Maker Kits Part I--Setting Up Kits/Storage

Centennial's Maker Kits and Maker Club have been up and running for the past few weeks.  The Maker Club meets after school every other Monday, for about 1 hour.  Also, the kits are starting to be checked out and I have had seven classes visit stations up in the library.  In this post I will share some of the learning about setting up the Kits--what's in them and how I store them.  The next post I will cover how I pushed out and publicized kits.

First of All--a Shout Out to Jessica West!

Jessica West, who is part of the dynamic duo at Heatherwood Elementary's Library, was fulfilling her practicum hours at Centennial Middle School.  The Maker Supplies were just crammed into a cabinet.  She helped me inventory what we had, figure out how to maximize the space and also helped roll out the Maker Space to classroom visits.  Thanks Jessica, I couldn't have done it without you!

Where Did You Get the Money?

I wrote and was awarded a National Educators Association Student Achievement Grant last year for $2,000 to start a Flexible/Mobile Maker Space.  As part of the grant, I targeted students who were in academic support classes and therefore had less access to elective classes offered at the school.  More on how this went in the next post. Click here for more info. about the grant.

What have you Purchased and What Insights Did You Gain?

So far, I've spent roughly $1,150 of the grant and definitely learned some things along the way.  Here are the kits I have set up so far and some insights on each:

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Duct Tape Craft Kit

Duct Tape Craft Materials

15 Rolls Duct Tape

7 Scissors

2 Skill Scissors

1 Pen Knife

3 Measure Mats

5 Rules

6 Sharpies

Tape It & Make It Book ($15.00)

Approximate Cost: $90.00

Insights

Students love the duct tape craft tub.  There are bunches of duct tape crafts that are fairly easy to make.  I found a simple video on how to make a duct tape flower pen and have been using that as an intro. to duct tape crafts. Also, the book Tape It, Make It was a good resource although some of the directions were complicated, even for me.    I get a little nervous when students use the Pen Knife but Most are responsible with it.

Ah-Ha's/Things to Consider

One thing I am changing are the scissors I am using. I invested in Fiskar 5"Scissors for the smaller ones and they work much better than the other cheaper. batch scissors I ordered.   The other scissors gum up and I have to clean them after each use, so I invested in more expensive Fiskor Scissors and am anxiously awaiting their arrival.  The best way to clean scissors I've found is with rubbing alcohol and a sponge.

Also, consider that duct tape is a consumable resource.  Students love it because they make something and can take it home, but plan in your budget for more duct tape purchases.  I started with six solid colored tape and a 12 roll variety of patterns, that I ordered on Amazon.

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OzoBot Kit

3 OzoBots
3 Sets of Markers
Random Ozobot Cards
3 Sets Small Plastic Bowling Pins (for Ozobot Challenge)

Approximate Cost: $180.00

Insights

Ozobots are programmable robots that use light sensors.  You can draw and they can follow a pattern.  Also, they can be programmed via a website with drag and drop code.  The Ozoblockly website also has challenges and classrooms activities.

Things to Consider
I've found the Ozobots to be a a reasonably priced entry into Robotics for students.  They can be glitchy at times and take a little practice to figure out.  Also, they are tiny and easily could walk out of a makerspace, so I always "bird-dog" them when they are out.  They do definitely have a Wow factor.  One of the favorite activities is the magical eight ball where you ask the Ozobot a question, and then place it on the mat and it randomly ends up on a "yes", "no" or "maybe".  I want to explore and learn more about Ozobot but am still learning.

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K'Nex Building Kit

K'Nex 70 Building Set
K'Nex 52 Building Set
4 Motors
Approximate Cost: $150.00


Insights

K'Nex are plastic hubs and rods that can be snapped together to make a number of different things.  Students have made frisbees, cars, and air plane.  I really liked adding the motors to provide power.  The students have enjoyed this tub and often explore and self-explore. which I helpful for me if I'm working at a different station.  Some students enjoyed making K'Nex vehicles and having a roller derby type race with them.

Things to Consider

K'Nex have been around for awhile and there are some websites out there that offer different K'Nex Challenges.  The K'Nex are reusable but not indestructible.  I have had a few break on me.  They also can be a little difficult to snap together or pull apart for smaller hands.   

