Create a school makerspace in 3 simple steps As maker education gains steam, many educators are looking for ways to incorporate making and tinkering into their schools and classrooms — often on a shoestring budget. “Kids are saying they want to learn more about technology and science, but they also want to experience it creatively and use it personally,” said Dale Dougherty, founder of Make Media, which produces Maker Faire and Make Magazine. He’ll address how educators can deliver these types of experimental learning experiences during ISTE 2014’s EdTekTalks, a provocative series of mini-keynotes from thought leaders beyond the world of ed tech. “One of the ways we can do that is create more makerspaces for kids. But what makes a makerspace? They promote learning through play and experimentation.They’re cross-disciplinary, with elements of art, science and craftsmanship.They offer tools and materials that encourage students to create rather than consume. Step 1: Secure some space. It doesn’t need to be fancy. Step 2: Put stuff in it.
Makerspace Starter Kit The hot new Makerspace Movement is NOT new to Murray Hill Middle School. Eighteen years ago we designed and opened the school with the idea that we would have creation labs in the Media Center, GT room, and the TV studio. We started with video production, iMovie, Specular LogoMotion, Hyperstudio, and animation with Hollyood High kids. It's OK to Start Small! I re-purposed some of my empty study carrels for this Makerspace center at the top corner of our library. As I asserted in a recent blog post about new Ed Tech trends, fads, & tech -you can start small and You Don't Have to Marry It! For the Duct Tape Craft Cubby, I used a spring loaded curtain rod to hold the duct tape rolls, bought a bright blue colored shower caddy for the scissors and other tools. Amazon Delivers! I got all this on Amazon using my district P-Card & free shipping because I shared Prime with myself. Check out what I purchased full size - you may have to click twice to enlarge and scroll to view. FUND Me!
Want to Start a Makerspace at School? Tips to Get Started | MindShift | KQED News As the Maker Movement starts to gain momentum, schools that are trying to find ways to foster the do-it-yourself environment can learn a few lessons from another nexus in the universe: public libraries. Dale Dougherty, founding editor and publisher of Make Magazine — and the de facto leader of the Maker Movement — has a vision to create a network of libraries, museums, and schools with what he calls “makerspaces” that draw on common resources and experts in each community. Libraries and museums, he said, are easier places to incorporate makerspaces than schools, because they have more space flexibility and they’re trying to attract teens with their programs. “Schools have already got the kids,” Dougherty noted wryly, at the recent American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. Schools can learn from libraries that participated in the inaugural Maker Camps last summer. “Why are you here?” But not every space is alike, or even appropriate.
9 Maker Projects for Beginner Maker Ed Teachers - Blog Maker education (often referred to as “Maker Ed”) is a new school of educational thought that focuses on delivering constructivist, project-based learning curriculum and instructional units to students. Maker education spaces can be as large as full high school workshops with high-tech tools, or as small and low-tech as one corner of an elementary classroom. A makerspace isn't just about the tools and equipment, but the sort of learning experience the space provides to students who are making projects. Maker Ed places a premium on the balance between exploration and execution. Maker education provides space for real-life collaboration, integration across multiple disciplines, and iteration—the opportunity to fail, rework a project and find success. Smaller Scale Maker Education Projects Do you want to get into Making and Maker Ed but don’t know where to start? Towers of Power Catapults Materials:Mouse trapsWood stirring sticksErasersWood blocksPing-pong ballsHot glue Bridge to Nowhere
Manufacturing Makerspaces Kids gather to make Lego robots; teens create digital music, movies, and games with computers and mixers; and students engineer new projects while adults create prototypes for small business products with laser cutters and 3D printers. Many libraries across the US have developed makerspaces—places to create, build, and craft—and they are experiencing increased visits and demand as a result. For public libraries, they are places to promote community engagement. For academic libraries, they are places where students and faculty feel welcome to do classwork and research. Fundamentally, makerspaces are a technological leap past library knitting and quilting circles, where patrons and experts have often come together to learn new techniques and train others in a skill. The ALA 2012 Virtual Conference featured two well-attended makerspace sessions. Three Makerspace Models That Work By Travis Good Tools in a library makerspace range from electronics to digital media, 3D printing, and more. 1.
