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Makerspaces are becoming a hot button draw in schools, as they should! A makerspace allows for students to take risks and be creative. But the price tags of elaborate 3D printers, coding robots, circuit sets, and coding systems can make a makerspace seem unattainable. With budgets being squeezed to the last penny and wanting to bring this mindset to my district, I figured out how to start a makerspace for less than $20 in my school. Here's how you can do it, too.

STEP 1: Upcycle!

Check with your school's maintenance department. The odds are that there is a closet or room where "equipment" goes to die. Look for:

For my makerspace, I used an old teacher's desk and a filing cabinet. You can find some really creative filing cabinet ideas out there, including ones that have been covered and painted.

I was also able to find an old bookcase to add to my makerspace. It was just the bottom part, but it works for my needs and is great for shelving. You might also want to look for old bookcases that you can back with peg boards. This makes for a very easy way to store and display tools.

STEP 2: Find Deals!

Think extreme couponing ... makerspace style! For storage, keep an eye out for open boxes or clear containers. You can look at stores with dollar sections for inexpensive storage options. I used some $1 fabric pop-up containers and printed labels for them. I believe one of the key parts of a successful makerspace is to use LOTS of labels.

Hardware stores are always good places to find deals, and they often give out weekly coupons for toolkits, batteries, lights, and more for free with purchase or completely free. Maximize on these opportunities. I even sent out email blasts to parents asking them to use the coupon and pick up an item if they were in the area.

Also, ask these stores if they have safety glasses. Go ahead and play the "teacher card," because you might even get some for free.

Even if you have a big purchase to make, don't get discouraged by price. I had my eye on a big multi-drawer station, which has been amazing for my makerspace. I purchased mine at a national arts and chain craft store with a major discount coupon plus my teacher discount. This made it really affordable!

STEP 3: Beg, Borrow, Shop

Before you go shopping, send out emails and letters to your colleagues and parents. You might be surprised what will get donated! Sometimes providing a list of what you are looking for will help spark ideas and donations. Here is a sample letter for inspiration.

Once I see what has been donated, I then stock the space with other essentials that are common in the school. Anything that's not available in school can usually be purchased at the dollar store. Here are some of the items that are critical to a makerspace:

STEP 4: Make and Create!

Now that you have your makerspace, it's time to make and create! And be sure to share-I had a makerspace open house in my classroom, which was a great way for parents to see it in person.

So what will your class create? And how will you use your makerspace in your curriculum? Makerspaces should not always have an actual product in mind, the thinking and creative process are what the makerspace is all about. Putting together this makerspace in your classroom will allow for students to explore and discover.

Makerspaces make creativity a win-win-a win for the act of creation and a win for using creative thinking to adapt a creation to the world.

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How to Start a Makerspace for Less Than $20 in Your School - WeAreTeachers

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Makerspaces are becoming a hot button draw in schools, as they should! A makerspace allows for students to take risks and be creative. But the price tags of elaborate 3D printers, coding robots, circuit sets, and coding systems can make a makerspace seem unattainable.

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Topic: Grades: STEM 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, Kindergarten:

Looking for inspiration to create a makerspace in your school? Check out these photos and stories!

Makerspaces are dedicated areas that promote learning through play and experimentation. They are designed to accommodate a wide range of activities and are stocked with tools and materials that encourage students to design, build, invent and experiment as they deeply engage in learning.

Makerspaces are ideal for teaching 21 st century skills such as collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination, critical thinking and problem solving.

We recently visited three different schools (one elementary, one middle and one high school) to find out how their makerspaces were designed and how students were using them. Their photos and stories are inspirational!

1. Encouraging Hands-On Creativity at the Elementary Level

The STEM Lab at Longmont Estates Elementary School is a beautiful space equipped with modular, movable table groups, flexible seating options and roomy cabinets all generously supplied by the school district.

STEM coordinator Jessica Shaffer works closely with classroom teachers at all levels to provide individualized extension and enrichment opportunities for students in a variety of units of study. The lab is also available as a reward for classes and individuals who meet their positive behavior goals. Students who need a refocus break during the school day are welcome in the lab for some quiet, creative work time.
Students stretch their imagination.
The lab is stocked with technology resources such as tablets and mini robots, as well as copious amounts of building and art supplies designed to provide students with inspiration for free-form building and creating. Here, students experiment with cube shaped robots and LEGO bricks.

Students build critical thinking and problem solving skills with design projects.

Sometimes whole classes use the lab for a class period, sometimes a small group of students come down for work on a special project. Here, students work on a design challenge project. They are creating a school for colonists on Mars with cardboard and art supplies.

Students collaborate and work on communication skills.

First graders are totally engaged, working in teams on the floor. They are learning the basics of coding as they tinker with robots and iPads.

2. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving at the Middle School Level

Bettendorf Middle School in Bettendorf, Iowa is a public, Project-Based Learning (PBL) school. Instructional coach and LEGO Education Ambassador Aaron Maurer coordinates its makerspace, affectionately known as "Coffeechug Café." It is a well equipped, spacious work area that changes configuration weekly as projects evolve. Mr. Maurer works with different groups of students who are working on interdisciplinary projects focused on solving real world problems. "The Café is a place where students can bring their ideas to life," Mr. Maurer tells us.
Students solve real world problems through innovation.
This project was created as a solution to a real world problem from a village in Nepal that is plagued by migratory birds that strip seeds from villager's gardens and severely impact crop yields. Children can't go to school because they must stay home and protect the crops (currently using slingshots and mudballs).

Students from Bettendorf created this "Guardian of the Grain," a four propeller helicopter, from a 3D printer. Then they programmed a remote control which the villagers can operate to protect their crops by using the quad copter to chase the birds away without killing them.

Students use technology to create a bridge between the past and the present.

Each student in this project group was assigned a utilitarian object that was common in Colonial America. Students produced a research project which detailed the importance of that object during Colonial times and how it has transformed into an object of relevance today.

Then, employing coding skills, students designed and created a laser or 3d-printed facsimile of their object as an ornament, and attached a card with a QR code that linked to the student's research.

Students collaborate to design and produce a 21st Century helpmate.

Eighth grade students combined planning and design skills with computer coding skills to bring to life a five foot robot named Twitch that operates off of a video game controller. It is constructed out of plastic robotic components, LED lights, and a LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 which serves as Twitch's brain.

He is also equipped with a camera that serves as his eyes, and he is programmed to talk and move through the hallways. Twitch is a staff favorite at Bettendodrf Middle as his main purpose is to deliver coffee to teachers.

To learn more about PBL programs, see Mr. Maurer's blog Coffee For the Brain. For more ideas about design projects using LEGO bricks and LEGO Education kits, check out Coffeechug Cafe LEGO projects.

3. Deeply Engaged in Learning With Technology at the High School Level

Centaurus High School in Lafayette, Colorado is an Engineering Focus School with a Makerspace that is impressively equipped with all manner of technology such as 3D and laser printers, vector robotics, programmable jigsaws, a wind tunnel simulator, as well as dozens of computers and much more . Students are inspired to create, design and innovate for courses and projects across the curriculum.

Students come in and out throughout the day, not only for their assigned class periods, but to work on special projects. Groups of students work collaboratively in teams at clusters of computers, in the wood shop, and in the printing shop.
Students create with Computer Integrated Manufacturing aka Robotics.
The storage unit on the left houses all of the components that students use to build robots. In addition to design and production of the robots, students also write the code which operates the robots' functions. Pictured on the right are robotics projects in various stages of design and production.

Students design, manufacture and test Civil Engineering projects.

Students in the Civil and Architectural Engineering class use a computer modeling program to create bridges. They construct them in the woodshop using the programmable mill. The final step is testing the durability of the bridges in the in-house stress tester.

Another woodworking project is a challenge in which students design and create a home/enclosure for a pet, also using the programmable mill.
Woodworking Projects

Stress Analyzer

Programmable Mill

Students create from start to finish with 3D printers. 3D printers provide a steady hum in the STEM lab throughout the day. Students design and build objects to go with projects in many of the different engineering strands. Students from the Intro to Engineering class use the printers for a LEGO project, which involves designing a model with LEGO bricks and then using a computer coding program to create a 3D model which is then created with the printers.

