The Hamilton-Wenham Library has won an important grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
The $7,500 grant entitled Science is Everywhere – It’s Hands-On at
Your Library! will help the library
offer Science-Technology-Engineering-Math (STEM) programs for children and teens who are in grades 3-8. Local teachers, Jeffrey Walsh and
Bryan Sheckells, will be offering a wide variety of programs at the library
including CAD workshops (utilizing the library’s 3-D printer), bicycle mechanics, rockets, and electronics.The federal funds will also be
used to purchase new science books and DVDs for the library’s collection.
December 2014
December 1 through December 13: A two week grant kickoff for Science Is Everywhere - It's Hands-On At Your Library! During these two weeks you will be able to sign-up for the Winter and Spring STEM programs; pick up a program brochure; check out our newly purchased STEM-related videos and books; play a quiz game to win a prize; see displays of STEM creations distributed around the library.
January 2015
Wednesday, January 7, 3:30 to 5:00 PM - Electronics with Jeffrey Walsh - for grades 5 to 8. An introduction to electronics. Using Tronix Lab kits, you will have a hands-on opportunity to learn about resistors, LEDs, simple wiring, switches, and more.
February 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM - Rhode Island Computer Museum's Robots on the Run Workshop - for grades 4 to 8. Learn about the interactive “Arduino” software and create your own sample “Robot.” This workshop will explain basic circuits and will include instruction on how to build a simple robot. You will learn programmable electronics, on how to make lights blink, motors run, sounds and a lot more.
Wednesday, February 18, 2:00 to 3:00 PM - Making Roller Coasters with Bryan Sheckells - for grades 3 to 5. What goes up, must come down...the other side of the roller coaster. Come explore potential and kinetic energy along with the design process as we design and build our own roller coasters
March 2015
Wednesday, March 4, 3:30 to 5:00 PM - CAD 1 with Jeffrey Walsh - for grades 5 to 8. What is 3-D design,why it's important, and how is it used in our everyday life.This is an introductory workshop to the world of three-dimensional design using a free design program (either Google Sketch-Up or Tinkercad. Learn how to use a design program to build your first 3-D object. Participants must bring their own laptop for this workshop with either Tinkercad or Google Sketch-Up already downloaded.
Wednesday, March 11, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Robots Are People, Too - for teens & adults. Recently, technologies like self-driving cars, drones, and artificial intelligence have appeared frequently in the news and reports about the future of jobs. Boston attorney John Frank Weaver, contributing writer for Slate, and author of Robots are People, Too, will discuss some of the legal challenges these developments introduce and propose changes to our laws and public policies to address them.
Pi Day! Saturday, March 14, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM - Rhode Island Computer Museum's Sonic Pi Synthesizer Workshop - for grades 4 to 9. Interested in building a synthesizer & unmasking the mystery of making computer music? Sonic Pi is a programming environment that allows you to make sound with the Raspberry Pi, a tiny credit-card-sized computer, developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It runs a variant of Debian Linux known as Raspian, and it uses Python and Scratch as entry-level programming environments. The Raspberry Pi computer is a miniature ARM (phone)-based PC which can do many things a desktop PC can do like word processing, games, playing back high-definition video and making MIDI music.
Wednesday, March 18, 3:30 to 5:00 PM - CAD 2 with Jeffrey Walsh - for grades 5 to 8. A more advanced 3-D design workshop. In this workshop you will combine what was learned in CAD 1 with new features to create more advanced parts, which could be printed on the library's 3-D printer. Participants must bring their own laptop for this workshop.
Wednesday, April 8, 3:30 to 4:30 PM - Physical/Chemical Reactions Workshop with Bryan Sheckells - for grades 3 to 5. Solids, liquids, and gases, oh my! Explore compounds and chemical reactions as we find out how amazing chemistry can be using common household materials.
Tuesday, April 21, 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM - Boston Museum of Science: Super-Cold Science Program - for grades K and up. Amazing things happen when matter changes temperature. With the help of a Museum educator and an intensely cold liquid, participants will experience the remarkable changes in size, form, and behavior that occur when a variety of objects and substances are super-cooled.
Wednesday, April 22, 2:00 to 3:00 PM - Rocket Launchers Workshop with Bryan Sheckells - for grades 3 to 5. 3, 2, 1... Rockets! Explore the different types of thrust that can be used to create rockets of various sizes and shapes using materials that can be found around the house.
Saturday, May 2, 10:30 AM to Noon - Bicycle Mechanics with Jeffrey Walsh - for grades 4 to 9. Learn simple tricks to keep your bicycle in tip top shape.You will learn step by step how to fix a flat tire, and the best ways to avoid getting a flat in the first place. Bring your own bike to the workshop.
Wednesday, May 13, 3:30 to 4:30 PM - Slimy Polymers Concoctions Workshop with Bryan Sheckells, for grades 3 to 5. Squelch, splat, flop...polymers! With the right combination of things from around the house, you can create some materials with unique properties to amaze your senses! Join us for the chemistry fun!
Saturday, June 20, 10:30 AM to Noon - CAD 1 with Jeffrey Walsh - for grades 5 to 8. What is 3-D design,why it's important, and how is it used in our everyday life. This is an introductory workshop to the world of three-dimensional design using a free design program (either Google Sketch-Up or Tinkercad. Learn how to use a design program to build your first 3-D object. Participants must bring their own laptop for this workshop with Tinkercad or Google Sketch-Up already downloaded.
