Maker Space in the Elem. Library?

https://www.smore.com/hwsx2-maker-space-in-the-elem-library

or

http://bit.ly/1xm2V3k

After attending many conferences and workshops about Maker Spaces, I knew we had to have one at our school. Two years ago, I played with some ideas in the library and received great feedback from the students. Over the summer, my principal had a wonderful idea to turn our multipurpose room into a project room where students could come in and work on projects to solve particular problems throughout the year. The project room eventually moved into the library office, and the Maker Space moved into the library.

Our goal was to have volunteers in the project room during 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade recess. Students were to sign up in advance to work on projects that would solve one of the posted problems. There were to be 10 students at a time and they were to rotate out every 3 days. Teachers were invited to take their classes in the project room to work on PBLs and other projects. Other maker clubs would be started in the library.

Even after widespread advertising, we could not get consistent volunteers in the project room, therefore students could not finish their projects in the allotted 3 days, and other students could not take advantage of the room.

Coding, Lego, and Maker Space clubs were started in the library for students to take advantage of in the mornings before school...

Coding Club: These students are working through the K-5 curriculum at Code.org

Lego Club: Students come to the library to build with Legos. Projects are displayed in the library as they are being constructed and when finished.

Maker Space: Our "official" maker space time is on Tuesday mornings. Students are encouraged to bring their own supplies to craft or create. There are a few things in the library they can use (Rubber Band Loom, things to take apart, art supplies).

We are currently making alterations to the project room. The supplies have been moved to the library storage room and students are able to use them before school and during recess when there are no classes in the library.

Clubs that originally were for specific days have melded into a daily mishmash of projects in the library. On any given morning, students will be on the computers working through Code.org, at the tables building with Legos, or making things with their own supplies. There are never any discipline problems because each child is there with a purpose.

In an effort to expand the making experience to more students, one of the teachers started a Recycling club that meets after school. Students spend their time making marvelous creations with donated recyclable items.

Since the project room was the principal's idea, she stocked it with a variety of items from Walmart. We were given a few pallets of cardboard by a parent who works for a box company.

Our PTA purchased 18 sets of Lego Crazy Contraptions for a physics day we had in the fall, and those were donated to the library.

Our principal bought a set of Lego bricks, a few plates, and a set of wheels as a Christmas present to the library.

Art supplies were donated by classrooms at the end of the year.

We are getting Dash and Dot robots from Wonder Workshop. Students can use the Go app to move the robots and can code them using Blockly. https://www.makewonder.com/robots/dashanddot

We are also adding Osmo coding and the bases, purchased by our PTA. With Osmo, our younger students will be able to begin their coding adventure.

Email: cpospisil@nisdtx.org
Website: www.nisdtx.org/Schluter
Location: Haslet, TX
Phone: 817-247-3017
Facebook: facebook.com/yourschluterlibrary
Twitter: @specialpaw