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See How Makerspaces Work and Benefit Kids at Every Grade Level - WeAreTeachers

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Topic: Grades: STEM 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, Kindergarten: Looking for inspiration to create a makerspace in your school? Check out these photos and stories! Makerspaces are dedicated areas that promote learning through play and experimentation.

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By now most of you should know that I LOVE color and my favorite part of the creative process is adding color to my art. While I enjoy using the latest and greatest supplies, my passion is finding creative and unique ways to push simple supplies. Today I thought I would share a handful of my favorite tips and tricks for using crayons!

I love crayons and while it's pretty common to see them used in all kinds of kid's projects, I think they are TOTALLY AWESOME for adults to use!

Crayons are super affordable, really accessible (the grocery store sells them) and the best part is that they come SO MANY colors.

My favorite crayons will always be Crayola. I am typically not picky about the brands of my supplies but when it comes to crayons, I only buy Crayola! And once I bring a new box home, I organize and sort all my colors- this helps find what I am looking for when I sit down to create.

I also keep a sharpener on hand. For me, I like a really nice sharp crayon for coloring. While a large box of crayons comes with a sharpener, I like using my Generals All Art Sharpene r.

The best part of sharpening crayons is that you end up with a whole bunch of colorful wax shavings that can be melted and used in a variety of craft projects.

While I typically use crayons to add color to my drawings and mixed media projects, I do think they work great for adult coloring. Keep in mind that different paper will look and feel different with crayons.

When I add color to my black and white drawings, I am always looking for ways to layer, blend and get brighter color. My goal is to always try to make get my coloring not look like I am using kid's crayons!

One of the best tips I can share is to blend those color starting from light to dark.

I always like to lay down a light layer of color. Then I go back over that color with a darker color and then again with another layer of dark color.

The result is color has a lot of depth, variation and it looks a little more like colored pencils

Keep in mind if you are adding color to your own drawings, it helps to draw in permanent ink. This will keep those lines from smudging or bleeding when you are experimenting and playing with crayons.

A favorite technique of mine is using baby oil to blend the color. A while back I shared the baby oil trick that you can you can use to blend colored pencils ( HERE). And guess what?!?! You can use this same technique with crayons.

Start by adding dark saturated color to your drawings.

Next dip a cotton swab into baby oil and use it to blend that color.

You will be able to blend and soften all those rough edges and use colored pencils a little like a watercolor (or water soluble) pencil.

Keep in mind that different paper will react in different ways with this technique. Thinner drawing paper or printer paper will absorb the oil quickly and can soak through a little so make sure to place a scrap piece of paper under your work.

Thicker paper like card stock or watercolor paper is less absorbent and will produce even brighter and more saturated results.

I've found different colors have VERY different results. The reds, blues, purples and pinks blend really well. While yellows, oranges and greens tend to be a little more challenging to blend. I like to recommend testing your colors to see the results before working on a final project.

For those wondering if the drawing paper will get oily, the answer is just a little bit but not enough to be really obvious.

P.S. I've got a video tutorial over on my YouTube Channel where you can see this entire process in action! Head on over to check it out HERE.

You can also use this technique in reverse!

Start by scribbling all over a piece of paper.

Add paper oil to the surface and run a cotton swab in circles. The swab will pick up the color.

Use the swab to add light layers or washes of color to your drawings.

Grab a crayon and shade over the top of that light color. The oil on the paper will enable you color in a really smooth velvety way and get rid of all those tell tale crayon strokes.

Another trick (that might seem really weird) is heating up your paper before coloring.

I grab my art hair dryer or a heat tool and warm up an area of my drawing.

While the drawing is still warm I use my crayons to color. The result is smooth and "melty" color that quickly covers and saturated the surface. I repeat in different areas of my drawing until complete.

You can also reverse this technique and create a colorful background.

Again, start by heating up the surface and while it is warm, start scribbling- the crayons will warm up and melt just enough to create rich, velvety color.

I used these backgrounds to paint over the top.

Since crayons are made of wax, they will resist pens but acrylic paint, gesso and india ink will work great for adding layers to the top of that color.

Ok you guys! I hope I've convinced you to grab a box of crayons and get creating!

Looking for more inspiration?

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By now most of you should know that I LOVE color and my favorite part of the creative process is adding color to my art. While I enjoy using the latest and greatest supplies, my passion is finding creative and unique ways to push simple supplies.

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One day while going through my favorite store, World Market, I came upon these hanging letters reading out 'EXPLORE'. Immediately wanting them, I saw the price; $80! There was no way I was spending that. I then decided to make them. Turned out to be a pretty simple project.

Mod Podge is some amazing stuff!! You can find at Michaels. The only adhesive I used for the whole project, plus it's handing to have around. There are many different formulas but going with the original matte will work fine.

Cardboard letters from Joann. The smaller ones (pictured above) are $2.99, the bigger ones (the ones I used) are $4.49. I used coupons!

I chose a linen for the sides, Joann again. Since I was using the larger letters I got two yards for the length. There will be some left over but you need more for the length.

You can go to Walmart and get a pack for $7.00 of the world and U.S. map. I got all my letters to fit on the one world map.

1. Place your letters out on your map to where you like (careful: if you do not want your map to be upside down, watch your placement.) Then trace with a pencil. Then cut out, give about a 1/4 inch bigger than the shape traced.

2. Mod Podge over letter. Line up pencil markings on the edge of the letter. Letting the sides hang over.

3. After all the letters are covered, go back and Mod Podge the edges, folding over to the side of the letters. Cut a slit in the corners and notches in the rounded sections so it folds over easier.

4. The letters were 1 1/2 inches wide. I cut 2 1/4 inch strips long ways. Then press 1/4 inch down, this will be your front edge.

5. Starting on a place on the bottom of a letter, begin adding Mod Podge. Place fabric down (it will hang over the back edge). Work around entire letter letting a little over lap where you began. Doing the inner holes of the 'O' 'R' & 'P' are tricky but just be patient, it's not too bad.

6. Once all letters are wrapped with the linen, then begin cutting slits and notches and Mod Podging down to the back just like the map.

7. Let dry for about 15 minutes. Then you are ready for hanging!

8. I used these velcro like strips for hanging pictures. One on top and one on the bottom.

This was a fun and simple project, I would love to see what you come up with. Please send me a picture of your creation. Feel free to ask me on anything! Good luck!

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One day while going through my favorite store, World Market, I came upon these hanging letters reading out 'EXPLORE'. Immediately wanting them, I saw the price; $80! There was no way I was spending that. I then decided to make them. Turned out to be a pretty simple project.

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Since my Inventor's Box Play Date post has been so popular, a lot of people have asked me what exactly is in our inventor's box and how they can get started setting one up themselves.

So here it is: the Inventor's Box 101. Enjoy!

The inventor's box must be one of our biggest discoveries of the past few years. Never before have I come across a "toy" that is as self sufficient, ever changing and always popular as the inventor's box. We are huge fans, all four of us.

Just in case this is the first time you've read about the inventor's box, let me quickly explain:

An inventor's box is a box filled with recyclables which the children can use to create just about anything. There's nothing like self directed play with loose parts to sharpen your children's problem solving skills, build resilience and encourage their creative thinking.

There are many different ways to put together an inventor's box. It all depends on your children's interests and what materials you have available to you.

Let me show you what's in our inventor's box. You can have a little poke around and be inspired to run around your own home, garage, local thrift and craft stores to stock up on supplies.

Heaps! There are so many things that live in our inventor's box that I thought I'd break it down in three parts for you. Recyclables will be the bulk of your inventor's box' content. You'll need craft supplies for adding some nifty details. And you'll need work materials to cut things up and then tape or glue them back together again.

Recyclables

Recyclables are literally anything that we would otherwise throw in our recycling bag. On the image above you'll notice items like the trusted toilet paper roll, cardboard boxes, plastic screw caps, lids, plastic containers, left over cups from our birthday party, a piece of inner tube from my husband's bike, chop sticks, some items from the toy we took apart the other day and a few other bits and pieces.

The content of our inventor's box varies regularly, depending on what we've been up to. The content of your inventor's box will depend on the type of groceries you buy, the hobbies you have and whatever other recyclables you happen to come across.

Since our inventor's box moved into it's designated place in the craft cupboard, my preschooler will often tell me to put a certain item in there. "Don't throw that out, I'm going to use that!" It's great for the environment and it's great to get your children into hoarding craft supplies at an early age. (Just kidding. Sort of!)

