What's New!

A newly-forged partnership with Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) will enhance Calhan School District (Calhan) students’ access to needed digital resources.

Starting Wed, Jan. 12, every student in the Calhan School District will have a PowerPass, a digital PPLD card just for students. Calhan is the fourth school district in El Paso County to provide this access to each of their students, joining Colorado Springs School District 11, Harrison School District 2, and Academy School District 20.

PowerPass grants access to PPLD’s digital resources, like databases, eBooks, and song and movie downloads, all available at ppld.org. Each PowerPass holder can also check out five physical items at a time from any of the 15 PPLD locations or mobile library services.

“PowerPass will provide Calhan students with unprecedented access to information, literature, art, and educational support, as well as an enhanced ability to explore and prepare for the future they envision for themselves,” said David Slothower, Calhan School District Superintendent.

Students can also use PowerPass for online access to live tutors and foreign language courses, to get help with homework and projects, and to access audiobooks and digital education resources. High school and middle school students can also prepare for their future with practice driving and SAT tests.

“Pikes Peak Library District is excited to add Calhan School District to PowerPass,” said Joanna Nelson Rendon, PPLD’s Director of Young Adult Services. “This is the first partnership with one of the more rural school districts beyond the city of Colorado Springs and is giving us [PPLD] the opportunity to expand PowerPass and serve even more students throughout El Paso County.”

Learn more about PowerPass here.

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries starting Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. Watch this project (a favorite from last winter) at: https://youtu.be/1spsamOSMtg?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu/

Supplies:

• Plastic cups in 2 sizes
• Pipe cleaners
• Pompoms and other doodads or baubles or other items of your choice
• Battery operated tea light candle
• Tape
• Water
• Freezer
• Paper towel
• Additional baubles or doodads
• Weights, like rocks

Directions:

This is an engineering challenge! For more step-by-step pictures of project, open pdf link below.

1. Twist your pipe cleaners up the inside of the larger cup.
2. Slide the smaller cup inside with the pipe cleaners in between the large and small cups.
3. Carefully push pompoms and/or other baubles or doodads between the 2 cups also.
4. With the tops of the cups even, crisscross two pieces of tape across the top of the cups.
5. Placing cups on a paper towel, gently fill the larger cup with water until it’s about 1 inch from the top. You do not want water to go into the smaller cup. You may need to add something to weigh down the smaller cup.
6. Place in the freezer until it’s frozen solid. This could take about 5 hours.
7. Observe your creation! You may notice that the smaller cup is higher as is the water/ice level. This is a great illustration of how water expands as it changes states from a liquid to a solid.
8. Remove from freezer and let sit about 10 mins., carefully remove the smaller cup (and tape). Then remove the larger cup. You may need to cut the cups off.
9. Turn on the battery operated candle and place it in the center of your lantern. Put your lantern outside to admire!

Based on https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/activities/engineering-ice-lantern-s…

Create a catapult using things from around the house. This project is only limited by your imagination and the things you find around the house!
Supplies:

• Cylindrical object (sturdy cardboard tube, soup or other can, sturdy plastic bottle, rolling pin)
• Stretchy hair elastic or rubber band
• Spoon (wooden, metal, or combination)
• Something to propel (ball, marshmallow, pompom, wad of paper, etc.)

Directions:

1. Wrap the hair elastic or rubber band around your cylindrical object twice.
2. Slide your spoon under the elastic where it meets in an X. It should be perpendicular to the cylindrical object.
3. Load a projectile in the bowl of the spoon. Apply force to the opposite end of the spoon and watch it fly.
4. Experiment with a variety of objects. What combination propels your object the farthest?