TeachersFirst's MakerSpace Resources
This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students learn about the MakerSpace movement and mindset. Engage your students, challenge their minds, teach cooperative learning, and more. There is no right or wrong way to do a MakerSpace. Use the tools provided to find digital options to use in your MakerSpace area.
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Innovation Generation - Discovery Education
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): careers (140), crafts (54), engineering (126), makerspace (43), STEM (279), virtual field trips (96)
In the Classroom
Engage students in the design process and makerspace thinking by sharing the resources found on Innovation Generation. The Educator Guide includes several student handouts; use PDF Converter, reviewed here, or another file conversion tool to enable digital document annotation instead of paper versions. Enhance the learning process using Google Jamboard, reviewed here, to offer collaborative opportunities for students to share ideas and reflections based on the recommended questions and activities in the Educator Guide. As a final learning extension, develop a collection of makerspace activities for students to interact with within your classroom. Browse through the Makerspace Resources Special Topics page located here, to find many ideas and resources to get started.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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100 STEAM Projects for Educators - The Oakland Toy Lab
Grades
K to 12tag(s): crafts (54), engineering (126), makerspace (43), science fairs (20), STEM (279)
In the Classroom
Here, teachers can find one hundred unique, already tried and tested STEAM projects for their classrooms. Teachers can use them as written or as a starting point and modify them to fit their own needs. Perhaps creating a makerspace with several activities and supplies available to choose from would be an excellent station for early finishers in your room. This collection of 100 STEAM projects is a part of a larger website - instructibles.com, where you can learn to do just about anything in any subject area. Be sure to save this site and check back often as content is contributed by the community and is updated regularly, so you never know what you may find - you may even decide to contribute something of your own!Comments
I am looking forward to watching these resources to find new and refreshed ideas for STEAM to wow my K-5 students.Anne, , Grades: 0 - 5
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Candy Pumpkin Catapults - Playdough to Plato
Grades
K to 5This site includes advertising.
tag(s): makerspace (43), preK (263), Problem Based Learning (12), simple machines (17), STEM (279)
In the Classroom
Although this lesson describes activities for pre-k classrooms, the challenge is suitable for adaptation to any elementary class. Try the challenge with other small items at any time. For example, during the winter holidays, use snowman erasers or during spring, try catapulting different sizes of pompoms to see how far they fly. Adapt this activity for older students by providing the supplies at a learning center or makerspace area without directions. Allow students to explore options on their own to build and create a catapult. Use a digital organizational tool such as IdeaBoardz, reviewed here, to record and share students' observations. Extend student learning by creating ebooks using Book Creator, reviewed here, that include images of students' creations, text of their observations, and audio explanations of the STEM learning. For younger students, create a class book together. Older students can create individual books to share as part of your class's digital library.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Halloween STEM Challenge - Bone Bridge - Feel-Good Teaching
Grades
3 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): body systems (41), bridges (11), engineering (126), forces (37), halloween (32), holidays (178), makerspace (43), Problem Based Learning (12), STEM (279), structures (18)
In the Classroom
Incorporate this engaging activity into a Halloween learning center, or for those that don't celebrate Halloween at school, include this activity within many content areas. This activity is easily adaptable to lessons about the skeletal system, force and motion, bridges, and even geometric properties. As students begin exploring different methods to create bridges, use Google Jamboard, reviewed here, as an information-gathering resource. Create a Jamboard with two columns, one column for ideas that work and another for failed attempts. Use a student blogging tool such as edublogs, reviewed here, and ask students to blog about their bridge-building attempts. Include pictures of student's creations as part of their blog. Extend learning by asking students to describe their problem-solving activities and share their thoughts on important features required to build strong bridges by creating a multimedia presentation using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. Adobe Express includes tools for creating websites, videos, images, and more. Another multimedia presentation tool to consider is Genially, reviewed here. Genially includes easy-to-use features that can create interactive images, video presentations, and interactive content. Use Genially's features to create interactive images that include students' explanations of their bridge's features.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ArchKIDecture
Grades
4 to 7tag(s): architecture (65), book lists (165), crafts (54), makerspace (43)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for use when implementing STEAM activities or makerspaces. Introduce this activity with a projector or on an interactive whiteboard to show students how to navigate the site. Then, in your flipped or blended classroom (or at a computer center), have students, or small groups of students, explore on their own. Allow them to choose a book (creating book groups?) or a project to explore. Ask students to create their own concept maps to record their learning and understanding using MindMup, reviewed here. Challenge students to use their concept maps to share what they learned with peers by making an interactive infographic using Gennially, reviewed here. Genially allows students to insert videos, hyperlinks, & maps that are interactive.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Babble Dabble Do - Ana Dziengel