Craft Supplies

My daughter (who is four years old) is at times more into making things pretty than she is into building things. So in our family it is very important to add some craft supplies like glitter , stickers and sharpies to the mix.

But items like wiggle eyes , craft sticks , straws , rubber bands , ribbons , craft clothespins , cupcake liners , paperclips and washi tape will always come in handy when creating something.

I am sure that you will find many other things to be a useful and fun addition to your inventor's box. And when you do, let me know!

Work Materials

You'll be needing things to work with. Children are going to want to cut up the cardboard, open up those plastic bottles, attach things together, make holes in random places and have unreasonable requests. "Mommy, I need your help to get this to be like this." "Ok, let's try and make that work."

It's good to have as many different materials available as you can. Children like having options, I like having options. It's also a great opportunity for little people to learn how to safely work with scissors and low heat glue guns.

Be sure to always supervise your children though and make your own informed decisions regarding access to work materials depending on your child's age and capabilities.

Here are some of the basics: (low heat) glue gun , multipurpose scissors , masking tape , hole puncher , stapler , craft string and modpodge .

There is no 'one way' to play with an inventor's box. Ideally you'd simply open up the box and leave the children explore and experiment with it's contents.

But sometimes children could use a little help to get started and sometimes it's just plain fun to do something a little different.

You could give children certain challenges, like building a robot or space ship. You could also challenge children to build something practical they could put to use like a bird feeder. Or you could challenge children to make a boat that will float which you then can test on a nearby stream or in the bath tub.

You could let children come up with their own challenges, write them down and randomly hand out the cards.

Then there are spacial challenges like building the longest, highest, smallest, ... who knows what. Children could work on this individually or in group.

I am just making this all up on the spot here. You could do anything you like and I'm sure you'll find some more inspiration when you think about your children's interests.

There is so much fun to be had with this loose parts play activity. You can easily keep tinkering away throughout the years and children might never get bored of their inventor's box as it's content will always change. Plus you can down size the inventor's box and put together a little portable tinker box like we did here.

If you're looking for some more information on playing with loose parts, you could read my post on the theory of loose parts and how to get started with loose parts at home. And have a look here at our other loose parts creative play ideas.

Enjoy!

Ann*
Would you like to pin this post? You can do that here.

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Upcycled Inventor's Box, a DIY STEM Activity - Little Worlds

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Since my Inventor's Box Play Date post has been so popular, a lot of people have asked me what exactly is in our inventor's box and how they can get started setting one up themselves. So here it is: the Inventor's Box 101. Enjoy!

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10 Reasons to Create Makerspaces in Your School

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Spread the loveMakerspace is a relatively new method of teaching students in a space where they can get hands-on experience working with concepts they recently learned. The point of the space is to make, create, and invent new things.

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Benefit No. 1: Students learn more, love science more, and are more engaged in science content and the scientific process when designing solutions to real problems.
The creation of the artificial, whether a sling shot, calorimeter or electrical circuit, becomes a solution-finding crusade armed with scientific knowledge. When students invent, they take ownership over an idea, then face real-world problems en route to making their idea come to life. They act, think and work as real scientists and inventors. Studies show that the best predictor of STEM career choice in adulthood is linked to whether kids self-report seeing themselves as scientists when they grow up by 8th grade (Maltese & Tai, 2011). We have to trust that allowing our students to tinker, question and invent, as early as elementary and middle school, will help them to develop positive identities that encourage a lifelong love of science, math and the creative process. Making learning "hard fun" (Papert, 2002) is a real-world balancing act that happens everyday when children are designing and inventing in the classroom.
Benefit No. 2: If creative confidence, collaboration, self-reliance, resilience and communication are key to being a scientist, then teaching design and engineering in science class is more effective than content-centered or teacher-directed methods.
Solving real problems provides students with opportunities to identify with problems that matter, diagnose, defend an argument with evidence, give and receive feedback, utilize and critique internet resources, compose professional emails to mentors and more. Well-designed open-ended challenges versus rigidly planned lessons allow children to do real work in a controlled environment with the help of a learning community. Ownership is given to the learner, while the teacher serves as facilitator. The design aspect turns agency over to students and they become active creators, rather than passive consumers who simply follow directions. Assessment is real time and authentic.
Benefit No. 3: In an age where school is becoming less relevant to students, invention and design are an engaging way to learn.
Today, science literacy has become available to more kinds of learners. Educational YouTubers, science storytelling shows like WNYC's Radiolab, and television shows such as the Mythbusters illustrate the beauty and coolness of science where some traditional science classes fail. These informal educational outlets do a good job spreading science literacy to the general public in a joyful and engaging manner. Some even go so far as to reinforce what we teach in science class - that science is both fun and methodical. Adam Savage of Mythbusters is famous for saying that it's just screwing around if you don't write it down. Just like interacting with a well-designed museum exhibit, or setting stuff on fire in your backyard, school should be exploratory and joyful (but safe). Joy and laughter should be welcome in any classroom. Joy relieves stress and allows for healthy goal-setting in a classroom infused with potential dead ends and frustration (Bennett, et.al., 2003; Cornett 1986). Inventing is hands on, minds on, hearts on.
Benefit No. 4: Science is shareable, so is making an artifact.
Allowing design and making in science classes results in students having conversations about their shared work and reinforces the importance of documenting the testing process because you don't want to make the same mistake twice. Communication with peers and mentors is critical to getting over obstacles and improving designs. This mirrors real-world science, where communication is critical to getting support for your ideas. At the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University this idea is part of their mission, "The ability to communicate directly and vividly can enhance scientists' career prospects, helping them secure funding, collaborate across disciplines, compete for positions, and serve as effective teachers" (Stony Brook University, 2015). Once artifacts are created, most students are happy to share their work with others in public showcases where their process story becomes a point of pride. Unlike taking tests or writing a lab report, sharing work as a form of assessment allows students to gain a sense of identity around STEM topics, as students see their hard work mirrored back at them through the eyes and questions of an eager and engaged audience.
Benefit No. 5: Using design to address or engage real problems empowers students to think of themselves as having the capacity to make the world better.
Thanks to research on the impact and implication of making in education, such as that done by the aptly named Agency by Design (AbD), a project housed within Harvard's Project Zero umbrella, research on the value of making in educational settings is now being published. Early findings from the AbD group show that a valuable sense of self is developed when children are allowed to make, invent and tinker. This sense of self, or "maker empowerment," is a person's ability to see the opportunity in their environment both for making things and for making change in the world. AbD defines maker empowerment as "a sensitivity to the designed dimension of objects and systems, along with the inclination and capacity to shape one's world through building, tinkering, re/designing, or hacking" (Agency by Design, 2015a). Others would just call this creativity, mindfulness or resourcefulness. No matter what you call it, we want students to experience learning that requires them to look closely at the objects they interact with, explore the complexity of those objects, make deep connections, and to dream big while they develop agency to make change in the world around them.

In summary, the use of the design process in school is a creative exploration of hard, yet fun problems (rigor, risk and reward), positive identity formation ("I am creative," "I am a scientist," "I can solve problems") and collaborative learning ("we are greater than me"). Add responsible resource management and exposure to social justice issues, and design becomes a tool for innovation, empowerment and stewardship. Using design and engineering in science trains brains to think flexibly, to see layers of complexity in the environment all around, to discover loopholes in assumed truths and to look for opportunity to make the world a better place.
Christa Flores is an anthropologist turned science and making teacher. She develops classroom-tested lessons and resources for learning by making and design in the middle grades and beyond. Making Science offers project ideas, connections to the new Next Generation Science Standards, assessment strategies, examples of student work and practical tips for educators.

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Five Ways Design and Making Can Help Science Education Come Alive

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Benefit No. 1: Students learn more, love science more, and are more engaged in science content and the scientific process when designing solutions to real problems. The creation of the artificial, whether a sling shot, calorimeter or electrical circuit, becomes a solution-finding crusade armed with scientific knowledge.

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A Human Framework For Maker Education
by Jackie Gerstein
For specific training and professional development around technology integration, contact TeachThought Professional Development to bring Jackie Gerstein and other TeachThought professionals to your school today.
I recently learned, for the first time, about Aristotle's belief that there were three basic activities of humans: theoria (thinking), poiesis (making), and praxis (doing). Corresponding to these activities were three types of knowledge: theoretical, the end goal being truth; poietical, the end goal being production; and practical, the end goal being action.

