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Design for K-12 schools to complement their physical makerspace so that children and teens have access to making on their own device, anytime, anywhere.

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Why the 'Maker Movement' is Popular in Schools

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Why the 'Maker Movement' is Popular in Schools

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: UPDATED: Want to Learn About Makerspaces? Here are 41 Resources

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A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet: UPDATED: Want to Learn About Makerspaces? Here are 41 Resources

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Have I peaked your interest? Do you know about #makerspaces? As you are already well-aware, technology has dramatically changed the way we live our lives, and no other teacher has seen more changes than the school media specialist or teacher-librarian. According to NOTE: Due to the overwhelming popularity of this post, I am adding to the list of resources. ( Remember that I live in New Jersey, so you will see some NJ resources. Please share your own resources in the comments section at the bottom) makerspace.com, makerspaces are " community centers with tools. Makerspaces combine manufacturing equipment, community, and education for the purposes of enabling community members to design, prototype and create manufactured works that wouldn't be possible to create with the resources available to individuals working alone." Places where students can find makerspaces include their school library, public library or local museum. Makerspace.com provides a directory of makerspaces 6 Strategies for Funding a Makerspace- from Edutopia HERE and maker community groups
7 Things You Should Know About Makerspaces- PDF 21st Century Learning Lab Locations- a dozen listed covering the United States

AASL Essential Links: Library Makerspaces- list of articles, books, websites
Designing a School Makerspace- from Edutopia
DIY- kids can post their creations on the site; app available HERE HERE. Does your school have a makerspace you would like to showcase? If so, drop me an email: jgreller (AT) gmail (DOT) com.

Instructables- " a place that lets you explore, document, and share your creations."

Make- a digital magazine focusing on DIY projects with step-by-step instructions an effort that leverages DIY culture, digital practices, and educational research to advocate for placing making, creating, and designing at the core of educational practice."

Makercamp on Google- camp begins July 7; students can find a campsite near them mission is to create more opportunities for all young people to develop confidence, creativity, and spark an interest in science, technology, engineering, math, the arts, and learning as a whole through making." HERE

Maker Faire- " The Greatest Show and Tell on Earth"; find Maker Faire materials LiveBinder HERE

Makerspace Educational Library Ideas- LiveBinder
Makerspaces as Classrooms: Schools and Hardware Shops Partner
a pop-up Makerspace - part shop, part workshop, part exploratorium."

New Jersey Makerspace Association
Planning a Makerspace with Teens- PDF presentation
School Library Makerspaces- presentation by Leslie B. Preddy, at AASL conference in November 2013
Some Thoughts on Knowledge Production, Makerspaces and Libraries- from the Official ALA Washington Office Blog
Being a member means joining our online community, participating in events and activities, and contributing to the growth of these spaces overall by sharing your experiences and ideas." The Space Federation- you space can join for free;
Spark Fun- online tutorials, lessons on reading schematics and much more
Starting a #MakerEd Class for Middle School- for grades 6-7 science classes
Strengthening Communities with Makerspaces- Jeff Sturges' chat covers many questions you might have about makerspaces
"everything cool and worth making"
Thingiverse-
Want to Start a Makerspace at School? Tips to Get Started
Worlds of Making- New Milford NJ media specialist Laura Fleming describes her school's maker space
"digital designs for physical objects" Sylvia's Super Awesome Maker Show- young Sylvia offers video tutorials on " NJ Librarians Get $116,00 in Makerspace Grants The Makery- "

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? Follow me on
RebelMouse or Twitter, Like us on Facebook or Subscribe to this blog.

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UPDATED: Want to Learn About Makerspaces? Here are 41 Resources

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Have I peaked your interest? Do you know about #makerspaces? As you are already well-aware, technology has dramatically changed the way we live our lives, and no other teacher has seen more changes than the school media specialist or teacher-librarian. According to NOTE: Due to the overwhelming popularity of this post, I am adding to the list of resources.

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A Thematic Approach to Planning Your Maker Space | School Library Journal

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A Thematic Approach to Planning Your Maker Space | School Library Journal

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Design and share beautiful flyers just like this one!

Spread the word with an online flyer. They're easy to make and impossible to mess up :)

Try it now

Make, Create, Innovate!

Lewis and Clark's MakerSpace Adventure! As told by Angela Rosheim, Teacher-Librarian

Resources to Borrow or Invest In...

MASL 2016 Presentation Blending Your MakerSpace and Library Standards For Student Success: Teresa Barnett and Angela Rosheim

Invent To Learn by Stager and Martinez

MakerSpace Playbook http://makered.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Makerspace-Playbook-Feb-2013.pdf (download)

MakeSpace: How To Set The Stage For Creative Collaboration by Doorley & Witthoft

The Maker Movement Manifesto by Mark Hatch

The Art of Tinkering by Karen Wilkinson

Worlds of Making: Best Practices for Establishing a MakerSpace in Your School by Laura Fleming

MAKE Magazine

Tinkerlab by Rachelle Doorley

Maker Tutorials and Inspiration

About Me...

I am a teacher-librarian at Lewis & Clark Elementary in Liberty, Missouri. I have been in education for 28 years and every year is an adventure! This last year has been amazing as I brought a MakerSpace to our school to allow our kids to explore, tinker, collaborate, find their passions, problem-solve, fail, persevere, and actively participate in what they learn. Hop on over to my blog if you would like to see our kids and MakerSpace in action...

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Design and share beautiful flyers just like this one! Spread the word with an online flyer. They're easy to make and impossible to mess up :) Try it now Make, Create, Innovate! Lewis and Clark's MakerSpace Adventure!