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): crafts (54), design (80), engineering (126), makerspace (43), STEM (279)
In the Classroom
Be sure to add this to your toolbox of ideas for teaching STEAM topics and for ideas to use in classroom makerspaces. In addition to adding this site to your favorite bookmarks, consider creating a board on Pinterest, reviewed here, of sites with ideas for STEAM projects. Share the board with your peers and collaborate on adding STEAM sites as a group. Extend learning throughout and after project activities as you include student work as part of a portfolio on Seesaw, reviewed here. Seesaw offers tools for all ages of students to create digital portfolios including written or audio reflections on work. Instead of just sharing images of student creations on your Facebook page or school web page, help students enhance their learning by creating digital books using WriteReader, reviewed here, to share online for family and friends. WriteReader is a site specially created for use with younger students to share their writing and images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Coding In the Classroom Resources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12tag(s): coding (90), computational thinking (41), computers (109), critical thinking (118), design (80), makerspace (43), problem solving (226), STEM (279)
In the Classroom
Explore these resources for use with after-school computer clubs or as an excellent tool when recruiting skilled parent volunteers. Turn the intimidating content of computer programming into an exciting learning adventure for all with these helpful sites!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hacking STEM Library - Microsoft
Grades
4 to 10tag(s): angles (51), critical thinking (118), electricity (62), energy (132), light (53), makerspace (43), Microsoft (80), problem solving (226), solar energy (34)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free activities to include with any STEM lessons already taught. Many activities are perfect for use with Genius Hour or Makerspaces in the classroom. Ask students to share their journey in completing activities in a blog. Seesaw, reviewed here, offers tools for building digital portfolios and incorporating blogs. Ask students to annotate images taken of their activities with text, URL's, or videos using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kodu Game Lab - Microsoft Research
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): coding (90), game based learning (181), gamification (79), makerspace (43), Microsoft (80)
In the Classroom
Have students work in teams to design and develop content demonstrating an understanding of lessons in any subject area. Begin sharing Kodu with your computer experts who are interested in programming. Allow them to be the leaders in sharing how to use and personalize the program. Enhance their learning by asking them to create game creation tutorial screencasts using Screencast-o-matic, reviewed here, to share with their peers. Use Kodu as part of an after-school computer club. Be sure to take advantage of the resources section of Kodu for tips and tutorials on using the program.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Jamzone - Music Will
Grades
K to 12tag(s): makerspace (43), music theory (45), musical instruments (49), musical notation (33)
In the Classroom
Be sure to check out the Teacher Zone and its free lesson plans and resources; type Teacher Zone into the search bar. This site is perfect for differentiation in the music classroom. Allow students to choose an instrument and learn at their own pace and level. Share a link on your classroom website for students to practice at home. Take advantage of the vocal lessons to learn about songwriting. After watching videos, have students write a song to summarize a novel, share information on climate change, or sing about an event in history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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MakerBot in Education - MakerBot Industries, LLC
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): crafts (54), creativity (90), drawing (60), makerspace (43), modeling (8), robotics (23)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for materials and information about 3D printing. Take advantage of the downloadable materials when trying to find funding for a 3D printer. Once you receive your 3D printer, find many ideas and downloads at Sketchfab, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Musink - Musink
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): creativity (90), makerspace (43), musical notation (33), Teacher Utilities (159)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate the art of composition while using Musink on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Share Musink with students and encourage them to create their own music. In Destination Imagination or Odyssey of the Mind, use your scores to showcase talent. In honoring multiple intelligences, highlight the students' with musical talent. While reading historical fiction novels, have students compose a song typical of that period with the commonly used instruments and style. Offer in after school clubs for music, guitar, or band.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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KidsThinkDesign - Kids Design Collaborative
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animation (64), architecture (65), design (80), fashion (11), graphic design (49), makerspace (43)
In the Classroom
Share KidsThinkDesign with your school's art teacher as an excellent addition to art lessons or for ideas to use as a collaborative project. Share with students as part of career exploration activities to help them learn about the different areas of design and also try some designs on their own. After creating a design, have students upload a photo they have taken and add voice bubbles to explain what they learned using a tool such as Phrase.it, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Instructables - Project Based Engineering for Kids - Autodesk, Inc.
