Prototype Faire is our own miniature test-run of the Maker Faire. Students from each grade level showed off their own making projects that they’ve been working on, many of which they will take to the Maker Faire next month.
I’m writing to you all from a lovely cafe in cloudy Portland, OR, a city that has welcomed me with its overcast skies, colorful parks, and nippy winds. It’s a nice change from good ole Hegenberger Road. With Lighthouse on Spring Break this week, I’ve taken it upon myself to settle in here with an Italian dark roast and…
Scribble machines are quick projects that combine arts and crafts with the basics of circuitry. They’re incredibly open-ended, making them a great exercise in creative design and persistence. The idea is to build a robot that draws as it moves, and we typically don’t give students any further instruction after this prompt. This usually creates some frustration, but also…
This past weekend we co-hosted a “Designing Making Experiences” professional development session at Castilleja School in Palo Alto. We offer several of these workshops a year, with the goal of helping attendees integrate making into their curriculum. For two days, participants ideate, collaborate, and prototype a project that they can bring back to their classrooms. Here are…
I’ve been working on an updated project guide for Turtle Art (coming soon), and it’s inspired me to do a follow-up to my previous Turtle Art post, and talk a little about why we like Turtle Art to begin with. We use Turtle Art not only as an introduction to programming, but also as a tool for…
We went to Disney Land!—well, almost. Last week, the Curriculum & Instruction Steering Committee (CISC) held its Leadership Symposium in Anaheim, CA. Educational leaders from across California came together to talk about the latest directions in educational thinking—and that includes making.
“What happens when you click ‘forward?’” we asked, referring to an icon on the students’ computer screens. Several kids—mostly those who had seen “Turtle Art” before—raised their hands and said it “makes the turtle go up.” This was the introduction to a programming unit our 5th graders will be working on for several weeks. In “Turtle Art,”…
You may recall that Aaron Vanderwerff, our Creativity Lab Director, was nominated in November for a SmartBrief Educator Award, for his article “Makers in the Classroom: A How-To Guide.” We’re happy to announce he won!
Our kindergarteners made some awesome sock puppets last week. They measured and cut their own materials, and safely handled hot glue guns by themselves. What do you think of the “Creepy Carrot” puppet? We love it!
Part of joining the Creativity Lab team meant making a project of my own. Can’t teach making or talk making unless you’ve got some experience making—right? So, I brainstormed what I might like to do, and why it might make a good project. I wanted to incorporate some circuitry, as it’s a big part of…