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The Role Making Can Play in Education and Future Work | Classroom Aid

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The Role Making Can Play in Education and Future Work | Classroom Aid

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"American kids should be building rockets and robots, not taking standardized tests." - By Dale Dougherty

Learning by Making

In this post " Learning by Making " published on Slate Magazine site, Dale elaborated:

"Learning by doing" was the distillation of the learning philosophy of John Dewey. He wrote: "The school must represent present life-life as real and vital to the child as that which he carries on in the home, in the neighborhood, or on the playground." He also wrote that "education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

Each year at Maker Faire in the Bay Area, we have an Education Day, when kids get to meet makers and see their creative projects. The kids interact with robots, rockets, and all kinds of contraptions. They get to make things themselves. One comment I hear from kids was that the experience was "real." It's a telling comment, because so many kids have come to see school as isolated and artificial, disconnected from the community.

The maker movement has the opportunity to transform education by inviting students to be something other than consumers of education. They can become makers and creators of their own educational lives, moving from being directed to do something to becoming self-directed and independent learners. Increasingly, they can take advantage of new tools for creative expression and for exploring the real world around them. They can be active participants in constructing a new kind of education for the 21 st-century, which will promote the creativity and critical thinking we say we value in people like Steve Jobs.

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Document for the role making can play in education

In January 2012, New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) hosted Design-Make-Play: Growing the Next Generation of Science Innovators. The two-day conference brought together leaders of schools, community-based programs, research and development organizations, the funding community, universities, government and business. They gathered at NYSCI to assemble evidence supporting the belief that designing, making and playing can create new pathways into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), particularly among children.

The following document has been produced

The Future of Work

Like the advocacy on learning coding came from the foreseen shortage of programming human resources in future. The maker movement isn't initiated by imagination without relevancy. The fast-changing pace of this world makes diplomas not a guarantee to meet the demand of job market. The authentic evidence of learning is what you can make or create in this real world. Continuous learning becomes a constant. From this PSFK report " The Future of Work " you can find this trend along with some useful information and tools.

This report uncovers major themes, key trends and opportunities to help you grow your business and progress your career into the future. Available in different formats to buy or just preview, the themes of PSFK's Future of Work report cover the Ideal Workforce, Empowered Culture, Intuitive Connection and Agile Workplaces. PSFK extends its 'Future of' reports with the 140 page document that covers the new ways we are working and the implications for business and for workers.

Within each theme we describe 4 trends and each trend is supported by 4 examples, supporting statistics and implications defined by our PSFK Labs team. During this process we spoke to a number of experts to understand the trends better. Their feedback can be found in quotes and interviews throughout the report.

As a bonus, we also turned to a number of creative agencies to bring the trends to life. We asked them to imagine the future of work and you will find their concepts within this document. At the end of the report, you will also discover the submission of examples of progressive work environments. These were submitted by the readers of PSFK.com after we asked for their input into the report in 2012.

[slideshare id=15878109&doc=future-of-work-summary-presentation-psfk-130106150423-phpapp02]

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Resources of maker education

The mission of the Maker Education Initiative is to create more opportunities for young people to make, and, by making, build confidence, foster creativity, and spark interest in science, technology, engineering, math, the arts-and learning as a whole. We want young people to join-and eventually lead-the growing Maker Movement.

Part of the Maker Education Initiative's mission is to help spread the best practices, lessons learned, and research from maker programs around the world. We are working to build a database of maker education resources and research.

Especially recommended resources - Places to Look for Project Ideas

The Makerspace Playbook guides those who are hoping to start a Makerspace at their school or in their community. We welcome your feedback on the kinds of things we should add to this Playbook, what you think we got right and wrong, and any changes you'd make in general. We already know we'd like to add things like sample letters to garner support from administration and potential funders, more spotlights of teachers doing this kind of making with their students, and more detail about what the new roles for teachers, mentors, and shop hosts might entail.

The maker spirit isn't necessarily limited to making robots or electronics, the idea of constructionism for learning is the key. Mitchel Resnick's paper All I Really Need to Know (About Creative Thinking) I Learned (By Studying How Children Learn) in Kindergarten is a great reading to rethink education.
photo credit: the_exploratorium via photopin cc

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The Role Making Can Play in Education and Future Work

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"American kids should be building rockets and robots, not taking standardized tests." - By Dale Dougherty In this post " Learning by Making " published on Slate Magazine site, Dale elaborated: "Learning by doing" was the distillation of the learning philosophy of John Dewey.

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A visual collection of makerspaces in libraries around the world.

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Makerspace Resources and Programming ideas | Create, Collaborate, Innovate

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Makerspace Resources and Programming ideas | Create, Collaborate, Innovate

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Check out these Great Blogs from other Makers

The Tinkering Studio Blog : This R&D lab on the floor of the Exploratorium is a maker's dream! And they blog about all of the great work they are doing. Read and Re-read for great ideas!

Renovated Learning : Diana Rendina is an amazing maker librarian with frequent makerspace posts! Follow her blog and get an almost daily dose of awesome ideas for your library makerspace. Check out Diana's Makerspace resource page, Tips on Writing Donors Choose Projects, The Value of Guided Projects in Makerspaces.

Makered.org : Every Child a Maker

Josh Burker : Josh is a maker extraordinaire, he's always making cool stuff and sharing project ideas. PLUS, he wrote the awesome Invent to Learn's Guide to Fun.

Expect the Miraculous : Andy Plemmons is a genius about connecting his young makers with mentors. Plus, he's just an all around phenomenal librarian. (When I grow up, I hope to be like him! )

UNCG SELF Design Studio : I interviewed Matt and Sarah for my Librarian's Guide to littleBits, they always have amazing stuff going on, so go give them a like on Facebook to keep up with them! Check out this blog post about them over at makeymakey.com too!

Makerology : Krissy Venosdale is the founder of the #elemaker tag. Need I say more?

Design Saunders : David is another awesome elemaker I met working on the Librarian's Guide to littleBits. He's a makerspace mash-up of fun!

Worlds of Learning : Eric Sheninger hired Laura Fleming to renovate his highschool library and create an innovative learning space for students.

Design Make Teach : Another great maker educator with a flow of great ideas!

Daring Librarian : Gwyneth Jones is an avid sharer of great ideas! Follow this blog ASAP!

