One of my roles as the library/media specialist is to help out in our SmallLab. SmallLab is an embodied learning environment where students are up out of their seats, moving as they learn. Students take turns using wands to move "cards" into their proper places. There are many different scenarios, or as the students call them, "games" for this learning space. This particular scenario that I created for Kindergarten had them moving their sight words to make sentences. Students had to work with a partner to move words down to form two different sentences. They love learning in this space. It is a nontraditional learning space and the students are filled with excitement when we visit this space to learn!

Kindergarten did Elf on the shelf STEM this month! Using PlayDoh and wooden popsicle sticks, they had to design a shelf for their elf to sit on. The goal was to see who could create the highest shelf for their elf. Although they didn't turn out very high, most came up with a design that worked for their elves. Good job kindergarten!

With Thanksgiving next week, we read, A Turkey for Thanksgiving, by Eve Bunting, which is about a turkey who tries to hide out because he thinks he is being hunted for Thanksgiving dinner, but finds out he is really being invited as a guest to Thanksgiving dinner. After reading , the students had to design and create a turkey hideout. They drew out their plans and their designs before creating their hideouts. Using cubes, they had to create a hideout that would hide their turkeys from being found. A second Thanksgiving STEM activity that they did was building a Thanksgiving table out of sticks and dominoes that would hold all the Thanksgiving food without overlapping. After several tries and some teacher help, they were able to figure it out! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!