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Lego Kits (3 total)

Various Legos (donated)

2-3 Lego Baseplates (10' by 10")
Lego Challenge Cards
Approximate Cost: Legos donated -- baseplates 4/$20.00

Insights
Kids love legos.  Even middle school kids.  Maybe it's the familiarity.  Maybe it's the possibilities?  Also, I was very lucky to have three large bins of legos donated to the library.  I put out an all call to parents through an school e-blast and was able to get a generous donation.  Kids love to build but also I printed up a series of lego challenge cards (link above) that students can then pick a card, and then complete the challenge.  There's also a free Lego Movie Maker App you can load on i-pads and make movies, something I am excited to try it.
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 Little Bits Synth Kit 
Approximate Cost: $150.00

Insights
I purchased a Little Bits Synth Kit with Bookfair Profits from Scholastic.  Little bits are snap together circuits that are easy to configure.  At first, I wasn't sure what to do with the kit, but then I just put it out there and let students experiment.  The synth kit allows them to build different configurations to make different sounds.  One student spent the entire hour trying out different parts and experimenting.  Other students would wander over and he would show them what he figured out.  I would call that Maker space Success!

Ah-ha
Although it's fun to let students experiment, if this was a classroom situation I would hook up the speak to headphones.  I have a five to one headphone jack that would allow a group of students to listen to the sound.  It's quite distracting otherwise.
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Origami Robotics Kit

• 26 Teknikio motor board
• 26 Teknikio battery board
• 50 batteries
• 100 LED lights
• 200 fasteners
• 2 rolls of conductive tape
• 1 roll electrical tape
• 280 sheets of origami paper

Insights

Honestly, I bought this kit as I was looking for a stand-alone/already set-up kit that I could easily roll out.  I do like that this kit includes circuitry and motors and forces students to consider design-thinking when working with the materials.  On a down side,it was fairly expensive ($300.00) and I believe you could cobble together a similar kit for far less.  Teknikio sells the individual parts of the kit--and I'm sure you could find them elsewhere as well.  Also, I wrestle with the fact that students will want to bring the supplies home, but at the same time, they can be resused.  I'm still figuring out how to best utilize this kit.

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STORAGE

So we have set up storage using plastic tubs that are bar-coded if they leave the library.  Jessica, Ziploc 44 Quart Tubs.  These are perfect for fitting in the cabinets and also transferring the contents of tubs.  We labelled the tubs and also bar-coded them so they can be checked out to teachers.  They also fit neatly in the cabinets.  I just ordered another set of smaller tubs--Sterilite 30 Quart-- to maximize storage space. Also, some of the kits do not require such a big tub such as the Origami Robotics or Ozo-Bots.  

Library Orientation, QR CODES, Digital Citizenship & G-Mail...Oh My!

So the first few weeks in the library have flown by and it's been fairly busy.  By the end of next week, almost all classes have had some kind of orientation to the library.  See below to see what's been going on in the library...
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6th Graders

Sixth graders all had two days of orientation.  One day we toured the library using QR Codes.  I made a series of short movies linked to QR codes.  Students then went on a scavenger hunt around the library scanning the codes and watching the movies.  Each student was required to fill out a sheet answering questions about the different places.

The second day we discussed digital citizenship related to the  image below.  All students participated in a discussion related to this image and we shared some great ideas.  I was reassured when discovering most students have discussed this previously in school.  Also, when surveyed, about 50-60% of 6th graders said they used social media--instagram, snapchat, musically--before.


 The rest of the period we instructed students how to create and change their own password, as well as how to log-in to their g-mail accounts.  It's always a steep learning curve, but most students have mastered this by the end of the first semester.
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7th & 8th Grade

I visited a number of 7th & 8th grade classes where we focus our discussion around this question:  Why is it important to think before you post something online?  Consider not only now but also your future.  Students pair discussed this and then we held a whole class discussion.  Not surprising, I found that many more 7th and 8th graders are using social media regularly.  They had many insights and through our discussion, we left with a few key points:

• even when you think something is private (i.e. just between you and your friends) it isn't.
• Example:  Anyone can take a screenshot of a text/snapchat message/instagram post and then share with whomever they like.
• sometimes when we post something "for fun" or "as a joke" not all viewers will see it as one
• Example: Taking a "selfie" with a beer as a joke can be misread as you are actually drinking.
• employers/organizations/schools often research you online before hiring or admitting you, so represent your best self online.

We also watched a snippet of a video from Flocabulary on the Top Ten Things to Think About Before You Post. (1:07-2:56)


Thanks for reading..and stay tuned for my next post.

Makerspace Marshmallow Challenge

So we kicked off the Centennial Makerspace by having a four classes conduct the marshmallow challenge.  Students self-selected teams of no more than three--although we did allow four in one class, and then were given the challenge.  The essence of the challenge is students are given the following materials:

• string
• 20 stands of spaghetti
• tape
• a marshmallow

The Challenge:  Create a stable-freestanding structure that can suspend a marshmallow. They had 18 minutes.  To learn more about the challenge click here.

