The Daring Librarian (Makerspace Starter Kit) Blogshare

Blog: Makerspace Starter Kit Makerspace Starter Kit Updated 
Tools: Sphero Mini and Creativity Can

Gwyneth Jones The Daring Librarian has an informational blog to help anyone start a makerspace. She created a blog about three years ago called Makerspace Starter Kit, in this blog she gives information about how to start up a makerspace with three stations 1. Makey Makey Coding Corner 2. Lego Creation Station 3. Duct Tape Craft Cubby. The one take away I felt was important from the blog was to start small. The blog gave great resources on how to acquire what was needed to get started. The best part about this blog is that it has been updated this year. The updated blog by Gwyneth Jones is Makerspace Starter Kit Updated. The updated blog has better insight on what worked, and what failed for her makerspace. She talked about how her makerspace is operated, great information for newbies. She also list her Amazon stater kit, great place to start from, especially with all the tools and information about what you need in a makerspace. (Like a kid in a candy store so many options.) In the blog she covers 11 Easy Peasy Not to Spendy Things to Make a Makerspace
1. Legos
2. Make Makey
3. Robotics with Sphero Mini  (The App-Controlled Robot Ball)"Little Robot. Lotta Fun. Sphero Mini fits a huge experience into a tiny robot the size of a ping pong ball. Aside from driving and addicting game, get the ball rolling just by using your face." The Sphero Edu app empowers anyone to program their Mini. Draw paths, use Scratch blocks, or write your own JavaScript text programs. Use actions, controls, operators, and more to give your bot the orders.
4. Coloring Books & Crayons
5. Device Chargers
6. Bean Bag Chairs
7. Gamifications Tote
8. It's OK to Fail!
9. Funding with Donors Choose
10. Lava Lamps-just for fun! (Optional)
11. Makerspace For Little or Nothing!

I really appreciated how she not only talked about her successes but also her makerspace failures. According to the research I have read this week, Makerspaces are no longer considered a fad but a trend, as it has been around now for over five years. As Dr. Moorefield stated the Laura Fleming definition of Makerspaces as "a unique learning environment that encourages tinkering, play, and open-ended exploration for all" I feel that Jones blog and resources encompasses all the tools needed to start a makerspace. One last tool I had a chance to play with during an Edcamp was the Creativity Can. I did not find any blogs on the Creativity Can, but reading about it and playing with it, I know it could make a great tool in the school library makerspace. The Creativity Can is open ended crafting that develops imagination, problem solving and critical thinking skills. Complete hands-on learning kit which includes air-dry clay, google eyes, feathers, pipe cleaners, felt, pom moms, popsicle sticks, scissors, and more! Ready-to-use containers perfect for a newbie getting started with makerspace.


Other resources for starting a makerspace

Infographic: Create a school makerspace in 3 easy steps
27 Makerspace Materials & Supplies
Top 10 Things You Didn't Know Your Makerspace Needs
School Library Makerspaces: the Bold, the Brave and the Uninitiated
Prepping a Learning Space to Grow into a Makerspace
A Librarian's Guide to Makerspaces: 16 Resources

References

Jones, G. (2015, June 6). Makerspace starter kit. [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/2015/06/makerspace-starter-kit.html

Jones, G. (2018, August 25). Makerspace starter kit updated. [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.thedaringlibrarian.com/2018/08/makerspace-starter-kit-updated.html

Moorefield-Lang, H. (2018, October 29). Makerspaces 761. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBsEHD0XE6E&feature=youtu.be




Comments

  1. theonlyzoeNovember 4, 2018 at 1:09 PM

    Is There A Place For Music In Our Makerspaces? https://vanmeterlibraryvoice.blogspot.com/2018/02/is-there-place-for-music-in-our.html

    I found this interesting blog from my first blog share. I didn't want to share the same blog share so I am putting it in the comments.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kerri PriceNovember 4, 2018 at 3:41 PM

    Zoe- Since I am trying to start my own makerspace at Burns, I found your blog very helpful! I will be referencing the updated makerspace starter kit created by Jones often. I like your advice of starting small and that is very true. My students have been experimenting with Osmo, Cubetto, and DIY sticks. They love the interaction and freedom of it all. Right now, I am trying to figure out how to implement a 3D printer into the rotation! Thanks for your post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jennifer GomezNovember 4, 2018 at 7:15 PM

    Zoan, I agree with you that the most valuable part of the blog is the author sharing her successes AND her failures. We need to know what didn't work so we can avoid it - we may think we know better and imagine that some other way will work, but if she shares her missteps, we can avoid them and maybe even tweak them to work for us. I cannot say enough about the CCSD Tinker Tubs as they allow us to experiment with making makerspaces work without an investment on our part. The involved teachers share their tips, too, as the tubs rotate, so we are all learning so much!

    ReplyDelete

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