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!)”
Tag Archives: middle school
This Week in the Shop: The Library Book Nook
This Week in the Shop, I build a library book nook for my school. My school librarian came to me with her coffee bar theme for a renovated library and she wanted a circular book nook to take advantage of a certain space in the library. This book nook had to incorporate a column andContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: The Library Book Nook”
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”
This Week in the Classroom: A MakerEd Pathway Into Computer Science
This year, I invested more time than ever to developing a pathway into coding for my most reluctant learners. I also researched extensions for the handful of young people who can really stretch my teaching capacity inside the STEAMworks Makerspaces. Many of my students begin their coding journey with small, concept-oriented courses and explorations, suchContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: A MakerEd Pathway Into Computer Science”
This Week in the Classroom: The Camera Obscura
The camera obscura is a old, old project which illuminates the nature of light. Students can discover some major scientific principles: light travels in straight lines, transparent surfaces allow light to travel through while translucent surfaces let some light through, the principles behind photography, scale, proportion and a whole host of other things. Essentially,Continue reading “This Week in the Classroom: The Camera Obscura”
This Week In the Classroom: How to Build Electromagnets!
Hans Christan Orsted’s discovery that electricity generates a magnetic field led to the development of electromagnets. Electromagnets are bundles of wires wrapped around a ferrous core. When electricity flows through the core, the iron magnetizes. When the electric flow ceases, so does the strength of the magnet. Electromagnets are integral parts of trash-lifters, alarms, cars,Continue reading “This Week In the Classroom: How to Build Electromagnets!”
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)”
This Week in the Classroom: Block Printing & Stamps
As my students have become more competent with tools in the past few years (and cripes, does it feel weird to say years…) I’ve gotten the chance to think: what would be really cool to do next? What would be just flat out awesome? Here’s my answer: wood & lino prints designed by the student, for the students work.Continue reading “This Week in the Classroom: Block Printing & Stamps”
What a School Could Be…
…if we only let it. I’m lucky. Most of the time, my school walks this walk and talks this talk. I hope your’s does too. Connecticut superintendents propose a radically different approach to education | Dangerously Irrelevant How do you transform factory era school systems so that they better serve the needs of an informationContinue reading “What a School Could Be…”
WSC Designs 