How to Start a Classroom Makerspace from Scratch

How to start a classroom makerspace from scratch : Want to build a mini classroom makerspace? Here's some advice and supply recommendations to get you started.

In the 2021-2022 school year, I collaborated with our 6th grade science teacher to incorporate makerspace activities into her curriculum.  We decided on a hybrid approach where for some projects, students would come up to the library makerspace and for others, I would come down to the classroom.  So we decided to purchase supplies (using … Read more

How to Create Collaborative Spaces in Your Library

How to Create Collaborative Spaces in Your Library // Here are five different things you can do to create collaborative spaces to support your students in your library.

Our libraries are no longer solely the silent, individual study zones that they used to be.  More and more schools are recognizing the value of collaboration, and the library can be the perfect place to support it.  But traditional library environments (think heavy wooden individual tables, tall, imposing stacks, etc) don’t really provide a collaborative … Read more

How to Build Creativity (and More ) Through Making

How to Build Creativity (and more) Through Making // The Four C's are a popular trend in education right now. They may be a trend, but they're also valuable skills that students can learn through making - and it doesn't have to be expensive or complicated.

The Four C’s are big in education right now: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Communication.  We talk constantly about how we need to be teaching our students these skills.   I’m not always a big fan of buzzwords – even though I’ve only been in education for less than a decade, I realize that they come … Read more

AASL Post: How to Connect Students to the World with the Cardboard Challenge

How to Connect Students to the World With the Cardboard Challenge | In my AASL post, I talk about how maker projects and makerspaces are fantastic for connecting your students globally. Here's how you can use the Global Cardboard Challenge and Skype.

Connecting Students to the World Through the Cardboard Challenge Makerspaces and maker projects can be amazing catalysts for connecting your students with others. The Imagination Foundation’s Global Cardboard Challenge is one of my favorite maker activities to help my students feel connected to the world and see the power of making. Combine that with a Skype … Read more

Cardboard Challenge 2016: More Awesome Than Ever

Cardboard Challenge 2016: More Awesome than Ever | For our 2016 Cardboard Challenge, my students went all out. Our cardboard cutters were buzzing, the hot glue guns were all in use. There were all sorts of amazing creations being built all around.

Our 2016 Cardboard Challenge We’ve been doing the Cardboard Challenge at Stewart every year since we first started our makerspace in 2014.  See our 2014 challenge here and our 2015 challenge here.  Our challenge is inspired by the YouTube video, Caine’s Arcade and the Global Cardboard Challenge.  Every year we start the challenge by watching … Read more

Make Space: Practical Applications

A few days ago, I posted a review of the book Make Space: How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration.  But just a simple review does not give you the full story.  While reading through this book, I was constantly jotting down notes and ideas for things I wanted to try in my library. … Read more

Book Review: Make Space

Make Space: How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration is a fabulous book for any educator looking to change up their learning space to support students collaboration.  Even though this book is not directly about schools (it focuses more on offices and universities) there’s so many practical lessons to be taken from this book.  So … Read more