your poem reflect the theme?
Six winners will receive a book and $50 each! The contest is open to all fourth and fifth graders in the Pikes Peak region.
Eligibility
Open to all fourth and fifth graders in the Pikes Peak region.
Contest Rules
The awards will be announced in April 2023.
- One entry per student. Teachers are urged to review poems and submit no more than five per class.
- Each poem must be the original work of the contestant.
- Poems will be judged on originality, including poem title and adherence to the theme.
- Submit two typed, double-spaced copies of each poem on 8 ½” x 11” paper (no handwritten submissions or illustrations will be accepted). Include ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER: name, telephone number, home address, school name and address, and teacher and principal’s names. Poems will not be returned. Please keep a copy.
- Entries must be postmarked by Wed., March 1, 2023. Submission of a poem constitutes full permission to exhibit, use, and publish the poem for any purpose – printed or electronic media – and to publish the name, school, and photograph of the student without compensation.
Entries may be mailed to:
The Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest
c/o Christa Funke
Pikes Peak Library District
P.O. Box 1579
Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1579
Or email entries, following guidelines above to: cfunke@ppld.org
Questions? Please call Christa Funke at (719)531-6333 x 6331 or email cfunke@ppld.org
Congratulations to our 2022 winners!
- Kinsley Fritzges, 5th grade, Mountain View Academy - "Bravery" - video
- Autumn Holmberg, 5th grade, The Classical Academy Central - "Wintering Wisdom" - video
- Bianca Jennings, 5th grade, James Irwin Charter Elementary - "Skin" - video
- Georgia Stricklin, 4th grade, The Classical Academy Central - "The Four Elements" - video
- Julia Tiffany, 5th grade, The Classical Academy Central - "Bravery Grows Like a Tree" - video
- Maddie Westmoreland, 5th grade, Lewis-Palmer Elementary School - An Unexpected Challenge" - video
December is packed with festive celebrations, including Hannukah, winter solstice, Christmas, Kwanza, and others. It’s a busy time for many, with decorating, meal prep, purchasing gifts, visiting family, and attending community celebrations. Pikes Peak Library District has all the programs, tools, and resources you need to make the best of the holiday season, including cookbooks and classes, DIY gifts, holiday book lists, and more!
Resources
- Cookbooks
- Holiday movies, music, and books on Hoopla
- Makerspace classes: use your new knowledge to make custom gifts
- Audio and video studio equipment for DIY memories
Websites
- December 2022 Holidays: Discover national, religious, and playful holidays you might not know happen in December!
Friends of PPLD Bookstore
Get gifts for your family while supporting your Library! The Friends sponsors and supports numerous programs and events to further the enjoyment of reading and love for books for all individuals. The Friends of PPLD are best known for their volunteerism, their bookstores in each Library (you never know what you will find in the ever-changing inventory of previously-read books and magazines) and, of course, the bi-annual Friends Book Sales.
Stop by the Friends store at the Library and find books, CDs, Movies, Magazines, and more from $.25 to $3. Or shop for specialty items online!
Do you love books, reading, and libraries? Have you considered becoming involved in your community? One easy step covers it all! Join the Friends Now!
Programs
-
Share Classes with Elayne Prechtel
Don't miss the opportunity to come together as a community for "share-worthy" recipes, tips, and more in these fun, interactive virtual classes from the kitchen presented by Elayne Prechtel, award winning author, photographer, and creator of the soul-filled mission, Sharing Life, Love, and Food.
- Hot Cocoa Bombs: an in-person demonstration on mastering the art of hot cocoa bombs. Tasty samples provided. Registration required.
- Penrose Library: Mon., Dec. 5 from 1 - 2 p.m.
-
Makerspace Holiday Open Houses
Drop by the makerspaces to create some fun holiday crafts and see what these creative spaces have to offer! All ages welcome. All materials provided.
- Ornament Making
Learn to make two cute ornaments to have on display in your home for the holidays - a ribbon candy ornament made with ribbon and bells, and a yarn bird ornament.
