Join Thompson Free Library for a #ReadGrateful challenge this November! All ages are welcome to participate using Beanstack or paper calendars that you can pick up at the library. The end-of-challenge prize is a new journal and journaling supplies! To register for the challenge visit: https://thompson.beanstack.org/reader365.
Need some books ideas? Check out our Gratitude-Themed Reading List on Wakelet.
Thompson Free Library is working to start our very own Community “Zine.”
What is a zine, you ask? A zine (pronounced “zeen” just like the end of the word magazine) is a homemade publication. Making a zine is all about self-expression and creativity, sharing thoughts, feelings, and creative passions through non-fiction writings, fan fiction, short stories, poetry, song writing, photography, comic or graphic novel strips, doodles, paintings, drawings, and more.
Zines can have an array of messages or topics, and ours will be shared in both neatly-bound and web- based presentations. Every zine we publish will begin with a creative prompt. Our first go-round idea is this:
Are you an avid film-buff with a head full of endless lists of the film titles you can’t stop talking about? Are you the 5K racer or marathoner forever in training or competitions? Is it cats and kittens for you, or dogs and puppies that have forever captured your heart? Do you find yourself foraging through antique stores looking for unexpected treasures? Got grandchildren? What’s your favorite genre: sci-fi, horror, mysteries, or perhaps it is romantic comedies? You a Trekkie? Is it your dream to be a groupie or even a roadie for Lady Gaga or Fallout Boy? A chess player looking for your next checkmate/game-over thrill? A solitary hiker of the wooded wilderness? A Nascar nut, budding chef, gadget-guru, or the next Eric Clapton on guitar?
We’re taking passions here, and ‘Passions’ is the prompt for our first issue. We invite your creative submissions for publication.
Submissions for this first Zine will be due by 5 pm on August 28th, 2020.
And by the way, if you can think up a catchy name for our community zine (or a future topic that might be fun) please let us know!
Request and Rules:
The Thompson Free Library is looking for community members from the Maine Highlands Region to submit a piece/pieces of work (maximum of 3 pages) to be published in an inclusive, all-ages publication. Submitting hand-written writing is fine as long as it is legible, plus we’re requiring 1-inch margins so the physical zine can be bound.
If you are submitting art or photographs, we are asking for pictures or scans of the art, we do not want originals; we want you to keep those.
Again, please remember that this is an all-ages, inclusive publication, so we ask that language and content be kept appropriate for everyone. Hateful content of any kind will not be published, and we furthermore reserve the editorial right to select or dismiss submissions at our discretion.
Please send submissions by email to thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or by snail mail to 186 E. Main Street, Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426. If you have any questions, please email us or call us at 207-564-3350.
We can’t wait to do this project with our community members!
Free online resources from Maine cultural institutions, including virtual exhibits, interactive maps, games, lesson plans and more!
Educator Hub | Downloadable classroom and reference materials including lesson plans designed to bring Wabanki history and culture into the classroom.
Interactive Maps | Changes in the Dawnland, Languages and Landscapes, Stories of the Dawnland, and Wabanaki Today.
Colby Museum @ Home | Hands-on art projects, audio & video recordings, jigsaw puzzles, virtual exhibitions and more.
Online Exhibits | View the museum’s exhibits online.
Resources for Teachers | Find websites, books and videos on Wabanaki history and culture.
Web App | Explore material culture traditions central to the Native Peoples of Maine through interviews, games, and animations.
YouTube Channel | Watch videos showcasing Wabanaki artists talking about basketmaking, birchbark and carving traditions, and more.
Maine Memory Network | Access to thousands of historical items, lesson plans, and online exhibits.
Lessons & Resources | Lesson plans, primary source sets, and other resources to connect students with Maine State Museum exhibits and collections.
Gallery Exhibits | Virtual re-creations of Osher’s popular gallery exhibits.
Map Play 4 Kids | Slideshows, trivia, geomatching, scrambler, and links to other fun geography games.
Teach | Social studies lessons using maps, charts, and atlases as well as worksheets, board games, and other activities for K-12 students and teachers.
