Eclectic Technology

Check out nine maker projects that you can do in your classroom. The projects are divided into three sections:

* Smaller Scale Maker Education Projects which includes

     - Towers of Power

     - Catapults

* Design Challenges

     - Bridge to Nowhere

     - Float the Boat

     - Egg Drop

     - Instruments

* Play with Light

      - Electromagnets

     - Squishy Circuits

     - MakeyMakey Controller Boards

Each of the projects includes a list of materials and tools needed as well as a brief explanation. Look over the ideas and consider having an evening where families could come in and experience hands-on science by completing a project (or two).

Jackie Gerstein discusses how we can bring maker education activities into our schools beginning with a look at three current trends:

* The Play Deficit - for many children time to play is minimal as they lead very scheduled lives

* "Lack of creativity and play in children's lives and toys"

* The Maker Movement as in Maker Education

The first two trends are also apparent in our education system. In many schools playtime has decreased with the rollout of Common Core curriculum. Students in pre-school and Kindergarten have specific benchmarks that they need to hit to move on, and it often comes with a decrease in play time.

And many toys we find on the market today do not promote creativity. We often think of Legos as a toy to promote creativity. Gerstein shares her thoughts on this, noting buckets that contain freeform Legos that promote free play are often in the back of the store while the packages of Legos that come with directions on how to build a Star Wars character or a Harry Potter character are in the front.

At the end of this section Gerstein concludes that the literature shows that (quoting from the post):

• Making, creating, innovating, experimenting is needed now more than ever in this rapidly evolving world and our children are severely lacking in these skills
• If these skills are to be integrated into formal and informal learning settings, some direct instruction and scaffolding will need to occur.

The final section of the piece explores how the Maker Movement may impact the two issues noted above and provides a look at six areas that we as educators need to consider if we are going to become a part of the Maker Education.