- Forté Handbell Quartet
Ring in the season with Forté Handbell Quartet! This talented group will perform familiar holiday classics and more.
- DIY Snow Globes
Swirling glitter-filled snow globes are a nostalgic holiday decoration you can customize with a laminated photograph, ornament, memento, or your child’s favorite superhero figurine. This 90-minute program will help you make a thoughtful gift, while keeping you on budget for the holidays. All materials provided, including some holiday-themed ornaments to put inside the snow globe. Registration required. Ages 18+.
- Holiday Card Making
Make your own holiday cards under the tutelage of local crafts guru Theresa Pingel to send to your friends and family. All materials will be provided. For beginner and intermediate crafters.
- Fifth Annual Yule Ball
Witches, wizards, and all other magical beings are invited to attend the 5th Annual Yule Ball! Get sorted into your Hogwarts House, participate in magical crafts and activities, mingle with fellow fans, and dance the afternoon away. Costumes and cosplay are encouraged. Magical beings (or non-magical) are welcome. Registration required, and space is limited. For kids, tweens, and teens.
- Family Holiday Movie Marathon
Come enjoy some holiday movies at the Library!
- Wrap & Yap Party
Get ahead on your gift wrapping at the Wrap & Yap Party! Get gift wrapping tips from the Library and from fellow participants. Enjoy hot cocoa and cider while you work.
-
Gingerbread House Decorating
Join us for a gingerbread house decorating party and create something festive and delicious! All gingerbread materials will be provided by the Library (while supplies last). Families and groups are encouraged to share gingerbread house kits. Registration required, and space is limited. For kids and tweens.
Take and Makes
Enjoy a delicious no-bake mug cake - perfect for a snack or dessert. Limit one kit per household, while supplies last.
Fill out a card to send to a loved one. Deposit your card with Library staff so they can put a stamp on it and drop it in the mail for you.
The holidays can be stressful! Take one of our self-care kits and have some Me Time. Each kit will contain a mini-journal, acupressure ring, stress relief tea bag, tissues, breathing exercises, coloring sheet, and mental health resources. Limit one kit per household, while supplies last. Kit may contain supplies not suitable for children.
- Cinnamon Roll Mug Cakes
- Holiday Cards and Stamps
- Self-Care Kits
We can't make all of these events and programs happen without you. Support your Library with a charitable gift today! Click here to make your donation. Thank you.
Tell the world about your favorite book! Prepare a creative book report at home and present it informally to other families. You can make a diorama, design a game based on the plot and characters, or make a poster for the movie version. You can create a book in a bag, make a clothes hanger mobile, or retell the story in comic book format. The possibilities are endless! Projects will be presented in a science fair-type format. For grades K-8*
Please register each student who will participate. Or drop by to browse the projects and discover your next favorite book!
When: Fri., Dec. 9 from 1 - 2 p.m.
Where: East Library
Need ideas to help you get started? Take a look at our idea file
Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) Collects to Share is once again putting out the call to collect crafted items for our community shelters. Starting in November, as part of Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week, we will be accepting donations every month for a year. If you have knitted items such as hats, scarves, socks, and blankets that you would like to donate, please bring them to the public desk at any PPLD location and let staff know that they are for PPLD Collects to Share.
Resources
- Helping Hands guide
- This guide provides a list of services available to those in El Paso County. This includes topics such as housing assistance, veteran services, shelters, food, and crisis services that are available in the community.
- National Safe Place Network
- PPLD is a part of the National Safe Place network, working with local youth shelter, The Place, to provide resources to teens in crisis. If you are a teen and need a safe place - for whatever reason - all you need to do is come in to any PPLD library and tell a staff member that you need a safe place. The staff member will take you to a quiet area and contact The Place, who will help you with the next steps. It is safe, confidential, and 100% up to you. The volunteer from The Place won't tell you what to do, but they will get you the help you want and need. Please visit the National Safe Place homepage [nationalsafeplace.org/] for more information about the program.
