Fun Library Things Happening Lately

The new renovated library, now in it's second year, continues to be a destination for teachers and classes.  Sometimes they're doing research-related projects; sometimes they're just enjoying the new space and having fun.  Some highlights from the first quarter of the year include...

The freshmen seminar classes, which run during study halls for the first two weeks of the school year, are held in the Carlson Commons which connects the library upstairs to the science wing downstairs.  This year, each section conducted egg drops, using teamwork to build the best contraption that would keep an egg from breaking when it was dropped from the catwalk:

New 9th graders test the parachute method of egg protection.

A 9th grade team celebrates after its egg survives the drop.

The whiteboard paint on the walls of the quiet study rooms continue to be popular, with students using them more and more for homework rather than doodling, covering the walls with math equations or lines of the various languages they study:

Mandarin characters cover the study room walls as students work through a Chinese language assignment.

The Oscar Mayer Weinermobile was seen in the neighborhood and Lizz and I were lucky enough to be there when it passed by the school:

Lizz takes a picture of me taking a picture of the Weinermobile.

The Weinermobile in all its glory.

The Ancient Worlds class is one of our best customers, using the Commons for a Greco-Roman debate simulation and demonstrating ancient warfare techniques with yardsticks for swords in the library hallway:

Just like the ancient Greeks, students take turns debating important issues.

Mr. Cady directs a phalanx of Spartan warriors.

Charge!  

The World Cultures/ World History classes are also in the library almost every week--sometimes every day.  A recent assessment included points for creativity displayed during an Olympic Parade of Nations that started in the library, circled through the school hallways, and ended in the Danielson Room:

World History teacher Ms. Calderone acts as host nation and leads the procession through the Carlson Commons.

Cheering students representing their proud countries return to the library.

The Greek constituents bring up the rear, bearing Lizz's library-made paper torch.

Our current book display is a very topical exploration of ebola and other plagues and diseases:

And today, we have Karina Leppik, Blake graduate of the class of 1993 and current SOFIA mission director at NASA, speaking to the school today.  So of course we put up a quick space books display, and had Sean pose with it since it's also his birthday and Lizz got him a space hoodie as a gift:

Space hoodie, space books.

  

We're looking forward to many more fun times in the library as the year goes on.