Library as an Incubator : Great blog with tons of information for school and public libraries alike!

Makerspaces.com : Andrew is pretty great at curating free resources for you!

Evolve Project : Brian Pichman is doing great work connecting libraries with makerspace resources. Plus, he's pretty great at finding out about the best cutting edge maker tools.

Innovation Lab (at St. Petersburg College ) : Chad Mairn is another rad maker librarian I met interviewing bitsters for the Librarian's Guide to littleBits. He's got all the great stuff at his academic library!

Maker Bridge : This is a great resource for the maker community that helps us all get connected via resources, reviews, and a weekly blog!

Active Learning : Kristin Fontichiaro's blog about making and libraries!

More Great Books for Your School Library Makerspace

I've learned so much from my Twitter PLN. Use Hashtags in your tweets and follow the conversation too!

Aaron and I have worked diligently to make, document, and write over 50 makerspace projects that you can implement with your makers. The book will be available from McGraw Hill in Oct 2016. Below is an example of a full year of makerspace programming. I hope to update this with what I did this year and what I'm planning for next year soon!

Last, here is a list of workshop ideas I created with Leah Mann in 2014. Lots of great FREE ideas:

FREE WORKSHOP IDEAS:

OTHER RESOURCES:

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Makerspace Resources and Programming ideas

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New to Makerspaces? Create Collaborate Innovate Posts on Making What is a Makerspace? What is a Maker Librarian? How can I run a library AND a makerspace? What kind of activities can we do? Check out more maker-focused posts and resources on my New Here? page Become a Maker Sign up for this MOOC offered...

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Active Learning | Kristin Fontichiaro's Blog About Learning, Teaching, Making Things, and Libraries

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Active Learning | Kristin Fontichiaro's Blog About Learning, Teaching, Making Things, and Libraries

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Building professional capacity

Teacher-librarians are well positioned to impart data literacy to teens, but who's giving instructors the resources and support that they need to do so?

Kristin Fontichiaro, clinical associate professor at University of Michigan's School of Information, and Jo Angela Oehrli, learning librarian at University of Michigan Library, were up for the task. As principal investigators of the two-year IMLS-funded project "Supporting Librarians in Adding Data Literacy Skills to Information Literacy Instruction," they set out to design materials for high school librarians looking to foster data and statistical literacy skills in their students.

"We were seeing on our own campus that data was becoming a powerful mode of expression and wasn't working in ways that information literacy always works," says Fontichiaro. With help from data and curriculum experts at the University of Michigan, Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, and colleges across the country, she and Oehrli developed virtual conferences, handbooks, webinars, and discussion questions.

Materials cover strategies for introducing teens to data and its usage, visualizations, and privacy topics, such as the implications of data collection by always-on devices like Fitbit or Amazon Echo. Though the initiative formally wrapped in September 2017, all deliverables-including the two books, Creating Data Literate Students and Data Literacy in the Real World: Case Studies and Conversations -are available for free on the project website.

"It's not enough to have open data. You have to have people navigate that data, know it's there, and know how to use it," Fontichiaro says. "Our real goal was for librarians to be empowered, and our workshops show that when librarians and educators know more, they do more." Materials were designed to be high impact for the school librarian who might not have time to teach a full lesson.

The virtual conferences provided insight into who is interested in these resources. "The first year we had over 80 different job titles sign up, from folks who work at state departments of education or government agencies to classroom teachers," says Fontichiaro. About one-third of the audience consisted of high school librarians.

The information climate also affected people's motivation for attending. "In 2016, we asked a registration question: 'Why is it important for students to be data literate?' And many people said, 'Well, they need to make infographics.' In 2017, the big answer was 'to participate in elections.'" By demand, a third virtual conference is planned for July.

"I believe that an informed democracy makes better decisions, so I think this is a critical life skill," Fontichiaro says, "especially in the era of artificial intelligence and algorithms."

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Teacher-librarians are well positioned to impart data literacy to teens, but who's giving instructors the resources and support that they need to do so? Kristin Fontichiaro, clinical associate professor at University of Michigan's School of Information, and Jo Angela Oehrli, learning librarian at University of Michigan Library, were up for the task.

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Makerspaces, Participatory Learning, and Libraries | The Unquiet Librarian

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Makerspaces, Participatory Learning, and Libraries | The Unquiet Librarian

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Make this ad disappear by upgrading to Symbaloo PRO+

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Making Continues in the Wooldridge Library

Over the past year, Wooldridge Quails, have continued making, exploring, creating , and learning from their experiences in the library makerspace. During the summer, our library program set up shop in a portable building (the inside of our school was having ac renovations). So, we hauled ALL of the makerpsace materials and four carts of library books out to the portable! Students had three weeks to work on projects, tinker, and READ in the space. There was a great turn out--close to 80 students moved through and worked in the space each day.

School Wide Makerspace Night

In October, I helped 5th grade teachers host a makerspace night for our Wooldridge students and their families. It was a huge success! Students were teaching their parents what they had learned over the summer and the year before. Everyone was engaged and there was a great buzz in the air! I'm looking forward to hosting another maker night in the future!

Literacy Inspired Making

Makerspace weeks have continued in the library, as well as, literacy inspired challenges. Fourth and fifth graders read the story Iggy Peck, Architect, and constructed bridges or towers out of spaghetti and clay. They had great fun with this project and showed problem solving skills when things didn't go quite as planned. I really enjoyed watching students go back to the drawing board when they needed to make adjustments.

I also collaborated with our wonderful art teacher, Deborah Parkansky, on an Eric Carle reading and art piece. After reading many Carle book, first grade students began working on a painting that would later be deconstructed and used in the makerspace to create a colorful mosaic of a sea horse--inspired from Eric Carle's Mister Sea Horse.

Austin Mini Makerfaire 2015

Four Wooldridge students were able to join me at our makerspace booth in the education tent area of the Austin Mini Makerfaire. They demonstrated how to make stop animation movies with HUE cameras and with the iPad ap--Lego Movie Maker. My goal this year, is to take a bus load of students to the Makerfaire to experience and participate in all the amazing activities.

