Theme

Make

  1. make [meyk] verb
    1.  to build, create, or produce (something) by work or effort  
    2. to cause (something) to exist, happen, or appear  

Things are what you MAKE of them, right?

You can build a better mousetrap with a little imagination and engineering.  You can make someone’s day with a little caring and kindness.  You can help make dinner with a little planning and preparation.  The idea of MAKING can be turned inside out fueled with curiosity and propelled with creativity.   

Everyone is a maker.

Literally, we can make things.  Can you make a tower?  Now, can you make it even taller?  Can you make a picture for a friend?   Can you make a silly hat?  What are all the things you could make with cardboard and tape?  The possibilities are endless.  Our lives are full of problems to be solved, and you can apply the spirit of making to developing solutions.   

Making things says who we are.

Through making we express our individuality. We give shape to our emotions, our feelings about the world and each other. We make our thoughts and ideas a reality. Seeing what we have made shows us who we are. It helps us to know ourselves better. 

Making things takes us places.

Think about all the ways making connects you to your family, your community, the world. Imagine all the ways you can make a difference through making. Even small things make a difference. When you smile, does someone smile back?  When you pick up a piece of trash off the sidewalk, who and how are you helping?  Something small can make a big difference in making our world a better place.

 

Suggested Reading List

  • Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt
  • Stars by Mary Lyn Ray
  • What to Do with A Box by Jane Yolen
  • Flight of the Honeybee by Raymond Huber
  • The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter
  • The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spire
  • The Pink Refrigerator by Tim Egan
  • Hug Machine by Scott Campbell
  • The Water Princess by Susan Verde

Explore Our Themes

Theme

Our Senses

How do you explore and understand what is around you?  Think about what happens when Mom or Dad tells you that dinner is ready – you can hear them asking you to wash your hands, feel the water and soap against your skin, smell what’s cooking, see your chair at the table and taste the food on your plate. You can do all of that thanks to your senses!
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Theme

Kindness

Whether shining through a smile, the assistance of a helping hand, being patient or using manners, you can spread kindness. What acts of kindness have you seen? Maybe you remember a time that someone was kind to you. Kindness can be contagious, one act causing another and so on.
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Theme

Earth

Earth is the place we call home, and it’s a very special place indeed. From the sky above to the ground at your feet, we are surrounded by creatures and features that inform and influence our lives.
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Theme

Change

Does it sometimes feel like everything is always changing?  It’s a fact: change is all around us and within us.  Change happens.  And at the same time, some things stay exactly the same.  Through this theme of CHANGE, you can check out lots of things in your world that change, and maybe even a few that don’t.
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Theme

Movement

Hey….get moving!  Animal, human, or machine….minuscule or humongous…..seen and unseen…..so many things move.  Think about it for a minute.  Even when you are standing very still, some parts of your body (especially on the inside) are still moving even when you think you’re not.  
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Theme

View

Is there a different way to look at things? From a different angle or from another perspective? Sometimes we are so set in our ways that it is hard to see things from another person’s point of view, or to get a fresh take on a lingering problem. Our experiences, our personalities, our interests and so many other things influence our point of view. The theme of VIEW gives you a new way to look at what’s happening in and around you.
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Theme

World

Do you ever wonder what’s beyond your backyard, or outside the city limits? It’s a wide, wide world.  There is so much that makes every continent, every country, every state, every city, every neighborhood, and even every home, unique.  The WORLD theme offers a way to take a worldly adventure, without ever hopping on a plane.
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