The students loved the challenge.  They were engaged from the start: sharing ideas, prototyping, collaborating and talking.   The biggest challenge was not helping out the students by giving them advice.

OTHER MAKER STUFF....

The students were also introduced to some of the other projects they will be able to do in the Makerspace.  They were particularly excited about the duct-tape craft projects and the littleBits KORG synthesizer set.  Check out the presentation below:

The students had a great time.  I look forward to working with more classes and the future.  The Makerspace will be open for some free make time starting next week April 11th.  Listen for the announcements!
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SOME BOOK LOVE!

Another book I am listening to with my daughter (9) and son (5) is George by Alex Gino.  George is 
in the fourth grade and has always felt she is a girl, even if she was born a boy.  She wants to play the part of Charlotte in the fourth grade production of Charlotte's Web, but boys are only allowed to try out for male parts.  George's teacher and mother and understanding, but not supportive of his gender identity.  This is a great book for bringing up discussion on gender, but not for every reader or family.  To learn more about the book, read the Common Sense Media Review.

So I am reading Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles.  You can tell by the cover that this is an edgier book, I wouldn't recommend it for 6th or 7th Graders.  It tells the story of different high school students or recent graduates all surrounding the same day.  Their paths intersect and each story gives you an inside view of how difficult it can be.  I'm really enjoying it so far and would recommend it for 8th graders or above. 

Screen Time Part 1

Screen Time: A Rationale for Research

Being a librarian and technology proponent, I recognize the power technology can have in education.  There are amazing things technology can accomplish.  I see how quickly students, and my own children, adopt technology tools .  My nine-year old daughter is a faster typists now than I was at thirteen.  My son can navigate an i-pad or i-phone like it's second nature.  Yet, I struggle just with many other parents do, on wondering how much technology is too much?  

What is the appropriate time allowed on a screen?  I've dabbled in research on times allowed on screens and have found some interesting articles, for example this one from CNN Health, but I always felt I needed to go into more depth.  Luckily on one of my regular family visits to the NO BO CORNER LIBRARY (yes a shameless plug for the Public Library System) I came across a book published in 2015 titled Screen-Smart Parenting by Jodi Gold, MD.  I started reading it and thought it had some great suggestions and ideas on this timely topic.  

I've decided to synthesize some key parts but do recommend, if you have the means, purchasing the book.  Or, you could reserve it from the library.  Mine is due soon.

Research on Home Media Environments

 In a 2013 study, Northwestern Center on Media and Development survey 2,300 parents of children from birth to 8 years of age.  They also surveyed focus groups in California and Illinois.  Some key findings:

• Children under 8 often use technology with their parents and more likely to use educational games and apps.  
• At ages 9-10, children become more literate and social.  

The study also identified 3 types of media environments that these parents of young children were creating.  I added the percentage and some descriptors of each below:

• 39% Media-Centric Parents--love media; spend on average of 11 hours/day.  Tend to keep TV on at home even when no one is watching.  44% have TV in bedroom.  Children spend an average 4.5 hours on screen media.

• 45% Media-Moderate--parents spend approximately 4.5 hours at home.  Play limited video games, tend to prioritize doing things outside as a family.  Children in media-moderate spend 3 hours per day of screen media.

• 16% Media Light--spend fewer than 2 hours/day on screen media.  Less likely to use TV to occupy their children.  Children spend and average of 1 hr. 35 min. per day on screen media.

Chart Your Own Media Diet

One of the first steps Dr. Gold suggests is that we assess your own family's technology diet.  Her main point is to understand your children's usage, you must first identify your family's use of technology. She challenges the reader to find out how much media you and your children really use.  She encourages you to try to keep a media diary for each member of your family for 3 days.  If your children are over 8, they could keep their own diary.  In this diary document how much time is spent each day on:

• TV: real time, delayed and Web-based
• Computer/tablet: online and offline activities (including homework, but star it)
• Phone: include voice calls, texts, games and surfing
• Gaming consoles: handheld and stationary
• Music is not counted unless listening to while online or gaming

She encourages not to "sweat the details" but instead looking for a general idea on how much time each member of your family spends with technology.

Some tips for keeping an accurate record:

• Track hourly.  If you can't do three days in a row; pick a few days a week.  Include a weekday and weekend.
• Send a text, put a note in your phone, or mark a calendar each time you use technology.
• You can look at phone usage data or use RescueTime for online activities

You may be surprised what you discover.  "Children learn by example.  We all know that if Mom and Dad are texting and checking Facebook throughout dinner, then it is hardly shocking that the kids will follow suit" (Gold 25).  

