Month: January 2021

Coding

On By Charlotte BucklemanIn Uncategorized

What is coding? Coding is another term for computer programming or software programming. Coding is the method of giving instructions to a computer to perform a certain task. The instructions that you give your computer are communicated using a language that only computers can understand. These languages include visual blocks, Java, Python and C Learning.

Did you know that learning how to code can improve in your problem-solving abilities and critical thinking skills? Did you also know that if you learn how to code it can give you more career opportunities in the future?

Here are some awesome websites that you can use that can help you learn how to code.

Scratch Ages 8-16 Free

Scratch is a free block coding website for kids, developed by the MIT Media Lab. Scratch is its own programming language and consists of graphical blocks that snap together. 

Code.org Studio Ages 4-14 Free

This website is a non-profit organization that has a series of four courses that teach computer science fundamentals. Each course is made up of a series of puzzles, videos, and activities that teach the principles behind computer science.

Blockly Ages 8+ Free

Blockly teaches programming principles and introduces JavaScript using a block-based programming approach.

GameBlox 13+ Free

GameBlox is a block-based programming site for making games online for web and mobile devices. It allows anyone to develop games that you can play online and on your mobile phone. 

Codecademy 13+ Free. A PRO track is available for a monthly subscription.

Codecademy offers a comprehensive set of text-based courses on web development and related programming languages. Codecademy courses cover how to build a website and a whole slew of related coding languages, including HTML & CSS, Ruby on Rails, Python, JavaScript, jQuery, SQL, PHP, and more. General access to Codecademy courses is free. The paid PRO track adds a personalized learning plan, quizzes, projects, and access to live advisors. 

Khan Academy 13+ Free

Khan Academy offers expert-created content and resources for free online courses and practice. For computer programming, Khan Academy has courses in JavaScript, Processing JS, HTML & CSS, HTML & JavaScript and SQL

VidCode 11+  Limited free access. Tiered annual subscriptions.

Vidcode is a coding website for kids that offers research-backed computer science courses focused on open-ended projects. Their courses teach computer science, object oriented programming, web programming, design, & JavaScript.

January is National Braille Literature Month

On By Jessica DeCarloIn Uncategorized

Braille is a system of raised dots that can be read with the fingers by people who can not see. Some people may think that braille is another language, but it is not. The American Foundation for the Blind, state that braille is a universal code that is written for many languages. Letters, numbers, and even punctuation marks are represented by raised dots that are arranged in a cell or rectangular block with only 6 dots allowed in each cell. Sixty-four combinations of dots are possible.

Since its development in France by Louis Braille in the nineteenth century, braille has become an essential part of communication for those who are blind. And, thanks to technology its development in literacy has opened up many avenues for braille users. There is the slate and stylus, which is the equivalent to paper and pencil; the braillewriter; and portable electronic braille devices that have braille embossers for hard copy prints.

The library offers 15 different braille printed children’s books as well as nonfiction books on Louis Braille, Helen Keller, and How to Read braille (for the sighted). The Blindness Resource Center for the New York Institute for Special Education contains various resources for braille literacy and the blind, if you are interested in learning more about braille, or if you have a friend or family member that is blind and wish to know more on how you can further assist them. The New York Public Library houses a number of books in braille, as well as various resources that will enrich, assist in learning, and empower the blind of all ages. Another great resource for blind children is Braille Bug. Braille Bug is a website developed by the American Federation for the Blind for children learning to read Braille. The website has information about the Braille language for children, parents and teachers. It provides information about Louis Braille and Helen Keller. And it has free games and puzzles to help children learn to read Braille.

If you’d like to learn more about Braille, visit us at the Library or start a chat on our website. We’ll be more than happy to provide you with online resources and books.

Family Friendly Winter Activities

On By Cheryl MattioloIn Uncategorized

There are many fun outdoor family activities that you could do in the Fall, Spring, or Summer. However, during the winter months, it can be a little more challenging coming up with fun outdoor activities to keep your family physically active.

Here are some fun winter activities that you could do outside with your family if the weather isn’t too cold.

  1. Build a snowman building.
  2. Paint pictures in the snow using paint in spray bottles.
  3. Build a snow fort.
  4. Go sledding at Belmont Lake State Park or Heckscher Park.
  5. Make snow angels.

