October STEM Book of the Month

Lois Ehlert uses watercolor collage and pieces of actual seeds, fabric, wire, and roots in this innovative and rich introduction to the life of a tree. A special glossary explains how roots absorb nutrients, what photosynthesis is, how sap circulates, and other facts about trees.

This month, classrooms are challenged to submit their BEST leaf raft design to Mrs. Berumen. Using only the materials listed below, design a sustainable raft that can hold as many marbles as possible! Structures should be no more than 6 inches in length. Designs can be constructed at home or in class.

Approved Materials:

-Leaves

-Twigs

-String

-Elmers Glue

Designs will be tested live on air (KCAN Channel) on Friday, November 13th. The class with the winning design will win a $50 Gift Certificate to the Fall Book Fair!! :)

Lois Ehlert was born on November 9, 1934 in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. She grew up in a happy home as the child of Harry and Gladys Ehlert. Her father did woodworking and her mother sewed. Her artistic creativity was encouraged from an early age by her parents. Her mother used to give her scraps of cloth from her sewing and her father used to give her scraps of wood. She has been quoted as saying that construction paper was rather wimpy in color. Ehlert preferred the bright colors of the fabric compared to the pale colors of the construction paper. Her parents encouraged her by providing a card table in a small room for her to work at. She still has that very card table to work at today and adapts it for each project. With her parent's encouragement she began to make art out of found objects. She would often make things from objects people would throw away. Ehlert continued to develop her craft through high school doing several projects which led to her receiving a scholarship to the Layton school of Art.

Read More at: http://loisehlert.weebly.com/biography.html