Maker Project – WSC Designs

This Week in the Classroom: Top Ten Middle School #MakerEd Challenges (Plus Two!)

This Week in the Classroom I’m going to explore a variety of design challenges that I use in my classroom. I designed each of these projects to prompt students to explore the engineering design process, learn basic scientific concepts, such as forces and loads on structures, learn executive functioning and soft skills, and develop presentationContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Top Ten Middle School #MakerEd Challenges (Plus Two!)”

This Week in the Classroom: The FunKey Super #MakerED #STEM Review

This fall I have introduced a new tech platform into my practice. The FunKey unlocks tons of potential in a classroom. Do you want a board that reads keystrokes and plays like a MakeyMakey but with at a size and price point for a real classroom? FunKey does that. Do you now need a boardContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: The FunKey Super #MakerED #STEM Review”

This Week in the Classroom: Top Maker Tools in the Middle School Classroom

My semi-regular column This Week in the Classroom is back! I have accepted a position in a small, mostly rural school district just outside of Northern Virginia. It’s great to be in the classroom again, bringing project-based learning to new audiences. I am teaching middle schoolers, all levels. Middle school is a great age toContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Top Maker Tools in the Middle School Classroom”

Home #Makerspace: Paper Airplane Launcher

Here’s a quick project to cut out on the scroll saw. Scroll saws are small, cheap, versatile tools that can cut through all sorts of thin materials, such as plastics, wood, plywood and cardboard. They have a very, very low risk factor for younger makers too. If you don’t have access to a scroll saw,Continue reading “Home #Makerspace: Paper Airplane Launcher”

Home #Makerspace: A DIY Carrom or Marbles Game Board!

This week, we built a game board which you can customize to play marbles, skittles, carrom, billiards, pool, shuffleboard, crokinole and more! My game board features two games, marbles and carrom. Marbles has been played for thousands of years in various forms. Carrom is a “strike and pocket” game that evolved in East India. BothContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: A DIY Carrom or Marbles Game Board!”

Home #Makerspace: Build a Pinewood Derby Car With #YoungMakers

Every winter, millions of families prepare for serious bonding time at kitchen tables, in garages and in workshops across the country. We enter with dreams of speed, beauty and glory. With a little luck and skill, we leave with pride, joy and a completed Pinewood Derby Car.

This guide will show you how to support and help your young maker design, make and race their derby car.

Home #Makerspace: Two Easy #KidArt Mobiles

This week, we took to the skies with a two simple mobiles.

Mobiles are kinetic sculptures which rely on and play with the scientific concept of equilibrium and center of gravity. The pieces often spin and flutter with the breeze, presenting a constantly shifting face and focus to the observer. Some mobiles are motorized, such as the spinning toys hung over a baby’s crib.
Here are two very quick and easy spinning mobiles to make in your own home.

Home #Makerspace: #DIY Custom Kid’s Bike with #Maker Tools

Every few years, I find an excuse to engage in one of my favorite old-school projects, rebuilding and repainting a kids bicycle.

Let’s paint some flames.

I mean, dragons. We will paint dragons.

The Home #Makerspace: How To Build Your Own Pinball Machine (with Working Launcher & Flipper)

Sometimes, a teacher needs to court a little controversy. This week, Things 1 & 2 & I build a device which was banned in New York City from the 1940s until 1976, and can be found in high quality dens of iniquity and vice, such as bowling alleys and boardwalk amusements. Pinball. I’m talking aboutContinue reading “The Home #Makerspace: How To Build Your Own Pinball Machine (with Working Launcher & Flipper)”

Home #Makerspace: A Small Bookshelf Using Only Hand Tools

This week we will build a small, simple shelf to practice our hand tool skills. We will learn the rip cut and how to use the coping saw successfully. We will assemble and hang our shelf using wood screws, the quickest fasteners around. This project can be completed in a 15 to 20-minute session byContinue reading “Home #Makerspace: A Small Bookshelf Using Only Hand Tools”