Library and Fab Lab Curriculum Overview

Our school’s library performs many roles in our community. Its repertoire ranges from the more traditional acts, as a place where a pursuit of knowledge, and literacy skills/interests are supported, to  more trailblazing goals such as serving as a hub for ideation, creation and invention. Most importantly, we strive for the library to be a safe and welcoming place for all our students. 

Traditionally, the mission of school libraries is to teach students research skills and to provide students with access to independent reading materials.  Those goals have not changed. At 276, students have access to a well-rounded and continuously updated collection of literature and nonfiction texts for young people including physical book collection as well as extensive ebook and audiobook catalog through Sora’s platform.  Students learn how libraries are organized so that they can independently find books that engage them, and they learn how to locate print and digital information for research.  Our library has access to numerous databases through the New York Public Library and through New York State. Students are taught how to use these databases and how to determine validity of resources they find.  Links to the databases are available through our library website. 

Library Programs:

• Book Lending - Students can borrow books from our diverse book collections (at school and on Sora) that honor different perspectives, interests, reading levels, and needs. Books at the library can be browsed and checked out during class visits, and during open access offered at recess, and on selected days after dismissal.

• Class Visits and Class Support - Beside checking out books and reading, students will be exposed to the following activities and skills:

  • K-Second Grades.  Introduction to the library and library rules; curriculum aligned with IFC (Information Fluency Continuum; see below) standards, example: connecting ideas from read-aloud to own interests; learning where to locate books relating to nonfiction topics and own interests; participating in discussions based on a shared text; listening to stories that offer diverse perspectives, and cultural experiences; recognizing that fiction and picture books are organized by author’s last name in A-B-C order.

  • Third Grade. Introduction to online library catalog; curriculum aligned with IFC standards, example: students are supported in choosing just-right books and challenging texts; students learn basic citing skills.

  • Fourth Grade. Introduction to online databases and basic research skills (ex. Search keywords, note-taking), and improving citing skills. Curriculum aligned with IFC standards.

  • Fifth Grade and Middle School (support provided through classroom-library collaboration).  Library provides as needed books and other resources for study units as well as digital tools and databases training for staff/students.

• Author and Expert Visits - Students are exposed to professionals from many fields. These visits often align with curriculum or further develop children’s understanding of the real world around us, and ourselves.

• Teacher support - The librarian works closely with teachers across the school to provide them with extra books, and resources for their units, as well as information about professional development opportunities.

Fab Lab

We work diligently to create a 21st century learning environment.  In Fab Lab, students are able to exercise their skills as competent, capable, caring and curious community members. Our school’s mission  focuses on preparing lifelong learners to engage in the work of creating a new paradigm for an increasingly inclusive and sustainable world. This goal deeply resonates throughout the Fab Lab curriculum. Here, learning focuses on the needs of communities, small and large, by following the Design Thinking Process in all the projects. Through the process, learners develop intrinsic strengths such as confidence in dealing with complexity and open-ended problems, attention to details, persistence in working with difficult problems, tolerance for ambiguity, independence of thought and decision making, and ability to work and communicate with others to achieve a common goal or solution. Students acquire and apply academic skills while collaborating on creating real-life solutions.

Fab Lab Curriculum

The following are examples of some of the work students engage in Fab Lab:

•  Fourth Grade. The first unit introduces the students to ShopBot, a CNC tool. Learners incorporate social studies themes, and their newly acquired mathematical skills about angles while developing a basic understanding of a CAD software that they will deepen in fifth grade. Next, they explore various materials, tools, and technologies in makerspace stations that culminates in projects presented at the annual BPC School Maker Faire.

• Fifth Grade. Students participate in Fab Lab on a bi-weekly basis as part of their math curriculum. Some of the projects students participate in are:

  • Glockenspiel unit: While making this instrument from scratch, students learn about science of sound, music principles, and engage with lots of advanced math.

  • Building Challenge: Students design buildings in TinkerCad while adhering to specific volume and area requirements. Beside deepening geometrical skills, our makers develop better understanding of CAD-based applications.

  • 12x12 Challenge: This unit focuses on the Design Thinking Process while focusing our students’ attention on the needs of our school’s community. The final products are made primarily from wood with the help of CAD application, and our ShopBot (cnc mill tool).

• Seventh Grade. This is the first year seventh grade students have Fab Lab. The curriculum follows the current theme for all the grades, “From Flat to 3D.” Students investigate ways of manipulating flat materials to create 3D objects with the attention to complexity, creativity, usefulness, and quality. We begin the year with a unit on cardboard, and learn how we can use its properties and physics to make flexible, stiff, strong, and gentle objects.

• Eighth Grade Elective. In Fab Lab Elective, we build on the skills and knowledge students acquired in previous years of the program. We continue taking advantage of ShopBot and 3D printers, and challenge students to make more complex objects with attention paid to their aesthetic qualities and overall craftsmanship. We are also very fortunate to collaborate with Boyce Technologies on a project that focuses on our school community’s needs. Students have the opportunity to work with designers and engineers, and help with the physical production of their ideas. 

Standards Covered by the Library and Fab Lab Programs 

Our programs are grounded in the NYC School Library Standards (IFC) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards.  Both sets of these standards are based on fostering inquiry, knowledge seeking and creating, design thinking, and social responsibility. 

Empire State Information Fluency Continuum Framework (NYC School Library Standards)

1. “I am a thinker.” Using inquiry to build understanding and create new knowledge. An independent learner asks authentic questions and accesses, evaluates, and uses information effectively to develop new understandings. 

