Makerspace
Make a Project, Make a Memory
A Message from Mrs. Brass, FECC Librarian
Makerspace isn’t a place, it’s a state of mind! While you are at home, using the resources you have provides an extra challenge- make a change, make a memory!
Below you will find activities that use common household items- if you are missing any, use your imagination to problem solve and come up with your own way of changing it!
Last Week of Makerspace Activities Below! (Scroll Down for Older Activities )
Dough Snakes!
What you will need: 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 3/4 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of oil, paint, a paintbrush, an oven, and a special work area to paint without making a mess.
For research: Pebble Go login information:
Click the snake picture in the corner to go to the snake page of Pebble Go and use the following login information:
username and password: Franklinecc
After you have done your research and picked out some snake patterns/colors, mix the ingredients until smooth. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 3 hours (or experiment with your own baking temps/times- could be a fun science test of its own!)
Once the dough has baked firmly and cooled for long enough, paint and design!
See pictures below for ideas, or check out the original craft post on this website:
More Crafts with Mrs. Brower!
What you will need: Cardboard tubes, small boxes, the sides of cereal boxes, tin foil, pipe cleaners, buttons, googly eyes (optional), popsicle sticks, glue, tape, markers, crayons.
Picture 1 Garden- Pipe cleaner button flowers , pipe cleaner critters with googly eyes, pipe cleaner and water-bottle snail.
Picture 2 Cardboard vehicles- Cardboard tube train with colorful tape, felt, bottle caps and string. Racecar made with cardboard tube, bottle caps, beads, and tape.
Picture 3- Self Portrait- Front part of a cereal box, tin foil, pipe cleaners or string, buttons, beads, bottle cap.
Garden Flowers and Creatures
Transportation- Cardboard Vehicles
Cool Self-Portrait
Simple At-Home Crafts from Mrs. Brower
What you will need (see pictures below):
For robot: Tissue Box, can, tin foil, egg cartons, craft foam or paper, tape or glue.
Castle: Cardboard box, cardboard tubes/rolls, markers, buttons, glue.
Airplane: Craft foam, popsicle sticks, button, glue.
Rainbow cloud/fish/flowers: Paper, , ribbon/string, markers or crayons, optional: cardstock.
Block Coding Game Continued! (Outer Space)
A few activities ago we started working on our coding skills on the computer. By programming characters to follow our directions, we are practicing how to use computer language that will help us more and more as we get older!
If you have not tried the fish coding game yet, you can scroll down and begin with that. Otherwise, follow the similar directions below to the next coding activity.
Aim: To practice the basics of coding and programming with a step-by-step game.
If you already made an account, click the rocket ship in the corner to go to the coding game.
**If you have not signed up for the free account yet, follow the directions below:
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/learn/signin#
See picture below for sign-up steps **only if you have not already signed up** :
Login Directions: Click on use passcode/create new user as seen above and enter the following passcode: D33A-45C7. Then make your very own free profile to use.
Once you have an account, click the rocket ship picture at the beginning of the activity or scroll down to begin with the more basic fish coding game.
Cloud Binoculars- Craft and Read-Aloud Video
What you will need: 2 empty toilet paper rolls or a paper towel roll cut in half, glue or tape, string/yarn/something similar to use as your strap (I used a shoelace).
Optional: Hot glue gun for gluing rolls together or for attaching strap, or single-hole punch for attaching strap to ends of rolls. Blue paint or markers/crayons and cotton balls for decorating your binoculars.
Aim: To make a pair of binoculars using recycled materials. These are supposed to be for cloud-watching but they can be for any kind of nature watching.
Steps: Decorate cardboard tubes if you wish. Glue or tape rolls together by one of the long cardboard edges. Tape, glue, or tie (using holes) some sort of string on the ends of both tubes to make a strap. Then go cloud-watching!
Important safety tips:
1- When using the strap, always keep hanging loosely around the neck like a long necklace.
2- Do not stare directly at the sun ever, but especially when using the binoculars.
3- Do not try to walk forward while using the binoculars or you might trip.
4- Do not use hot glue without an adult.
5- Do not press the tubes directly against your eyes/face, just hold up close enough to see.
Memorial Day Challenge - Flagpole
What you will need: Toothpicks, pipe cleaners, straws, or popsicle sticks- tape or something to hold materials together (clay, marshmallow, rubber bands) paper and crayons or a small American flag.