I plan to chart my own families' media diet and will share the results in a subsequent blog.  I also plan to summarize Chapter 2: The Facts Behind How Technology Affects Your Child's Development.  

Thanks again for reading.

Centennial will have a Library Makerspace!

Hurrah!  The big news from Centennial's Library is we have been awarded a grant for $2,000.00 to start a Makerspace!  

What is a Makerspace?

An official definition is, "Makerspaces, sometimes also referred to as hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn."(A Librarian's Guide to Makerspaces)

 

For me, it's a place for students to collaborate, learn, grow and explore by creating and just messing around with stuff.

What's the plan?

I plan to create a dedicated, flexible Makerspace in the school media center where students and staff can access new technologies (programming, wearable computing) and hands-on projects.(bookmaking, recycled crafts, duct tape creations, etc.)  

The space will be a place that can be packed up and consist of a few tables in the front of the library, so I can monitor it's use.  
I plan to introduce the space to specific academic support/language support classes with the marshmallow challenge, targeting students who have less electives and therefore don't have as much freedom to explore interests. I am aware that the marshmallow challenge is more scripted and less free-form, but I thought it would be good way to introduce the space. Click here to learn more about the marshmallow challenge.

After introducing the space I plan to introduce some stand-alone projects. I stumbled on Teknikio, a company that offers packaged Makerkits that are reusable and can serve up to twenty five students. They are packaged with a teacher guide and project ideas. These would be a great way to explore Makerprojects, as well as serve as a jumping off point for other projects. The two I am interested in purchasing are: The activating Origami Workshop Kit. A reusable kit that allows students to add electronics to Origami Paper. Second, the Fabtronic Sewing Workshop a set that teaches the basics of electronics and fashion. Some of the critical thinking skills students will engage in is how to best use materials and how to solve problems as they arise with different projects. I also have plans to purchase craft supplies, and other project materials such K'nex are engineering tools.

Eventually, I would love to train students in leading some of these projects, and bundle some of these kits so they can be checked out by classroom teachers. I am very excited to start this exciting new opportunity at Centennial

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And now, a couple of book recommendations....

I love books!

I just finished Surviving Bear Island by Paul Greci, a story of Tom Parker, a teenage boy who finds himself stranded on a remote island in Alaska after dumping in his kayak. What makes this classic survival story great is that Greci is a long-time Alaskan resident and he knows his environment. Tom struggles to survive, left only with a small survival kit packed by his father, he struggles against starvation, hypothermia and yes...Bears! A great read. If you liked Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, you'd like Bear Island. Appropriate for any middle schooler.

I also want to recommend Chris Colfer's series, The Land of Stories. My family took a multi-day drive from Boulder to Silverton this past summer for a wedding. We brought along the first book, Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell on audio book. It was a delight. Chris Colfer is one of the long-time characters on Glee and he reads the book. It's the story of two twins who find themselves magically transported into their grandmother's book of fairy-tales, but there are not your classic Grimm's Fairy Tales. They have many humorous twists and takes on the characters and situations. It kept the whole family including myself, my wife, my five-year old son and my nine-year old daughter entertained.

Barnes & Noble Fundraiser/Musical Performance

What a surprise to wake up Tuesday, December 15th, to find that BVSD called a snow day!  I was excited

Two Talented Trombonists!

for a day off playing in the snow with my son and daughter but also concerned.  I had been planning a fundraising event for Centennial with Barnes & Noble over the past four weeks.  I had collaborated with our phenomenal music and voice teachers to organize student performances.  Later that morning, I started receiving texts and e-mails wondering if the event was still on.  After a quick phone call to the store manager--on the way to the sledding hill --I realized yes, it was still happening.  A few students cancelled but I figured, I would show up and see who else showed up to perform.

First of all, I have to thank Jennifer Dunn, who had the majority of students filling slots to perform.  She not only encouraged her students to perform, but also drove into school to open up the band room so students could retrieve their instruments to perform.  

French Horn Player Showing Holiday Spirit!

Second, I have to thank all the students.  They were amazing.  I always knew that our music department was strong, but to see all of the students show up and perform, as well as support each other was heartwarming.  They certainly were a talented and amazing group.  One of the highlights was watching customers from the store walk up to watch the performances.  There was even a baby bopping along to a solo flute performance.

Audience enjoys the Music! Note: the boppin' baby!

Third, I want to thank all of the parents and students who came in to support the school.  I am still waiting to hear back and how much the school earned in profits, but I know when I first checked in to the store at 4:30, there were already over a thousand dollars in sales linked to Centennial.  Thanks so much for all of the support!  See you next year!