2. “I am an explorer.” Pursuing personal and aesthetic growth. An independent learner responds to and creates literary and artistic expressions, uses effective strategies for personal exploration of ideas, and reads on his or her own by choice. 

3. “I am a citizen.” Demonstrating social responsibility. An independent learner contributes to the learning community by seeking multiple perspectives, sharing his or her understandings with others, and using information and resources ethically. 

ISTE Standards for Students

Designed to empower student voice and ensure that learning is a student-driven process

1. Empowered Learner.  Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.

2. Knowledge Constructor. Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.

3. Innovative Designer. Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.

4. Computational Thinker. Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.

5. Creative Communicator. Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

And, Other Programs ...

Our library offers many additional enriching activities.  Many of them exist thanks to a dedicated team of volunteers. During recess, students participate in clubs, scavenger hunts, and reading challenges. They read books, play board games, and tinker in makerspace. There are over 10,000 student visits to the library during recess each year.

Here is a list of some of the additional activities and programs available at the library: 

• Recess Clubs - In a typical school year, students can choose from a variety of clubs that engage and stretch their thinking, inspire them, develop new skills, and provide an opportunity to show mastery. 

  • Makerspace - It is an opportunity to create, learn new skills, express ideas in a new way, and invent. 

  • Knitting - As makerspace, it is time for creating, learning new skills, expressing oneself in a new way, and even inventing. It also builds students’ stamina, resilience, and perseverance. 

  • Sewing - Students participate in highly engaging sewing projects that teach them essential sewing skills and beyond. Students start with hand sewing techniques, and can move on to machine sewing as they persevere. 

  • Minecraft -  Through playing this popular game, students learn initial coding strategies. Additionally, students practice working collaboratively, researching, planning, and executing their designs in the allotted time frame.

  • Book Clubs - Nurture love for a good story; provide an opportunity to read a diverse selection of literature. 

  • Student led clubs - Students have an opportunity to submit a proposal for a club to a librarian, and upon approval they are responsible for leading it, preparing all its materials and activities. This option encourages students’ independence, leadership, responsibility, and entrepreneurship. 

  • Other activities - During recess, students may read, work on their homework, draw, put together a puzzle, play board games, and more. They can socialize with friends or help out in the library as a library assistant or an adopt-a-shelf helper (students learn many library skills).

• Annual Art & Writing Show (each participating student or staff member creates a piece of art or writing based on the year’s social justice theme, and have it included in an exhibit taking place at the library); 

• Book Fairs (proceeds support our school and the library while students increase their excitement over reading, expand their personal libraries and their reading menu); 

• Maker Faire is part of our STEAM festival and showcases our students’ work/projects created during lunch clubs (Knitting, Sewing, Minecraft, recess Makerspace, and possibly student-led clubs) and in the FabLab (4th, 5th, 7th and 8th grade). It is also a student-led fundraising for the materials needed to continue these initiatives. Due to the covid, the maker faire might be cancelled or held virtually.

FAQs

• How are children chosen for clubs?
  Students apply for clubs, and typically they are chosen on a first come first serve basis with priority for students who have not participated in the club before. If there are more students interested than there are spots, children might be put on a wait list. Minecraft groups are chosen based on a students’ applications.

• When can children check books out?
  K-4 grade students can check books out during their class visits to the library. Additionally, 2-8 grade students can check books out during recess (they need a library pass for recess time). Finally, students from the upper school can visit the library after dismissal on the designated weekdays (unless they attend an after-school program). Library’s schedule can be accessed at the library’s website at any time.

• What if my child loses a library book?
  As stated in the library contract, the family has an option to pay a fee equivalent to the book’s cost or purchase a new hardcover copy of the book. The payment can be sent in an envelope addressed to the librarian (Basia), and placed in her mailbox in the main office or sent with the student, and handed to the class teacher. The payment is optional but the family should inform the librarian that the book was lost so it could be marked as such in the library system.

• How can I help?
  There are many ways families can get involved in the library and Fab Lab. If you would like to volunteer at the library or share your expertise with students, please email Basia at btov@schools.nyc.gov. If you would like to help with purchasing materials for the library and Fab Lab programming, please visit the Amazon Wishlist. All your involvement is greatly appreciated. Many of the programs offered in the library would not be possible without your support.

• Does the library accept book donations?
  At this time, the library is unable to accept book donations. With around 13,000 books, the librarian purchases only the books that fill in the gaps in our collection to ensure it satisfies student needs and interests, and exposes them to topics and perspectives they might not otherwise encounter easily. If you would like to purchase books for the library, please, visit its Amazon Wishlist.

• How can I find out more about the library?
  Start at the library website where you can find the schedule and calendar, search our book collection, access library related documents, and much more. Next, you can follow the library on Twitter (@bpcschool_lib) or Instagram (@bpcschool-lib - it has photos from events and might feature students, hence it’s a private account that can be followed only by PS/IS 276 families and staff - when you request an access, you will be asked to verify your connection to the school). Finally, you can always reach your librarian, Basia, at btov@schools.nyc.gov.

Resources

• Make sure your learner has Sora app installed on the device they use for reading. It offers a curated collection of thousands of diverse titles.

• Battery Park branch of the New York Public Library offers an array of programs for children and their grownups. 

• Information on how to support your school’s library program can be found at the American Association of School Librarians website/  For more information on how school libraries support student learning, take a look at this simple one-pager.  

• This very interesting article provides reasoning behind the shift towards creating maker spaces in libraries.