Aim: Make the tallest freestanding flagpole you can, that can stand for at least 30 seconds and hold up your American flag.
Use a small American flag or make one yourself using paper and crayons. Then see if your structure can hold it up without your help!
For an additional challenge:
1) Set a time limit for constructing the flagpole
2) Set a limit on which materials you can use or how many.
3) Take away glue/tape and use untraditional adhesives.
For a different challenge:
1) Instead of making the tallest flagpole that can stand on its own, see if you can make the longest possible flagpole without it breaking (you can hold it or lean it on something).
2) Use the building materials to make one giant American flag instead.
Fish Coding Game- Practice Programming!
*One of the most important topics we cover in makerspace is coding. I have shown you several "unplugged" ways to practice coding at home, but it is also important to know how to use coding with technology.
Using websites to practice creating code or programs is a wonderful way to improve coding skills from your own home!
Aim: To practice the basics of coding and programming with a step-by-step game.
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/learn/signin#
See picture below for sign-up steps:
Login Directions: Click on use passcode/create new user as seen above and enter the following passcode: D33A-45C7. Then make your very own free profile to use.
Once you have a free account and sign in, click the fish picture below and follow the directions to try out a basic coding program. Use the "speaker" feature on the lefthand side to hear the directions along with reading the words:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14cucgGTIYSnH0Jnq6wtqEJ5dgIniPxJ2/view
Jack and Jill Water Carrying Challenge
Aim: Jack and Jill need to get up the hill with their pail of water. See if you can get a quarter cup of water into a bowl or cup using only one piece of paper. There are pictures below for ideas, or you can try to come up with your own plan to engineer a "pail" out of paper.
Helpful tips:
1) See pictures below for ideas of how to make a cup out of paper.
2) This will be wet! Lay down a sheet or cloth if you are doing this challenge inside :)
Jar of Love (for Mom, or for anyone!)
Optional: Rocks, crayons, shells, jewels, sequins, flowers, blowdryer.
Aim: To make a special gift, whether it is for Mother's Day or just a gift to show you love somebody. Decorate a jar or bottle and fill it with special messages. Cut up pieces of paper and write things you love about the person. Cut out different color heart shapes. If you want you can write or print out a poem to put inside.
Fill the jar on the bottom with a decoration of your choice- pretty rocks or shells, sand, flowers, little craft jewels or sequins, or if you do not have any of these things, simply cut out lots of hearts and put them in. You can also use food** (see note below). Then put your notes on top (make sure the jar/bottle is wide enough to reach in and take the notes out).
Decorate the outside with paper, bows, ribbon/string, or use markers to draw and write on the outside. Attach a card around the top. For an extra decoration step see below.*
*For an additional challenge/decoration idea (must have a grown up's help!):
Create colorful wax art on the outside by taping or hotgluing candles/crayons to the top of the jar and blowdrying them so that they drip in beautiful colors down the side of the jar. Once they cool you will have beautiful colors and patterns. Make sure you have an adult with you for any heating tool, and also lay something underneath to catch the dripping!
**For an extra idea (be careful of food sensitivities or allergies):
For more decoration inside, use candies or cookies to put on the bottom. Wrapped candies are the safest choice to not collect dirt or germs. If you are using a blowdryer on the jar do not put any food in until after it cools!!
Secret Code Chart
Aim: Write a coded message using the chart, by writing in numbers instead of letters. Each letter of the alphabet equals a number. So instead of writing the letter A, you would write 1, for B you would write 2, and so on.
Using this chart you can create a secret message and give it to someone to figure out. If they can't figure it out on their own, give them the chart!
Helpful Tips:
This would be a fun way to practice your coding and also make mom a nice message for Mother's Day. Instead of writing I Love You, you could write, "9 12-15-22-5 25-15-21"
Make Your Own Coding Game (3 Different Kinds + Video Instruction)
What is Coding?: Code is a type of programming language often used by computers and robots. In makerspace we would code with different robots to make them follow our directions and perform different tasks. Since many of us do not have robots at home, I want them to be able to practice their coding skills using the same sorts of activities, minus the robots!
Aim: Create a game board of your choice and move your "player" from start to finish using direction cards. This way, you are programming your player by having them follow your directions. There are three different ways of doing it:
Game 1- Make a simple grid of squares with a start square, and a finish square. Cut up pieces of paper or index cards to make direction cards (up, down, right, left) and use the cards on the board to get your player from start to finish (see Picture 1).
