I have been working with resin for the past year as an avenue for artistic expression, experimenting with various ready-made silicone molds purchased online and at craft stores like Joann Fabrics or Michael's. Epoxy A and B resin is fun and easy to work with, can be mixed with colorful acrylic inks and mica powder,... Continue Reading →
As I've watched school play productions over the years, I have often wondered about my connection to this craft as a maker. It seemed a perfect place to play a role, so to speak, but I have never been involved. It is usually the art department that does work in this area, or even some... Continue Reading →
I have always enjoyed the Adobe Suite for both vector and bitmap graphic design. And while I continue to use this professional software suite, it often does not fit a school's budget when trying to support a 1:1 laptop program. As such, I continue to explore less expensive (or free) programs that students can use.... Continue Reading →
Working with middle school students on cardboard prototypes presents a number of challenges. Students at this age have had varying levels of experience making proper and accurate measurement, using tools effectively for cutting and marking, working with glue, and understanding design to a level that is up to the task of creating a three-dimensional prototype... Continue Reading →
I am always eager to discover ways to integrate what we do in the Design+Code+Make classes into other curricular areas. It is an opportunity to collaborate with a colleague on a fun, engaging unit of study, and makes the work that students do more meaningful. Over the past couple of years, the 6th graders learned... Continue Reading →
We often hear about an Invitation to Play as an open-ended hands-on activity used mostly in preschools, or at least among younger age children. This concept, inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching, "encourages children to learn through exploration, by providingĀ materials that 'invite them to play' in a creative, non-directive way, with no... Continue Reading →
I have long sought safe and simple ways for students to work with metal in our space. Or maybe better said, "I have long sought ways for meĀ to work with metal." The fact that students get to benefit from this desire is a plus, but I would be lying if I didn't admit that the... Continue Reading →
TLDR: Download PDF now! This is the first in a series of Table-Top Tips I am creating for my students to use. These tips are designed to be printed, then assembled accordion-style. I provide these so that students can have quick access to the basic concepts I cover during the instructional stages of any new... Continue Reading →
From the iconic Kevin Costner film, Field of Dreams, comes the now famous line "If you build it, they will come." Over the years, I have heard maker educators use this same line when speaking about their personal efforts to bring a maker space to the school in which they work. There's even aĀ documentary by... Continue Reading →
Our sixth graders are finishing up their work on the Legends of the Trash Creatures project. This interdisciplinary, environmentally focused project tasks students with (among many other requirements) the creation of a 5' tall creature made of trash and embedded with Hummingbird Robotics to allow it to sense the environment and react with sound, lights,... Continue Reading →
For the Love of Learning 