All posts by Angie

School Media Specialist, Tech

AASL Recommended App: STEM: Swift Playgrounds by Apple

This summer, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their Best Apps for Teaching and Learning 2017. The apps encourage qualities such as creativity and collaboration, and encourage discovery and curiosity. 

 

Swift Playgrounds by Apple is an app for iPads that makes “learning Swift interactive and fun.” Apple created the programming language Swift, and this app helps students master the basics, no coding experience required! The app also includes challenges that encourage students try more advanced creations.

You could incorporate this app into your classroom or media center by using it during the Hour of Code, Genius Hour, or in your makerspace.

CNET has a review of Swift Playground you can read here, and it sounds like the app can be fun for all ages! And this article from The Verge shares that kids can use their own coding from Swift Playground to “control any number of real-world toys and machines,” including robots and drones! Sounds like fun!

Level: Elementary +
Platform: iOS
Cost: FREE

Learn more and watch how the app works in this video:

CMLE, Communication

Join us next Monday at CMLE HQ for snacks and celebration!

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We hope you have your calendars marked to celebrate with us next Monday, August 21st at CMLE HQ!

We are having a Back-To-School and Solar Eclipse Celebration! Stop by between 11am – 2pm for snacks, a raffle, viewing of the solar eclipse (unfortunately we will not have viewing glasses available, but we will have an alternative: pinhole projection!) and of course, fun library discussion! Come chat with us about your plans for the upcoming school year, and discuss any issues or great ideas that you may have.

Just to give you an idea of what to expect: we will have Sun Chips, Sun Maid raisins, Moon Pies, Starbursts, and cheese (because the moon is made of cheese, of course!) for our snacks, as well as some healthier options, and beverages.

We will be raffling off some neat library and book prizes, and will even have a solar system themed playlist going! (Suggestions are welcome!)

If you can’t make it between 11am – 2pm, feel free to stop by throughout the day. We will be happy to see you and we did purchase extra snacks!

Monday, August 21st
Between 11am – 2pm 
CMLE Headquarters
570 1st St. SE
St. Cloud, MN 56304

 

CMLE, Communication

Linking Our Libraries Podcast: Episode 202 Instructional Design

Welcome to the second episode of Season Two of CMLE’s podcast: Linking Our Libraries!

This week our topic is Instructional Design.

A big part of the work you do in any library is to provide instruction in all kinds of things to our patrons. It shows us that no matter how broad and wonderfully diverse our profession is (we are! It’s what makes us special!), most of what we do is really similar.

No matter what kind of library, or archive, or museum, or history center you might work in – our fundamental mission is to serve our community. And one of the main ways we serve people is to instruct them in all kinds of stuff. The specifics of what the content of instruction will be in your library will depend on your materials and your community needs. But the basics of instruction are the same across all of us!

Listen to this week’s episode here, or check out our page where we have all of the resources we discuss during the episode.

Happy listening! 🙂

General

Happy National Relaxation Day!

Perhaps it’s just another day at the office (or library) for you, or maybe you are enjoying a day of summer vacation before school starts again! Either way, find some time to relax today to celebrate National Relaxation Day!

We had some ideas at CMLE HQ to share:

And because we don’t want you to miss any other exciting holidays:

Sunday, August 13th was a special day for two good reasons: National Left Hander’s Day AND National Prosecco Day!
As a left handed person, I enjoyed learning these little known facts about handedness. And this article had some fun (and delicious) suggestions for celebrating Prosecco Day, which could easily be used as one of your relaxing activities today! 🙂

CMLE

Tomorrow, August 16th: CMLE Office Hours!

At CMLE HQ we are always happy to talk with our members about anything library related! Tomorrow is Wednesday August 16th and we will be having Office Hours from 11am – 1pm. 

If you are working on a project, doing some planning, or have any library questions or issues, feel free to stop by and chat with Mary and Angie. We will have a canine guest in the office too, should you have need of a therapy dog! 🙂

Location:
CMLE Headquarters
570 1st Street SE 
St. Cloud, MN 56307