See also: 'TeachThought's Self-Directed Learning Model For Critical Literacy'

The Greek The word theoria, from which the English word "theory" is derived, meant "contemplation, speculation, a looking at, things looked at". theoria is derived from a verb meaning to look, or to see: for the Greeks, knowing was a kind of seeing, a sort of intellectual seeing.

Poïesis is etymologically derived from the ancient Greek term ποιέω, which means "to make."

Praxis (From ancient Greek: πρᾶξις) is the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, embodied, or realized . "Praxis" may also refer to the act of engaging, applying, exercising, realizing, or practicing ideas. Praxis may be described as a form of critical thinking and comprises the combination of reflection and action. Paulo Freire defines praxis "reflection and action directed at the structures to be transformed."
Implementing A Broader Framework Of Making In Maker Education
All of this led me to think about how this would translate into a full spectrum of making in the context of maker educator. Having such a framework would help insure that learning from the making experience is more robust, not left up to chance. I believe a fuller spectrum or framework would including the following elements:
Play, Tinkering, Experimentation
This is uncensored, without boundary, whimsical making. It can be considered free play. This, in my mind, is the first part of of Poïesis which translated from Greek "to make." How this translates into practice is by providing learners with lots of making materials; and telling them to just dive in and play hard with those materials.
Framing or Frontloading The Making Experience
This is the introducing the making experience for more mindful and intentional making. It helps both the educators and learners to set purpose and intention for the making activity prior to actually doing it. This is discussed in Framing & Frontloading Maker Activities where I go in more detail how to frontload or frame the maker activities:

1. Using and Reviewing Essential Questions

2. Using Scenarios

3. Specifying Standards

4. Asking Questions Related To Personal Skills

5. Asking Questions to Help with Scaffolding and Sequencing the Activities

6. Asking Questions Related To Using Peer Support-Working Collaboratively

Mindful & Intentional Making
Once there is a familiarity with the making materials and processes, making can become more mindful and intentional.This is the second part of poisis or the making process. Making becomes more goal-oriented, focused, and more results or product oriented (although process is still important).
Observing & Reflecting Upon Results
This is the theoria or thinking part of the process. After making, it is when makers step back away from their making to observe and reflect on their processes and results."Being able to reflect is a skill to be learned, a habit to develop. Reflection requires metacognition (thinking about your thinking), articulation of that thinking and the ability to make connections (past, present, future, outliers, relevant information, etc.)" (For further reading, see Amplifying Reflection).
Critical Awareness & Analysis
This is the praxis, the critical thinking component that combines reflection and action. It takes reflection to a deeper level by dissecting the making process to analyze what worked and didn't work which, in turn, will inform future makes. This critical analysis should directly and strongly influence future making experiences - the action part.
Sharing To Elicit Broader Connections & Change
Given today's ease of sharing via the Internet and social media, the action part of praxis has been expanded, in this framework, to include sharing out one's makes, observations, reflections, and critical analyses to a broader audience. This can occur by writing about the making process, and/or by doing a photo essay, video, podcast to share via social media.

By doing so, others can benefit from one's make.
A Human Framework For Maker Education

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A Human Framework For Maker Education by Jackie Gerstein For specific training and professional development around technology integration, contact TeachThought Professional Development to bring Jackie Gerstein and other TeachThought professionals to your school today. I recently learned, for the first time, about Aristotle's belief that there were three basic activities of humans: theoria (thinking), poiesis ...

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Over the past five years, we have redesigned our media center and transformed it into a more flexible, collaborative space. This is the story of how we got there, and how you can apply what we learned as you rethink your library space. Want to learn even more about transforming your library space? Check out my book, Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on Any Budget Note: Post contains affiliate links. Actions taken may result in commissions for RenovatedLearning
Rethink Your Library Space

When I first arrived at Stewart in 2010, the library was in pretty dismal shape. It was dark, dingy, cluttered and pretty much the opposite of student friendly. Over the course of five years, I gradually changed things up and redesigned our learning space into one that is flexible, collaborative, and fun to be in. Here's six things we did to change up the space that you can apply in your own space as you rethink your library.

Removing obstacles and clutter

When I first got to Stewart in 2010, the collection hadn't been weeded in decades. My supervisor had come in and gutted the worst of it before I got there, but even then, I was finding books on the shelves that hadn't been checked out since 1971! Not only were the shelves cluttered, but they also took up all the space. About 50% of the floor space was taken up with massive floor shelving. Every inch of available wall space had shelving too. There was no room to breathe. The small instruction area had ten 60 x 36 heavy wooden tables and about fifty heavy wooden chairs that couldn't stack. There were odd extra desks and tables taking up a ton of space too. Students were constantly bumping into furniture and each other.

I began massively weeding the collection, paring it down to the books that students were actually reading. To break up the monotony of the shelves, I created displays within them. I rearranged the books and removed wall shelving to open up some space. To get rid of the excess furniture we weren't using, I had the district come out and remove it. I got permission to remove the often broken alarm system to open up more room and make the library feel more welcoming. All of this didn't cost our school any money, but it made a huge difference in the functionality of the space. Sometimes, less is more.

Adding Color

When we received a $5,000 grant from Lowe's Toolbox for Education in 2014, it included money to get paint and painting supplies to add color to our library. We have no windows, which is a problem that I haven't been able to fix yet. With the dull beige walls, it felt kind of like a cave in there. So we brightened things up by adding blue and green to our walls. It's made a huge difference in our space - it's helped our library to become a more vibrant and active space. Even if we hadn't been able to get the grant, the cost of paint and supplies was only a couple of hundred dollars, which many schools could get donated from local businesses or PTSA.

Movement and Flexibility

The heavy wooden tables and chairs our library had were not flexible enough for our space. The table legs were frequently breaking from the tables being dragged across the floor and rearranged. Whenever we needed more floor space (ie. bookfairs, special events) we had to stack the wooden chairs one on top of the other in an awkward way in front of the bookshelves, preventing students from checking out books and potentially causing safety hazards.

The majority of our Lowe's Toolbox grant was spent on purchasing six 60 x 30 Bretford Flip & Nest tables and four quarter round whiteboard top tables. (Note: Bretford no longer manufactures furniture, but you can find similar tables with many other companies) We also purchased forty blue stacking chairs. This dramatically increased the flexibility of our space by allowing us to quickly rearranged tables and chairs to suit our needs. The chairs are lightweight and comfortable and can stack six high and are easy to store in the backroom if we need more space.

We also funded a DonorsChoose project to add six Hokki stools to our library. These have been fantastic for our kinetic students who find sitting still to be torture. You'll often see students pulling one up to a table to work on a project with fellow students.

Variety of seating

One thing I learned from the book Make Space is the importance of having a variety of seating options. High. Low. Hard. Soft. So I've been proactive about ensuring that there are plenty of options for my students. There are comfortable soft chairs in our brainstorming lounge, perfect for dreaming up their next project. We have high cafe tables and stools, perfect for sharing a game of chess or chatting while waiting on other students to finish checking out. We have "rocking" chairs and Hokki stools to allow for movement. And we have standard chairs to make sure we have enough seating for everyone.

Interactive Spaces

Libraries should not be static places. If you look at the offices of innovative companies (Google, Facebook, etc) you will find plenty of interactive spaces for employees to relax, collaborate and have fun. Drawing from this inspiration, I've been intentional about adding more interactive elements to our library space. The most obvious is our Makerspace, where students are invited to sit and tinker with LEGOs and K'nex. Within this space is the centerpiece of our library, our Epic LEGO wall, where students can build amazing vertical LEGO creations.

We also have our whiteboard wall, where students can doodle, collaborate and brainstorm. There are lots of whiteboard tables throughout our library too, which students often take advantage of to jots notes for their homework, work out an algebra problem or keep score during chess. We also have an interactive short throw projector in our instructional space. Inspired by Laura Fleming 's concept of digital breadcrumbs, we often put up interactive educational games for the students to try their hand at.

More Power!

