In recent years, my classroom has been impacted by the lessons learned from the technology classes I have had the opportunity to attend. During this last summer, Beverly Burks gave us a quick overview of Makerspace. My curiosity of this concept has led to an area in my classroom where the students are now designing and creating projects. I feel like Makerspace can prepare students for the real world and maybe introduce them to their future career. One such example from my classroom is a young boy, Keaton, who built a rocket during Makerspace rotation. He loved making the rocket, but now he wants to take it apart and design it so he can improve it. The skills that he is using and developing are critical and problem solving. Can you imagine that all students would be able to experience this excitement and joy of learning?I propose that Riverside Applied Learning Center start a Makerspace room and be a pilot for the Northeast Fort Worth ISD elementary schools.
I. Preparing (November 2018-January 2019) A. Send the proposal to principal and others to share how Makerspace can excite the students B. Start talking to Teachers about skills that will be in used in the Makerspace room with email blasts/ faculty meetings 1. Critical/ Logical Thinking 2. Designing and Creating 3. Decomposition 4. Computational Thinking 5. Growth Mindset 6. Engineering 7. Coding 8. Science 9. Math 10. Technology 11. Writing C. Start writing grants (and Donor Choose) to get electronics and furniture 1. Ozobots 2. Micro:bits 3. Little Bits 4. Legos 5. IPads 6. Containers 7. Tables 8. Bean Bags Chairs and Stools 9. Dash and Dot 10. TeacherGeek Maker Cart 11. Codeapillar 12. Bee-Bots
II. Planning (February 2019-May 2019) A. Finding a Place/ Room B. Will a teacher be in the room at all times? Or will this be a room that teachers would sign up to use? C. Teachers will do different activities working with these skills that will be in used in the Makerspace room in faculty meetings/ PLCs 1. Critical/ Logical Thinking 2. Designing and Creating 3. Decomposition 4. Computational Thinking 5. Growth Mindset 6. Engineering 7. Coding 8. Science 9. Math 10. Technology D. Talking to The Welman Project (free resources to educators and non-profit organizations) to look for these things- 1. Containers 2. Tables 3. Cabinets 4. Arts and Craft Materials 5. Tools E. Set up a Committee for Implementation 1. Administration 2. Teachers 3. Parents 4. Community 5. Students F. Professional Development (with Kohn or other experts from Academic Educational Technology Department) 1. Engineering Design Process 2. Computational Thinking 3. Coding G. Visit other makerspace rooms
III. Implementation (August 2019-December 2019) A. Set up committee 1. Administration 2. Teachers 3. Parents 4. Community 5. Students B. Have Afterschool and Saturday workdays to set up room C. Ask for Donations from the parents 1. Recycled Materials 2. Fabric 3. Plastic 4. Paper D. Have a Reveal Party in December 2019 or January 2020
Do you want to join me in having the students create and design in a Makerspace room?