No snow? No worries. Take a hike or go on a nature scavenger hunt. Go to the beach. It may not be quite as fun as swimming in the summertime, but the beach is still worth a visit during winter! Fly a kite along the shoreline, climb rocks or dunes, explore tide pools, check out a lighthouse, watch the waves, or go rock/shell hunting.

When those winter temperatures do drop below freezing and the wind is relentless, bring the outside, inside! Try an indoor Family Game Night. It’s so much fun to get together with family and laugh the night away. Play board games, create an indoor obstacle course, play an old fashioned round of cards. The options are endless. You could even try your hand at cooking or baking. Whip up a batch of cookies or make a meal together. For some cooking ideas, check out our YouTube Channel.

Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, make sure you take time this winter for some quality fun with your family. Winter can seem never ending, but being active and sharing some laughs will certainly make the season seem cheery and bright. The start of a new year is the perfect time to try new things and start the year spending time with those you care about.

Novelist

On By Charlotte BucklemanIn Uncategorized

Have you found yourself reading more lately? Have you tackled your to-be-read pile but now you don’t know what to read next? Don’t worry the library can help you find your next great read! Novelist is a comprehensive reader’s advisory database that helps you find exactly the kind of book you’re looking for!

Novelist works by tagging each book in its database with story elements. Story elements are the aspects of a book that may catch your attention. This could include appeal terms, themes, and genres. Besides liking a genre such as fantasy or thriller there are other things you might like about books too. Do you like when the book’s location takes place in a small town or busy city? Do you like when the characters are cynical or kind? Do you like to laugh when you read, or cry? 

Some of these story elements are key in helping you find your next read. Novelist allows you to search all of these things. You can even type in the search bar the last book you liked and find a list of books just like it! Below is a picture guide on how to get to Novelist.

School Resources for You and Your Child

On By Lisa KroppIn Grades 3 & 4, Grades 5 & 6, Grades 6 to 8, Grades Kindergarten to Second, Preschool

This year, school looks very different. We are facing new challenges as parents to make sure our children receive the best education possible. Whether your child is doing homeschooling, virtual, hybrid, or in class learning, here are some great resources to keep handy.

Online Resources

The world wide web can be a tricky place to navigate. Sometimes it’s hard to decide what is best for your child. Here are a few websites that might help enrich your child’s learning process.

https://wideopenschool.org/

“Wide Open School helps families and educators find trusted resources to enrich and support distance learning. Every day students can access free, high-quality learning activities across subjects, all in one place. More than 75 partners and supporters have come together to meet the change in learning needs of students, teachers, and families due to the coronavirus pandemic”. -Wide Open School

https://www.khanacademy.org/

“Khan Academy is an American non-profit educational organization created in 2008 by Sal Khan, with the goal of creating a set of online tools that help educate students. The organization produces short lessons in the form of videos. Its website also includes supplementary practice exercises and materials for educators”. – Khan Academy

https://www.discoveryeducation.com/

“Discovery Education Experience provides engaging high-quality content, grab-and-go digital lessons, creative collaboration tools, and practical professional learning resources to give educators everything they need to engage all learners and create a lasting educational impact in any learning environment”. -Discovery Education

https://childmind.org/

“The Child Mind Institute is an independent, national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders. Our teams work every day to deliver the highest standards of care, advance the science of the developing brain and empower parents, professionals and policymakers to support children when and where they need it most”. – Child Mind Institute

Library Resources

https://lindenhurstlibrary.org/databases/

Your public library is a great place to look for resources for your child. It can be a one stop shop for learning materials. Here are some great online databases that are available thru the Lindenhurst Memorial Library. All you need to access these materials is your library card.

On demand, anytime, anywhere eLearning includes: homework help, 24-Hour Writing Lab, and live tutors in math, science, reading/writing, social studies, PSAT/SAT, ACT, AP and state standardized tests.

Fosters understanding and appreciation of the world’s countries and peoples by creating and publishing concise, reliable, and up-to-date cultural content. Today the CultureGrams series is one of the most trusted and widely used cultural reference and curriculum products in the education, government, and non-profit arenas. In Library Link.

World Book Online Reference is your source for electronic encyclopedia, dictionary and atlas entries; as well as educator tools and resources.

Looking for help can be a daunting task. We here at the Lindenhurst Memorial Public Library are always here to help you. Contact us via phone, email, or chat with your questions or concerns.

https://lindenhurstlibrary.org/