Makerspace Weeks in the Library

One week out of the month is set aside for makerspace time in the library. Students are able to choose from a growing list of stations. Some of the staples are: Legos, paper crafts, building with recycled materials, Makeymakey, take apart station, and Minecraft. Newer stations that have been added this year include: Bee-bots, Little Bits, Lego We-do, and practicing coding with code.org. I am always open to new and exciting things to add to our makerspace. I also let the students help guide me in the development of our space.

Continuing Maker Education

To continue my maker education, I have been participating in a program through the Thinkery called Ed Exchange. Twenty educators, from all across Austin, come together twice a month to learn more about making in education. We have had amazing speakers and tons of hands-on time with the latest and greatest ed tech gadgets. It has also been a place to share what has worked in our own makerspaces and gather new ideas. The things I have learned over this semester have been so valuable and inspiring! The topics covered include: Digital Fabrication, Tinkering and Making, Design Thinking, Coding, and Best Practices for STEAM Education. For more information about the Thinkery or the Ed Exchange program, click on the link below.
http://thinkeryaustin.org/programs-events/edexchange/

One of the ideas that came from this group was creating Puff Mobiles--students get 3 straws, 2 paperclips, 1 piece of paper, 4 lifesaver mints, and tape. The object is to create a vehicle that moves with your breath. My 3rd graders rocked this challenge! Their fearlessness allowed them to create unique vehicles that really moved!

To be continued! I look forward to using what I've learned over the last year with my wonderful Woodridge Quails! Yay, library makerspaces!

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In October, I helped 5th grade teachers host a makerspace night for our Wooldridge students and their families. It was a huge success! Students were teaching their parents what they had learned over the summer and the year before. Everyone was engaged and there was a great buzz in the air!

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Makerspace Educational Library Ideas - LiveBinder

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Makerspace Educational Library Ideas - LiveBinder

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(2) Makerspace - Books to get on Pinterest

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(2) Makerspace - Books to get on Pinterest

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When you get your students started with hands-on learning through makerspaces, it's important to have a well-stocked library of books to support their projects + learning.  This is a growing collection of Maker, STEAM, PBL + creativity books to inspire your students.  There's books in here for elementary, middle school, high school + more.

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Makerspaces in Libraries, Schools & More » MakerBridge

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Makerspaces in Libraries, Schools & More » MakerBridge

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The Maker Space Difference: Amazing Inquiry, Shared Learning | Tech Tidbits | School Library Journal

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The Maker Space Difference: Amazing Inquiry, Shared Learning | Tech Tidbits | School Library Journal

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By Phil Goerner on

"Is it true? Do we have a 3-D printer?"

When I put our new 3-D printer in the window of the school library, not only were my own maker space students interested, but the rest of the school seemed to take note. Some of you have been curious about how this new maker space project is coming along, so here's an update.

The library unofficially opened our maker space in January after receiving all kinds of goodies from a DonorsChoose fundraiser and other grants. I invited several students to an unpacking party to un-box all the supplies and start setting up our space.

The purchases tumbled out of boxes and students explored each item. First out of the box was our 3-D printer, the Makerbot Replicator 2. The printer came together fairly easily and the students and I printed our first project that same day. Part of what made the printer such an attractive purchase was the companion site, Thingiverse.com, where the kids can view tons of projects and even create their own. They even made a "Mr. Goerner" name plate for my desk.

The students and I decided to meet after school every Wednesday to learn all we could together. The number of interested students varies every week, but we always have a core group who try a new gadget every session. So far, we have probed and tested our mini-robot Cubelets and created great electrical circuits using the Snap Circuits kits. Several of our members created a complex light and sound board and another student said, "That is really cool, but I really don't know why it works." Members took the time to chat with her and explain how to build a simple circuit. That same student added a switch and a flying saucer and she was thrilled to make this slo-mo video.

The students have programmed and raced the two Sphero Robotic Balls, even trying them under water! The library received a bit more money and was able to add a Little Bits electronic kit that allows makers to create a circuit using magnets, as well as some Makey Makey kits that we used to experiment with bananas, turning them into bongos. The kids are planning to use Makey Makey to turn the stairs outside our library into a piano too.

Collectively, our goal was to learn as much as we could so that students and staff would be ready to explain how each thing worked at our Makerspace Open House during our parent-teacher conferences in February. Students were proud to show off tools that they had learned about and acquired skills on while also sharing their excitement with other students and staff. The users of our Makerspace are starting to build relationships with teachers and classrooms and have a few ideas for projects that will soon weave themselves into the life of the school.

Our students have continued to meet every week to make projects like the virtual Google Cardboard project and the Zombonitron 1600, which we assembled from a Moss robot kit. Since we are too excited to keep quiet about this, we have learned about some neighboring schools that are creating their own maker spaces. It's all about sharing, so we're setting up an exchange process where we can loan our tools and borrow from other maker spaces.

I'm so proud that our library can serve as such a great resource and learning center. I am struck by the amazing ways that inquiry drives all of our experiences in our new maker spaces. I love the way the time flies by as the students ask, "What if we...?" or "How could we...?", stretching our thinking and imagining possibilities. I have no doubt that some time very soon our students' brilliant questions will lead to incredible innovations, fueling collaborative relationships with very smart people, resulting in incredible learning and proud achievement.
Phil Goerner is a teacher librarian at Silver Creek High School, Longmont, CO.

This article was featured in our free SLJTeen enewsletter.
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Phil Goerner is the teacher librarian and tech innovator at Silver Creek High School in Longmont, CO. He can be found on Twitter @pgoerner. Phil is also an adjunct professor with University of Colorado at Denver in the School Library and Instructional Leadership program.

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The Maker Space Difference: Amazing Inquiry, Shared Learning | Tech Tidbits

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By Phil Goerner on "Is it true? Do we have a 3-D printer?" When I put our new 3-D printer in the window of the school library, not only were my own maker space students interested, but the rest of the school seemed to take note.

