Two projects really took off this summer – chalkboard slates and boomerangs. The boomerangs, of course, took off a little bit more. Back in the fall I built a bike barn. It’s more of a third-world shanty, but it housed the bikes and kept them sort of organized. Either way, I picked up a largeContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Boomerangs and Chalkboard Slates”
Tag Archives: kids woodworking
Book Review: One Block of Wood by Nina Tolstrup
This spring, a sweet little book fell into my hands. Nina Tolstrup, an UK designer (she owns studiomama, a design firm). Her projects include lamps, scooters, wall planters, book ends and card holders – all out of One Block of Wood. Ms. Tolstrup’s eye for function and style dovetails nicely with her habits of simplicity. While notContinue reading “Book Review: One Block of Wood by Nina Tolstrup”
This Week in the Classroom: Up-Cycled Shutter Coffee Table
A few shots of the shutter table project. My students & I created these (there were four completed tables) tables using up-cycled window shutters & salvaged fence posts. Finished with spar urethane. Pocket hole joinery throughout.
Making A Makerspace: Top 10 Tools in a Maker’s Classroom (2012)
This year was a big year in the STEaMworks (STEM focus, art driven, work/project centered: the STEaMworks), my self-styled Maker classroom. We (and the Math/Sci Team) built a lot of projects: rockets, rocket cars, derby cars, catapults, simple robots, box-making, bench-making, bridge-building, sail-testing, music making, spirographs, pendulums, 3D prototyping, CAD models, Arduino projects, Alice computerContinue reading “Making A Makerspace: Top 10 Tools in a Maker’s Classroom (2012)”
This Week in the Classroom: 2×4 Xylophone
I ended the year with an exploration of music. I used xylophones, pendulums and windchimes to explore frequency, wavelenght, pitch, volume, etc. I probably should have found a way to incorporate physical waves, but a trip to the beach was out of the question and I met disaster in my attempts at building a waveContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: 2×4 Xylophone”
Build a Bench This Weekend
My very first class for TX/RX Labs (or any other place non-school) is completed. Six students (adult, this time) built benches with me for two half days. We were a little crunched on time, but we stayed late (or showed up early) and completed our benches. I want to thank my students for coming andContinue reading “Build a Bench This Weekend”
This Week in the Classroom: Why Mothers Hate Me On Mother’s Day
As a parent, I know that art projects can be a mixed blessing. Some are breathtaking. Most should go in the circular file. Worse still are things my kids build – they fall apart and break. They take up space. God save me if my sons bring home noise-making pieces of art they have built.Continue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Why Mothers Hate Me On Mother’s Day”
This Week in the Classroom: Art Car
For the past three spring semesters (way back to my work at Citizen Schools) I have led a team of students in the design and construction of an Art Car. An Art Car, if you don’t know, is an embellished vehicle of some sort. Last year, I ran a sharkcar, the year before, a gatortruck.Continue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Art Car”
This Week in the Classroom: Diddley Bows
Make: Projects has great instructions on how to build your own diddley bow. Make it safe & keep the rubber side down.
Art Car 2012 is coming…
…soon. For those you in the Houston area, join us at the Art Car Parade on May 12th. More info at http://www.orangeshow.org. Make it safe & keep the rubber side down this weekend.
WSC Designs 