Lewis and Clark Learns

Several years ago I created a smore graphic to answer the questions of those wanting to bring a MakerSpace to their school.  This month, that smore has been viewed over 25,000 times.  WOW!  The maker movement is here and is not going away.  What a great way for kids to learn!

For the second year, I offered a weeklong summer MakerCamp for 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade makers. We tinkered, built with cardboard, designed video games (three of our makers also sat down and taught Ryne Dittmer, a writer for our local paper how to design a video game using Bloxels for an article he is writing), we gave feedback, failed and fixed, made new friends, tried new things, learned the art of green screen, made Non-Newtonian fluid (slime), learned all about polymer clay, built marble runs and tracks, spent a lot of time on choice projects, and at the end of the week we  presented our learning to parents and siblings at a mini MakerFaire . It was a great week of making! Special thanks to my new principal, Mitch Hiser for stopping in each day of camp to sit and chat with the kids about themselves and their projects.  Also, thanks to Mr. Hiser and Mrs. Ferguson, our assistant principal for taking time out of their Friday to attend our mini MakerFaire. Check out our makers

I was very fortunate to be asked to present at the NEKLS [Northeast Kansas Library System] annual school librarian conference in Lawrence, Kansas.  My presentation was centered around Integrating MakerSpaces into School Libraries .  I am really glad that I attended the entire day as I learned a lot as well.  In the morning there was a great presentation about teaching students to recognize fake news and a really good session on new books for elementary library collections.  Following a really tasty lunch, there was a crowd sourced book talk for secondary library collections.  I then shared my info about MakerSpaces and the day ended with a public librarian sharing her MakerKits that rotate from library to library.  It was probably one of the most organized and informative one-day workshops that I have ever attended.  Anna Foote was in charge of the event and she did an amazing job! Part of my presentation was a bit of hands-on learning.  We made "tricked out" bookmarks

These sweet kiddos set up a lemonade & cookie stand in their neighborhood and donated their $82.00 to our MakerSpace!  They will get to decide what should be purchased for the MakerSpace when we get back to school in August.   How lucky am I to spend my school days with such great kids!

1.   Research 3 different insects using PebbleGo, nonfiction materials, and online Britannica Encyclopedia. 2.  Use great note-taking skills to record what is learned. 2.  Select the best parts of those 3 bugs to create a new SuperBug. 3.  Give your SuperBug a name, decide what it eats, and determine where it lives [based on what has been learned through inquiry] 4.  Draw that SuperBug. 5.  Gather supplies from the MakerSpace. 6. Make the SuperBug.

Four Friday mornings |  7:45am |  Many first and second grade makers |  Excitement | Choice | Friends | Creativity | Fun !

Years ago, I showed the video, Caine's Arcade to introduce my students to learning through the Genius Hour philosophy.  The inspiration from that video encouraged my students to make cardboard games as well. We have been designing and making games every year since.  Each year we learn from past mistakes and improve the process and the final products.  Plus we now have a dynamic MakerSpace! My third graders have finished working through the design process and we are ready to share our games with the entire school.  E-V-E-R-Y student will have time throughout the week to play the games.  This week is obviously a favorite of my students.  Our third graders are so proud to share their games as they put their hearts into making the very best game possible. Most important are the skills that the kids practice along the entire process.  So many... planning and designing compromise when working in a group submitting ideas with kindness and respect working together with a variety