We are a BYOD library, and one thing that I noticed was how students (and teachers) were always struggling to find outlets. They're all hidden underneath our bookshelves, which make them difficult and awkward to get to. As we've removed some wall shelving to make more room, we've opened up access to more outlets. We've also added several charging stations where students and teachers are invited to charge up their devices. These areas have become the new water cooler, as students gather around to charge their devices.

(Edited to add: Our original charging station later broke. We replaced it with a KwikBoost Charging Station from Demco and our students love it! It charges devices very quickly and is super durable. It was a bit pricey, but well worth the investment. At my new school, I now use the Vogek hubs, which are super affordable and work great)
Want to learn more about how I transformed my library space, read about other schools' transformations and get practical tips for changing up your own space?
In this practical guide, I go into detail about planning a library space transformation, from brainstorming to ideation to surveying your students. I include tips for dreaming big as well as simple, budget-friendly changes you can implement right away. Each chapter includes action steps and connections to the ISTE standards.

Diana Rendina, MLIS, is the media specialist at Tampa Preparatory School, an independent 6-12 in Tampa, FL. Previously, she was the media specialist at Stewart Middle Magnet School for seven years, where she founded their library makerspace. She is the creator of the blog RenovatedLearning.com & is also a monthly contributor to AASL Knowledge Quest. Diana is the winner of the 2016 ISTE Outstanding Young Educator Award, the 2015 ISTE Librarians Network Secondary Award, the 2015 AASL Frances Henne Award & the 2015 SLJ Build Something Bold Award. She is an international speaker on the Maker Movement and has presented at conferences including AASL, FETC & ISTE. Diana co-authored Challenge-Based Learning in the School Library Makerspace with Colleen and Aaron Graves and is also the author Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on Any Budget.

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6 Ways to Rethink Your Library Space and Make it Amazing

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Over the past five years, we have redesigned our media center and transformed it into a more flexible, collaborative space. This is the story of how we got there, and how you can apply what we learned as you rethink your library space. Want to learn even more about transforming your library space?

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Awesome STEM projects don't have to be expensive! Your imagination and the ability to create is the best free thing out there. With a few simple supplies that you can pick up at your local dollar store, you can put those imaginations and creative juices to work. Put together a Dollar Store Engineering Kit for anytime. It makes an awesome screen free activity for rainy days, school vacations, or weekends. Simple science and STEM activities can't be beat!

The dollar store can be an amazing place for great STEM materials for tinker trays and engineering kits plus simple science experiments. Combine all of these loose materials in one place by grabbing a bin at the store too! This dollar store engineering kit is a great way to keep kids engaged this summer so we are including it in Week 3 of our 100 Days of Summer STEM for kids with Easy Engineering Projects.
GREAT SUPPLIES FOR YOUR DOLLAR STORE ENGINEERING KIT
Click on the link or photo below to download a supply checklist to take with your o the dollar store or pull up on your smartphone once you get there! You can often find some of these items for a dollar or so at the grocery store just in case!

AWESOME PROJECTS TO GO WITH YOUR DOLLAR STORE ENGINEERING KIT

Now what are you going to do with all your great new supplies? Engineer something. Check out our list of ideas. All links in blue can be clicked. Check out all the details! These are all great engineering projects that multiple age kids can work on together or individual kids can work at their own level. Some adult participation may be required depending on the kid!

SIMPLE ENGINEERING PROJECTS

Make sure to check out our SUMMER ENGINEERING PROJECTS too!

Pool Noodle Structures

Straw structures can be built a few ways including straws and pipe cleaners, straws and tape, or straws and play dough}

Popsicle Stick Catapult

This one shows an egg attached but you don't ned to do that! All you need is string, straw, balloon, and tape}

Make car ramps out of cardboard boxes and test out angles, force, motion and race cars.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:
Paper Bag STEM Challenges

Structure Building Ideas

YOU CAN FIND EVEN MORE COOL AND INEXPENSIVE IDEAS HERE!

GREAT OUTDOOR ENGINEERING PROJECTS TOO!

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Dollar Store Engineering Kit for Kids STEM Activities

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Awesome STEM projects don't have to be expensive! Your imagination and the ability to create is the best free thing out there. With a few simple supplies that you can pick up at your local dollar store, you can put those imaginations and creative juices to work.

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Learn how to make plarn using old plastic tablecloths! Use this amazing, colorful plastic yarn for all kinds of amazing projects. This post may contain affiliate links, which help to support this site.
Plarn - funny word, right? Plarn, Plarn, Plarny-plarn, Plaaaaaaaarn!

But, what is it, anyway? "Plarn" is a portmanteau of plastic and yarn. Get it? Plastic + Yarn = Plarn. Usually this crafty hybrid is used to make baskets, beach bags, mats - anything that needs to be durable or waterproof. And usually it's made from old shopping bags, which makes plarn a great way to recycle, but unfortunately also means plarn is usually pretty limited as far as colors go.

But. I had an idea. What about tablecloths?

Good old cheap, plastic tablecloths. They come in loads of bright colors, and just one can make a big ball of plarn. Next time you have tablecloths leftover from a party, instead of throwing them away, just wipe them off and turn them into something new!

How to Make Plarn from Plastic Tablecloths

Start by folding your tablecloth up and cutting it into strips. I used long rectangular tablecloths (I used these). Fold the tablecloth width-wise several times until it is narrow enough to cut easily. I used my rotary cutter and cutting mat to quickly turn my tablecloth into a pile of 1.5″ strips.

Thinner or thicker strips will give you thinner or thicker plarn. I crocheted this plarn with a larger N hook (10.00 mm), and it made a thick and sturdy stitch. Try thinner or thicker strips to see what you like.

To join all of those strips together, here is the method I used:

1. Lay one end on top of the other leaving a two-three inch overlap.

2. Fold the overlapped section in half and snip a little slit in the middle. This will create a small hole in each end. The slit should run vertically along the strip and should be at least an inch from the end.

3. Pull one end through the hole in the other end.

4. Pull the tail of the other strip through the hole in that strip.

5. Pull both strips to tighten the join.

That's it! Continue joining all of your strips together and wind them up into a ball. Ta-DA! Plarn!

I like this join because it doesn't make the yarn bulky and because it holds pretty well. It also makes crocheting go much quicker because you don't have to worry about constantly adding in new pieces. The downside to this type of join is that the little ends can kind of stick out of your stitches, but I found it was pretty easy to crochet over the ends. This is harder to do with lacy, open stitches, so this joining method may not be the best for that type of project.

So, looking for ideas on what to make with that plarn? Check out this adorable Easter basket I made for my little girl:

Find the free pattern HERE.

Happy Making!

More Crochet Goodness:
Chunky Ribbed Slouch Hat Crocheted Hemp Scrubbies Feather and Fan Baby Blanket Black Cat Slouch Hat

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How to Make Plarn from Plastic Tablecloths - Persia Lou

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Learn how to make plarn using old plastic tablecloths! Use this amazing, colorful plastic yarn for all kinds of amazing projects. This post may contain affiliate links, which help to support this site. Plarn - funny word, right? Plarn, Plarn, Plarny-plarn, Plaaaaaaaarn! But, what is it, anyway?

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Could keeping track of your health be as easy as wearing a temporary tattoo? Materials scientist John Rogers thinks so.

In his lab at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Rogers and his team design electronic devices unlike anything in an Apple store. Their inventions hardly look like electronics at all. Most electronics are boxy, fragile things that have to be handled with care. For a tablet or a cell phone, a minor accident, like spilling water, can quickly turn catastrophic.

But the inventions from Rogers' lab are more like high-tech stickers. These adhesive patches, crisscrossed with miniature wires, stick to the skin for weeks at a time. They can survive the wear and tear of life. Already, the scientists have programmed the devices to take a wide variety of measurements. These include temperature, blood pressure and skin moisture levels (or hydration). Rogers says he wants his sensors to look more like parts of living organisms and less like traditional computers.

"We're driving the technology by thinking outside the box," he says.

Stretchy, wearable electronics interest researchers from a variety of fields. Rogers is a materials scientist, which means he looks for smart ways to use, understand and even create the materials used to build things.

Developing these devices is appealing, says Rogers, because it has the potential to improve health care. Instead of trudging to the clinic or hospital for every checkup, a patient might be able to download data from a stick-on device and send it to the hospital. This technology offers the potential for more measurements and fewer trips to the doctor.

