“What’s K’NEX’t?”

 
Conceived as a start of a series. 

“Julia Morgan Built a Castle”

This is another version of a previous program “Julia Morgan Built a Castle”
designed to interest boys in a Women’s History Month topic.

“What’s K’NEX’t?” “Come hear about one of the world’s first female architects – a woman who designed more than 800 buildings including William Randolph Hearst’s magnificent castle in California, San Simeon! Then we’ll try creating our own architectural masterpieces out of K’NEX!” K-6^th grade.

Display non-fiction architecture, building, houses & homes (690s, 720s, Jbiographies of Julia Morgan and other architects), What it Feels Like to Be a Building 690.21 WIL, Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building – Christy Hale, Building Stories – Isabel Hill

· Open by asking kids what they want to do when they grow up – then ask has anyone ever told them they couldn’t plan to do an occupation because women couldn’t do that! Julia Morgan born 1872 wouldn’t let people say “no.”

· Read: Julia Morgan Built a Castle by Celeste by Davidson Mannis– JB Morgan (long, can tell parts).  Resource book – excellent background & pictures Hearst Castle San Simeon by Thomas R Aidala (708.194 AID) Children’s book: Hearst Castle: An American Palace by Barbara Knox (J979.478 KNO)

· Show Powerpoint pictures of Hearst Castle

Optional: read some poems from Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building –Christy Hale
Build – Stations:  K’nex (also put out “Straws and Connectors” and other building materials, also paper & pencils for plans.)

Plans for previous program here: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2013/12/picture-this-designing-castle.html
3.13

5.16 Building Up (Ages 5+)  Registration is required.  Join us for a celebration of buildings large and small, then create your own amazing structures using straws & connectors or K'nex.
Opened by telling the story of Julia Morgan showing pictures from book (which is way too long), then read & acted out the first half of What it Feels Like to Be a Building 690.21 WIL (kids got silly so stopped midway).  Most of the kids (even some of the 8-10 year olds chose to build with straws & connectors though a few used K’nex (which I think is mainly for ages 8 and up). 

Plan to do a similar program 8.16:Craftacular Spectacular: Connect Four-- or More! (Ages 3-6 & 6-10) We’ll share a story about the Empire State Building then build our very own skyscrapers.  We’ll read Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building by Deborah Hopkinson and a few selections from Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building by Christy Hale, then build with straws & connectors, k’nex, and maybe Lego.