CiTi Library Media Center
Maker Spaces in the Library Media Center
Maker Spaces are great for learning and a big reason they are included in libraries today. The Maker Spaces are spots in the Library set aside for students to be creative. The library provides simple materials for students to create from scratch and/or technology kits that students can use. My favorite is to provide some yarn and a crochet hook. Students can crochet their own pattern or work on an afghan together. Scrap booking materials are another great source. The important aspect is to provide students with guidelines and let them create. The basic guidelines of what materials they can create and take home and what materials are reusable by other students. Then there are the guidelines for the project is it free creation or does it revolve around a topic from class.
The great thing about having a Maker Space in the library is that you can have technology available to all classes and not just one class. A 3D printer is an excellent example. Unless your class is all about 3D printing a teacher won't consistently use one all year long, but put it in the library and multiple classes can use it throughout the school year. Another example is the Makey Makey Kits. They are more affordable but will sit in a cabinet when a lesson doesn't require them. Change this to having it in the library and the same class can use it for the lesson but then the kit is available to inspire other teachers for more lessons and to inspire other students to create.
Makey Makey:
What is a Makey Makey Kit? Basically a circuit board that allows a person to create a keyboard with select keys on it and made out of anything conductive. You are building a circuit. The Makey Makey kits are not an all in one device. You will need other items to make it work.- Makey Makey Kit
- A Computer with a USB port
- Clips and wires are included in the kit but having extras will be useful
- Craft materials - some non-conductive and most that are conductive
- Food - no not for you to eat but for you to create with.
- Scratch - https://scratch.mit.edu/
- Knowledge of how to remap the board for expanded options
Once you connect the Makey Makey to the USB port the red light on the back should be lit up. Now let's test that the kit is working. You will need 1 of the alligator clip wires. Clip one to the earth and hold the other end touching the metal. Now with your other hand tough the spot that says space on the Makey board. The green light should be on. It may flicker but that's ok. You just used your body to complete the circuit. You won't get electrocuted as long as the computer and it's power cords are away from any liquids!
Makey Makey website http://makeymakey.com/apps/ offers simple programs that you can use for almost instant creation and to expand what can be created. Think of it in the terms that you are creating a keyboard with the Makey board and it can be any of the keys that you need. You are not limited to the 6 on the front of the Makey Makey Board. The six on the front are 4 Arrow keys, space bar and the left mouse click. Scratch has many pre-made programs that can be run with this kit and create circuits for. You can play the piano, the bongos and lots of other items. Makey Makey works with Scratch - https://scratch.mit.edu/ and adds animations and sounds to your creations.Currently I am building a game similar to Operation. You should remember the old Operation game. https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/3137739/ .
You had a board with holes in it that you had to pull pieces out of without touching the sides. It had an image of a guy on an operating table. When you hit the side his nose lit up and made an awful sound. You can create something similar with a Makey Makey, a few craft type items and the scratch pre-programmed game -Here is an image of the Makey Makey Operation game my class created. Shown are the game board, Makey Makey set up for the game, and the computer that is running the Scratch program. All set and ready to go!