Game 2- Design whatever maze/board you want and add in special squares or direction cards. For mine, I added obstacles such as a lake, a tunnel, or a big hole that the player will have to get around. I made special direction cards for these obstacles- airplane, boat, jetback, submarine. I also changed the cards from simple directions to 1 step forward, 1 step back, etc. It is similar to Candyland (see Picture 2).
Game 3- Make a person-sized maze and use direction cards to direct yourself, or someone else, through it. Using paper or cardboard, design a maze/board that you yourself can walk through, and see if someone else in your family can follow your directions through the maze. (See picture 3).
Helpful tips:
1) Have someone else in your family play with you and see if they can follow your directions (your code/programming) to get from start to finish.
2) For additional instruction, check out my flipgrid video using this link, where I explain coding and break down each game in more detail: https://flipgrid.com/135273ad
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Make Your Own Ball Rolling Game- Simple Version
Aim: Create a course on the floor using construction paper and tape to create tunnels. Choose an end point where you want the ball to end up- it could be a "goal" type finish line using a box or cup, or a piece of paper marked with a circle or x. See if you can get the ball through the course to the finish line.
Helpful tips:
1) You can either make it an obstacle course by trying to get around the tunnels, or say you have to get the ball through as many tunnels as possible.
2) You can make it a "points" game by using the tunnels and making each tunnel the ball goes through worth a point. Different color paper tunnels can be worth different points.
3) If you do not have a ball or round object, try using a toy car or anything with wheels.
For an additional challenge:
This is the more simplified version of the ball-rolling obstacle course. Stay tuned for the more challenging version will be posted tomorrow!
Plastic Bottle Racecar
Aim: To make a car using recycled materials as we continue to celebrate and protect our planet.
Using the bottle on it's side, have a grown up help you cut a small opening on one side near the bottom of the bottle (this is where your driver will go).
Tape or glue the wheels to the opposite side of the bottle. If you want it to look even more like a real car, first tape sticks or straws to the bottle to be your axles and tape the wheels to them (see pictures below).
Helpful tips:
1) This activity can also be done using an empty tin or aluminum can such as a soda or juice can, or even a paper towel roll
2) Decide which toy you want to use as your driver before you cut the hole for them, so you know about what size you'd like it to be- do not cut too far along the sides or else your driver will fall out.
3) If you want to add other elements to your car, you can add a steering wheel, a flag, decorations, and more
For an additional challenge:
Come up with a different vehicle you can create with your water bottle and the materials above. A plane, a rocket ship, a monster truck- what other materials would you need for this?
Cardboard Box Toy Ship!
What you will need: A medium-large empty cardboard box (shoebox, box from delivery or package, box from a toy/present etc), construction paper, cardboard tube or extra piece to be the mast, scissors, glue, tape, markers or crayons.
Optional: For mast- stick from outside.
For sail- craft foam, felt, old fabric such as shirt or towel that can be cut up.
Toys: Whichever ones you want!
Aim: Use recycled cardboard to create a ship for your toys. You can keep the box the shape that it's in, or have a grown up cut edges to make it shaped more like a ship. Trace windows and/or cut out window shapes in the side. Create a sail using a tall, sturdy piece of material as mast and triangle-shaped fabric as sail. Fill the ship with whatever you want- dolls, stuffed animals, action figures!
Helpful tips:
1) Do any cutting of windows or edges before adding sail or additional decorations (adult!!)
2) Add other decorations to make the ship unique. Add a plank or pirate flag for a pirate ship. Add a "pool" or some little umbrellas and make a cruise ship. Add a steering wheel (helm).
3) Decorate outside of ship using crayons, markers, or construction paper/fabric. Add pretend water around bottom of the boat.
4) If the box is big enough, use it as a ship for yourself!
Apple Tree Exercise
What you will need: Toilet paper or paper towel roll, or any sort of cardboard tube, popsicle or craft sticks, small pompoms or cotton balls.
Aim: Using the materials above, try to make an "apple tree" that can hold the most apples without them falling. There are pictures below for reference if you have trouble. A successful apple tree must be able to hold the apples for 30 seconds without them falling or rolling off!
Helpful Tips:
1) Do not use too many sticks or pompoms- count out how many you want to use and set a limit to keep it simple.
