A Community-Building and Continuity-Reinforcing Activity for fall 2020

IMPORTANT SAFETY SUGGESTIONS

StickTogether Applications for Libraries and Classrooms in the age of COVID.

The health and safety of our customers, as well as our users, is our primary concern. Even with the constraints and challenges posed by the current situation, StickTogether is still a great way to provide a sense of community.

THE LIBRARY

As always, the Library serves the community as a media center, learning commons, makerspace, a quiet study refuge and more. Now there are the additional safety concerns with best practices such as social-distancing 

and good hygiene for all. 

StickTogether is SAFE

StickTogether is packaged in its own wrapper. Each student can be given a discreet set of stickers to apply to the poster. The stickers can be cut into small sections and stored in envelopes, bins or bagges until ready for distribution. The poster is large and can accommodate two participants with some distance, however, the poster is only 40” wide so it cannot accommodate the 6’ required for social distancing. Alternatively, the poster can be cut apart, and then pieced back together, if desired.

StickTogether is FLEXIBLE

StickTogether is a flexible activity that can be adapted to the planned disjointed spaces and schedules. Whether the students visit the library each week or the library goes to them - having a StickTogether as a constant within their orbit will go a long way toward providing a sense of continuity and stable community. StickTogether can be temporarily mounted on a wall, placed on a table, rolled up, or even divided into pieces and re-assembled. No matter how the activity is structured, the ‘Let’s ALL StickTogether’ experience is conveyed, leaving each student with a lasting ‘‘Wow! We made that together’ memory.

StickTogether is STRESS RELIEVING

The colorful images can be built over time providing a relaxing, quiet, device-free, stress-free activity. It is perfect for those who are more anxious under the current circumstances.

IN THE CLASSROOM

StickTogether has mind/body benefits

For individuals who need to move or need to take regular breaks, StickTogether provides an activity which they can visit when they need a soothing and calming break, 

StickTogether builds concentration and offers a brain break

The activity requires integrated use of multiple brain regions, including the visual cortex, temporal lobes (involved in language processing), and motor cortex (involved in movement); participants also engage their frontal lobe when planning and using working memory to strategize about how to complete the task. Using these brain regions individually and in concert improves their functioning.

Tips for Sharing the StickTogether Experience in the Fall of 2020: 

Classrooms

Classrooms may be more autonomous – less moving from one classroom to another and/or classrooms may be asynchronous – with different subsections of students on site at different times.

StickTogether provides a tangible, as well as a symbolic way for the class to come together and work together. 

Here are some tips:

■  Cutting up stickers: Involve students in cutting up the stickers. Turn it into a math exercise.  For example: How many sections of 10 stickers can you cut from one page? Once the stickers are cut up, have the students sort them into small plastic bags of various sticker counts and/or by color.  Set aside for a few days.

■  Hanging the Poster – if wall space is tight:

- Fold the poster into sections to reduce the overall area. Have the students sticker one section at a time.

- Alternatively, cut the poster into sections. Label the sections on the back to help with re-assembly

■  For asynchronous classroom: Draw a line in the middle of the poster and assign each half to one group to turn the activity into a friendly competition.

■  For quick assembly of the image: Cut the poster into sections, one section for each student in the class. Mark the back of each section for easy re-assembly. Have each student collect the pre-cut stickers they need for their section.   

As a School-Wide Activity That Offers Social Emotional Benefits.

When schools cannot gather physically, StickTogether helps the school experience community, visualize collective achievement and share a “We are all in this together!” experience. StickTogether helps students, teachers and staff feel more connected.

Here are some tips:

■  Consider purchasing a bundle or more.  

■  Unpack all kits, and distribute the sticker sheets to be cut up among the staff. Collect up and organize all of the sections by color in a central location that is accessible to all faculty. 

■  Cut the poster into sections and mark the back of each section to help with re-assembly.  

■  Each teacher takes a section, visually scans the letters of that section, and takes a handful of stickers taking care to hold on to unused stickers.  

■  At the end of the school week, the poster is re-assembled on the floor or on wall where all the students can see the completed image on their way home.  

Virtual Teaching 

While teaching virtually, StickTogether is a way to track the cumulative accomplishments of the class. It is also a great way to mark time or count down to a future date or event. 

Here are some tips:

■  Place the poster where it can be seen by students while they are interacting with you virtually.

■  Set up the rules for having stickers added to the poster, for example: 5 stickers for each assignment delivered on time or 5 stickers for each student in attendance each day.