Bringing Hands-On Learning to MS Science.pdf

@DianaLRendina * RenovatedLearning.com
BRINGING HANDS-ON LEARNING
With MAKERSPACE Collabora
ti
ons
TO MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE
Diana Rendina, MLIS
Teacher Librarian, Speaker, Writer
RenovatedLearning.com

DIANA RENDINA, MLIS
• Teacher Librarian at Tampa
Preparatory School, 6-12
independent, since 2017
• Media Specialist at Stewart
Middle Magnet School in
Tampa, FL from 2010-2017
• Blogger @ RenovatedLearning
• 2016 ISTE Outstanding Young
Educator
Portrait by Ally Twarog

HOW I GOT STARTED From Dark Cave to the Stewart Makerspace

About Stewart
• Public STEM Magnet Middle School
• Hillsborough County Public Schools (8th largest
district in USA)
• Grades 6-8
• Urban location near downtown Tampa
• Title 1 - 75% of students on free or reduced
lunch

The birth of our Makerspace

The corner before…

Transforma
ti
on

The Stewart Makerspace

ABOUT TAMPA PREP
• Independent 6-12 co-ed college prep school
founded in downtown Tampa in 1974
• 700 students
• 1:1 iPad, Active Learning Environments
• Current building was constructed in 2002
• Makerspace started in 2017

TAMPA
PREPARATORY
MAKERSPACE
A brief history

TAMPA PREP IDEALAB

INNOVATE
DESIGN
EXPLORE
APPLY

Programming, creation and experience
VIRTUAL REALITY

Programming, creation and experiences in VR
VR CLUBS

Hands-on creativity and design
MAKERSPACE

Afterschool, drop-in, open to everyone
MAKER MONDAYS

Design challenge themes each week after school
MAKER DAYS

DESIGN
CHALLENGES
FOR MAKER
COLLABS

BEST PRACTICES FOR CHALLENGES
• Don’t make it a compe
ti
ti
on
• Provide a focus, but not too
many limita
ti
ons
• Leave room for crea
ti
vity
• Build in a sharing component

CREATING A DESIGN PROMPT
• What is the goal?
• Who do students work with?
• What are the materials?
• How much
ti
me do they have?
• How will they share it?
• Other crea
ti
ve constraints?

QUICK
CONNECTIONS
WITH CLASSES

MARITIME SCIENCE
Coral reef lesson

DESIGN PROMPT
Build a model of a coral reef using
K’nex or LEGOs. You must cite at
least one piece of evidence from
the text. Work alone or in groups.
You have 15 minutes, then we’ll
present our projects to the class.

PLTW The Engineering Design Process

PLTW The Engineering Design Process
Iden
ti
fy the PROBLEM
BRAINSTORM a solu
ti
on
DESIGN & BUILD a prototype
TEST & EVALUATE
REDESIGN based on tests
SHARE your solu
ti
on
REFLECT on process

DESIGN PROMPT The Engineering Design Process
Build a device that can hold a
phone to take a picture.
Document your work on your
worksheet. Work in table groups.
You have 15 minutes, then we’ll
pitch our projects to the class.

PLTW Engineering Design Process

REIMAGINING
6TH GRADE SCIENCE
with Makerspace Connec
ti
ons

GETTING STARTED
From a quick chat a
ft
er school,
to a grant applica
ti
on,
to a collabora
ti
on

CREATE A SAFETY DEVICE
Lab safety connec
ti
on

Safety googles, gloves, lab organizers, Science Bot
LAB SAFETY

AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE Give students real
feedback

STUDENT DESIGN PITCHES
Terp Tank + Authen
ti
c Feedback

EARTHQUAKES Build a structure

EARTHQUAKES Learning how different materials work
Cardboard
LEGOs K’nex
Strawbees

EARTHQUAKES Testing out on the shake table!

EARTHQUAKES

WEATHER DEVICES Data collection devices

MAKING IN THE LIBRARY

IDEALAB RESOURCES

LEARNING TINKERCAD

METRIC SYSTEM

DESIGN PROCESS

3D PRINTING Seeing printers as a resource

WEATHER DEVICES Rain gauges, thermometers, etc

REFLECTIONS - PRESENTATION

PRESENTATIONS + FEEDBACK

WEATHER DEVICES

THE LOGISTICS
• Each project lasted four days:
• Day One: Introduce Design challenge and brainstorm
ideas with group - teacher created guidelines
• Days Two-Three: Build your prototype
• Day Four: Present prototype and ideas to class and
guests

ASSESSMENT
• Students were not graded on projects themselves
• A
ft
er each design session wrapped up, students
fi
lled
out a GoForma
ti
ve re
fl
ec
ti
ng on what they learned and
how it connects with the curriculum
• Mo
ti
va
ti
on came from engagement rather than from
working towards a grade

MAKERSPACE
BEST PRACTICES
TO SUPPORT
COLLABS

SETTING NORMS & PROCEDURES Safety

SETTING NORMS & PROCEDURES Clean Up

LABEL ALL THE THINGS!!! Labels are your friends

RECYCLED SUPPLIES! Save these up and ask
for donations
• Toilet paper tubes
• Egg cartons
• Yogurt cups
• Styrofoam trays
• Plastic bottle caps
• CARDBOARD!
• Old library label stickers
• Old due date cards
• Bubble wrap
• Packing materials
• Spiral spine from old
notebooks
• Random stuff hiding in
your storage room
BONUS
• Yarn, markers, paint

COLOR CODE When you have lots of the same
type of supply

There is no such thing as a
ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL
MAKERSPACE

Resources: h

Bringing Hands-On Learning to MS Science.pdf

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