2) If you do not have the materials needed, get creative! Use real sticks from outside instead of popsicle sticks. If you don't have pompoms or cotton, use small foods or candies available (m&ms, beans, tictacs) or balled up pieces of tissue/paper towel.
For an additional challenge:
1) Do not look at the pictures below!
2) Make a three column prediction chart- predict how many apples you will be able to stack on your tree, record the result, and then write down how far off you were from your prediction (this also adds a math activity)!
3) Use smaller "apples" and thinner sticks for a harder activity!
Make Your Own Water Slide
Aim: Build a waterslide (or more than one!) using materials you find around the house. You will have to figure out a way to make it tall at the beginning so that the slide can move downward like a ramp. You will also have to figure out how to keep it standing when it gets wet, and how to make it slippery enough that something can slide down.! Use a marble or toy to test out your slide and see if you can get it from top to bottom!
Helpful tips:
1) Make a plan!! The best way to plan for success is to plan your work. Draw a diagram of your slide and make a list of the materials you want to use.
2) Make a test chart and predict whether your slide will work or not. if it doesn't, see if you can problem solve and change the slide before building an entirely new one.
3) If it is too hard to get the slide slippery enough, have someone else pour water in a continuous stream while you test out the slide.
For an additional challenge:
1) Make the water slide a different shape than just going straight down- maybe a spiral or add some other turns and loops.
2) Do not use any tape or glue to make this challenge extra tricky!
**This activity will be wet! This is going to be a wet and possibly messy activity! Do not do it in a nice room or without your grown ups! Build outside if necessary.
Pizza Dough Building
Aim: Sometimes at home we have to get creative with what we have. You can always use clay or playdough, but pizza dough is stretchier and can be more challenging/fun to build with. Try to make a bridge, tower, or other structure using the dough. See how far you can stretch it before it breaks. Use other materials such as straws/sticks to get the dough to be a standing structure.
For an additional challenge:
1) After you make a bridge or standing structure with the dough and other items, see how much weight it can hold- try putting m&ms or other small candies on it, or tomatoes, peas, beans, rice etc! (Use other food items so that maybe you can still have clean pizza dough to cook after!)
Helpful tips:
1) If you do not have any pizza dough, you can make some as an extra cooking project by following this linked recipe: (https://www.americastestkitchen.com/kids/recipes/pizza-dough)
2) If you order from a pizza delivery place, ask them to throw in some raw dough.
Make Your Own Puzzle
Aim: Since I have been at home, I have been keeping my brain busy with lots of puzzles. I was worried about running out, but then I realized I could make my own!
Your mission is to create your own puzzle by coloring a picture, either on paper by itself, or gluing the paper to cardboard for a more "puzzle-like" material. Use the black sharpie to draw lines for your puzzle pieces. Color the puzzle just using patterns, or make a picture. Then cut along your lines and
Helpful tips:
1) If you are cutting cardboard, it may be easier to open your scissors up and use along the lines like a boxcutter (or use an actual boxcutter or knife)- this must be done by a grown up!
2) I like to number my puzzle pieces on the backs and keep them in a ziploc bag, labeled with how many pieces there are. That way I won't lose one and not be able to finish the puzzle!
3) You can use something that already has a picture instead of drawing one, like a cereal box or toy box, a magazine, wrapping paper, and more!
For an additional challenge:
Draw smaller pieces or use a bigger piece of material for a larger, more difficult puzzle!
For an even BIGGER challenge:
Make your puzzle a drawing of something you are trying to learn or remember- write your full name, draw all the planets, draw the alphabet, draw numbers 1-10, draw sight words!
Activity 10- Make Your Own Solar Cooker
Aim: Create your own oven using recycled materials and the power of the sun! It is finally getting nice outside- let's use that solar power to cook up some treats!
*Remember, it does not have to be smores, you could heat up something else, like pizza or grilled cheese, etc. Do not consume any raw meats or eggs!
**Make sure there is a grown up to help you with any cutting! Video below to help with step-by-step instructions.
Activity 9- Makerspace Foosball/Mini Soccer!
Aim: Make your own foosball table or mini soccer field by taking a cardboard box (an empty shoe box, a box from a delivery or package, a big cereal box with the front removed) and decorating it to look like a field.
You will need to design your players , figure out how to set up your straws or sticks/rods to hold the players, and attach the players so that they can kick. See pictures below.
