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. Part of my talk will be leading the charge to say let’s build more makerspaces inside schools, libraries and even community centers.” But what makes a makerspace? Makerspaces can be elaborate learning spaces equipped with sophisticated tools and supplies, but they don’t have to be. Step 1: Secure some space.
How the Maker Movement Is Moving Into Classrooms
In 1972, Seymour Papert predicted what many complain is the state of today's apps and programs for modern students: [T]he same old teaching becomes incredibly more expensive and biased toward its dumbest parts, namely the kind of rote learning in which measurable results can be obtained by treating the children like pigeons in a Skinner box. Indeed, many of us go on first our first techno-rush as kids playing with erector sets, Legos, and the Radio Shack electronic kits. In a day when everyone thinks, "There's an app for that," many educators believe that we're missing the point of technology if we think its best use is programming kids to memorize math facts. Students don't want to use apps -- they want to make them. Sylvia Martinez and Gary Stager write, in Invent to Learn, a book that some call the "Maker in Education bible": Maker classrooms are active classrooms. A new generation of inventors is surfing the tide of the Maker movement. Society's Move Toward Making Make Magazine
Maker Space In Education Series… 10 Sites To Start Making In The Classroom
Welcome back and I sure hope you enjoyed the last article of 20 Reasons for Maker Space in Education. I hope you enjoy this post as I highlight 10 sites to possible help you to get Making in the classroom… even if in the smallest way! I encourage you to send me information and resources you think help with this idea, as I am also Making time to learn. Booking Info – Time to think about your new school year needs. Makers Space Series Part 1: Maker Space In Education Series… 20 Reasons Your Students Should Be Making Part 2: Maker Space In Education Series… 10 Sites To Start Making In The Classroom Part 3: Maker Space In Education Series… 10 More Sites….Making With Technology Part 4: Maker Space In Education Series… Making It With Raspberry Pi Maker Space In Education Series… 10 Sites To Start Making In The Classroom – Michael Gorman ( I invite you to look for that one Maker Possibility that will allow your students to make while they learn. Like this:
Maker Education - About Maker Education
What’s in a MakerSpace?
By Sylvia Libow Martinez and Gary S. Stager A well-equipped modern MakerSpace features flexible, computer-controlled manufacturing equipment for creating, cutting, and forming plastics, metal, plaster, and other common materials, including: 3D printers that are capable of producing three-dimensional objects. Cutting machines that cut a variety of materials with precision. The cutting element can be a laser, water jet, knife, or other material. Deciding what to focus on first may seem like a daunting task. There is no absolute shopping list of must haves. Get started, do something, and refine as you see what works in your classroom. Beyond the game-changing technologies, your makerspace should include a basic stock of supplies to keep your students challenged, inspired, and busy. Electronic parts and tools Computers, cameras, software Craft and art supplies Building materials and traditional tools Junk for recycling into new products Batteries A library
What Is Letterboxing?
Treasure hunting has always held an almost mystic allure, whether you're Lara Croft or Captain Jack Sparrow or, you know, somebody real. Like Samurai Kitty. The treasure part of treasure hunting is only part of it, of course, and maybe the smaller bit at that. In treasure hunting, as it is with travel and maybe with serial dating, the search is often more rewarding than the payoff. It's also true with letterboxing, a kind of souped-up scavenger hunt. Like its cousin geocaching, in which hunters use GPS to find "treasure," letterboxing is a hobby in which people trek into the great outdoors to find hidden boxes filled with ... Well, it's not about the treasure, remember? "I can't tell you how many times I've said the words, 'I never knew this place was here!' "Letterboxing is how I learned about Rhododendron State Park, with a forest of wild rhododendron that bloom furiously in July every year. Readying for your letterbox hunt Getting started in letterboxing is easy enough. The big payoff
Designing a School Makerspace
Makerspaces, STEAM labs and fab labs are popping up in schools across the country. Makerspaces provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in science, engineering and tinkering. A makerspace is not solely a science lab, woodshop, computer lab or art room, but it may contain elements found in all of these familiar spaces. Therefore, it must be designed to accommodate a wide range of activities, tools and materials. Diversity and cross-pollination of activities are critical to the design, making and exploration process, and they are what set makerspaces and STEAM labs apart from single-use spaces. Cardboard construction Prototyping Woodworking Electronics Robotics Digital fabrication Building bicycles and kinetic machines Textiles and sewing Designing a space to accommodate such a wide range of activities is a challenging process. Some schools have chosen to incorporate makerspaces within multiple classroom spaces.
Knit 52 Kinds of Mushrooms in Glowing Colors
Knitting and mushrooms isn't a combination that springs to mind instantly, but once you start to look at these creations you too will be hooked. Leigh Martin, an avid knitter from Oklahoma, set herself a challenge last year: knit a different fungi every week. It's a journey; not all of the mushrooms were found in situ, many she copied from images in books. But she has taken the time to examine the history, wool and colors used and her personal story of each one. For example: This mushroom holds a special place in my heart. As Martin explains: Trees, nature, and fiber are my greatest loves. For the record, this one is Lactarius indigo, which is great mushroom for natural dyeing-- it exudes a dark blue milky substance when cut. These Parrot fungi are so cheery. These are rather dark and threatening... This one--the turkey tail fungus took several weeks to create due to the different shades and patterns on it. Some of these wonderful creations are available in the knitter's Etsy shop.