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Maker enthusiasts: anyone can edit this page. Please share your resources here! You may also be interested in our STEM Resources page and our Teen Programming Guidelines from YALSA (.pdf)

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The Library Voice: I Created A Little Makerspace To-Go.....It Even Includes A Makerspace Mobile Too!

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The Library Voice: I Created A Little Makerspace To-Go.....It Even Includes A Makerspace Mobile Too!

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On Monday and Tuesday of next week I have the honor of presenting to a variety of educators including administrators, teacher librarians, technology coordinators, and classroom teachers at the TIES Conference in Minneapolis. My presentations focus around makerspaces and the importance of the make movement and these spaces in education.

By definition makerspaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. In libraries they often have 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and hardware supplies and tools, and more.

I love seeing what my friends and others are doing with makerspaces. It was so much fun to create one in the library at Van Meter. I have helped teacher librarians and educators in Texas, Colorado, and other places around the country with their makerspaces.

They are everywhere and it is exiting to follow this movement that is creating change within communities, education, and especially the lives of our children.

As I prepared to come to Minneapolis for the conference I sat at the kitchen table in our loft coloring and playing with the Chromville app; organizing a bucket of LEGO's; and looking through a pile of new books about creating with duct tape and recycled goods. There are spaces throughout our place that serve as tiny little makerspaces....online and on our devices too.

I thought to myself, " I wish I could bring all of these things with me to the conference so the superintendents and principals could play on Monday and the teacher librarians could create on Tuesday. I wish they could see all of the wonderful things that can be included within a makerspace. It would have such an impact on them. They could really see and feel the importance of creating, inventing, and learning."
Then it came to me! Why not make my makerspace "to-go"?

I was pretty sure I could create a space that would bring the "make" to these amazing educators I will be with next week.....and be with me wherever I want to take it.

In fact, a makerspace can be any size. It can fit anywhere. It can contain anything too. The sky is the limit when it comes to a makerspace, just like our creativity.

And most of all....a makerspace can occupy an area in the library, a corner of a classroom, an old office space, a closet, a cart....

even a bag to make it "to-go".

I got out the largest bag I could find that would travel well with us on the airplane and through Iowa and Minnesota. It is fabric and has giant pockets all through the inside to hold things and keep them organized.

I have been gathering materials together for the last several months. It was a great feeling to get them all together in this new makerspace. I couldn't wait to share it with Hagan and my new friends at the conference.

So just what have I included in my makerspace to-go!

There are makers, colored pencils, drawing and painting paper, tracing paper, colored paper,

crayons, wooden beads, glue, tape, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, low heat glue gun,

painter dabbers, paper rolls, a Makey Makey kit, and lots of beautiful books to share.

Andrea Beaty and David Roberts have brought us two of my favorite books about makers and tinkering, Rosie Revere, Engineer and Iggy Peck, Architect. These are perfect to read aloud and share with children and adults alike.

Along with the makerspace to-go I created some new folders of apps on my iPad to include in the space.

I named this folder "Makerspace Mobile" and added it on my iPhone too.

Hagan and I love building with LEGO's and one book we love using while building is The LEGO Ideas Book...Unlock Your Imagination. With this book,

I threw in several bags of LEGO's

and put some great LEGO apps in the Makerspace Mobile folder.

Hagan has fun playing LEGO Junior on his iPad and using the LEGO Instruct app while building.

The book Photo JoJo has tons of ideas of photo projects and DIY ideas.

With this book I included a small digital camera and made sure I had the iPhoto app and several other fun photography apps on the devices.

Of course there had to be lots of duct tape in the makerspace to-go and the book Stick It....99 DIY Duct Tape Projects.

Hagan and I once found this little robot splitter for headphones so I threw this in the makerspace to-go, along with a couple pairs of inexpensive ear buds for the music creating apps like GarageBand that I have on my iPad and iPhone.

Or perhaps just for listening to music as you work away too.

This super cute felt puppet set will be fun for creating plays and pretending. There are a couple of apps on the iPad and iPhone that will be great for those who love puppets and digital storytelling including Puppet Pals.

Not only are there games in Makerspace Mobile, there are card games in the bag and some dice.

We have several Sphero's we love playing with. I made sure they were all charged up for the makerspace to-go and

added a few of the free apps they have available.

These can be played from either device and loaded onto others personal devices.

Eric and Hagan had a blast this morning getting the Sphero's out of the makerspace to-go and playing tag.

I have also included lots of digital tools that can be used on devices or on a computer. I put some flyers for StoryboardThat.com in the bag to share and

Animoto, LittleBirdTales, Comic Life 3,

and Chromville, along with lots of the AR coloring sheets that go with it.

Since I have included print books in the makerspace to-go I made sure to include dozens of wonderful eBooks through MackinVIA website and app....

and Capstone Interactive app.

I downloaded over 20 makerspace themed eBooks onto my iPad so they can be accessed easily.

One of my favorite 3D printing books is Leo the Maker Prince by Carla Diana. Carla visited our library last year through Skype...It was amazing talking with her about 3D printing, tinkering, and engineering.

After the Skype we downloaded the characters from the book from Thingiverse and printed them on our Makerbot 3D printer in the library. I love having these printed characters with me as I share Leo the Maker Prince and

3D printing apps with others.

With the Hour of Code coming up next week having lots of coding apps for the conference was important and these are so much fun for people of all ages.

Last year I created a Symbaloo called " Digital Makerspace" so I took this url and put it right on the makerspace page on my iPad. These websites and online resources can now be accessed easily.

I am very excited about my new makerspace to-go and can't wait to add more to it. I just ordered a 3D Doodler pen, a couple more Makey Makey kits, and a portable soldering kit.

Oh and Hagan had the idea to add wood and a K-NEX building set. I love that!

I know I will be on the constant look out items to create and tinker with while sharing with others around the country....and seeing what everyone is adding to their makerspaces too.