- National Initiative
- Helping Hands LibGuide
Take a spooky stroll in Old Colorado City and read The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams and illustrated by Megan Lloyd.
Pick up a map at Old Colorado City Library, or print one here, and stop by each location to read the book. The story will be available Oct. 1 - 31.
Old Colorado City October Strolls
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries on Oct. 14, 2022.
Supplies and Directions:
Materials we provide:
Paper Templates
Cardboard
Materials you provide:
Scissors
Penny
Glue
Markers, Crayons, or Colored Pencils
Directions:
Color your template. Glue the template to the cardboard. Cut out around your template.
Cut a small slit in the center of the circle to insert the penny. The slit needs to snugly hold the penny.
Spin. As it spins, note what you see.
The Science Behind it: Something in motion stays in motion unless a force acts upon it. In Penny Spinners, the friction between the penny and the surface slows it down and eventually causes it to stop. This project also shows color mixing as the colors combine when the spinner spins.
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Thu., Sept. 15 - Sat., Oct. 15, recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. PPLD hosts several opportunities to learn and celebrate.
Hispanic Heritage Month for Children – Criss Cross Mangosauce
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! Don’t be afraid, here comes the wolf! ~ No tengas miedo, aquí llegó el lobo! Enjoy bilingual songs and stories, practice colors, and do finger plays with Criss, Cross Mangosauce. For ages 1 – 5.
Click here to watch this program.
Hispanic Heritage Month Recipe Cards
Learn about favorite foods and make recipes from some of the cultures celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month. Available at all locations starting Wed., Sept. 14.
Booklists
Resources
- Adults:
- Freegal playlists
- Hoopla
- Kanopy films
- Colorado Experience Justicia Y Libertad (27 min., NR) 1968 was a pivotal year in American history: the Vietnam War hit its peak, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated and riots shook the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. At home in Colorado, it marked the birth of the Chicano Movement. These pivotal times brought political activist Corky Gonzalez to the forefront as an early pioneer of equal rights for Mexican Americans.
- Regional History and Genealogy
- Archival Collections
- Heidi Vazquez Guy Records (MSS 0408) The Heidi Vazquez Guy Records consist of two series: Biographical Files and VHS Tapes. Biographical information provided in each file includes: birthdate, parents names, names and number of children, education, careers, and Colorado memories. Most files also include a photograph. The VHS tapes contain oral history interviews of people in the Biographical Files conducted by Heidi Vazquez Guy.
- De Donde Eres oral histories Conducted between the years 2003 -2005, ¿De Donde Eres? was an oral history project organized by Pikes Peak Library District’s Special Collections in an effort to document and promote understanding of the region’s Hispanic community and their many contributions to Colorado Springs. The collection is comprised of 25 individual videotaped interviews which have been digitized to audio only format. A complete listing of the project interviews is available at the Special Collections reference desk and transcripts are available for a few of the oral histories.
- Young Adults:
- Families and Children:
- Enjoy some incredibly colorful costumes and dance from Ballet Folklórico México Danza to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month! The music is so energetic you might want to get up and dance with your family! Click here to view the video.
- PPLD Reading List
- Color in Colorado Children's Booklist
- PBS Children's Booklist
- Reference Books and Magazines
- Who's who among Hispanic Americans, by Gale Research Inc.
- Early Hispanic Colorado, 1678-1900, by Joseph P. Sánchez
- On the edge of purgatory: an archaeology of place in Hispanic Colorado, by Bonnie J. Clark
- Hispanics in the U.S. Civil War: a compiled list of men who fought for the Confederacy and the Union, compiled and edited by Ricardo J. Rodríguez
- Hispanic pioneers in Colorado and New Mexico, by Colorado Society of Hispanic Genealogy
- National Society of Hispanic Genealogy Newsletter, by NSHG
- Colorado Hispanic Genealogist, by Colorado Society of Hispanic Genealogy
- Colorado Hispanic Leadership Profiles: Who’s Who among Colorado’s Outstanding Leaders by Doug McNair
For more titles and information, visit Special Collections or search our catalog! Books are from the Carnegie Library - Special Collections. (Some titles are available for checkout from other library locations.)