Here, Rogers and two other researchers who work on stretchy electronics describe these skin-like devices - as well as what their future may hold.

How to harvest energy from the body

As a young girl growing up in Turkey, Canan Dagdeviren received a book about the scientist Marie Curie from her father. Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel prize, one of the highest honors given to a scientist. (Curie actually won two.)

"I think my dad was thinking I would get inspiration from her," recalls Dagdeviren, who does research on wearable electronics at Harvard University and MIT, both in Cambridge, Mass. "But when I read the book, I fell in love with her husband because he discovered the piezoelectric effect."

In the late 19th century, French scientist Pierre Curie and his brother Jacques

that some crystals generate sparks when they're under pressure. Sparks mean electricity. So piezoelectric crystals turn mechanical energy, which comes from motion, into electricity. Scientists have looked to piezoelectric materials in recent years as a potential power source for wearable electronics.

Dagdeviren suspects piezoelectric materials could capture energy from movement in the human body. Even at rest, the body is constantly in motion. Lungs expand and contract as you breathe. The heart beats. Blood streams through your veins and arteries. All of these are examples of mechanical energy, or the energy associated with motion, location or both.

As a graduate student, Dagdeviren studied with John Rogers in Illinois. She designed devices that could be used inside the body. Her inventions converted the movements of the lungs, heart and diaphragm into electricity. This technology might one day provide power to devices like pacemakers, which help the heart keep up a steady rhythm. Right now, pacemakers need batteries that have to be replaced every five to 10 years. Dagdeviren's system wouldn't need batteries.

"You can generate power, and use this power to run your personal electronics," she says.

Dagdeviren was inspired to create the devices after learning that her grandfather died from heart failure. He had been only 28 years old. "I promised to do something to work on that," she says. "Scientists are usually inspired by nature. However, my research is inspired by the diseases of my family members."

Three years ago, her aunt died of a brain tumor. Now, Dagdeviren is building a sensor that can be implanted in the brain to detect - and perhaps even fix - problems with cells there.

"I remember how much I loved my aunt and the great time we spent together. I don't want any other people to experience those kinds of moments."

Wearable, flexible electronics could make it possible to constantly monitor the body. Usually, we take measurements like temperature or blood pressure at a single moment in time. But that snapshot may not tell the whole story. If a person is wearing a sensor, a doctor can study a stream of data and look for patterns.

"Our organs and our bodies speak to us," Dagdeviren says. "I use my devices to understand what they're saying."

Watching the sun

Madhu Bhaskaran works at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. Her projects are also advancing the next generation of flexible electronics. In recent years, she and her colleagues have developed new ways to add gizmos that conduct electricity to stretchy materials. They've been studying different kinds of oxide materials, which get their name from the fact that they contain oxygen.

"All electronic devices rely on oxide materials," she notes. Silicon dioxide is one example. In nature, this material is found as sand. Scientists can create large crystals of silicon dioxide, called quartz. Thin slivers of quartz are often used in tiny electronic devices. Recently, a team in Bhaskaran's lab, led by scientist Philipp Gutruf, found a way to transfer those slices of crystal to flexible materials. Their process resulted in a skin-like, flexible device using zinc oxide that could save lives.

This wearable, stretchy device detects danger at the skin. It picks up the chemical signal of toxic gases. It also measures ultraviolet (UV) radiation, invisible energy that damages the skin and can cause skin cancer. The sun produces UV radiation, so people who spend a lot of time outdoors should pay close attention to protecting their skin. The device can help people avoid dangerous levels of UV radiation.

The sensor's design allows it to bend and flex as a person moves. Bhaskaran says their device can bend thanks to "microtectonics."

"Microtectonics behave just like tectonic plates that make up the earth's crust," she says. "They can slide over each other when stretched. This type of surface allows the device to stretch and bend while still functioning." That means it can be stuck directly to the skin with an adhesive, or stitched onto clothes.

Companies have talked to the scientists about selling the device, but Bhaskaran says consumers won't see it in stores for at least five years. She says she's excited to see what other new stretchy electronics emerge during that time.

"Scientists expect to transform today's science fiction into tomorrow's reality," she says.

Beyond skin deep

John Rogers, in Illinois, has been studying and developing stretchy electronics for more than 15 years. But this summer, he broke a record. And he did it while on vacation in Florida. He had been wearing one of his devices on his arm, stuck on like a patch. He wasn't measuring anything in particular, but he did make sure it could send signals to his cell phone. Rogers' goal was to see how long it would remain stuck to his arm.

Finally, after a swim in the ocean, the device lost its stickiness like an old Band-Aid. It had been on for four weeks. No one in his lab had ever worn one of the gadgets for such a long time.

"I wear them all the time," says Rogers. "I think most of the students like to wear them. If you do this kind stuff, you have to get into it. There's nothing that beats your own experience."

After the device came off, he noticed changes in his skin. "You could feel with your fingers where it had had been. It was noticeably rougher than the surrounding skin." At first, he worried that he'd had some type of bad reaction. Then, he realized that the rough patch was where dead skin cells had built up. He removed them with a piece of Scotch tape.

John Rogers, University of Illinois

"Experiencing that for yourself is an important part of the engineering process," he says.

Right now, his skin sensors are able to make a wide variety of measurements. They can measure temperature, skin stiffness, hydration, and other qualities. But he's not content to stop there.

"How do you go beyond that?" he asks. You just push the field forward.

He and his team are now creating skin-like devices to sample fluids like sweat or blood for medical tests. They're also designing stretchy devices that dissolve over time. He and his team unveiled one of those in mid-January. They designed a device that measures pressure and temperature inside the human brain for peoplewho have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Once it has done its job, the sensor dissolves in cerebrospinal fluid.

Doctors might use other, similar devices inside the body to monitor how a transplanted organ responds to a new host, for example. Environmental scientists might use them to track the changes in a sensitive ecosystem.

Earlier this year, Rogers and his team developed wearable devices for hard surfaces, like fingernails or teeth. These gadgets could collect health data, he says. But they can also send and receive wireless signals, like cell phones. Some smartphones can even be used to make payments like a credit card, simply by swiping them across a sensor. So imagine this: One day, instead of using a card or cash, you might pay using a small chip mounted onto your teeth. No more swiping a card; you'd only have to smile.

Rogers says the scientists in his lab are people eager to use science to solve problems.

"They're inspired by the implications of science around new technology," he says. "Filling up journals with new science is great. But if it never goes beyond that, it's not very satisfying. I think it's important to get things out into the real world."
This is one in a series on careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics made possible with generous support from Alcoa Foundation.
Power Words

(for more about Power Words, click here)

conductor (in physics and engineering) A material through which an electrical current can flow.

diaphragm A thin, flexible wall or partition. (in biology) The muscular wall in mammals that separates the thorax from the abdomen. In breathing, its contractions open up the thorax, inflating the lungs.

ecosystem A group of interacting living organisms - including microorganisms, plants and animals - and their physical environment within a particular climate. Examples include tropical reefs, rainforests, alpine meadows and polar tundra.

electromagnetic radiation Energy that travels as a wave, including forms of light. Electromagnetic radiation is typically classified by its wavelength. The spectrum of electromagnetic radiation ranges from radio waves to gamma rays. It also includes microwaves and visible light.

electronics Devices that are powered by electricity but whose properties are controlled by the semiconductors or other circuitry that channel or gate the movement of electric charges.

engineering The field of research that uses math and science to solve practical problems.

environmental science The study of ecosystems to help identify environmental problems and possible solutions. Environmental science can bring together many fields including physics, chemistry, biology and oceanography to understand how ecosystems function and how humans can coexist with them in harmony.

generation A group of individuals born about the same time or that are regarded as a single group. Your parents belong to one generation of your family, for example, and your grandparents to another. Similarly, you and everyone within a few years of your age across the planet -are referred to as belonging to a particular generation of humans. The term is sometimes extended to inanimate objects, such as electronics or automobiles.

hydrate (noun: hydration) To restore the proper level of fluids in the body.

materials science The study of how the atomic and molecular structure of a material is related to its overall properties. Materials scientists can design new materials or analyze existing ones. Their analyses of a material's overall properties (such as density, strength and melting point) can help engineers and other researchers select materials that best suited to a new application.