The makerspace to-go will bring lots of exploration, fun, tinkering, creating, testing, failing, succeeding, collaboration, and happiness wherever it goes.

And especially with my little bestie anywhere we go.

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I Created A Little Makerspace To-Go.....It Even Includes A Makerspace Mobile Too!

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On Monday and Tuesday of next week I have the honor of presenting to a variety of educators including administrators, teacher librarians, technology coordinators, and classroom teachers at the TIES Conference in Minneapolis. My presentations focus around makerspaces and the importance of the make movement and these spaces in education.

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How to Start a Makerspace When You're Broke | Knowledge Quest

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How to Start a Makerspace When You're Broke | Knowledge Quest

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The views expressed in the posts on the Knowledge Quest website are those of the individual authors, not those of AASL or the author’s respective employer or committee/task force. The content in these posts is provided “as is;” no representations are made that the content is error free. The links to other third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; AASL and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.

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Kids have always made in my library.

We encouraged digital and visual and dramatic and rhetorical creativity before, during, and after school. But for a while, I've questioned the value of using already heavily used real estate to randomly carve out space for a 3D printer, electronics stations and sewing machines. I had my doubts about the makerspace movement in school libraries.

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to chat with Amos Blanton, project manager of the . On his Scratch online community, and a member of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT Media Lab I design and sustain creative learning environments for people with agency. profile Amos notes:

Amos makes the case for makerspaces as powerful, authentic, relevant learning experiences, and for when and why library may be the very right space to create a makerspace.

Here's the video of our chat and a few of key points to consider before adopting a maker culture for libraries

Amos' key points:

School pressures make it challenging to make space for interest-driven learning. The library works differently. The librarian doesn't say, Here's the book. Read it and I'm going to be evaluating how well you've read this book. That's not how the library works. The way it works is you go in and say, Hey I am interested in this. I want to know about this. Can you tell me how to connect with this interest that I have using all these great resources that you have? And that's really a closer analog to what I see as exciting about Makerspaces. I have this idea - can you help me flesh it out and bring it into the world?

A Makerspace is not a one-size-fits-all kind of space. There are all kinds of idiosyncratic ways to have a Makerspace, different ways to dial into the local culture. In creating a new Makerspace, people should ask: What tools are already being used in the community? What are teachers already doing? What is already there, and how can we add to and augment it?

Making is more powerful when driven by the interest of the learner. Makerspaces in schools should connect to student's authentic interests, or the experiences children have had. When that connection is made, the experience will have more meaning and power, and will be more likely to attract student attention and engage their efforts. If the agenda comes from outside, that could be problematic. I want people to bring their own agendas and be supported. That's a culture that already exists in libraries

What is very important and maybe not supported by many school curricula is people bringing into the world their own projects and ideas. When students have to spend all their time fulfilling an external agenda, they don't have a chance to learn how to create their own agenda. Teaching kids only what adults think they need to know can take up all the time kids need to explore what it is that they care about.

Freedom to choose changes the way students invest in a project. We need to connect learners to their interests, to give them the freedom to choose what to do and learn. Of course there is a minimum we need to cover in schools - everyone needs to be able to read and write. But in the process of following their own interests, they're going to develop a lot of other skills. They'll develop their writing skills in service of documenting or discovering more about something that they love, not just in service of an assignment that someone else told them that they had to do. That distinction is a key aspect of what makes a powerful learning experiences. They're connected to their interests.

School does some things well, but what I love about the library is that when I enter, I set the agenda. I am going there because there is something that I want to know based on interests or what's going on in my life or all sorts of local idiosyncratic contexts.... I am excited about Making in schools - it can be really great. But if the agenda for what needs to be Made is coming from outside the Maker, then that could be problematic. What seems to be a great fit with libraries and interest driven learning is that the person who comes to the library sets the agenda. I want them to be supported in that and that's a culture that already exists in libraries. So Making is a perfect fit into an already existing library culture.

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Kids have always made in my library. We encouraged digital and visual and dramatic and rhetorical creativity before, during, and after school. But for a while, I've questioned the value of using already heavily used real estate to randomly carve out space for a 3D printer, electronics stations and sewing machines.

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Librarians on the Fly: Baby Steps to creating a Makerspace in the Library

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Librarians on the Fly: Baby Steps to creating a Makerspace in the Library

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Makerspaces in Your Library

When I entered Fields Elementary Library, it was traditional in every way. Slowly, I have worked to make it a learning space, one where I can share technology and create a community of shared learning. Gone are the days that the library is just a place to check in and check out books. Since McAllen ISD is a 1:1 district, I am thrilled to see the potential every student has in this space.

When I interviewed a month ago for this library position, my principal asked what my vision was for the library. I told her I envisioned a makerspace, one with a 3D printer, Lego Mind Storm sets, robots, and the opportunity for student's imagination to unfold. That is a tall order when you have a small budget, but she had access to some grant funds that may

make that 3D printer materialize along with other tech gadgets. So, until then, I am starting out small. It begins with creating a designated space with the potential to grow.

The exciting part of this whole concept is that the library holds the potential for collaboration between students in other parts of the country or world. Imagine students from one makerspace to another makerspace via Skype in Education or Google Connected Classrooms. What if students worked with other students to solve problems together or create models together within their respective maker spaces? The video below shows how one public library group is doing in their makerspaces via Google Hangouts.

For now, our small maker space (Fields Fab Lab) has tools for students to build or experiment with simple materials. When that 3D printer comes in or the Lego Mind Storm kits, the possibilities are endless. Who else out there has a maker space or is trying to set one up? Please share your comments below!

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Baby Steps to creating a Makerspace in the Library

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Makerspaces in Your Library When I entered Fields Elementary Library, it was traditional in every way. Slowly, I have worked to make it a learning space, one where I can share technology and create a community of shared learning. Gone are the days that the library is just a place to check in and check out books.

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MakerSpace: The Online Community for Makers.

