Maker Literacy: A New Approach to Literacy Programming for Libraries

Though the maker movement is often seen as "the creation of concrete things," it "also applies to ideas, feelings, and thoughts," assert Wall and Powlski, who here offer a range of activities aimed at preschoolers and elementary and middle school students. While the concept of learning by doing isn't new, what sets this title apart is the introduction of technology such as iPads or other tablets. The authors suggest pairing Sandra Boynton's popular book and app Barnyard Dance with a craft activity that involves making a musical instrument. A Titanic-themed unit incorporates Lauren Tarshis's I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912, YouTube videos, and an experiment that lets students create an iceberg. Another example pulls together Mac Barnett's Extra Yarn, the app Paint for Cats, and an activity (using wet felt to make wool ball toys for cats). Several projects rely on a 3-D printer. The chapters tackle a variety of programming ideas, such as storytimes, family programs, science and design, computer coding, and booktalking. Each chapter includes a description of one or two apps or videos and a list of craft items required for the theme. The app descriptions also appear in the appendix, but there is no indication of price, and reviews of the apps are featured but are not always clear. A helpful glossary defines technological terms.