Connections ESC Region 11 Fall Library Conference 2024

Coding can be an adventure!  Come discover the Kai bot for children K-4 and the Kai's Clan for students 4-12 and see all the ways they can be incorporated into your curriculum.  The Kai bot is a hybrid robot that can be used stand alone or screen free.  It is also a part of the Swift playground from Apple with LOTS of fun quests.  The Kai's Clan is a step up in coding and also has over 35 sensors that can be added to the robot to enhance the lesson.  

Come see various approaches to integrating social and emotional learning into the library through initiatives, programs, stations and resources. You will see how to integrate free-play stations in the library, such as a "home center." Learn about FREE guests that will come to your campus. Most of the information is geared towards elementary librarians but ideas for secondary librarians are included as well. This session will show ways to develop your library into becoming "The Heart of the School."

Link to session

Learn to code, one brick at a time! Join us for an interactive session with the LEGO® Education SPIKE Essential and SPIKE Prime kits!  Through the SPIKE solution, students build with LEGO bricks and code the models with block-based coding or text-based coding.  In these lessons, they work collaboratively and solve problems creatively.  We will be hands-on with the SPIKE kits, and everyone will leave with a personal baggie of bricks!

Are you looking for fresh, innovative maker ideas for your youngest students? This session is packed with engaging and creative story-supported maker activities designed to spark curiosity and foster a love of literacy in early childhood classes! Discover a wealth of hands-on projects that will excite your students and encourage them to explore, create, experiment, collaborate, and problem-solve. These maker activities, rooted in storytelling, provide meaningful learning experiences that connect books with the joy of making. Join us to gather practical ideas and resources to empower your youngest innovators, building a foundation of literacy and learning that will grow with them throughout their school years!

Connect purposeful play with the Kindergarten TEKS and the Texas PreK Guidelines!  The LEGO® Education Early Learning solutions stimulate a child’s natural curiosity and encourage learning through play. Participants will get hands-on with our early learning sets, including STEAM Park and Coding Express for STEM, StoryTales for ELA, and My XL World for Social Studies. We will discuss using these in your Makerspace. Be prepared to have fun as we learn together! Everyone leaves with a personal baggie of LEGO® bricks!

Take STEM learning to new heights with LEGO® Education and the Build to Launch content series. Participants will explore how Build to Launch, which was developed in partnership with NASA, engages students in the Texas Science TEKS and STEM Skills while exploring the technology, STEM concepts and careers behind the Artemis I mission to the Moon. Join us to learn how the SPIKE solution can support students in developing their own career pathways.
 

Looking for fresh and exciting ways to engage your learners and breathe new life into your library’s STEM learning or maker space? This session has you covered! Discover quick, hands-on activities designed to ignite creativity and enhance student engagement, all without the need for coding skills. From light-up name tags to solar-powered vibrating bugs and simple grabbers, these easy-to-implement projects offer students endless opportunities to race, scribble, grab, and explore. Using versatile, affordable materials, you’ll learn how to inspire curiosity and innovation through playful, hands-on learning. Walk away with a toolkit of fun, adaptable activities that will transform your space into a hub of excitement and creativity!