Winter Camps

Happy Thanksgiving Week everyone!  Winter Camp registration will open on Thanksgiving day at www.InitiateLearning.net Be sure to sign up early because spots will go fast!  Check out the amazing line up:

September Robotics

We are having a blast in our Robotics classes at the Options School.  My younger classes are learning about simple machines and why they are important in order to build robots and my MakerSpace class is exploring the Engineering Design Cycle with POCKET ROCKETS.  What could be more fun than watching something explode in school?  Be sure to check out the short video below!

Summer MakerSpace Wrap Up

Summer MakerSpace camp was illuminating! I loved having the opportunity to teach our makers about circuits and how to add light to their creations.  Day 2 of summer MakerSpace camp started with the challenge to add light to a creation and these kids did not disappoint. Everyone had a different idea of a project that they wanted to make and we all got right to work.

 Some of the ideas were super challenging and after spending some time trying to create a lantern together a small group of children and I decided to shelve the idea and work on something else for a bit.  The project even stumped me.  In MakerSpace we accept that things won't always work and it's a safe place to craft and explore something new.  I was really impressed when wiring started happening that mimicked our paper circuits and resembled the simple circuits we were making during spring break.

 Overall, Makerspace was a smashing success.  Within the two day camp we saw collaboration, exploration, creative thinking, and authentic problem solving.  We saw students become masters and share their knowledge with others.  We saw students engaging in creative projects and stretching beyond their comfort zones.  In Makerspace we value creativity and love the creations.  Very well done!

Summer MakerSpace - Paper Circuits

These kids did some amazing work with paper circuits today.  Each child created their own paper circuits book to demonstrate a simple circuit, a parallel circuit, and a switch.  We used copper tape and LED stickers.  We'd make the circuit on a blank page and then turn back a page and draw a design that incorporated the light that was shining through the paper.

 We talked about how a simple circuit can only power one light and how a parallel circuit can have as many lights as there is space.  We talked about the positive and negative sides of a battery and how they have to match up to the correct end on the sticker lights.

 Then we dove into crafting and creating.  With all the supplies available students worked on helicopters, message delivery systems, pencil holders, cards, and art.  They all did a fantastic job!

Makerspace - Spring Break 2018 Camp - Day 2

I LOVE day 2 of Makerspace camp!  We have just enough information under our belts to start REALLY exploring and challenging our maker selves.  We dove right in to partially completed projects and brand new projects all over the room.  The kids were AMAZING at helping each other by teaching what they knew and troubleshooting together.  By the end of the day we even had two "shops" complete with signs that invited other kids to come to them for help.

 Today there were many items using simple DC motors and many more air powered items.  I was really impressed with the creativity of building a "drill" and took the opportunity to teach about switches in order to conveniently turn on and off a machine.  Up to this point we've only used alligator clips and simply disconnected our wiring manually to turn things off.  Makerspace is absolutely amazing for this type of real life, applicable to the moment teaching.  A number of kids gathered around naturally while I started explaining how the switch works and how we wire it into our circuit.  Just a short while later switches were showing up in many creations.

 In Makerspace we fail.  A lot. Wires break off their soldier spots, balloons pop, gears don't line up well enough to work together under power, and yet we keep trying.  Sometimes an idea is abandoned and left to the trash can or to be scavenged for parts later.  Sometimes it just takes talking to the right person to brainstorm a new way to approach the problem.

 We now have an army of crafters.  Today I also brought out the colored masking tape - a crafter's paradise.

 The megaphone announcements may have been a bit much for my ears but all the creators followed my instructions to set them away until parents came - sorry parents, hopefully not many of them made it home...

 Overall, Makerspace was a smashing success.  Within the two day camp we saw collaboration, exploration, creative thinking, and authentic problem solving.  We saw students become masters and share their knowledge with others.  We saw students engaging in creative projects and stretching beyond their comfort zones.  In Makerspace we value creativity.  Want to join us for the summer session?  Though titled the same thing each session is completely different.  This summer we'll be adding LED lights to our circuits using both paper circuits on origami and wired circuits for the ever popular cardboard creations.  Join us!