The following article was written by Betty Schwede, a Youth Services Librarian at the Manitowoc Public Library.
You may or may not know that Manitowoc Public Library has a variety of things to check out besides books. We have Wi-Fi hot spots, electrical usage meters and cake pans, games, toys and Launchpad tablets. Now, thanks to a grant from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, we also have Science Kits. Borrow a kit and learn more about Bird Watching, the Human Body, Micro-Science, Space, and Weather—with the books and supplies for each subject contained within the respective kit.
Exploration and discovery can be difficult without certain equipment and supplies. How can you measure the barometric pressure without a barometer or hear a heartbeat without a stethoscope? The items collected for each kit are a jumping-off point for individual investigation and learning. Children are born curious, but curiosity decreases as they grow older if they aren’t encouraged to keep asking questions and exploring natural phenomena. These new Science Kits are not a comprehensive tool kit, but a source for curiosity geared for ages 7 and up.
Students have meaningful learning opportunities through science at school, but science exploration at home enhances overall learning. In a study conducted by EDC/SRI and funded by the Ready To Learn Initiative, “When parents support their children’s science exploration, they are helping children develop language, literacy, and critical thinking skills necessary for them to become adults who can reason logically and problem-solve creatively.”
Betty Schwede
Science is simply the observation of the physical and natural world, which leads to experimenting and testing theories. The most powerful thing a parent can do is to pay attention to their child’s questions and interests, then join them in investigating and learning more. “If a child is to keep their inborn sense of wonder, they need the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with them the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in,” Rachel Carson wrote that in 1956. The resources in the science kits at Manitowoc Public Library support learning at home and encourage families to explore science together.
To round out these wonderful additions to our Library Collection, we will be having additional programming connected to some of the topics. Staff from Woodland Dunes will be winging their way to MPL on Monday, September 25, at 6:30 PM to share some knowledge with families about bird watching.
Birding is an affordable family activity that gets the entire family outdoors. It can give children space to explore and feel connected to the natural world. If you’re a parent or caretaker, that means you don’t need to worry about your own knowledge of birds or plants. All you need to be is a companion to your child’s curiosity. What fun!
Jordan Lamers from WFRV-TV/Channel 5 News will be coming to the Library on Thursday, October 5, at 4 PM to tell us about meteorology and how best to use some of the equipment in our Weather Kit to study what’s taking place around us. Weather can be fascinating to children (as well as to adults). It changes frequently, affects our daily lives, and is easy to observe. Finding out more about what affects the weather and how the climate works is an excellent educational experience.
The Space Kit can be a great resource when there are astrological events, like the solar eclipse that can be observed from Wisconsin on October 14 this year. You can’t use the telescope in the kit to look at the sun, but the library was able to get solar eclipse viewing glasses to hand out to the public. We will be putting them in Grab & Go bags with other supplies available October 8 to October 14 in the Youth Services Department while supplies last. Be sure to keep an eye out for more information on an eclipse program connected with the total solar eclipse that’s heading our way next year on April 8, 2024.
Manitowoc Public Library strives to support the community’s educational and recreational needs. These new Science Kits and upcoming programming are just another way we can help you with those objectives.