mechanical Having to do with the devices that move, including tools, engines and other machines (even, potentially, living machines); or something caused by the physical movement of another thing (such as a "mechanical" itch).

organ (in biology) Various parts of an organism that perform one or more particular functions. For instance, an ovary is an organ that makes eggs, the brain is an organ that interprets nerve signals and a plant's roots are organs that take in nutrients and moisture.

oxide A compound made by combining one or more elements with oxygen. Rust is an oxide; so is water.

piezoelectricity An electric discharge, often as a result of subtly deforming a crystal or crystalline material.

quartz A type of mineral made from silicon dioxide. The most common mineral on Earth, it can occur in any rock type: igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary.

radiation (in physics) One of the three major ways that energy is transferred. (The other two are conduction and convection.) In radiation, electromagnetic waves carry energy from one place to another. Unlike conduction and convection, which need material to help transfer the energy, radiation can transfer energy across empty space.

sensor A device that picks up information on physical or chemical conditions - such as temperature, barometric pressure, salinity, humidity, pH, light intensity or radiation - and stores or broadcasts that information. Scientists and engineers often rely on sensors to inform them of conditions that may change over time or that exist far from where a researcher can measure them directly.

silica A mineral, also known as silicon dioxide, containing silicon and oxygen atoms. It is a basic building block of much of the rocky material on Earth and of some construction materials, including glass.

smartphone A cell (or mobile) phone that can perform a host of functions, including search for information on the Internet.

tectonic plates The gigantic slabs - some spanning thousands of kilometers (or miles) across - that make up Earth's outer layer.

toxic Poisonous or able to harm or kill cells, tissues or whole organisms. The measure of risk posed by such a poison is its toxicity.

transplant (in medicine) The replacement of a tissue or an organ with that from another organism. It is also a term for the material that will be transplanted.

ultraviolet A portion of the light spectrum that is close to violet but invisible to the human eye.

zinc oxide A chemical - with the formula ZnO - made when one atom of zinc bonds to an atom of oxygen. Its reflective properties make it useful in a range of products, from paints to sunscreens. Its germ-killing properties make it useful in some medicines or cosmetics. It can even be used as a source of the mineral zinc in foods.

Citations

M. Rosen. Electronic skin feels the heat, hears the sound. Science News. October 30, 2015.

M. Lucibella. " March 1880: The Curie brothers discover piezoelectricity." An American Physical Society entry for This Month in Physics History. March 2014.

S. Ornes. " Squishy speaker." Science News for Students. September 24, 2013.

M. Rosen. Stretchy, see-through material conducts electricity. Science News. August 30, 2013.

S. Ornes. " Electronic skin." Science News for Students. January 18, 2012.

Original Journal Source: C. Dagdeviren et al. Conformal piezoelectric energy harvesting and storage from motions of the heart, lung, and diaphragm. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Vol. 111, Feb. 4, 2014, p. 1927. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1317233111.

Original Journal Source: P. Gutruf et al. ZnO: Stretchable and tunable microtectonic ZnO-based sensors and photonics. Small. Vol. 11, September 16, 2015, p. 4414. doi: 10.1002/smll.201570211.

Stephen Ornes lives in Nashville, Tenn., and his family has two rabbits, six chickens and a cat. He has written for Science News Explores since 2008 on topics including lightning, feral pigs, big bubbles and space junk.

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Forget tablets and cell phones. These flexible electronic devices stick to the skin and can perform many tasks, from taking your temp to tracking the sun's tanning rays.

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Every year we resolve to not buy so many supplies for our classrooms, and every year we break that resolution...again, and again, and again. It seems that answer is not to stop buying, but to stop spending so much cash. Here are 11 school and craft supply stores with teacher discounts to help save you money.

1. A.C. Moore

Teachers snag 15 percent off their entire in-store purchase, every time, thanks to A.C. Moore's teacher discount. Both sale and regularly priced items are included in the discount, but it cannot be combined it with other coupons. Just be sure to bring with you your school I.D., pay stub, homeschool approval letter or other documentation to qualify at checkout.

2. Ben Franklin Crafts

Bring your proof of certification or school identification to qualify for the Ben Franklin Crafts teacher discount of 10 percent off in-store purchases.

3. The Container Store

The Container Store's Organized Teacher program is a teacher-exclusive discount club. Sign-up online to receive your special educators discounts throughout the year to help organize your classrooms. You will receive your first offer via email after signing up, and all specials can be redeemed in-store or online.

4. Dollar Tree

If this mega discount store is your go-to for classroom supplies, take the time to get a letter from your principal on letterhead confirming your school's tax exempt status and EIN number. Once you have it, you will be qualified to get the Dollar Tree educator discount of 10 percent off all purchases.

5. Geddes

The Geddes teacher discount garners educators 15 percent off all purchases in-store and online. For in-store purchases, present your school ID at the register. For online shopping, enter discount code 17MYED at checkout.

6. JoAnn Fabrics

Enroll in JoAnn Fabrics Teacher Rewards and you will receive a discount card to get 15 percent off every time you shop in-store and online.

7. Lakeshore Learning

Lakeshore Learning Teacher's Club members save 15 percent off hundreds of in-store items and receive an exclusive offer each month.

8. Michaels

Michaels makes it super easy: they have a Michaels teacher discount coupon you can print, save and use in-store for 15 percent off your total purchase every time you shop.

9. Party City

Party City offers schools discounts of 10 percent off in-store purchases between $75-$125, 15 percent off $126-$200 and 20 percent off any purchase over $201. You will need to bring in a letter signed by an officer of your school on official letterhead and pay with an official school check or credit card in the school's name.

10. Pencils.com

Apply online for the Pencils.com teacher and administrator school discount and you will receive a special code to receive 10 percent off all purchases at this online store.

11. Staples

Staples Teacher Rewards takes their standard consumer rewards program and doubles the earnings for teachers on classroom and art supplies.

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Don't Go Shopping Without These Craft Store Teacher Discounts

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Every year we resolve to not buy so many supplies for our classrooms, and every year we break that resolution...again, and again, and again. It seems that answer is not to stop buying, but to stop spending so much cash. Here are 11 school and craft supply stores with teacher discounts to help save you money.

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Programmable electronic building block platform

Building blocks are connected in a snap with magnetic Pogo Pins | 30+ electronic blocks for creating hundreds of inventions

Learn flow-based programming | Supports Internet of Things |mCompatible with the Makeblock platform,

LEGO® blocks and Codey Rocky | Continuously updated Invention Guides | Winner of 5 international design awards

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Programmable electronic building block platform Building blocks are connected in a snap with magnetic Pogo Pins | 30+ electronic blocks for creating hundreds of inventions Learn flow-based programming | Supports Internet of Things |mCompatible with the Makeblock platform, LEGO® blocks and Codey Rocky | Continuously updated Invention Guides | Winner of 5 international design awards

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When Simone Giertz isn't holding court as the Queen of the Sh*tty Robot Nation, she is creating content for other YouTube channels, like Tested. And, I just discovered, she's also been doing toy "hacking" videos for GoldieBox, the engineering-for-girls toy company.

As you may know, Simone recently went completely indie on her channel, turning to Patreon when she got into trouble with her sponsors for some of her more adult content and salty language. I respect the fact that she wants to do her own thing, the way she wants it done, and am glad she's found a way to pay herself so that she can continue to follow her muse, however mischievous that muse may be. But Simone has such a great child-like enthusiasm and wacky sense of humor, I thought it was a shame that her work had to be limited to an adult audience. Thanks to these GoldieBox videos, kids can now also get to spend some quality time with the Queen of "Not-So-Good Robots," as she's been re-christened on the channel.

The projects Simone does for GoldieBox are those perfect rainy day projects that kids and parents love. They're the kinds of projects that kids can't see without wanting to try their hand at and most of them require little more than basic household items. Simone and GoldieBox do a good job of explaining the projects, showing the steps, and just having fun with it.

These are really more activities than toys that you would likely make and use very often, but the fun ideas, immediate gratification, and project-learning experiences make these winners in my book. Here are five of the videos Simone has done to date.

Candy Balloon Rocket

In this video, Simone creates a deflating balloon-powered "rocket" that carries a basket of candy treats along a zip-line.

Mailbox Alarm/Messaging

Here, Simone shows you how to re-purpose a recordable greeting card to create a message delivery/alarm system that goes inside your mailbox. Record a message for your postal carrier and when s/he opens the mailbox, the circuit is triggered, and your message plays. "You've got mail!"

