Our kits are designed to provide hands-on interaction and creative learning with STEM concepts while complementing Anchorage School District's science curriculum standards.
Each kit focuses on a theme and contains:
- an explorative, hands-on item
- a discovery sheet for recording what you learned, observed, and designed
- non-fiction books
Kits circulate for three weeks and are eligible for renewals as item demand allows. Items can be picked up from the Youth Services desk at the Z. J. Loussac Library or placed on hold for pick-up at any APL location. Please keep in mind, kits must be returned to a desk inside an APL location. Two kits per household please.
Sponsor a kit! The initial round of kits was sponsored by a grant from the the National Science Foundation in partnership with the American Society of Civil Engineers administered through the Space Science Institute. If you are an organization, company, or individual who would be interested in sponsoring a kit, they range in cost from $100-$250. Please contact Youth Services Coordinator, Samantha Blanquart at 907-343-2840, or email samantha.blanquart@anchorageak.gov for more information.
| Theme | Suggested Age |
Description | More info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Birds & Animals | 5 to 12 |
Binoculars, field guides to birds and animals, observation journal |
Content list Place hold |
| Alaska Plants & Bugs | 5 to 12 |
Magnifying glass, pocket microscope, field guides to insects and plants |
Content list Place hold |
| Anatomy | 6 to 12 |
A human body model for you to “dissect”, a stethoscope, books on anatomy |
Content list Place hold |
| Animal Cell Biology | 8 to 12 |
Use a 4D model to learn about the parts of an animal cell and biology! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Astronomy Binoculars |
6 to 12 |
Binoculars especially for night sky viewing, a star finder, and astronomy books |
Content list Place hold |
|
Astronomy Telescope |
6 to 12 |
Portable telescope, star finder, astronomy books, all in backpack ready to go! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Bridges |
8 to 12 |
K’nex bridge building kit and books on bridges |
Content list Place hold |
|
Catapults |
8 to 12 |
Learn some Medieval engineering and build catapults and crossbows. |
|
|
Chain Reactions |
4 to 8 |
Learn about chain reactions, physics, and force by setting up and knocking down dominoes. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Chicken Anatomy |
8 to 12 |
Use this model of chicken anatomy to assemble and dissect and learn about organs! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Circuits 1 |
8 to 12 |
Snap circuits set and instructions to build several projects; electricity books |
Content list Place hold |
|
Circuits 2 |
8 to 12 |
Squishy circuits set (clay instead of wires for circuits), hand generator, electricity books |
Content list Place hold |
|
Circuits 3 |
8 to 12 |
Develop logical reasoning and planning skills as you learn to build circuits to complete challenges in this game. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Coding for Preschoolers |
3 to 6 |
Practice the beginning blocks of coding with the Coding Critters: Scrambles the Fox! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Coding 1 |
4 to 7 |
Robot mouse you program to solve a maze with card prompts, coding picture books |
Content list Place hold |
|
Coding 2 |
5 to 10 |
Botley robot you program with cards and a remote, beginning coding books |
Content list Place hold |
|
Coding 3 |
8 to 12 |
Ozobot robots you code by drawing on paper; coding books |
Content list Place hold |
|
Counting and Sorting |
3 to 6 |
Kids can practice number & color recognition, matching, sorting, counting, addition, subtraction and other early math skills with this kit. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Counting Cubes |
4 to 7 |
Practice counting,a dding, subtracting, sequencing, and more while also developing fine motor skills. |
Content list Place a hold |
|
Dino Robot |
8 to 12 |
Build seven different dinosaur model robots that can walk and move! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Dinosaur Anatomy: T-Rex |
8 to 12 |
Includes a T-Rex model for you to dissect and books about dinosaurs. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Earthquakes |
5 to 12 |
Learn about how structures stand, or topple, when an earthquake hits. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Electricity & Magnetism |
8 to 12 |
Using snap together parts, conduct experiments with electricity and magnets. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Forces and Motion |
4 to 8 |
Learn about physics, gravity, force, motion and more with this engineering based activity set. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Fossil Excavation |
5 to 12 |
Use the included instructions to create your own fossil excavation experience! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Gears |
4 to 9 |
Create, arrange, and explore the motion of gears with these builders. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Gecko Robot |
8 to 12 |
Build a wall-climbing robot and other projects with a battery motor and air suction system to learn physics and engineering concepts. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Geology Rocks |
4 to 10 |
Includes a set of rocks and fossils to help learn to identify minerals. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Geometry 2D Shapes |
5 to 10 |
Kids can practice fine motor skills while exploring concepts of geometry such as perimeter, area, polygons and more. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Geometry 3D Shapes |
5 to 10 |
Use the included wood shapes to practice identifying 3D shapes as well as counting faces, edges, and vertices. |
Content list Place hold |
|
GPS & Maps |
8 to 12 |
GPS unit and books on maps and geocaching |
Content list Place hold |
|
Light Waves |
6 to 9 |
Prisms and a light source; books on how light works |
Content list Place hold |
|
Magnetic Tiles |
3 to 6 |
Explore the world of magnetic fields and structures using magnetic titles.
