Monday was an exciting day at Echo Lake Elementary. Mrs. Vick, the librarian, invited several ITRTs to come help assist her with her first MakerSpace Day. Mrs. Vick has spent many hours prepping for her 4th graders to participate in these stations. Students are invited to the library at certain times each day to create, invent, and learn. Now that the students have been introduced to these activities they are ready to spend time really becoming Makers!
On Monday several ITRTs set up stations, every 4th grader at Echo Lake rotated through the library and spent time investigating six technology MakerSpace stations that Mrs. Vick will offer in her library.
Ms. Aquilina spent some time showing the students how to use the littleBits. littleBits are Color-coded electronic bits that snap together with magnets. Students can invent and create with these bits. Most sets come with a design challenge book that allows the students to follow step by step instructions to create small inventions like a hand massager, intruder alert and even a door bell.
Mrs. Taylor and Mr. Caratachea introduced the students to the app Stop Motion. Student got to experience what it is like to be an animator. This app allows you to take lots of pictures and play them on a loop as if they were actually moving in real time.
Mrs. Green and Ms. Franklin both spent time showing the students how to create using the program Scratch. Mrs. Green used the library laptops and Ms. Franklin used Scratch Jr iPad app on the library iPads. With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations – and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively – essential skills for life in the 21st century.
Mrs. Browne’s station was a huge hit with the 4th graders. She introduced the kids to the Osmos. An Osmo is a device that attaches to your iPad, with the help of several apps students are able to interact and play word games, number activities, tangram creations and even become a master artist! We can already tell that this activity is going to be a big hit in MakerSpace Stations.
Mrs. Robinson set up the Makey Makeys are her station. A Makey Makey is an invention kit for the 21st century. It turns everyday objects into touchpads and combines them with the internet. Makey Makey’s pair well with the program Scratch. Students were able to practice with these invention kits while practicing with Pac Man and even playing a playdough piano.
We are excited for Mrs. Vick to kick off her MakerSpace Stations this year and can’t wait to see all the exciting inventions and creations these awesome 4th graders will come up with.