Don't have craft sticks? Use clothes pins, cut out pieces of cardboard, plastic forks.spoons.
Don't have a ping pong ball to use as your ball? Get creative! Use a marble, a grape, etc!
Helpful tips:
Make a plan first! Draw a blueprint and decide what materials you will be using.
For an additional challenge:
1) Make your own ball using materials around the house.
2) Make a different type of mini sports game! Tennis or basketball court, hockey rink, and more!
Activity 8- Marshmallow and Spaghetti Challenge
Aim: Build a free-standing tower (stands on its own without you holding it or leaning on anything) using 15-20 pieces of spaghetti and 3-5 marshmallows. The tower can be any shape you want. If a piece of spaghetti breaks, you can take another one to have the same total. The tower must be able to stand for at least 30 seconds.
For an additional challenge:
Make the tower support a marshmallow at the top.
For even more of a challenge:
1) Do not use tape, only use the marshmallows.
2) Only use ONE marshmallow.
3) Give a time limit for the challenge- 15 minutes maximum
Please be careful of any food allergies!
Activity 7- Little Red Riding Hood Basket
Aim: Design and build a basket that Little Red Riding Hood can use to carry food to grandma's house. Draw, color, and cut out fruits or other foods to put in the basket. You must be able to carry it without your food falling out!
For an additional challenge:
1) Use real food like an apple or orange in the basket and see if it can still hold!
2) Make a basket using only paper instead of cardboard- construction paper or printer paper.
For something seasonal:
Decorate the basket and use it for the upcoming holidays or season- if you celebrate Easter, use it to collect eggs. If you celebrate Passover, use it to hold matzah or macaroons. For Spring, use the basket to collect flowers or make paper flowers to keep inside.
Additional resources: Making the paper baskets can be tricky so if you are having trouble, use this regular basket link or this woven basket link for step-by-step instructions.
Activity 6- Paper Towel Roll Creations
What You Will Need: Paper towel rolls (or toiler paper rolls, or both), paper, crayons/markers/paint. Scissors, tape or glue, fabric from old clothes, buttons, or any other interesting items you can make use of.
Aim: Create something of your choice using the materials on hand- an animal, a tree, a castle (see pictures below for ideas, or come up with your own!) If you have more than one paper towel roll, make a whole bunch of creations, like a zoo full of animals or a forest full of trees and flowers, or a city of towers and buildings!
Before You Start: Remember to MAKE A PLAN! Engineers and scientists always plan before they begin. Use paper and pencils/crayons to design your creation first, and try to list the materials you think you will need.
Activity 5- Three Little Pigs House Building
Hairdryer or fan.
Aim: Protect the Three Little Pigs from the Big Bad Wolf! Build a house using untraditional building materials such as the ones listed above. Once you are done, try blowing it down with the blowdryer or fan and see if it can stand up.
For an additional challenge:
1) Build three different houses out of three different materials just like in the story.
2) Change the settings on the hair dryer or fan to make it blow harder.
For even more of a challenge:
Limit the supplies the kids can use, especially glue or tape, and see if they can still keep their house up. For example- tell them they can only use glue or only tape, or neither!!
For a little extra fun:
Have the kids draw and cut out the three little pigs to put in the house, and draw a Big Bad Wolf face to tape to the dryer or fan.
Activity 4- Penny Bridge
Aim: Try to make a bridge that can stand on its own using only the pennies. If and when you succeed, try changing the design of the bridge.
Activity 3- Sink or Float
What you will need: A container of water (tub, sink, or big bowl), some household items that you won’t mind getting wet! Examples: button, coins, cork, sponge, paper clip, key, spoon or fork, plastic cup, paper cup, or anything you can find). Paper and pencil.
Aim: Which of these items will sink and which will float? Make a prediction chart by filling out each item (writing the word and/or drawing picture), your prediction of sink or float, and then the result. Then test all of your items and fill out your chart!
Activity 2- Create a Leprechaun Trap!
Aim: In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, try to catch a leprechaun. First: Make a Plan! Use a few pennies to get his attention and design a trap using household items.
Activity 1- Straw Maze
What you will need:: Paper, pencil/marker/crayon (or colorful tape), straw, cotton ball.
Aim: Create a track using color tape or by drawing lines on paper. Get your cotton ball or pompom from the start of your track to the end using only a straw to blow it forward. Try not to let it go outside the lines! If there is more than one person, have a race!