|
Content list Place hold |
|
Magnets |
4 to 8 |
Explore the world of magnetic fields, cause & effect and problem solving. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Marble Run |
4 to 8 |
Build and rebuild marble runs in endless combinations to learn about cause and effect, forces and physics. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Math Games |
8 to 12 |
Prime Climb game that uses math to advance pieces, math challenge book |
Content list Place hold |
|
Math Games Addition & Subtraction |
5 to 8 |
Practice addition and subtraction in this quick thinking math game! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Math Games Multiplication & Division |
8 to 12 |
Practice multiplication and division in this quick thinking math game! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Math Manipulatives |
6 to 10 |
This kit provides hands-on materials to help kids learn about place value, counting, operations, and arithmetic equations. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Measurement |
4 to 10 |
Scales, beakers, measuring tape, and more to learn about different systems of measurements with books and challenges on measurement |
Content list Place hold |
|
Money Skills |
5 to 10 |
Learn about currency, the values of bills and coins, and adding and subtracting with books, activities, and a board game! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Plant Cell Biology |
8 to 12 |
Use this 4D model to learn about the parts of a plant cell. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Playground Engineering & Design |
4 to 8 |
Design and build your own playground with this engineering kit! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Probability |
6 to 12 |
Dice, spinners, cards, a variety challenges to learn about probability; math books |
Content list Place hold |
|
Robotic Arms |
8 to 12 |
Learn how robotic arms work by building six different models that use a pneumatic system. |
|
|
Robotic Pets |
6 to 12 |
Build 7 different robotic pets and then watch them move with this kit that will help teach robotic design. |
|
|
Simple Machines for Early Elementary |
5 to 8 |
Learn how simple machines can be used to solve real-world problems! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Simple Machines: Gears |
8 to 12 |
K’nex building kit on gears, books on engineering |
Content list Place hold |
|
Simple Machines: Levers & Pulleys |
8 to 12 |
K’nex building kit on levers and pulleys, books on those types of simple machines |
Content list Place hold |
|
Simple Machines: Wheels, Axles, and Inclined Planes |
8 to 12 |
K’nex building kit & books on wheels, axles, and inclined planes |
Content list Place hold |
|
Snow Science |
5 to 12 |
Experiments to learn about the states of matter & snow crystals. (Need a freezer at home, snow on the ground recommended but not required.) |
Content list Place hold |
|
Solar Energy |
8 to 12 |
K’nex building kit & solar panel to create solar powered machines; solar energy book |
Content list Place hold |
|
Solar System |
8 to 12 |
Learn about the planets using a model of Earth, the sun and moon, a constellation viewer, and more. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Straw Building |
4 to 12 |
Straws and connectors allow you to build structures, models, and more. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Structures |
5 to 12 |
Engineer a variety of structures with KEVA planks and cardboard pieces. |
Content list Place hold |
|
Tangrams |
4 to 10 |
Explore shapes and the designs you can make with them. Start with simple pictures for young children and work up to challenging puzzles! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Telling Time |
4 to 10 |
Learn about analog & digital clocks, how to tell time, and how to write time with a hands-on clock and board game! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Tiger Anatomy |
8 to 12 |
Learn about tiger anatomy with this 3D model kit! |
Content list Place hold |
|
Wind & Water Energy |
8 to 12 |
K’nex building kit to create wind and water powered machines; renewable energy book |
Content list Place hold |
|
Wind Powered Generators |
8 to 12 |
Learn about renewable energy by reading about and then constructing a 3 foot tall turbine that can charge batteries! |
Content list Place hold |