Makerspace

Two years ago I converted my classroom to a Makerspace environment.  In preparing for a couple of professional development sessions we are presenting this summer, I have been reflecting on what has helped the Makerspace concept be successful in my classroom.  Here are some tips!


Makerspace Tips

M - Make learning meaningful.  Makerspaces are full of opportunities.  Students can "make" to show their learning on a topic, demonstrating how they are meeting the learning standards for your district.  They can "make" as part of genius hour/passion projects/independent study/innovation hour. They can make in response to a teacher prompt.  Or, they can make as part of a PBL project.

A - Ask for donations of supplies.  Give parents, staff, and the community a list of materials you would like to add to your space.  I have received LEGOs, wood and foam scraps,  sewing supplies, art materials, and more.  People are very generous, and are often looking for a place to donate things they no longer use.

K - Keep it organized.  I use tubs to sort cardboard, plastic, and Styrofoam.   I put pictures in LEGO kits to help keep the pieces in the right place.  I sort materials by the type of supply. Ikea has fun and inexpensive containers, and the dollar spot at Target is a great place to visit. (Okay, Target in general is a great place to visit.)

E - Expand the possibilities of your space.  Find open-ended supplies that will enable students to do a variety of different things.  Some examples include Makey Makey, Green Screen, Raspberry Pis, Circuit Stickers, Squishy Circuits, and Roominate.

R - Robotics.  There are some really cool robots available to add to your space, in a range of prices.  I have added Ozobot, Wonder Workshop's Dash and Dot, Cubelets, Snap Rover, and LEGO WeDo.

S -  Start with what you already have.  I started with the art supplies that had accumulated over 18 years of teaching.  My first summer, I saved cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towel rolls.  I collected cardboard boxes, plastic lids, Styrofoam from packages, and plastic containers from food items.  If you have an iPad, you can download a stop motion animation app and be on your way.  Kids can take apart old technology to see how it works, then repurpose the materials to make something new.

P - Passion Projects.  If you run a genius hour/innovation hour/20% time, students can use the materials in your Makerspace to create "answers" to "problems" they have identified.

A - Add materials over time.  Start adding materials in your classroom budget.  Write proposals and grants through websites like Donors Choose, Think It Up, Kids in Need, and local foundations.

C -  Challenges.  There are so many challenges out there.  Use your Makerspace to participate in the International Cardboard Challenge, LEGO creative uses challenge, Wonder Workshop Robotics Competition, Hour of Code, Rube Goldberg Challenge, or Google Science Fair.  Watch social media channels to spot additional challenges ~ they pop up all the time!

E - Even more ideas.  Play with polymers.  Use 3D Doodler Pens. Try claymation.  Solve a problem in the world.  Complete a STEM challenge.  Learn to program.  Just tinker!

But, most importantly, keep it organized!

A few things I have made for my Makerspace:

Download an "I'm a Maker" poster.

Try Makerspace Idea Cards if kids need an idea to get started.

Link to the Makerspace Poster at the top of this post.


What tips do you have for Makerspaces?

Motivation Monday and Game Review

I have never been able to draw.  I have a standard stick person (which covers both genders and all ages), a stick animal (which encompasses animals of the land, see, and air), and a basic house, tree, and flower.  Any time I play a game with my own children that requires drawing, I just groan.  And silently question why Santa brought those games to begin with - what WAS he thinking?

This winter, Santa brought an independent drawing game that both the kids and I LOVE.  Not because I can draw now, but because it requires creative thought!  (And, one person can play by themselves, relieving me from a drawing requirement.)


It is called The Extraordinaires Design Studio.

The Extraordinaire Design Studio (affiliate link)

The Extraordinaire Design Studio is described as "a creative thinking game for problem solvers. If you've ever wondered what it's like to invent a music player for a robot, a remote control for a pirate, or a cooking utensil for a vampire teen, this game is for you."  This is an amazing opportunity for children to be creative!

In the above image, my daughter drew the Extraordinaire  card "future child" and the project  card "ceremony place".  Her design title is China's New Year, and she has created a transportation tube, reusable fireworks (maybe because our family describes fireworks as watching your money burn up in front of you), a hover board, a floating dragon, and the future child with flaps and rocket boots.

As for me, I still can't draw.  But, I am trying.  I have been working on developing a Growth Mindset along with my students, grades kindergarten through eighth.  In most areas, I do have a growth mindset, but when it comes to drawing, I have a fixed mindset.  Fixed as in "set in concrete and never going to change type of mindset".  So, as an example to my students, I am working on drawing.  I know that I will never be great at drawing, but I can get better.

Here is a "before" example:

We were playing Who What Where Jr. The Funny Drawing Game for Kids.  In this game, you draw three cards: a who, a what, and a where, and combine them into a picture.  Using my interpretive skills, I think this example was a snake/worm, flying a kite, in a barn.  My family always lets me draw multiple cards of each category, knowing that I need to find something that I can make halfway recognizable for them.

I recently discovered the book You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less.  I am actually only on day seven in the book, it has been about four months, but I am learning to draw!

You Can Draw in 30 Days (affiliate link)

Here are my "learning to draw" examples:

Day 3 Advanced Level Spheres

Day 6 Stacking Tables

While my drawings are more recognizable (my goal), and a huge step forward from the snake/worm flying a kite in a barn, I still need the heavily structured advice of the book.  I can work step-by-step through a lesson and draw a picture that my family can recognize.  I am not yet able to transfer my skills to a random drawing situation (which I still avoid at all costs).  But, I have only completed seven lessons (in four months).  And, as I tell my students, a growth mindset means "I can work hard and improve", so I will keep working.

What are you working on?

Fun Finds Friday

On Fridays, I share "Fun Finds" with my middle school students. These include cool websites,  interesting images and photographs, and intriguing videos.  If we miss a Friday, the kids are disappointed, and always ask to make it up on the following Monday.  While these finds are often entertaining, they also plant seed ideas for future projects, independent study work, or just add to our schema for future reference.  Innovators pull from a variety of experiences they have had, and connect them in a novel way.  By exposing my students to a variety to "interesting things" I am helping them to develop a broad background of experiences from which to pull.

Fun Finds For This Friday:

1.  The Unseen Technology Behind the NFL's "Magic Yellow Line" - So I am not a football fan, but I am intrigued as to how they make the yellow line magically appear on the field during a broadcast.  The video on the website branches into other sport applications, and explains the complicated process behind this technology.

2.  Google Maps Smart Pins - Putting Trivia on the Map - Geography Based Trivia!  You can start a multi-category game, or choose from specific categories: March Madness, Arts and Culture, Science and Geography, Sports and Games, Entertainment, or History and Cultural Events.  A question is posed, and you drop the virtual pin on the location you believe answers the question.  A point for each mile you are off is deducted from your original 1000 miles. You keep playing until you use up all of your miles.  Many students took this on as a challenge to improve their geographic knowledge!

3.  Desmos Creative Art - Student Examples from Graphing Calculators - A fun connection between art and math!

4.  Flat.io - Allows users to compose musical scores online, including collaboratively.  The free plan met the needs of my students who wanted to try it.  They also offer "Flat for Education" where you can follow student progress and work on class projects.

What "Fun Finds" have you found?