This is part four in my “Making a Makerspace” series. You can catch the other articles here. Makers use stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Sylvia Libow Martinez & Gary Stager dedicated an entire chapter to the various materials necessary for a makerspace to function in their book, Invent to Learn. I’m just going toContinue reading “Making a Makerspace: Top Five Materials in an Educational Makerspace”
Category Archives: This Week In the Classroom
This Week in the Classroom: Build Your Own CO2 Rocket Cars & Launching System
When I look at the popularity of CO2 rocket cars in STEM programs, its ubiquity and age hide a lot of potential for makers and project-based learning opportunities. The biggest drawback, as I see it, is the high cost of entry. Launching systems cost somewhere in the hundreds of dollars, tracks take up teaching spaceContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Build Your Own CO2 Rocket Cars & Launching System”
This Week in the Classroom: Aerial Photography via Balloon for Under $30
This quarter, my students have been building an incredible number of STEM-based projects in preparation for a show-and-tell science fair in March. Every year, I often recycle two or three projects, assigning particular journeys to particular students for particular reasons. And every year, I try to introduce something new. This year, a student suggested unmannedContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Aerial Photography via Balloon for Under $30”
This Week in the Classroom: The Simple Coffee Table
Some quick pictures of coffee tables that the kids and I built at school this fall. We sold six of these pieces at $60 each as a fall fundraiser for my classroom. With the proceeds, we were able to buy mounds of safety equipment, a new drill press and some VOC respirators for finishing. ThisContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: The Simple Coffee Table”
How to Design a Project-Based Learning Unit (with Catapults & Derby Cars)
As a teacher of mostly teenage boys, I can say my kids want to see three things: something on fire, something crashing, or something flying (and then crashing). I love teaching middle-school science because I get to teach motion, which sets things crashing and stuff flying. As written by Jim Steinman and sung by Mr.Continue reading “How to Design a Project-Based Learning Unit (with Catapults & Derby Cars)”
Making a Makerspace: What Do We Make Here? Some Capabilities and Tools for Your Educational Makerspace
This is Part 3 in my Making a Makerspace series. If this interests you, catch parts one and two. A makerspace is a space for a group of interesting and creative people to make something. Makerspaces differ from traditional constructional spaces in schools such as woodshops, auto mechanics shops, tech labs, etc because making bringsContinue reading “Making a Makerspace: What Do We Make Here? Some Capabilities and Tools for Your Educational Makerspace”
Making a Makerspace: Building Out the Steamworks
This is the second in my “Making a Makerspace” series. Catch part 1, Planning the STEAMworks, here. With my planning done, I turned my attention to “building out” the makerspace. My original plan called for a long woodworking bench against a pair of bay windows with two tool cabinets and four mobile workstations with integratedContinue reading “Making a Makerspace: Building Out the Steamworks”
Making a Makerspace: Planning the Steamworks
This fall, I move into a brand-spanking new classroom. As part of this move, I’ve been heavily involved in the planning, organizing and logistics of moving my school’s Math & Science program into our new digs. In the words of a close colleague of mine, what a great problem to have! Long term readers ofContinue reading “Making a Makerspace: Planning the Steamworks”
This Week in the Shop: A Simple Pin Marking Gauge
To end the year, my students have been making simple marking gauges. My students learned to create a mortise and use hand planes to fit a tenon in this particular project. Here’s how we did it. 1. Cut a 1″ or 3/4″ square oak strip into 8″ lengths. 2. Cut a 2″ length from a maple stripContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: A Simple Pin Marking Gauge”
This Week in the Shop: Ceramic 3-D Printing via Shapeways.com
In the late 1800’s and into the early 1900’s, a number of furniture makers, craftsman and artisans reacted against the massive mechanization and industrialization of (their) modern world to create a type of furniture called Arts & Crafts, Craftsman or Mission style furniture. Gustav Stickley in New York, the Roycroft community and others created furniture,Continue reading “This Week in the Shop: Ceramic 3-D Printing via Shapeways.com”
WSC Designs 