The AMMS Library Innovation Lab
Designing a Meaningful MakerSpaces for Our Students
So...what is the Innovation Lab?
MakerSpaces are difficult to define. Essentially they are a "space" where students are allowed to explore, collaborate and learn by "making" or creating. The power of MakerSpaces is that it is student-driven: students experiment and explore what is of interest to them. MakerSpaces can take many forms and be as high-tech or low-tech as the materials available within them.
The easiest way to build a maker community is to host school-wide or community-wide design challenges, show off maker creations, and immerse your patrons in maker supplies!
Bringing a robust MakerSpace into our learning space will...
- Allow for students to embrace failure as a means for heading toward success
- Allow students to collaborate and learn from one another
- Create experts who students will look to for guidance
- Foster creative thinking
- Create ways for students to ask real questions to drive their exploration
- Encourage students to pursue existing passions or seek out new passions
- Ignite excitement and a joy for learning
- Promote multiple ways to solve problems
- Allow students to practice perseverance in day to day learning
- Expose students to materials they may have never used before: 3D printers, robotic balls, textile materials, circuits, littleBits, programming, and so much more!
- Encourage student reflection on the process of making
- Create thinkers
What could you include in a MakerSpace?
Utilizing Our MakerSpace
We will make the most of our space by embedding making into our...
- Technology Club
- Curriculum
- Book Clubs/Literacy Activities
- Specials or Elective Classes like Art and Music
- Lunch time
- Homeroom time
- Genius/Passion Hour Projects
- Family Events
Expanding our MakerSpace Options with...
littleBits Pro Library
The littleBits Pro Library is the ultimate collection for collaboration and invention in a group setting. Up to 32 inventors can work together with 316 Bits, making it ideal for building projects with friends, and classmates. Having the pro library will allow our students access to all of the littleBits components in order to host design challenges (among many other curricular connections).
Ozobot Evo Kits
Snap Circuits
Pedagogical Understandings & Book Resources for MakerSpaces
MakerSpace Resources
Hashtags to follow on Twitter
#MakerEd
#WorldsofMaking
#DIY
#STEM
#STEAM
#ArtsEd
#GirlsWhoCode
#KidsCanCode
#3Dprinting
#DesignThinking
Literacy Connections
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires (Love This!)
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis
Awesome Dawson by Chris Gall
Monkey With A Toolbelt by Chris Monroe
Going Places by Peter Reynolds (Love This!)
Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet
What Do You Do With An Idea by Kodi Yamada
Violet The Pilot by Steve Breen
Papa's Mechanical Fish by Candace Fleming
Anything is Possible by Giulia Belloni
Mr. Cornell's Dream Boxes by Jeanette Winter
Galimoto by Karen Lynn Williams
Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzbert
Marvelous Mattie by Emily Arnold McCully
EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner
Martha Bongiorno, Ed.S.
Email: bongiornom@fultonschools.org
Website: discoveringtheremarkable.com
Twitter: @Mrs_Bongi