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MakerSpace: The Online Community for Makers.

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Maker Share | Create. Connect. Learn. | By Make: + Intel

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Where Makers come to show & tell what they can do. Create your Maker Portfolio and share your projects, participate in community missions, and learn new skills.

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Evolution of a Maker Space, From “Monstie Stuffie” Projects to a Giant Catapult | School Library Journal

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Evolution of a Maker Space, From “Monstie Stuffie” Projects to a Giant Catapult | School Library Journal

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Two years ago, I was asked to write an article for Knowledge Quest about how I created a maker space at Lamar Middle School in Flower Mound, TX. That first year of programming is so different from what I do now that I thought it pertinent to chart how our maker programming (#Makered) has evolved.

During my first year as a librarian in 2012-13 my Teen Advisory Board (TAB) helped me redecorate a small office located behind our circulation desk. My director bought us some reading rockers, chalkboard paint, rain gutters, and 25 licenses for Minecraft.
Starting off: "Take and Make" wall and workshops
At the time, I wanted to make this room a collaborative room that housed our maker space. In 2012 my only maker programming resource was a collaborative Google Doc created by librarian members of the American Library Association (ALA). Plus, I didn't have any extra funding left that year for maker supplies, but I knew I wanted to dedicate a space and time to maker programming.

My favorite aspect of this room was the "Take and Make" wall, where we hung rain gutters that housed low cost/free project ideas: making a tiny house out of paper and foldable bookmarks and sewing your own "monstie stuffie" out of felt and stuffing. Kids would come and make "monsties" in their free time, but, mostly, they used the space for filming videos or recording audio.

In late April 2013, my TAB members helped me pick out some maker workshop ideas from the collaborative Google doc started by librarian P.C. Sweeney. During the ALA conference, librarians had started this doc with the idea of libraries around the country hosting May-ker Mondays (maker programming every Monday for the month of May). My school's first weekly workshop that May was after-school and focused on making stuff with duct tape. Each May-ker Monday was well attended, with the highest participation during our Minecraft workshop. Overall, however, that year mostly focused on crafts and no-cost tech like blogging and Minecraft.
Arduino, Magic 8 Balls, and a Theremin
The next school year, we still didn't have much funding for maker supplies, but the district issued us new Macbooks. The students and I decided to host workshops on Garageband, iBooks, and the Mozilla Webmaker Suite on Mondays after school. (Since we were having Maker Monday during the whole school year and not just May, I dropped the "May-ker" moniker.) I attempted a design challenge with iBooks, but I didn't get much participation. The Webmaker Popcorn Party got the students excited about coding, so that May, I decided to focus on coding for the whole month. Students came after school on Mondays and during our advisory time on what I deemed TechThursdays. During our Coding Bonanza, we made binary code bracelets, completed the hour of code, and attempted to finish the computer science course at Code.org.

The best part of the coding bonanza was reaching out to a mentor expert. We video-conferenced with a web game developer about creating video games. Since Arduino projects involve a lot of coding, I began to demo what you can do with Arduino (a microcontroller) by building a few simple projects like our "Magic 8 Ball" and a light-sensitive Theremin (a musical instrument that is controlled by hand motions). During May, at any given time, a student might walk in and see me tinkering with Arduino or MaKey MaKey. (I'd purchased Arduino with "lost book" money and borrowed the MaKey MaKeys from another library.)

My library aides and I were attempting to learn to think outside the box with these gadgets, but I wasn't quite ready to host an Arduino workshop with a lot of students. My kids were also getting bogged down just going through the Hour of Code curriculum, so I hosted a final bonanza and showcased different coding projects. I set up the infamous banana piano with MaKey MaKey, created a game in Scratch you could control with Playdoh, and showed the kids how easy it is to modify code from the Arduino libraries with the Magic 8 Ball project. The students enjoyed changing the code so our Magic 8 Ball Arduino read, "Like a Boss."
More resources; Combining low tech with high tech
At the end of that second maker programming year, one of the grants I requested came through, for $2,500, and I obtained enough money for maker supplies! I ordered a little bit of everything so I could see what students enjoyed before I bought class sets: Spheros, MaKey MaKey, littleBits, Raspberry Pi kits, Makedo (make anything with cardboard), LED throwie kits, copper tape, and Hummingbird Robotic kits. Plus, I had a little supply money left over to purchase Snap Circuits. Over the summer, I created a year-long programming guide, went to Maker Camp hosted by Region 11, and participated in a MOOC focused on STEAM.

I also secured permission to have Maker Monday every Monday during advisory, a dedicated 30 minutes during the school day for students to study or attend club meetings.

My plan for this school year was to host a workshop at the first of the month to give students a new skill set and then challenge them the rest of the month to create something based on that new skill. The first project was origami and LED origami in which we lit up our Origami with LEDs! We also broke out the brushbot kits and made simple robots with small motors and brushes. I had so many kids wanting to participate that I had to give repeat sessions to new students on the following Mondays instead of instituting the planned design challenges.
A successful design challenge
By the end of October, I still hadn't been able to host a design challenge and I also had a mess in my tiny maker space room. One kid left a battery wired up, and it got super hot. I realized that the maker supplies weren't getting used on a daily basis like I wanted, and I didn't feel like they were visible enough in the flimsy storage container I was using. I bought a bolt organizer from Harbor Freight and began to reorganize our supplies. One of my library aides spent hours organizing our frazzled Hummingbird Robotic Kits into some fishing tackle boxes I bought from Walmart.

It was around this time, too, that my maker kids had their first Skype session with librarian Diana Rendina and her STEAM club at the Stewart Magnet Middle School in Florida. I wanted my students to see the awesome stuff they were making. Plus, my kids were going to attempt to teach Diana's students how to make brushbots.

Our connectivity wasn't great that first session, but we ended with a design challenge on the table. One of my students had written "catapult challenge" on a scrap paper and stuffed it into our "iWanna" box (a box on our circ desk where students can recommend books, Maker Monday ideas, etc.). We asked Diana's students if they wanted to make catapults with us, and our first successful design challenge was born.

