SUMMER READING 2020 - Lenawee District Library
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SUMMER READING 2020
Kid Activities
*Grab-and-go kits quantities are limited and distributed on a first-come-first-served basis.
One per child, please.
At Home Activities
These activities should be able to be completed with commonly found items around the
house.
Story of Food: Cookie Magic (Baking Science)
Read a story with cookies in it, such as The Gingerbread Man or The Cow Loved Cookies, then
make your own!
Did you know there is a ton of science in baking? Physical and chemical reactions! Ratios and
temperatures! The Maillard reaction! Oh, my! Check out this TedEd video for some delicious
cookie science then make your own tasty treats. https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-chemistry-
of-cookies-stephanie-warren
If you need some inspiration check out the non-fiction section in the library, J 641.5, or
“cooking with kids” on Hoopla here: ,www.hoopladigital.com/genre/1180300718 . Or follow
the recipe below.
First, let’s talk about “mise en place” (MEEZ ahn plahs), a culinary term meaning “everything in
its place”. This means getting everything you will need ready before you bake or cook. What
would you need to know and do BEFORE you make a recipe? Ingredients? Equipment? How
your oven works? Read the recipe, collect what you need, and get ready to bake!
Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Kids
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/kids/recipes/chewy-chocolate-chip-cookiesMakes about 12 cookies
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet - Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Parchment paper (to prevent - Measuring spoons
cookies from sticking) - Measuring cups
- Large bowl - Oven mitts
- Medium bowl - Cooling rack
- Whisk - Spatula
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted and - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
cooled - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all- - 1 large egg
-purpose flour - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda - 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325° and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt the butter. This can be done over medium-low heat on the stove top or in the
microwave. If heating in the microwave, put the butter in a microwave safe bowl and
cover with a small plate. Heat in 30-second increments at half power until the butter is
melted. Be careful removing the bowl from the microwave, it will be hot. Allow the
butter to cool until it is just warm.
3. In the medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together and set
the bow aside.
*Baking soda releases carbon dioxide gas when it is heated. What do you think the baking
soda will do to your cookies when you bake them?
1. In the large bowl add the brown sugar and the white sugar and whisk them together.
Carefully add the butter and whisk until smooth. Then, add the egg and the vanilla
extract and whisk until all ingredients are well combined.
2. Carefully add all the flour mixture from the medium bowl to the sugar and egg mixture
in the large bowl. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix just until you can no
longer see white streaks of flour in the batter.
3. Add the chocolate chips and fold them into the dough. Fold means to take your spoon
or spatula gently down the side of the bowl to the bottom and then bring it back up. If
you think of stirring as going around the sides of the bowl, think of folding as sideways
stirring, going in a circle up and down, rather than side to side.
4. If your dough is too sticky to form into balls, let it chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. Scoop your cookie dough by the rounded tablespoon onto the cookie sheet leaving 2
inches between cookies and staggering the rows. This means you will have threecookies in one row and two in the next. This will help keep the cookies from spreading
into each other when baking. Like this:
O O O
O O
6. Place your cookie sheet in the middle of the oven and bake until the edges of the
cookies start to look dry and golden, but the middles are still puffy and soft. This will take
about 15 to 20 minutes.
*Turn on the oven light and watch the cookies while they bake. What is changing? Why do
you think that is happening?
1. Ask an adult to help remove the cookies from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the tray
for 10 minutes. They are still baking even if they aren’t in the oven!
2. Use a spatula to move the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool for another 5
minutes.
3. You can finally enjoy your cookies! Just be sure to share. They can be kept in an airtight
container for up to 4 days (if they last that long). Take a picture of your final cookies
and share it on our Facebook page!STEM Stories: The Three Little Pigs
1. Read the story of The Three Little Pigs; or if you already know it, tell it to someone else!
a. Bonus points for acting it out or making a costume to help you tell the story.
2. Build your own house out of materials around your home. The recycling bin can be a
good source for building materials.
3. Test the stability of your house! What can you use to try to blow down your house? Your
breath? A fan? A hair dryer? Anything else?
4. How did your house hold up? Think about what you could change to make your house
stronger. Make some changes and try again! Did those changes work? Are there other
ideas you could try?
5. Be sure to have an adult take a picture and share your creation on our Facebook
page!
Animal Stories: Get the Three Billy Goats across the bridge
1. Read the story of the Three Billy Goats, or if you already know it tell it to someone one!
Bonus if you use puppets!
2. Build the goats’ bridge to help them cross the river out of materials you can find around
your home. Is there anything interesting in the recycling you can use? What about
sticks in the backyard? Remember you will need something to hold up your bridge and
a flat surface for your “goats” to walk across
3. Be sure to test your bridge so that it will hold the weight of the billy goats. What could
you use? Do you have a toy you could use in place of a goat? Some loose change to
use as a weight?