- Websites
- HispanicHeritageMonth.gov Hosted by the Library of Congress, this site has access to curated arts exhibits and collections, audio and video collections, and resources for Hispanic Heritage Month.
- National Archives – Hispanic Heritage Month
- National Today – Hispanic Heritage Month
- History.com Provides an overview of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Take and Makes for this project, for ages 5-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries, beginning Sept. 9, 2022.
Supplies:
We provide:
Coffee Filters
Washable Markers
Leaf Template
Materials you provide:
Scissors
Cup of Water
Pencil
Directions:
(See pdf link below for additional pictures of this project.)
1. Stack your coffee filters. Use the template to trace a leaf on the top one. (If you’d prefer, just draw your own leaf.) Cut the leaves out through all the coffee filters.
2. Use a washable marker to draw a thick circle in the center of each coffee filter leaf. Do not fill in the center of the circle or color the entire leaf.
3. Fold the leaf 3 times (in half, in half again, and in half again). You should have a point in the middle of your circle.
4. Carefully dip the point of the leaf in the cup of water and hold it there until the leaf is saturated. It may need a minute or so. You will probably want a new cup of water for each leaf.
5. Let the leaves dry on a surface that can get color on it. Once they are dry, carefully unfold them.
This STEM project is a favorite from our quarantine days of virtual programming.
Supplies:
Large jar (24 oz. spaghetti sauce jar or a large mason jar)
Water - 2 1/2 cups water (or until it reaches 3/4 of the way up the jar)
Oil - 1/2 cup
Sprinkle in as much salt as necessary but you'd need about 1/4 cup total
Food coloring (optional)
Directions:
Pour water 3/4 to the top of a mason jar. Stir in optional food coloring.
Pour oil into jar. Allow water and oil to separate.
Sprinkle salt into jar. Watch the reaction occur and make observations.
Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3qhs9SW-RA
Our APPR title for grades 4-6 is The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor.
Homeschoolers: Register your homeschool group, or children for a live Zoom visit with the author, October 20 at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. at https://ppld.librarymarket.com/events/month/2022/10. We will send you the link a few days before the program. Registration begins August 15.
Schools: Please contact Barbara Andros to register at bandros@ppld.org
If you are not able to make the live session, a recording of the program will be available for 30 days. Contact bandros@ppld.org for more information.
Book description: Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard.
An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why Lieutenant Baird won’t believe the story Mason has told about that day.
Both Mason and his new friend, tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground haven for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin and, eventually, Benny.
But will anyone believe him?
Leslie Connor is the author of several award-winning books for children, including two ALA Schneider Family Book Award winners, Waiting for Normal and The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, which was also selected as a National Book Award finalist. Her other books include All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, Crunch, and The Things You Kiss Goodbye. She lives in the Connecticut woods with her family and three rescue dogs. You can visit her online at www.leslieconnor.com.
Sponsored by The Friends of the Pikes Peak Library District
Shark Week begins July 24. Here's a preview into our cool shark game Take and Make, for ages 5-12, which will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning July 8, 2022.
Supplies and Directions:
Materials provided in Take and Make:
- Paper Tube
- Blue paper
- Googly Eye Stickers
- Yarn
- Bead
Materials you provide:
- Scissors
- Tape
- Markers
- Tape blue construction paper around the paper roll.
- Create and tape a triangular fin to the top.
- Decorate the roll at one end to look like a shark with its mouth open. Use the sticker eyes if desired.
- Push one end of the yarn through the bead and tie a double knot. You may need to use a pencil to push the yarn through.
- Tie a double knot around the paper roll. Leave approximately 6-8 inches for the ball to swing on. Cut off any excess yarn.
- Gently swing the ball and see if you can catch it in the shark’s mouth! Gentle swings are the key!
