Lewis and Clark Learns

The end of 2015 is bringing new units and much excitement to our Library Maker Center.  Here is the lowdown on what is happening... KINDERGARTEN Kindergarten kiddos have been working on a whole group research project trying to determine what animal our mystery skeleton belongs to.  After questioning and conducting research through print and online resources we determined that our skeleton belongs to a bat.  My kindergarten researchers will be working on learning more about dinosaurs while learning how to record what they learn by using picture notes.  We will share our learning using our MakerSpace resources. FIRST GRADE First grade kiddos finished up their marble mazes (saved for our upcoming Maker Day of Play) a while ago and have been working on an insect inquiry unit.  We are learning to take great notes using PebbleGo, Britannica Kids, and print resources.  After our research is completed, kids will partner up and create a SuperBug by combining...

Yarn bombing was a hit during our 4th grade MakerKid's Club.   These girls have big plans!  I have a feeling that many parts of our building may suddenly be covered in beautiful yarn!

I found out this week that a Learning Enrichment Grant that I wrote was funded by the LSDF!  My students and I are both so thrilled. My second graders have been waiting to see if we would get this grant because they want more Dot and Dash robots so they can work in smaller groups during our robotics unit.  I had one set of Dot and Dash last year and gained two more sets this year with a Lewis and Clark PTA grant.  We will now be able to add 2 more sets of Dot and Dash with the LSDF grant and 1 more set with the money I received for the SLJ Build Something Bold 1st runner up award. I LOVE that Dot and Dash can be used with my youngest and my oldest students.  They are robots that will teach my kids visual programming apps and so many opportunities to think creatively.  The learning is truly endless! You may notice OLLIE sitting there by this kiddo's leg. Someone else "drove" OLLIE into the room and the kids don't even seem to notice!

Kindergarten building challenges, marble mazes, Rube Goldberg Machines, Coding workshop, researching, MakerKid's Club, reader reviewers, genre experts, Lego WeDo, train your robot...all that and more has happened in our library in the last few weeks.  Every grade level is busy making and thinking and researching and problem-solving and learning from failure and collaborating and reflecting and having fun while learning! Discussing plans and ideas before getting started...Smart! 1st graders finally getting to play with the marble mazes they have been working on. Lego WeDo...another experience in our 2nd grade robotics unit. First time working with Lego WeDo... completely focused.   Reading with an adult volunteer. Teamwork to create a fabulous Rube Goldberg Machine.  Researching with a split screen.  Working smart!  5th graders working independently on a video in our production room to promote Red Ribbon Week. Ho...

The last few days my fourth graders have been working on designing and planning the catapults they will soon be building. Catapults have been our focus since the beginning of the school year.  Our catapult inquiry has led us to research many aspects of catapults, record our learning, cite our sources, and build catapults with a pre-selected set of materials.  By building with those selected materials, the kids figured out what would and would not work when building our catapults from self-selected materials. When it was time to finally design and plan, the kids could go about it in anyway that worked best for THEM.   Some kiddos scooped out the supplies available to them first. Some kids started designing their catapult on paper first. One kiddo skipped the paper option and announced he would be using 3DTin to design a 3D model of his catapult.  His idea intrigued another student who sat down and began learning 3DTin as well.   ...

Marble Mazes This kiddo lost his very first tooth! Battle of The Brains planning. Catapults Inventor Inquiry 3 Billy Goats Gruff bridges. 5th grade MakerKid's Club Action at the (LFL) Little Free Library. Magnetic Poetry Rock Wonder Center

I am so appreciative of the Lewis and Clark PTA support of our MakerSpace!  Earlier this school year, I submitted a PTA grant application for the amount of $650.00 and it was funded.  The grant was mainly for 2 additional sets of Dot and Dash robots to use with my younger kiddos to introduce robotics and visual programming.  I was also able to pick up the Dot and Dash accessory sets, two 10-port usb chargers, and a couple of surge protector power strips.  The kids and I are so ready to dive in to our robotics unit!  Along with this unit of study, I want my students to be stumped, to fail, evaluate the situation and figure out how to complete a challenge based on their learning, not mine.  I want my students to know that if there is a problem, there are multiple ways to solve it.  Additionally, the kids will be working collaboratively with others, demonstrate perseverance, think creatively, and realize that hard work produces great results!

This is what I made... What are they, you ask?  They are vendor aprons for my daughter and her friend to wear at their Gladfest craft booth next weekend.  They are makers and specialize in miniature clay charms like these... I used this as an inspiration...just a simple Lowe's tool belt. The girls will be using the aprons to hold supplies, phones, and their earnings.  There are six total pockets as there are also pockets on the inside of the apron.  Because this was something I had never made before, I had to spend some time in the last week and a half thinking about how I was going to make them so they would turn out as I imagined them in my brain.  I had to figure out the pocket situation and how I was going to put the two sides together.  What I realized this morning as a sat down at my sewing machine (thanks mom for the amazing Bernina hand me down) that my thinking time drastically cut the time I had to spend in my studio.  ...