Ice Ice Skates

Not every project works as planned, some need modifications. Simone tries creating ice skates for dolls using ice cubes. They don't want to stand up as they slide down the ramp she made. So then she tries making ice donuts for the dolls to slide down on. By adding some water color paper to the ramp (and food coloring to the ice), you can create fun art pieces as the dolls ride the slide.

Plastic Spoon Catapult

Sometimes, it's the simplest projects that have the most repeat playability. Some plastic spoons, rubber bands, and a stack of books and you're ready to lay siege to the Island of Misfit toys.

Vibrating Bug Bots

Simone takes the "bugs" in bug bots to heart and outfits some plastic toy bugs with vibrobot electronics.

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When Simone Giertz isn't holding court as the Queen of the Sh*tty Robot Nation, she is creating content for other YouTube channels, like Tested. And, I just discovered, she's also been doing toy "hacking" videos for GoldieBox, the engineering-for-girls toy company.

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My post last month on Why a Makerspace isn't a Magic Cure-all for Your Problems gained a lot of notice. I've seen a vibrant social media conversation take off since then. I have heard many people say in the conversation about making and libraries that they have reservations. Many are worried about sacrificing literacy or reading when they create a makerspace. They feel that traditional library programs and values will suffer. They worry that the makerspace will replace the reading programs that they love.

But I feel like they're missing out on something - the beautiful connection that can happen between making and literacy. You don't have to give up your literature and reading programs when you start a makerspace. Rather, makerspaces can help to bring a new dimension of literacy into your library. There are so many elements and activities in makerspaces that fit perfectly into the types of library programs we all know and love.

Makerspaces can help to bring a new dimension of literacy into your library. Click To Tweet

3 Reasons Why Making and Literacy Aren't Mutually Exclusive

In my AASL Knowledge Quest post this month, I go into just a handful of the ways that makerspaces connect to and support literacy. This topic is a new passion of mine, so expect to see more posts on this topic soon. This connection MUST be made clearer if the Maker Movement is to be successful in school libraries. Starting a makerspace is not about replacing a library - it's about adding a new element, new learning space and new resources to a library. We don't get rid of all the books to start a makerspace - we engage our students through different learning styles, including how they interact with and respond to books.

How makerspaces support informational text

What tool literacy looks like and how it fits with your library makerspace

How to develop technological literacy

Diana Rendina, MLIS, is the media specialist at Tampa Preparatory School, an independent 6-12 in Tampa, FL. Previously, she was the media specialist at Stewart Middle Magnet School for seven years, where she founded their library makerspace. She is the creator of the blog RenovatedLearning.com & is also a monthly contributor to AASL Knowledge Quest. Diana is the winner of the 2016 ISTE Outstanding Young Educator Award, the 2015 ISTE Librarians Network Secondary Award, the 2015 AASL Frances Henne Award & the 2015 SLJ Build Something Bold Award. She is an international speaker on the Maker Movement and has presented at conferences including AASL, FETC & ISTE. Diana co-authored Challenge-Based Learning in the School Library Makerspace with Colleen and Aaron Graves and is also the author Reimagining Library Spaces: Transform Your Space on Any Budget.

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AASL Post: 3 Reasons Why Making and Literacy Aren't Mutually Exclusive

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My post last month on Why a Makerspace isn't a Magic Cure-all for Your Problems gained a lot of notice. I've seen a vibrant social media conversation take off since then. I have heard many people say in the conversation about making and libraries that they have reservations.

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Looking to bring some more color, creativity, and FUN to your lessons, but can't afford a closet full of new supplies? We get it. What teacher doesn't? That's why we've rounded up some of our favorite classroom art supplies, all for under $10.
This post contains affiliate links, which means we may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. All opinions are our own. Enjoy!
1. Sargent Art Premium Colored Pencils

Artist-quality pencils at a teacher-friendly price. 50 for $6.24.

2. Crayola Power Lines Project Markers

These markers allow you to make thick or thin lines-just like a permanent marker-but are totally washable. 10 for $6.15.

3. Elmer's CraftBond Glue Spots

Some teachers swear by these tiny glue dots over traditional bottles and sticks, saying that the dots are easier to manipulate and create less waste. 200 for $4.55.

4. Fiskar's Lace 3-in-1 Corner Punch

Give kids' artwork some additional flair by using this punch to create decorative corners. $8.39.

5. Glitter Washi Tape

We love washi tape for all kinds of classroom projects, and this glitter version is great to add some extra sparkle without the mess. 6 rolls for $6.95.

6. Educational Insights Playfoam

Great for creative exploration and building, as well as making models in math class and more. Doesn't dry out like play dough. $8.47 for 8.

7. Neon Letter Beads

Make bracelets and necklaces and practice spelling at the same time. Win win! 600 for $7.99.

8. Picture Frame Pad

Every page of this drawing pad already has an ornate "frame" for your students' masterpieces. Fun for creative writing, too! $4.99.

9. Rainbow Mini Scratch Art Notes

Fun for doodling but also for writing poetry or short answers. $7.99.

10. Liquid Watercolors

Devotees say liquid watercolors are much better than the traditional cake version-they last longer, are easy to use and are a great substitute for food coloring. 6 for $8.99.

11. Color Wheel

Use this color wheel to teach students about mixing colors-a concept that ties back to science, too! $6.59.

12. Assorted Wooden Beads

Perfect for practicing fine motor skills, and can do double duty as math manipulatives. 460 for $9.94.

13. Liquid Chalk Markers

So fun for writing not only on chalkboard surfaces, but windows, whiteboards, and more. 8 for $9.96.

14. Sargent Pink Erasers

Simply the best. Long-lasting and erase well. 36 for $7.22.

15. Magnetic Mini Tile Art

This easy-to-use kit includes everything you need for kids to make 10 tile magnets-perfect for Mother's or Father's Day gifts, sharing favorite quotes, and more. $8.65.

16. Recycled Paper Beads Kit

What if students could turn all the annoying paper scraps into your classroom into something beautiful? They can with this easy kit. $9.69.

17. Rainbow Crayons

Fun for doodling and sign-making! 6 for $9.99.

18. Germ-Fighting Scissors

When you've got 30 kids and a teacher using the same craft supplies, it's nice to have a little germ-fighting support. These scissors are anti-microbial and start at $6.88.

19. Self-Hardening Clay

No teacher has time for baking clay projects in the oven. This all-natural self-hardening version is a great alternative. 2.2 pounds for $7.96.

20. Art Aprons

You can't beat the price on these colorful aprons-$8.99 for a dozen -and parents will thank you for protecting kid clothes.

21. Dry Erase Crayons

I honestly had no idea that these were a thing, but now that I do I can think of about a billion ways to use them. 8 for $4.91.

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21 Awesome Classroom Art Supplies Under $10 - WeAreTeachers

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Looking to bring some more color, creativity, and FUN to your lessons, but can't afford a closet full of new supplies? We get it. What teacher doesn't? That's why we've rounded up some of our favorite classroom art supplies, all for under $10.

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Create Shining, Glowing Origami Projects with Teknikio

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I don't know about you, but my daughter and I start to go a little stir crazy at this time of year. We try to get out as much as possible, but sometimes with these short, cold days we can't be out for long. I've been keeping my eye out for inexpensive do-it-yourself ways to have a little fun indoors. Here are some fun and budget-friendly cardboard creations that are sure to keep your little ones entertained during those final weeks of Winter:

Row Two:
6.Cardboard Washing Machine: Estefi Machado
7.Pizza Box Easel: Makedo
8.DIY Cardboard Playhouses: A Beautiful Mess
9.DIY Cardboard Dollhouse: Scandinavian Deko
10.Cardboard City: Camilla Engman

MORE CARDBOARD PROJECTS ON APARTMENT THERAPY
* Toys You Can Make with Cardboard
* Cardboard Box Crafting Inspiration

(Images: As Linked)

Apartment Therapy supports our readers with carefully chosen product recommendations to improve life at home. You support us through our independently chosen links, many of which earn us a commission.

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I don't know about you, but my daughter and I start to go a little stir crazy at this time of year. We try to get out as much as possible, but sometimes with these short, cold days we can't be out for long.