Maker Monday: LEGO Story Starters

For the past 2 weeks, third graders have been using the LEGO Story Starter kits to build and tell stories.  We started with one of the lesson plans from the LEGO Story Starter curriculum.  It was an excellent way to get our bearings with the LEGO kits, including how to work together and how to return items to the correct bins.
  

Making something brings excitement and engagement to our learning.  Let's see, what library lessons could use a little more excitement and engagement? 

Reference Sources - Of Course!

Before Christmas, they were becoming reference source experts.  They worked with partners to complete graphic organizers about the reference sources.  Even though it wasn't very exciting, they did a very good job.  Yet, I'm not convinced they really understand how to use the reference tools we explored.  So, this week we are going to use the LEGO Story Starter kits to illustrate why and how to use reference sources. When I shared this idea with them last week, they were excited.  I was so gratified to hear one of them say, "We can use our graphic organizers to help us write the captions."  

My dictionary example will be a starting point for us, but they will do much more creative things!

We are using the free Comic Creator app for our LEGO stories.  The software that comes with the LEGO Story Starters is awesome, but I haven't been able to purchase copies for everyone yet.  It's in my plan though!  I'd also like to use the stop motion animation apps to bring our LEGO learning to life!