Let Me Teach You How I Quickly Made This Shark Week Collection!

With Shark Week here, I thought it would be fun to put together a Shark Week Collection in Destiny Discover.  

Collections allow us to curate collections of resources; create more collaborative opportunities between the teacher and teacher librarians; find what others have created to use as our own; and so much more including being able to share these rich, beautiful Collections of resources with your district and publicly too. 

A Collection can include anything on the web and all resources found in Destiny, which is why it is the perfect place for all of the Shark Week resources I am finding this week. 

For more information, you can read this post too. 

As I gather all of these resources into my Shark Week Collection, I have been using the Collections Bookmarklet which makes it so easy, quick and fun.  

I put together my Collection in just a few minutes with this awesome tool!  

As I was writing this post with directions on how to add the Collections Bookmarklet, I thought it would be just as easy for you to watch me do it, so I created this short video.  You can check it out by clicking the video above.  

Below, I will share the directions on adding the Collections Bookmarklet too.  

First, you want to click on the Add Item Button (orange circle with a + sign inside) in the right hand corner of the Collections screen.

This is how you Add Items to your Collections.

You will find a black banner across the Add Item box saying... Add items even faster.  Install the bookmarklet. 

Click on that banner.

This box pops up that tells you exactly how to Install the Bookmarklet. 

You just drag and drop the yellow Add to Collections button to your bookmark toolbar.  You can see how I added it to mine.

Now when I find a resource I want to add to my Collection, like Discovery Kids Shark Week, I just...

click on Add to Collections in my toolbar.

The title and URL are automatically generated but I can also make changes to these fields too.

From this box, I can also select which Collection I want to add the resource to or....

I can create a new Collection from this box too.

Once I have added my resource, it will let me know that I have added that to a Collection.  I can even view the Collection from this box.

This is helpful because I can make sure the Collection is just the way I want it to be.

My Shark Week Collection is just one of the new Collections I have been working on this week.

With the Collections Bookmarklet, I can do this easier and quicker than ever.  

You can check out my Shark Week Collection here.  It is also in the PUBLIC Collections....where we can all share, see and use each others Collections.

I can't wait to see what Collections you are creating too.

Summer Code-a-Thon With Tynker!

Are you looking for something education, challenging and fun for your children and students this summer?  

Well, look no further!  Tynker has just the thing and it is called Summer Code-a-Thon where they can create and enter projects for a change to win while learning so much about coding.

On the Tynker Summer Code-a-Thon page, you will find all of the information you need including...

each week's challenge coding activity.  You can even go back to the beginning of the summer to complete those challenges too.  

This week's challenge is so much fun!  

You will create a project about a pet using Tynker and coding.

I love how Tynker walks them through each step, while teaching and encouraging their coding creativity along the way.

This is the perfect activity for the summer!  I hope you check it out today here too.

UPDATE....Let's Follow Heather In Her Makerspace Journey In The Amana Elementary Library!

My sister, Heather Fox, has been up a whole lot of fun in the Amana Elementary Library this summer.  

As you remember, she kicked off Makerspaces by adding a Makerspace Cart to her library last year. 

I just love how she repurposed the old book cart and brought so much creativity, collaboration and inspiration to her community.  

You can read all about Heather and their Makerspace cart here. 

Well, now she is taking that cart and spreading her Makerspace into a room close to the library.

Last week she called me and we Facetimed while she was in the room.

We talked about the closet and how she could turn that into storage and a supply place...even taking off a couple of those doors to open it up.

 I love the colors she is painting and the vision she has.

This sweet little table is even going to be their new LEGO table.  How cool is that?

Heather, we love what you are doing in your library.  I can't wait to come see it this weekend and watch as you transform this space into an amazing new Makerspace for your community.  

UPDATE JULY 28, 2017...Repurposing Furniture For The Makerspace

As Heather continues to work on the Makerspace in her library, she has been repurposing lots of shelves, desks and storage pieces with a little paint and a lot of love.

Look at a few of these in this update.

I really love how Heather is taking things they already have in the library, adding a coat or paint or two in wonderful colors and thinking about how this furniture will work in their Makerspace.

I can't wait to see what she does next!