Check out my post on Demco to learn more about design challenges in low tech makerspaces! Many educators have the misconception that makerspace activities always need to involve expensive technology like 3-D printers and circuit kits. But this isn’t true. Students can have amazing learning experiences in makerspaces with low-tech and no-tech tools. Design challenges … Read more
Design challenges are powerful ways to engage students in making (that’s why I co-wrote a book about them). Sometimes, I craft the design challenges myself. But other times, I go to my students and ask them to create their own design challenges. This one was one of those, and I think it was brilliant: The … Read more
The Awesome Cardboard Maker Cave Last spring, I gave my after-school Makers Club a challenge – create a unique, interactive project that guests can interact with at our 2016 Maker Fair. We had held the Cardboard Challenge earlier in the school year, giving my students lots of ideas on how to use cardboard as a medium. … Read more
If you’ve been following Renovated Learning for awhile, you might remember the Catapult Challenge my Stewart Makers Club did last year with Colleen Graves’ students at Lamar Middle School. My students had SO MUCH FUN with that challenge, although I always felt like Catapult Challenge was a bit of a misnomer, since our students’ creations … Read more
3-16-23 Many school libraries still look like they did fifty years ago. But our libraries are no longer quiet dusty book repositories. Librarians are leading the way in technology use and modern pedagogy in our schools – now we need to update our spaces to match. In this workshop, you will get ideas and … Read more
Bringing Hands-On Learning to Middle School Science with Makerspace Collaborations (Page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using them, I get a small commission that helps support running this blog.) This session will look at a variety of ways that you can collaborate with your science classes and incorporate makerspaces and maker activities into the … Read more
Empowering Students Through Makerspaces: How to Create a Space that Amplifies Student Voice Our makerspaces can be more than just a place in our libraries to build and create – they can be spaces that empower our students and amplify student voice. Learn how to utilize strategies such as open exploration time, flexible design challenges, … Read more
Instagram is a fantastic way to connect with students, teachers, parents and community members. You can showcase what is going on in your library, promote a love of reading and feature student work. If you’re new to IG, it can be easy to feel stuck and unsure of what to post. (Check out my previous … Read more
Over the summer of 2021, I collaborated with our 6th grade science teacher as part of a grant to find ways to incorporate makerspace activities into the curriculum. (Look for posts coming soon about some of the projects we did). Part of our work was reading the book, Making Science: Reimagining STEM Education in … Read more