| Author |
Post |
|
|
|
|
Planning a Makerspace for the next school year? This is great time to research ideas and resources.
Last Autumn we wrote a guest blog about Makerspaces on Angela Watson’s
Cornerstone for Teachers. You can read our ideas and suggestions at:
http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/2015/09/makerspaces.html
Wendy and Cheryl
GetCaughtEngineering.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
I feel like many of the Maker Space centers are geared towards elementary or strictly STEM classes. I'd love to add a Maker Space center to my middle school science classroom, but I'm not sure if it's really feasible. My students definitely would not be able to complete an extended project simply due to the lack of time in class. Our classes are only 45 minutes long and oftentimes we work up till the bell. In addition, I see (on average) 135-145 students in an 8 hour day. Any suggestions on how modify this type of center for a middle school classroom?
|
|
|
|
|
|
We agree that maker spaces in a middle school classroom are a logistical challenge due to the limited time and the number of students. We have noticed that most middle school maker spaces are located in the school's library. Students have access to the lab and materials before school, lunch, during advisory, and after school. There is huge push nationally for libraries to include maker spaces. We are seeing lots of articles in library journals and websites. At our elementary school we not only had a maker space in the classroom this past year, but also added a Tinkering Lab in the school's library that all grades k-6 had access to on a rotating schedule. (We have a picture of our Tinkering Lab on our Instagram site) A fantastic middle school resource is Diana Rendina's Renovated Learning.com. She has lots of ideas for creating dynamic learning spaces at the middle school level. Hope this helps.
Wendy and Cheryl
GetCaughtEngineering.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Are students allowed to come during advisory time or afterschool?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sounds like a great plan!
Tom Ebling
|
|
|
|
|
|
We do not have an advisory time and the majority of students leave on the first two bus runs after school.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You seem to have this down. Have you had a great deal of success?
Tom Ebling
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another option for middle school students is to create task cards and "take it with you" packets so they can do their making at home.
Use gallon ziplock bags and have interested students gather materials that you could have for them in the classroom. Task cards with a challenge or prompt can be provided for them to choose. ( Our blog we mentioned above has a link to task cards) Students can then create and invent at home. Use your classroom as a display area for them when they return with their product. Hope this helps too : )
Wendy and Cheryl
GetCaughtEngineering.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have had the exact same thoughts. I would love to impliment this in my Middle School Science classroom. I am looking for some that are quick challenges students can create when they have free time or are finished with their work. These would have to be about 5-10 minutes activities. It definitely ties in to our Engineering Design standards.
|
|