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. So it was no surprise to me when a group of students enthusiastically told me that they would be creating a cardboard Maker Cave for our MakerFair.
Building (and rebuilding) the Cave
My students decided to build the Maker Cave between two of the lower stacks in our fiction section. Because the cave blocked access to some of the books, they had to build and rebuild the cave every week during our hour and a half afterschool club. This really got them into figuring out the most efficient way to build and store the cave. One aspect that helped was using some of our high stools as supports inside the cave. They also used a cardboard tube that once held laminating film, since it was extra sturdy.
Preparing for the Maker Fair
As we got closer to the Maker Fair, my students continued to modify the design. They perfected the entrance to the cave. Several of them added some cozy nooks inside the cave for hanging out. They discovered some scrap wood that helped add stability. My students organized a schedule of who would monitor the Maker Cave and control crowds during the event. There were also a lot of cave collapses around this time as they were continuing to perfect their design.
littleBits in the Maker Cave
My students used littleBits to help add more features to their Maker Cave. Using several bargraph bits, they created hanging “chandeliers” throughout the cave. Using a fan and a slider switch, they created an air conditioning system. And using a motion detector and buzzer, they created a security system to keep unwanted visitors out when the cave wasn’t open.
Although there were a few mishaps and cave collapses on the night of our Maker Fair, that didn’t stop my Maker Cave group from having a blast. They welcomed students to explore the cave and eagerly explained how they created. This is what makerspaces are about for me – providing students the opportunity and freedom to create amazing things they’ve dreamed up in their mind. It made cleaning up all the stray bits of cardboard and packing tape worth it 🙂