We spent the next few weeks playing with Popsicle sticks and flinging objects across the library. One team of students borrowed books on weaponry from the Middle Ages and ended up wheeling in a catapult larger than me on our final design day with "My catapult can launch your catapult" written on the side. This team did not build this large wooden catapult in the library, but the idea was born in the library and the physics were researched there.

There was no grade assigned, no extra credit, no reward other than the sheer satisfaction of being challenged to "make something that flings something." See Diana's blog for even more info on the catapult challenge.

We flung ketchup packets, water bottles, and other students' catapults and had an exhilarating time! At the end of the call, we asked Rendina's students what challenge they wanted to set for the next month.

They challenged us to create a game with Scratch and invent our own game controller.
beyond the banana with Makey Makey
From there we've been flung into an amazing innovative journey. My kids have created multilevel games in Scratch, video-conferenced with the amazing MaKey MaKey inventors at The Joy Labz, and held our first Maker Faire during Open House.

The design challenge aspect also catapulted our students into tinker mode. Plus, the maker space supplies are out in plain sight now, and our students are creating something every day. We have our littleBits, Snap Circuits, Spheros, and more available for students to borrow with a simple sign-out sheet, and we store our more expensive robotics behind the circ desk. Students come for free making time before school, during any advisory, and during lunch, but I still host guided workshops on Mondays during advisory.

In addition, I've added a Maker Station with a revolving monthly theme and a project shelf for students to store their long-term projects, thus containing the mess created in our maker space. One of the most important things at our Maker Station is our "Inventor's Box." I learned from MaKey MaKey's Jay Silver about the term bricolage, or the concept of surrounding yourself with junk you can use to create and assemble new inventions.
Tips for a successful maker space Getting others involved
One thing that really motivates students is getting others involved. Twitter is an amazing resource! You can find other maker schools to chat with, experts to keep your kids going mid-project, and even find new ideas for your #makered programming. Our teachers are noticing that our students now have a sense of ownership in the library. Since they are buzzing about the projects we work on during class, our teachers are also getting more curious about what the maker space is all about. Students are even bringing maker ideas into the classroom, such as this theater student who decided to create her own "Applause" sign with littleBits.
Building a local and global community
The local community partnered with us to provide funds for supplies. We are talking with our Grateful Dads, a group of dads involved at our school, to involve them as mentors for our makers. But our maker community has a global reach. From chatting with the Stewart makers in Florida, to conferencing with MIT makers at the Joy Labz, to a tri-county design challenge that is in the works with superstar school principal Matt Arend of Sigler Elementary in Plano (TX) ISD, and Engineer/ fourth grade teacher at Cottonwood Creek Elementary in Coppell (TX) ISD Teacher and #TXeduchat founder Tom Kilgore.

To extend our #makeymakeychallenge finale, our makers shared their #Lamarmakes via Tackk because we hope our designs will encourage some awesome #makeymakey challenge games and controllers around the country.

My administration has been supportive in sharing our programming with other schools in the district. Librarian Leah Mann and I have started a PLC (professional learning community) with other librarians in our district #makerlibchat, and my Twitter PLN (personal learning network) continues to grow. From the success of my maker programming this year, I've noticed a need to get more girls involved with STEM, so I started a girls-only group with our science teacher called the Circuit Girls. We focused on paper circuits by combining electronic journaling with digital notebook hacking. As the Circuit Girls grow and learn, I hope to integrate a love of writing with the awesome power of coding and technology.
A note on programming vs. space
You don't have to clear out a room for your maker space, because the library is the maker space. Maker space is more of a concept and a philosophy that you need to adapt into your library programming. However, you still need to advocate for literacy skills and share your love of reading. Plus, you also need your leadership to be on board and supporting you 100 percent of the way for smooth sailing.

The most pertinent things you need for a successful maker space are

Materials to make things with: duct tape, old electronics, circuit boards, copper tape, old junk, etc.

Somewhere to store everything: a bolt organizer or empty shelf

Someone who knows how to use your maker resources

Sustaining programming
Keeping a design challenge going is hard work. Plus, sustaining students' interest in a long-term design project can be demanding. You have to advocate for your space and promote your programming. Most important, you have to build relationships with your students and check in on what they want in your library-that's why I have the iWanna box-where kids can leave book suggestions and Maker Monday suggestions. Any student can spark the idea that leads to our next design challenge.

Over the coming years, I hope our maker journey infiltrates the classroom. I'm working on collaborating with the science department to use our Spheros and MaKey MaKeys to teach curriculum concepts. I hope to collaborate with English teachers on incorporating design challenges and maker journals as a year-long research process that builds leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. The more my students tinker, the more risks they take, and as they become risk-takers, they grow into collaborative innovators. And now our teachers and the community are beginning to become intrigued by what is happening in the library.
Twitter Resources
Connect with maker companies/institutions: @adafruit, @Chibitronics, @gosphero, @instructables, @littleBits, @make, @makedo, @makerbot @MakerEdOrg, @medialab, @Scratchteam, @ScratchEdTeam, @SpheroEdu, @TheJoyLabz

Connect with makers through hashtags: #arduino, #designthinking, #GirlsinSTEM, #inventanything, #kidscancode, #makered, #makerspace, #makeymakey, #raspberrypi, #STEM, #STEAM

Colleen Graves is a middle school librarian who is obsessed with learning commons transformations, maker spaces, technology education, and making stuff. As a connected educator, she brings the global community to her students on a daily basis. She is the featured SLJ Maker Workshop speaker on June 17.

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Evolution of a Maker Space, From "Monstie Stuffie" Projects to a Giant Catapult

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Two years ago, I was asked to write an article for Knowledge Quest about how I created a maker space at Lamar Middle School in Flower Mound, TX. That first year of programming is so different from what I do now that I thought it pertinent to chart how our maker programming (#Makered) has evolved.