The Flipped Learning Process Visually Explained April 2, 2015 After yesterday’s post on “Flipped Learning Resources” one of our readers emailed us this beautiful visual outlining the six main steps involved in the creation of a flipped classroom. These steps include: planning, recording, sharing, changing, grouping, and regrouping. Read the graphic for more details on each of these steps. As a refresher for those who are not yet familiar with the concept of a flipped classroom. Flipped learning or Flipped classroom or is a methodology, an approach to learning in which technology is employed to reverse the traditional role of classroom time. via Daily Genius Courtesy of eLearning Infographics
Why the 'Maker Movement' is Popular in Schools The maker movement is a global, DIY movement of people who take charge of their lives, solve their own problems and share how they solved them. And it's growing in schools that are searching for more authentic learning experiences for their students. Since the beginning of time, people have made things to solve problems and otherwise improve their quality of life. But previously, the amount of exposure individual projects received was limited. Now the Internet has driven projects into the limelight. "These things that used to be isolated are now shared widely," said Sylvia Libow Martinez, president of nonprofit education technology organization Generation YES and co-author of the book Invent to Learn. She shared an example of how this global movement works. From kindergarten to second grade, students traditionally make things with playdough, legos and other objects. And parents have been telling Libow Martinez that something needs to change. What schools are doing with maker education
FAQs about Makerspaces What is needed to start a Makerspace in a classroom or school? Passion - You need to have passion and a belief in the educational value of maker-style projects. Space - This can be a whole room or only part of a room. Supplies - Start small with simple craft materials. Often sending a message out to colleagues and the community asking for donations of materials works well. Storage - Create a place to store materials when they are not in use and student projects as they are being worked on. Where should the Makerspace be placed? Makerspaces can be located just about anywhere, but there are certain spaces that make more sense in a school setting. How does a teacher justify allowing students to play when they should be focusing on academics? Makerspaces and maker-style projects are firmly grounded in sound educational theory. Is a 3D printer required to have a Makerspace? Absolutely not! When are students allowed to use the Makerspace? Who supervises the Makerspace? Should students save their work?
5 Engineering Challenges with Clothespins, Binder Clips, and Craft Sticks Five engineering challenges for kids – with wooden clothespins, binder clips, and craft sticks! It’s a simple STEM activity that kids of all ages will love. Move over, expensive building sets! Kids will have a blast just exploring with these materials, and it’s a great activity for hand-eye coordination. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Materials Used: We used a train table board as a building surface. Challenge #1: Build a structure that can support the most possible weight. For this one, you could either challenge kids to build a true bridge, or just a structure that supports weight. Two clothespins with a craft stick between them make great supports for a structure. We couldn’t believe how much weight this could hold! Then we tried building bridges. Then he tested the strength of his design with books. It held 8 books and then collapsed, which was not too bad! Then we tried a bridge with triangles in the design (since I knew that triangles are a stronger shape).
27 Makerspace Materials & Supplies - Makerspaces.com Free Supply List (PDF) – 100+ Makerspace Materials and Supplies What makerspace materials and supplies should you buy or stock for your hands-on learning lab? There are a lot of options out there to choose from and it can be confusing when you’re first starting out as a maker educator. Instead of just spending money randomly on items you think you will need, it’s always a great idea to work backwards first. You need to make a list of your goals for your makerspace and then define some of the projects you want to do in your makerspace. Here are some of the top makerspace materials and supplies a classroom or library should consider adding to their space. UPDATE – Check out our latest post that highlights over 100+ Makerspace Materials and Products (FREE Supply List) Legos: Lego education has curriculum ranging from preschool to high school. Cubelets: These are modular robotic blocks that are connected with magnets. LEDs: Light Emitting Diodes are a staple in most makerspaces.
25 Makerspace (STEM / STEAM) Projects For Kids Makerspace or STEM projects for kids don’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, some of the best projects use recycled or repurposed items like cardboard or soda bottles which means nothing to buy. Below, we’ve compiled some of our favorite projects that are great for makerspaces. Learn how to make a boat out of a soda bottle, create a car from cardboard and many more. Get the FREE Makerspace Info Bundle Build a simple circuit using a pizza box (no soldering required) Create circuit tiles which are interchangeable blocks used to form different circuits. Using a simple hobby motor and cardboard, you can make a frog robot that is very entertaining. Learn how to make this simple foam boat with dc motor and homemade propeller. These battery powered cars are super fun and can be made with a few basic parts. Paper circuits are a really great way to learn the basics of circuits and electricity. Make a flying airplane using cardboard, a coke bottle and a DC hobby motor.
How Fair Is Your Maker Space? All students should be able to benefit from maker spaces and maker education, which emphasize student-driven learning and foster the development of 21st-century skills. However, not all maker spaces and activities are created equal. Some feature high-tech equipment such as 3-D printers and scanners, programmable robots, mini-computers, and high-tech construction toys—equipment carrying a hefty price tag that not all schools can afford. In addition, maker space activities may cater to certain kids’ interests but not others—including dynamics that educators might not even be aware of. A maker space on a shoestring How can schools with limited budgets invest money in fancy tech for a maker space? Low-cost and free options include donated equipment, recycled and upcycled materials, low-tech and no-tech options, and bargain-bin electronics, all of which can enable a high-quality experience. They began inside the school, where they asked teachers to donate unused equipment and supplies.