Grades
K to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): engineering (126), makerspace (43), Problem Based Learning (12)
In the Classroom
Bring out the "inner engineer" in each of your students! During physical science units, visit this collection to get directions for students to build simple models to supplement content. You might want to visit the accompanying site How to Teach Project Based Engineering to Kids before getting started. Students can work in small groups to create a project. Different groups can demonstrate different laws of physics. Add this to your class website as a do-at-home project to encourage exploration at home. During language arts when focusing on using concise, clear, language, listen to the directions and use as a model. Enhance learning by having students write the scripts for creating other models using Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Using these online documents affords many benefits, including the ability to add comments, highlight information, and add links to online information. Extend learning by having students create a multimedia presentation featuring the directions and construction of the student model using Google Drawings, reviewed here. With Google Drawings, students can annotate, narrate, and add related links to an image. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here. In gifted and talented classes or pull out programs, consider for a beginning of a deeper understanding of the concepts. Move forward with virtual field trips to see the "real" machines at work. Find ideas for after school clubs, camps, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virtual Musical Instruments - Virtual Musical Instruments
Grades
K to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (147), makerspace (43), music theory (45), musical instruments (49)
In the Classroom
Virtual Musical Instruments opens up the world of music into many other subjects. In music class, discover the different instruments, sounds, and rhythms the virtual instruments can produce. Allow your students to make their own compositions. Challenge them to determine a way to give the directions for their composition to another person so that they can repeat the original piece. In language arts class, discuss mood in literature. Determine the instruments used, the rhythms, and sounds needed to make that effect. During Readers' Theater, add a musical score for more excitement and engagement with further analysis of the text. Have students create a musical composition that tells a story. Now, play that musical story for the class, and turn it into a writing prompt. Use musical sounds and beats to illustrate the concepts of literature and the use of plot. Determine a melody for each character. Write to explain why each character has that musical composition. Math class brings the study of fractions with types of notes: whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth notes. Let students create a musical sentence that represents them and write to explain why. Use whatever recording option is most practical in your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Tinkercad - Circuits - Autodesk
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): circuits (21), computational thinking (41), creativity (90), electricity (62), engineering (126), makerspace (43)
In the Classroom
This site is a great addition to any classroom lesson or unit on electricity or circuits. Try the activities as a class on your interactive whiteboard or projector, explaining what the symbols mean. Have students complete activities on their own using classroom computers. Take screenshots of the digital schematics students have created. Have students create an online presentation on electricity and circuits using using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge presentation tools. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Visme, Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education , and Clipchamp.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spatulatta: Cooking 4 Kids Online - Spatulatta LLC.
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): cooking (30), makerspace (43), nutrition (137)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource during your unit on nutrition or in your FCS Foods class. Share the link on your teacher web page for access in and out of class. Encourage students to share the recipes at home and offer a class contest for the best healthy snack recipe. The prize: the class will submit the winning choice to the web site! If your PTO/PTA sponsors after school clubs, this site could be the core content for a great one.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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