This has been a great ride, but my goodness it's hard to juggle it all!!!
I am trying to stay on top of blogging to capture the raw new experiences we are having getting our Makerspace integrated in our KMS curriculum. Well, I might have been a bit... too.. ambitious tomorrow.. We have 6 Makerspace sites going on!! - We have sixth grade social studies in the (1) Makerspace , (1)one classroom (1) Media Center finishing their Early Americas products. (clay, paint, junk, makey-makey/scratch, aurasma, green screen, bottle dolls, dirt, - you name it, we're doing it!! 8 different activities - a total of 8 classrooms (over 200 students!!). We have (2) 8th grade classrooms creating Renewable Energy models using junk on a cart. We have (1) 7th grade classroom ELA creating Bio Bottle dolls for book summaries - using junk on a cart. So MUCH!! - and it's coming up end of quarter, and I'm off campus at NCCAT all next week, and I've got NAL National Championship Match and am leaving campus at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow, and.. and... and.. This has been a great ride, but my goodness it's hard to juggle it all!!!
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When I switched desks a few years back so I could have more "table top" experiences with storage, I inherited a couple unbalanced ones (desks!) - those I could adjust and tighten I did, but one in particular had lost its base making one leg a good inch out of whack. I had managed to tape an unused praise stamp, ("good work") to the leg and it had stayed until earlier this year when an over zealously curious student pulled it off.. Since then, I've tried wadded up paper, an eraser... but nothing stayed. Then it hit me - I could give it a new leg base made from 3D printed filament - just like the youtube video of the dog given the set of wheels to be mobile again! It took 3 times (you know what they say about "3rd time...?"), but here's the end photo - and so far, it's still in place.
Sage has created this awesome S'more flyer to invite teachers to receive a stipend while creating and trying out Maker lessons this summer in UNCG's Learning Factory. Click on the link below:
LEARNING FACTORY INTEREST FLYER I created this out of all of the pics here in the KMS Makerspace blog for NCTIES a couple weeks ago. CLICK HERE to have a watch.
So, a disappointment in the Makerspace. We scheduled a second Bling! in the Makerspace for the weekend before NCTIES, but when the morning came, only 2 students showed - Dr. Helms & Ann Webb came, but no sense staying for 2 - when their mother came shortly before 11, after chatting awhile, they packed up and left after offering to help clean up. I shooed them off with their creations, (not so "Bling!" from computers, but crafty all the same,) and cleaned up on my own. So, perhaps this is my biggest disappointment so far - I "made" it, but they didn't come. I made a really cool powerpoint on Bling! you can make with jewelry. I'll link it HERE.
Anxiously looking forward to this week in the Makerspace as we have three different subjects taking advantage of the learning opportunities available. It starts on Wednesday with 6th Grade Social Studies coming in to work on Early Civilization projects using a mixture of no to high tech to demonstrate learning. From topographical maps made from clay to sharing information using the dry erase table tops and Aurasma, it will be busy and exciting. Click HERE for a look at their projects plans. Too, on Wednesday, 8th grade Science will begin working on Renewable Energy projects. 1/2 half at a time. I've got to separate "stuff" for them to use in their rooms since 6th grade will have Makerspace space.Science will be using cardboard & junk working in teams to build a demonstration of renewable energy. Finally 7th grade will be coming in on Friday - just one period, to create Bio Bottle Dolls. Mr. Walsh has one class that will do them onsite rather than outside of class. Looking forward to seeing them in action. Sage, (UNCG) has brought lots of plastic bottles of all sizes, (good thing because 6th will be making a mini fashion show with bottle dolls of the Incan/Mayan/Aztec societies!). We're having to juggle who's in the Makerspace when and who's helping/lending a hand. I've got classes on Tuesday & Thursday, so part will go into the Media Center with Ms. Webb on Thursday to help Mrs. Menten with supervision and guidance. It's going to be VERY busy!! - And, here's hoping on Friday when our District Superintendent of schools, Dr. Emory comes to visit KMS, we will be in full maker mode!
On a side note, we are at the same time still running the 3D printer and loaning out iPads for classwork. Whew! "They've" said we're the "flagship" of the Maker movement for the district. While that's great, I wish there were more support from the District. Not just "attaboys" which come from UNCG folk, but genuine interest. There's talk that they want to put a grant together, but from the lack of buy-in from District, I can't see why or how or who will be involved.... Thanks for letting me express my misgivings here. Where did the time go? I was so proud of my posting flurry back in February only to turn around and discover it was mid March! To my defense, I did have NCTIES to plan and attend. The Makerspace area in the Mezzanine of NCTIES was awesome! Lots of passersby. Our three schools; Southeast Middle, East Forsyth High and KMS did a superb job of displaying our work and explaining it to interested conference goers. Even had fun flying my new personal drone the Parrot Mini - great, great control!
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March 2016
KMS MAKERSPACECreated through the generosity and affiliation with UNCG and its Transforming Teaching Through Technology Grant, (T4), Our KMS Makerspace will offer our students creative ways to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in learning at Kernersville Middle School. Categories |