4. Was your bridge able to hold your weight? What might you be able to change about
your bridge design to allow it to hold more weight?
5. Make some of those design changes and test out your bridge again. Did those
changes work? What other design ideas could you try?Imagine Your Journey: Little Red Riding Hood’s Map
Maps are great to give you directions, but did you know they can also tell a story? Miss Lauren
adapted the story of Little Red Riding Hood for you to make your own map to retell the story!
You will need:
- Paper
- Markers, crayons, or something to write and draw with
1. Read the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
2. Write down all the places Red Riding Hood stopped on her trip to Grandmother’s
cottage. Remember to include where the story starts and ends, as well as the order in
which Red Riding Hood visits all the other places. Would you add any character to
locations on your map to help you remember the story?
3. Using your paper, create a map of Red Riding Hood’s journey.
4. Use the map to retell the story to someone else.
Once there was a little girl who lived with her mother at the edge of the wood. The little girl’s
grandmother lived on the other side of the wood and the little girl and her mother would often
visit her cottage. Every time they went to visit, the girl’s mother would dress her in her red coat
and tie up her red hood. She wore this coat and hood so often that everyone called her Little
Red Riding Hood.
One day she asked her mother if she could visit her grandmother all by herself.
“Mama, may I go see grandmother today? It’s been so long since we’ve visited and I
don’t want her to be lonely,” Red Riding Hood said.
Her mother replied, “I’m sorry, but I am too busy to make the trip through the woods
today. Maybe we can go this weekend. Besides, your uncle is supposed to visit her today to
make sure she has enough firewood.”
“But Mama, I know the way. I can go by myself,” Red Riding Hood insisted.
Her mother thought for a moment. “I suppose you are old enough to visit on your own.
And you could take some bread and jam to your grandmother. But to make sure you know
the way, tell me the path you would take to get to grandmother’s cottage.”
“First you take the path that starts behind our house,” Red Riding Hood said excitedly.
“Then, you go over the bridge that crosses that rushing creek.”
“Very good,” said her mother. “Where do you go next?”
“After you cross the creek, you turn right at the giant maple tree,” Red Riding threw her
arms in the air, pretending to be the giant tree.
“That’s right,” her mother laughed. “And where do you go after that?”
“After the tree, you cross the big meadow and the next stop is grandmother’s
cottage!” Red Riding Hood cried. She was jumping with excitement about her visit.
Her mother nodded, “Alright, you know the way to your grandmother’s cottage. Let me
pack some bread and jam, and then you can be on your way.” Red Riding Hood ran to get
her coat while her mother packed her basket.Once everything was ready, Red Riding Hood’s mother stood with her at the back
door, “Now, you must be very careful. Do not talk to strangers and do not stray from the path.”
“Don’t worry, Mama,” said Red Riding Hood. “I will be very careful and go straight to
grandmother’s cottage.” Her mother kissed her cheeks and sent her on her way.
Little Red Riding Hood skipped down the path with her basket. Soon she came to the
bridge over the rushing creek. She giggled as she stomped over the bridge, enjoying the
noise her shoes made on the boards. This noise caught the attention of a big, bad wolf. The
wolf watched Red Riding Hood skip down the path and smelled the delicious bread and jam
in her basket. He was quite hungry and wanted the bread and jam. He decided to follow her.
Now, being a big wolf, he was able to move faster than Little Red Riding Hood and got
to the giant maple tree before her. Just as she came into the clearing, the big, bad wolf
popped out from behind the tree trunk.
“Oh, hello there little girl. Where are you off to in such a hurry?” the wolf said in his
friendliest voice.
“I’m off to my grandmother’s cottage!” Red Riding Hood said excitedly. “My mother is
letting me visit all by myself!” Then she remembered her mother’s warning not to talk to
strangers in the woods.
“Your grandmother?” said the wolf. “Is she the woman who lives in the cottage by the
flower meadow?”
Little Red Riding Hood nodded nervously. “She is expecting me, I should be on my
way.”
“Very well, please tell your grandmother I said hello,” the wolf said as he moved out of
the path to allow her to walk by. “Oh, little girl,” the wolf said as she passed him, “the flowers in
meadow are blooming right now. I know your grandmother would love a bouquet to put on
her table.”
Red Riding Hood just nodded and hurried past. After she saw the wof wasn’t following
her, she began to relax. When she came to the meadow she saw many flowers in bloom. She
thought about the wolf’s suggestion and decided to stop for a moment to gather some
flowers for her grandmother.
