AS IT IS 2016-05-03 Arts Fuel Tech Creativity in Children

AS IT IS 2016-05-03 Arts Fuel Tech Creativity in Children

An American library is giving children a new way to learn important life skills by combining art projects with traditional school subjects, like mathematics and science.

The program is called STEAMtivity. It is offered at a public library in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C.

Diana Price is the head of youth services at the library.

“STEAMtivity is a program that combines STEAM – science, technology, engineering¹, arts, and math – and creativity. They involve different technologies, such as LEGO Mindstorms robots. And some more kind of low-tech arts-focused programs, such as ‘make your own musical instrument.’ "

Diana Price added that most of her library’s non-traditional programs are open-ended. This means the children can create any kind of product they want and take the path to creating that product any way they want.

This model makes failure impossible, she said. It also makes children feel sure of their abilities, so they feel better about science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

The library received money for the program from the American Library Association² and the Walt Disney Company.

On a recent day, a group of children, ages 8-12, gathered in a room at the Alexandria library. The boys and girls used small straws to build structures. The straws connect to each other to form designs.

Michael Guysinger is a fourth grade student. He likes the exercises.

“I like them because they’re very creative. There’s no instructions. You can do it really your own way. You don’t have to do this or that. You just do it your own way.”

At first, Michael wanted to build a house with his straws. But he later decided³ to create a spaceship instead.

Michael’s mother says he and her other children are taught at home, not at school. She says that, at the library, they enjoy learning⁴ things with materials not found at home.

“And it gives them the opportunity to use their creativity and their imagination to come up with different ideas and things to do.”

Another student, second grader Munira Khalif, said she also created something different than first planned.

“I first made the flower, and then I thought I should make the sun because I like how the sun goes on top of the flower.”

The program is part of the Alexandria library’s effort to serve immigrants⁵ and poor families in the community.

Somali immigrant⁶ Mohamed Khalif said his two daughters could not wait to come back to the library for more activities.

“It opens their eyes and make them think out of the box, and do something that they normally⁷ don’t do at home or a playground.”

Price says the program lets children work independently and as a team, helping⁸ them learn skills they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.        

Words in This Story

library – n. a place where a person can borrow books, magazines and other materials

straw – n. a thin tube used for drinking liquid

impossible – adj. not possible to be done or happen

straw – n. a thin tube used for drinking liquid

instruction – n. the action or process of teaching⁹

opportunity – n. a chance for advancing or progressing

think out of the box - idiom. thoughts that are creative, unusual and not limited by tradition

1 engineering   

n.工程，工程学，管理，操纵

参考例句：

• The science of engineering began as soon as man learned to use tools. 人类一学会使用工具,工程科学就开始了。
• It was the first great engineering works in the world. 这是世界上第一家大型的工程工厂。

2 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

5 immigrants   

n.移民( immigrant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Illegal immigrants were given the opportunity to regularize their position. 非法移民得到了使其身份合法化的机会。
• Immigrants from all over the world populate this city. 这个城市里生活着来自世界各地的移民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 immigrant   

adj.(从国外)移来的，移民的；n.移民，侨民

参考例句：

• Life in the USA was very hard for almost every new immigrant.美国的生活几乎对每一个新移民都很艰难。
• I'd like to obtain some information about applying for an immigrant visa.我想取一些申请移民签证的资料。

7 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。