During the past year, EMMA has visited schools around Vermont to fuel the conversation about maker-centered learning.
As we reflected on each of EMMA’s visits, we continually noticed that maker centered learning provided evidence of students applying cross-disciplinary transferable skills.
Making and PBL may look like two completely different educational movements, but in reality they work well together and each strengthens the other.
That’s because they share a common fundamental underpinning: they honor students’ innate curiosity about the world.
Continue reading 4 ideas for using a makerspace to support PBL
The story of MakerSpace at Crossett Brook Middle School begins with two bunnies. The bunnies lived outside the library in a hutch built by our Sustainability students who loved the bunnies. Winter was coming… the bunnies needed to move inside. The sad turn in this story is that the bunnies were not able to stay. Being in cages in the library with many daily visitors caused them stress. So, once I found a happy home for them and they moved out… poof!
A space was now available…an empty table…no books on it…no piles…what was possible?
Students at one of our partner schools, Manchester Elementary/Middle School have recently embarked on building a 3-D printer. Yep, you read that right: a 3-dimensional printer. The parts are laser cut out of wood and teach the kids about programming and design. First item off the press? A sloth coin.
Instructor Seth Bonnett explains:
