Link to January 22 Daily Herald report, "Mount Prospect library making science fun".
Excerpt: The Mount Prospect Public Library was just awarded an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-Chicago Fund grant to help elementary school students discover how cool science can be and encourage a lifelong passion for science that might inspire kids to pursue a career in engineering.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology and the award will allow the library to purchase a circulating collection of "Science-to-Go" kits for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. The kits' main themes will cover a variety of basic engineering topics, including electricity, renewable energy, structures, and straw rockets.
"The goal is to make the science experience more hands on and fun for kids," noted Keary Bramwell, the Youth Collection specialist librarian, who spearheaded the proposal. "These kits are a great way to connect the information available in books and DVDs with the actual equipment to see science in action - creating the aha' moment."
Congratulations to the Mount Prospect Public Library on getting the grant! These kinds hands on materials should also be in the classroom, but budgets are tight and many students have to go without. Educators that are interested in ways to raise money to purchase more hands on instructional materials and other supplies should look into Adopt-A-Classroom. It's a nonprofit organization that's helped raise over $11 million on behalf of teachers since 1998. Any teacher can go to www.AdoptAClassroom.org and register.
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