While Red Riding Hood was busy picking flowers in the meadow, the wolf ran to
grandmother’s cottage. He surprised grandmother and locked her in the closet. Then the wolf
put on grandmother’s nightgown and cap. Soon, Red Riding Hood knocked at her
grandmother’s door.
“Come in,” the wolf said as he tucked himself into grandmother’s bed.
“Grandmother!” Red Riding Hood cried as she opened the door. She saw the wolf in
her grandmother’s bed and stopped. “Grandmother,” she said nervously, “you look a little
different today.”
“Well, it has been a while since you visited, my dear,” said the wolf in his best old lady
voice. “Perhaps I have gotten older.”
“Maybe,” said Red Riding Hood as she put down her basket and flowers. “But
grandmother, what big ears you have.”
“The better to hear you with, my dear,” said the wolf.
“But grandmother,” said Red Riding Hood as she slowly approached the bed, “what
big eyes you have.”“The better to see you with, my dear,” said the wolf. He was getting a bit worried Red
Riding Hood might be on to him.
“But grandmother,” said Red Riding Hood, “what big paws you have.”
“The better to hug you with, my dear,” said the wolf. And with that the wolf jumped out
of bed and threw Red Riding Hood into the closet with her grandmother.
The wolf was just about to open up the basket of delicious smelling bread and jam
when there was another knock at the door. “Mother, are you home?” came a loud voice. The
wolf peeked out the front window. It was Red Riding Hood’s uncle! And he was carrying a big
axe! The wolf gulped and slowly backed away from the door. Red Riding Hood’s uncle
knocked again. The wolf jumped out of the cap and nightgown and ran out the back door.
No treats were worth facing an axe like that!
When Red Riding Hood and her grandmother heard her uncle open the front door they
started crying from inside the closet “Let us out!” Red Riding Hood’s uncle unlocked the closet
and they came tumbling out.
“What happened?” asked her uncle as he helped them stand up. “How did you get
locked in a closet?”
“There was a big, bad wolf!” cried Red Riding Hood.
“He tricked us and locked us up so he could steal the bread and jam Riding Hood
brought me,” cried grandmother. “But I think you and the axe scared off.”
“Well, I don’t think that wolf will be bothering us again,” said Red Riding Hood’s uncle.
“Let’s try some of that bread and jam. Then I will walk you back home, Red Riding Hood.”
And that is what they did.
The End.
*Now, draw your map of Little Red Riding Hood’s story and use it to tell the story to someone
else!Grab-and-Go Kit Activities
Grow Your Imagination: Jack’s Beanstalk
Read the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. Do you already know it? Tell it to someone else!
Bonus points for making awesome giant sounds! Hoopla has several versions, just search “Jack
and the Beanstalk.”
Grow your own beanstalk! The grab-and-go kit will have:
- Plastic cup - Cardstock
- Pea pods - Cotton balls
- Bean seeds - Grow log
- Skewer
You will also need:
- Crayons or markers (or something to - Tape
draw and color with) - Ruler
- Scissors - Water
- Glue - A sunny spot
1. Time to get growing. First, prepare your soil. In a shallow container, place your peat
pods divot side up and cover with about an inch of water. If your pods float, that’s ok.
In 30-60 minutes they will have expanded any remaining water can be discarded.
2. Since Jack’s beanstalk grew up to the giant’s castle in the sky, you must create a
castle! Draw and color your castle on the cardstock, add cotton balls for clouds if you
would like. Cut out your castle if you want, and tape it to the flat end of the skewer.
3. Then it is time to plant your beans. Fill your cup with soil from your peat pods and gently
poke your bean seeds into the top.
4. Stick your skewer into the dirt. Note where the skewer comes out of the dirt. Then, use a
ruler and marker to mark every inch up the skewer to your castle. Ask an adult if you
need help. Place your skewer back in your cup. Now you will be able to measure how
high your beanstalk is growing!
5. Water your bean seeds and place them in a sunny spot. Your beans should sprout in a
little over a week. Once they sprout be sure to keep track of how fast they grow! Keep
a log of how tall your beanstalk is every day. Be sure to water your beans every few
days and share your progress with us on our Facebook page!Date Height Observations
Imagine a Creature: Dragon Bubble Blower
Here there be dragons, and they blow bubbles! Read a story with a dragon in it. Or tell
someone a story with a dragon in it! Then make your own fearsome dragon!
Hoopla had lots of kids books about dragons (and other mythical creatures) here:
https://www.hoopladigital.com/genre/917233196
The Grab-and-Go kit will have:
- Bottle
- Googly eyes
- Rubber band
- Mesh fabric
1. Decorate your bottle to become your dragon’s head. The open end of the bottle will
be the dragon’s mouth.
2. Spread the mesh over the mouth and secure with the rubber band.
3. Dip your bottle in bubbles and blow through the narrow end of the bottle.
4. Have your adults share a picture of your awesome bubble work on our Facebook
page!
