Since many people are returning to school during the next couple of weeks, I thought I would re-visit and share some of last year’s more successful projects in case you want to try one. Monday’s post was on the surprise “You Matter” videos that I asked parents to make for their children last year. On Tuesday, I wrote about the Global Cardboard Challenge.
Almost exactly a year ago, I predicted the trends in education for the 2013-2014 school year. I was re-reading that post today, and laughed at my addition of maker studios almost as an afterthought at the end of my post. Anyone who has been reading education blogs and magazines will know that maker studios are becoming a huge trend, and that they are not limited to schools.
The truth is that many people are recognizing that there is a hunger in our youth to create and that the process of making is a deeper learning experience than regurgitating facts from a lecture.
There is not one right way to bring a maker studio into your school. Many schools are integrating them into their libraries or obsolete computer labs. Some are incorporating the design process into their entire curriculum. But, just like the Global Cardboard Challenge, you can still make a huge difference by starting small.
Last year, I realized that an empty classroom next door could be transformed into a maker studio. I applied for a grant from our school’s PTA. My GT classes named the room B.O.S.S. HQ (Building of Super Stuff Headquarters) and it basically became a testing ground for all of the new materials we purchased. You may not have the luxury of an empty room, but a station in your classroom would work just as well.
Some of the items we purchased for our space were:
- Cubelets
- Little Bits
- MaKey MaKey
- Squishy Circuits
- a classroom Makedo Kit (purchased by me)
- a 3 Doodler (purchased by me)
- Sphero
- Play-i (still waiting on its delivery)
We also had a green screen that had been given to the school.
I didn’t know how to use any of the above until my students helped me figure them out. Last year was really just time for us all to explore.
This year, I am starting an after-school Maker Club to involve more students than the ones in GT. One thing I learned from last year is that I need to narrow my focus. So, the Maker Club will have 4 main themes this year: Cardboard Challenge, Video Creation, Programming, and Electric Circuits.
In addition, the GT students who were exposed to materials last year will be challenged to find ways to incorporate them in our Cardboard Challenge and other projects throughout this year.
Eventually, I want B.O.S.S. HQ to be accessed by all students in the school, but I’m still working out the kinks on that.
My advice to a teacher just beginning would be the following:
- Read Invent to Learn by Gary Stager and Sylvia Libow Martinez
- Try the Global Cardboard Challenge
- Add a station to your classroom that involves creating. Little Bits are great, and the company offers educator discounts. Chibitronics and MaKey MaKey are also relatively inexpensive ways to start.
- Make the mantra, “Think, Make, Improve” (from Invent to Learn) part of your classroom theme.
- Celebrate the “growth mindset” so that students understand they will learn even when things don’t go as planned. Rosie Revere, Engineer is a great book to reinforce this.
- When you are ready to “go bigger”, enlist the help of the community. You can find experts who can teach your students different skills, people who are willing to donate supplies (Donors Choose is great for this), and you might want to visit maker spaces and maker faires in your area for ideas on the type of inventory and organization you need.
If you search for “maker” on my blog, you will find many other posts I’ve done regarding this topic. You can also visit my Pinterest board of Maker Resources here. Two of my favorite online resources are Make magazine and Design Squad. The online Maker Camp from Google and Make also has lots of ideas.