Supplies:
Clean, clear jar with lid
Thin glow stick
Scissors
Table covering or tray
Glitter (optional)
Directions:
With a grown-up's help, cut the tip off the glow stick.
Place the open end of the glow stick in the jar and shake it back and forth so that it splatters. Turn the jar as you splatter.
Add a small pinch of glitter, sprinkling onto the sides of the jar where the splatters are.
Cover with lid and take into a very dark room.
Fireflies are not flies but beetles and do exist in Colorado! They hang out by permanent water sources like ponds, lakes, and streams. Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/LRNWJVQRFYw
Take and Makes for this project, for ages 5-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning this Friday, June 10, 2022.
Supplies and Directions:
Materials We Provide:
File Folder
Origami Paper
Rubber Band
Materials You Provide:
Stapler
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Directions: (for additional pictures, see pdf link below:
1. Draw a rectangle along the fold of your file folder that’s approximately 4.5 x 7 inches. The folded edge should be part of your rectangle. Cut it out, but don’t cut the folded edge. When you open your rectangle, it should be about 9 inches x 7 inches.
2. Fold one side down to the folded edge. Turn the folder over and do the same to the other side.
3. Fold each side back up to the top. Crease well.
4. Open the folder up along the original fold. Staple the rubber band to one end near that center fold.
5. Use the origami paper to fold a classic dart airplane.
6. Stretch the rubber band around the front of the launcher and around to the back. Hook it to the back near the top.
7. Slide the airplane into the center slot of the file folder launcher. It should rest all the way back against the rubber band.
8. Pull the sides of the launcher apart. The rubber band should propel the airplane forward!
To expand this project, experiment with different weights of paper for your airplane, different rubber band thicknesses, and different launcher lengths. You could also change the trajectory to see how the distance traveled changes.
Based on: https://frugalfun4boys.com/file-folder-paper-airplane-launcher
Take and Makes for this project (from May 13, 2022) may still be available at area PPLD Libraries!
Supplies and Directions:
Materials we provide:
- Paper plate
- Contact paper
- Yarn
Materials you provide:
- Natural materials
- Scissors
Directions:
- Go outside and pick up a variety of natural materials.
- Cut out the center circle of your plate.
- Peel the backing off your contact paper.
- Place your contact paper sticky side up on your surface.
- Place the outside plate circle over the contact paper.
- Arrange your natural materials on the sticky side of your contact paper.
- Use the yarn to hang your suncatcher.
Based on https://handsonaswegrow.com/craft-for-toddlers-nature-collage-suncatche…
Can your water balloons survive a big drop? Find out with this experiment.
Supplies and Directions:
- One balloon
- Water
- One plastic shopping bag
- One rubber band
Directions:
- Add water to your balloon, don't fill the balloon, leave lots of room to tie the balloon closed.
- Cut the ends of the handles of the bags. Tie or rubber band them to the knotted end of a water balloon
- Go outside and drop it from a high place to see if it breaks when it lands.
- Test and retest until your balloon breaks.
- Try it again with another balloon.
- See what else you can attach to your parachute and let drop.
Happy Earth Month!
Does your family recycle? There are tons of companies in town that recycle. Maybe you could encourage your family to join in this simple process but yes, it's does cost something. Try cleaning and saving some plastics with caps and cardboard and other stuff. Make a Trash Art creation!
Did you know you can't just recycle anything? According to one recycle business in town, here's what you can/cannot recycle:
Do Recycle:
CLEAN glass jars and metal lids (but not all companies accept glass)
CLEAN plastic bottles and containers. Look for the recycle symbol with a #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
Flattened cardboard cereal and other dry food boxes, shoe boxes, tissue boxes, moving boxes, soda cartons, TP/paper rolls
CLEAN aluminum, steel, or tin cans and lids
Newspaper, scrap paper, paper bags, index cards, envelopes
Do NOT recycle:
Styrofoam
dirty cardboard like pizza boxes
electronic devices and monitors
yard waste
shredded paper
plastic bags
plastic caps unless there is a recycle symbol on it
food
dishes
paint cans
motor oil containers