Bubble Recipe:
You will need
- Mixing bowl - 1/3 cup of dish soap (Joy or Dawn
- Measuring cups brand works best, but any will work)
- Mixing spoon - 1/4 cup of light corn syrup (optional,
- 2 cups of warm water but it helps the bubbles last longer)
1. Pour warm water into the mixing bowl and slowly add the dish soap, making sure to
scrap the measuring cup to get ALL the soap!
2. Slowly add the corn syrup to the water.
3. Slowly and carefully mix everything together until incorporated. If the liquid gets foamy
or lots of bubbles start to form, SLOW DOWN!
4. Optional: Let the bubble mixture sit overnight or a couple days. This lets all the
ingredients mix more evenly for even better bubbles!
5. Use your bubbles!Build a tangram castle
Every family has to live somewhere, right? Design a royal castle for your family from tangrams.
What patterns will you use? Can you make towers and turrets?
Bonus: Your kit will also have a pack of index cards in it. Can you create a 3D castle out of
index cards WITHOUT using glue or tape? No adhesives, but scissors might be helpful.
Magic Potions:
Bubbling Brew
Your kit will contain:
- 1 plastic cauldron (cup) - Bezoar (Antacid tab)
- Flobberworm mucus (Vegetable oil) - Pixie Dust (Glitter)
You will also need:
- Water
- Squid Ink (Food coloring (optional))
1. Fill your cauldron about ⅓ with water.
2. Carefully add your Flobberworm mucus, in an equal amount to your water. If you want
to be extra careful, slowly pour the mucus down the side the cauldron
3. Optionally, add a few drops of squid ink to the top, and your pixie dust
4. Open your bezoar and carefully drop it in your potion.
5. Watch the magic happen!
What’s actually happening? Water is denser than oil, so the oil floats on top of the water. Also,
oil does not dissolve in water, so they two do not mix easily. When the antacid tablet comes in
contact with the water there is a chemical reaction which creates carbon dioxide, a gas.
Since this gas is less dense than both oil and water, it floats to the top, dragging a bit of the
water with it.
Dissolutions experiment
Your kit will include:
- Dried tuber (Packing peanuts) - Powered horn (Sugar)
- 4 small cauldrons - Essence of nixie (Salt)
- Flobberworm mucus (Vegetable oil) - Stir stick
You will also need:
- Water - Ruler
- Measuring cups, 1/4 cup - Napkins or paper towel, something
- Marker to help clean up potential spills1) Set up your experiment. Label your cups Flobberworm mucus, Horn, Nixie, and water. In
three of the cups labeled water, Horn, and Nixie, measure ¼ C water; in the fourth,
measure ¼ C Flobberworm mucus.
2) Add the contents of your essence of Nixie to the cup labeled Nixie and stir until
dissolved. Add the contents of your Powdered Horn packet to the cup labeled Horn
and stir until dissolved.
3) Measure your dried tubers and record their length and width.
4) Place one packing peanut in each of your cups. Wait one to two minutes. Observe
how they change.
5) Carefully remove your peanuts from the liquids. Measure their length and width again.
Which solution shrunk the peanut the most?
Bonus: Want to see some real dissolving action? Ask an adult to help, and use a couple
tablespoon of acetone nail polish remover (most nail polish removers contain acetone).
Tuber Length Tuber Width Tuber Length Tuber Width After
Solution
Before Before After
Water
Essence of
Nixie
Powdered
Horn
Flobberworm
mucusSlime Pixie Trap
*This project does contain a very small amount of borax which will be made into a diluted
solution, of which only a small amount will be used in the final product. Borax can be a mild
skin irritant. Please feel free to decide if your child should or should not partake in this activity.
Your kit will include:
- 1/8 tsp Guar Gum, packet “G”
- 1/8 tsp Borax (sodium borate), packet “B”
- 2 plastic cauldrons
You will also need:
- 1 cup water, divided
- Squid Ink (Food Coloring (optional))
- Spoon to stir
- Teaspoon
- Measuring cups
Directions
1. Measure ½ C water into each of your plastic cups.
2. In your large plastic cup, add no more than 4 drops of Squid Ink if using (feel free to mix
colors)
3. Slowly add the contents of packet “G” to water and still vigorously until dissolved.
4. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken.
5. While waiting, make a borax solution. In your small plastic cup, mix the contents of the
packet labeled “B” with water, stirring slowly until it is dissolved. Place this aside.
6. When the liquid in your large cup has thickened, add 1 tsp of your sodium borate
solution and stir vigorously until your slime forms.
7. Discard your excess sodium borate solution, pouring down the drain is fine.
8. PLAY!You can also read