Thursday, June 25, 3:30 to 5:30 PM - Catapults Workshop with Jeffrey Walsh - for ages 11 to 15. Have you ever wanted to create your very own catapult? If so, then this is the workshop for you. In this workshop you will create a mini, wooden catapult. The first half of the workshop will be spent creating the catapult. In the second half you will be testing the catapult and improving your design.
Thursday, July 9, 3:00 to 4:00 PM - Motion Photography Workshop with Toni Carolina - for ages 11 to 16. Learn how to capture motion in your photographs, then come back three weeks later on Wednesday, July 29 at 3:00 PM, with prints of your captured motion shots and create a photography exhibit in the Young Adult area.
Friday, July 10, It's Nikola Tesla Day!
Thursday, July 16, 3:00 to 5:00 PM - Airplane Workshop with Jeffrey Walsh - for ages 11 to 15. Build an elastic powered airplane made from balsa wood and paper. When your airplane is completed, compete with other workshop participants to see how long you can keep your airplane in the air. Learn how adjusting different parts can change the way it flies, and find out what is actually happening when an airplane takes flight.
Thursday, July 23, Walk Along Glider Workshop with Phil Rossoni
Two sessions: for ages 9-11: 2:00 to 3:00 PM, and for ages 12-15: 3:30 to 4:30 PM . Workshop participants will learn how to build and pilot a tumblewing paper airplane. There will be duration competitions to hone your flying skills. Learn and experiment with wing loading and how an airplane is trimmed for optimum gliding flight. Participants will have opportunities to fly gliders of varying size and weight.
April 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 3:30 to 4:30 PM - Physical/Chemical Reactions Workshop with Bryan Sheckells - for grades 3 to 5. Solids, liquids, and gases, oh my! Explore compounds and chemical reactions as we find out how amazing chemistry can be using common household materials.
Tuesday, April 21, 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM - Boston Museum of Science: Super-Cold Science Program - for grades K and up. Amazing things happen when matter changes temperature. With the help of a Museum educator and an intensely cold liquid, participants will experience the remarkable changes in size, form, and behavior that occur when a variety of objects and substances are super-cooled.
May 2015
Saturday, May 2, 10:30 AM to Noon - Bicycle Mechanics with Jeffrey Walsh - for grades 4 to 9. Learn simple tricks to keep your bicycle in tip top shape.You will learn step by step how to fix a flat tire, and the best ways to avoid getting a flat in the first place. Bring your own bike to the workshop.
Wednesday, May 13, 3:30 to 4:30 PM - Slimy Polymers Concoctions Workshop with Bryan Sheckells, for grades 3 to 5. Squelch, splat, flop...polymers! With the right combination of things from around the house, you can create some materials with unique properties to amaze your senses! Join us for the chemistry fun!
June 2015
Saturday, June 20, 10:30 AM to Noon - CAD 1 with Jeffrey Walsh - for grades 5 to 8. What is 3-D design,why it's important, and how is it used in our everyday life. This is an introductory workshop to the world of three-dimensional design using a free design program (either Google Sketch-Up or Tinkercad. Learn how to use a design program to build your first 3-D object. Participants must bring their own laptop for this workshop with Tinkercad or Google Sketch-Up already downloaded.
Thursday, June 25, 3:30 to 5:30 PM - Catapults Workshop with Jeffrey Walsh - for ages 11 to 15. Have you ever wanted to create your very own catapult? If so, then this is the workshop for you. In this workshop you will create a mini, wooden catapult. The first half of the workshop will be spent creating the catapult. In the second half you will be testing the catapult and improving your design.
July 2015
Thursday, July 9, 3:00 to 4:00 PM - Motion Photography Workshop with Toni Carolina - for ages 11 to 16. Learn how to capture motion in your photographs, then come back three weeks later on Wednesday, July 29 at 3:00 PM, with prints of your captured motion shots and create a photography exhibit in the Young Adult area.
Friday, July 10, It's Nikola Tesla Day!
Thursday, July 16, 3:00 to 5:00 PM - Airplane Workshop with Jeffrey Walsh - for ages 11 to 15. Build an elastic powered airplane made from balsa wood and paper. When your airplane is completed, compete with other workshop participants to see how long you can keep your airplane in the air. Learn how adjusting different parts can change the way it flies, and find out what is actually happening when an airplane takes flight.
Thursday, July 23, Walk Along Glider Workshop with Phil Rossoni
Two sessions: for ages 9-11: 2:00 to 3:00 PM, and for ages 12-15: 3:30 to 4:30 PM . Workshop participants will learn how to build and pilot a tumblewing paper airplane. There will be duration competitions to hone your flying skills. Learn and experiment with wing loading and how an airplane is trimmed for optimum gliding flight. Participants will have opportunities to fly gliders of varying size and weight.
Thursday, July 23, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Metamorphosis: A Pastel Painting Workshop with Gregory Maichack - for ages 11- adult. Metamorphosize! Become an artist in this hands-on pastel painting workshop. Greg will incorporate fabulous reference photos of insects from a personal trip to Montreal’s Insectarium. All of the professional grade pastels, paper and materials are included.
Thursday, July 30, 2:30 to 5:00 PM, Rockets Workshop with Jeffrey Walsh - for ages 11-15. Create your very own chrome rocket that can soar up to 800 feet in the air. Once the rockets have been built, you will take them outside to the field and prepare for take off.
August 2015
Thursday, August 6, Time TBD - Boston Museum of Science STARLAB Portable Planetarium Show: One Sky, Many Stories - Three sessions: for Grades K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8.
Date TBD - North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club Star Party Program and Telescope Viewing - for ages 10 to adult. An astronomy program inside our meeting room, followed by observation of the night sky through club telescopes on the field behind the library.