Online Exhibits| Take a tour of PMM’s paintings, photographs, and museum artifacts.
Penobscot Bay History Online | Educational site where students, teachers, and researchers can learn about maritime history and culture.
Story Map | Travel with Ernest W. Perkins from Boston to Buenos Aires through his diary written in 1892. Includes activity prompts.
Explore the world from home with Google Earth Voyager — a collection of interactive guided tours on topics like travel, culture, nature, and history. Voyager integrates media including 360 videos and Street View to let you learn about the Earth from a new perspective!
Try one of the following tours, or visit Voyager for many more!
Global libraries with a difference — from 9th-century landmarks housing medieval manuscripts, to ultra-modern buildings that light up the city sky at night.
Animals and Wildlife of the World
See a sampling of the planet’s eight million species of wildlife, from ancient tortoises of the Galápagos to monkeys that bathe in the hot springs of Japan.
From coast to coast, the US is home to stunning natural sites, diverse cultural scenes, and historic landmarks.
From Switzerland to Israel, ascend these picturesque hiking trails and discover breathtaking views along the way.
Visit 28 museums near and far — from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to the National Museum in New Delhi — to learn about art all over the globe.
Visit 30 historic landmarks around the world, including the Taj Mahal, Stonehenge and more!
US National Parks and Historic Sites
Get up close with nature and explore the beauty of US National Parks.
Tour popular Appalachian Trail pitstops, where hikers find shelter and stock up on supplies during the 2,190-mile journey. (Featuring Monson, Maine!)
The ocean covers 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, yet only 5 percent has been explored. Discover the wonders found under the sea with Street View imagery collected by Underwater Earth and The Ocean Agency.
WWII Memorials Around the World
From Pearl Harbor to Brandenburg Gate, these monuments piece together the solemn story of WWII as countries experienced it around the world.
Digital Maine LibraryKids InfoBits Digital content covering a broad range of educational topics including Animals, Arts, Geography Literature, Social Studies, Technology, and more.
Miss Humblebee’s Academy Theme-based, interactive curriculum for children preschool through kindergarten.
National Geographic Kids Includes all magazines from 2009 to the present, as well as books, videos, and images.
World Book Early World of Learning K-3rd Grade. Offers a children’s encyclopedia, and resources like animated poems, stories, and games.
World Book Kids K-5th Grade. This online encyclopedia includes videos, activities, and read-aloud features.
In Context: Middle School Combines reference content with age-appropriate videos, newspapers, magazines, and primary sources.
In Context: High School Offers a selection of overviews, primary sources, videos and images.
World Book Discover Great for reluctant readers. Engages with easy-to-understand content, interactive multimedia and text-to-speech.
World Book Student Connects students with a variety of multimedia and articles.
World Book Timelines Brows existing timelines in a variety of subjects or create custom timelines using articles from the World Book Encyclopedia.
Learning Express Provides support to students for academic skill-building and standardized test prep.
NoveList K-8 Plus Helps kids find books that are just right for their reading level and interests.
Other Online ResourcesCommunity of Learning Begins March 23. Interactive, live-streamed programs for homebound students in grades K-6.
Code.org Learn computer science at home with tutorials, videos, and projects.
Khan Academy Online courses, lessons, and practice.
The Learning Space Original, educational programming for students in grades 3 through 5 created by Maine teachers.
PBS Learning Media Teaching resources including vides, lesson plans, and games.
Scholastic Learn at Home Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing.
Science News for Students Online publication dedicated to providing age-appropriate science news to learners, parents, and educators.
Smithsonian Fun Stuff for Kids Explore and learn with the Smithsonian Institution.
Storyline Online Videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.
Ted Under 20 Talks from scientists, musicians, innovators, activists–all under the age of 20.
Tumble Book Library Children’s e-books, including animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, graphic novels, and more.
Tumble Math Math stories combining animation, narration, and sound.
Wonderopolis Intriguing questions explored in a variety of ways. (Created by National Center for Families Learning)
