Discover & Explore for Grade Schoolers

Find resources and at-home activities on a specific topic, curated by Oak Park librarians.

See the latest activities for grade schoolers

SNOW! written over a snowy landscape with houses and a snowman

SNOW! At-home activities for grade schoolers

By Children's Librarian Genevieve Grove Love it, hate it, or just tolerate it, snow is a fact of life for those of us living in the Midwest! Here are some ...
Hands drumming

Bomba music: Videos, books & more at-home activities for grade schoolers

Welcome everyone! Today we will briefly explore a pillar of Puerto Rican cultural expression known as Bomba. We will learn that beyond its existence as a musical genre in Puerto ...
Kid raising hands in triumph while working on a laptop with shelves filled with books in the background

Need help with school research projects? Library resources to the rescue: AtoZ Maps & AtoZ World Culture (Part 2)

By Children's Librarian Eileen Saam As mentioned in my first post in this series, Google is a great resource of information and can be a useful first source when researching ...
Birth chart with cards featuring different phases of the moon and zodiac signs

All about astrology: A virtual tutorial, books & more

By Hal, Rainbow Services Librarian Astrology and astronomy are similar words that are easy to confuse! Both relate to space and the universe, but astronomy is a branch of science, ...
Two grade school students using a laptop to study outside

Need help with school research projects? Library resources to the rescue: Culture Grams, National Geographic Kids & World Book for Kids (Part 1)

By Children's Librarian Eileen Saam Many people use Google to search for information on the internet. Google is a powerful tool for research. It is fast and convenient and can ...
Telescope looking at the night sky

The universe above our heads: At-home activities & books for grade schoolers

By Children's Librarian Genevieve Grove The physical sciences study the non-living systems of our world, and astronomy expands that investigation into the universe! Galaxies, stars, planets—we want to know about ...
Become a chess champ

Become a chess champ: A virtual tutorial & more at-home activities for kids

Chess challenges young minds to think critically. It teaches sacrifice and strategy, and exercises the ability to think ahead. And it's fun! Whether kids are new to chess or have ...
Butterfly painting on window

Butterflies! At-home activities & more for grade schoolers (part 2)

Here in Oak Park, the Village of Oak Park has proclaimed 2021 as the Year of the Butterfly, and we are learning so much about monarch butterflies and their need ...