Creating a Creativity Smorgasbord: Classroom Makerspaces

Why Have a Makerspace?

When we have a hankering for something to eat, we want not just cheesy potato skins, but a chicken wing and a deep fried something, to go with it- a sampler plate, pu pu platter, a tasting board. Or we want something simpler like a cracker and cheese plate with fruit. Our taste buds are not always satiated with something salty or savory. We need a smorgasbord of options, that is why restaurants offer menus, some more extensive than others, but always a variety of scrumptious options.

This is our culinary makerspace, our palette of appetizers, main courses and desserts. It keeps eating exciting, offering an endless array of combinations. It allows our minds to get creative, to try new things, to build and construct a meal from scratch or to enjoy the masterpieces of others. Either way, this cornucopia of umami, bitter, sour, sweet and savory lets us choose what is delicious for us personally. It provides a tool cupboard, a pantry, for us to view and pull our spices and ingredients from. This way we can mix and match, add and blend, until we have masterfully cooked a delicious meal.

Classroom makerspaces need to be simple enough to be accessible and welcoming to every student- to big of a selection can be intimidating. But, too limiting can hinder creativity. A balance of recyclables, reusables and old and new items is what works best for my students. Some makerspaces are designed around crafts. Some are specific to technology and coding. While some are full of paper and art supplies, others are full of Lego and construction supplies. For our classroom makerspace, I have the basics: various styles of paper, crayons, paint and sparkly things, but I also have plastic bobbles, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, old CD’s, yarn, different cloth cut outs, pipe cleaners, playing cards, game pieces from old, game boards etc. Anything and everything.

How to Get Started?

The most important thing in designing and building a usable, extensive, yet welcoming makerspace is asking for donations. At the end of the summer, parents are cleaning out garages and backpacks and getting ready for the new school year. They have an avalanche of supplies bound for the garbage. You just need to spark their interest and they will, instead of dumping them in the trash, will put them in a box and deliver them to your classroom. They must come to open house and get their child’s schedule, locker etc. If they know you are building a cool learning space for their child, they will gather tons of supplies. They will volunteer to get rid of junk from their garage- they want it to find a home. All you need to do is ask. They will also bring in a lot of new supplies, parents are very generous when they know the purpose of why you are asking.

About two weeks before school, when rosters become available, I know they change a bit, but not too much at this point, I go in to our system and set up a mass email. I generally hate mass emails but, in this case, I make an exception. I send one per class. It is a welcome letter and an explanation of my student-centered classroom design. I give them an explanation of how our classroom makerspace is used and how every year it gets enhanced and supplied through donations- not of just new stuff but recyclables and junk. The only things not permitted in our makerspace are glass, sharp objects and non-dried food items. Everything else is welcome and it amazes me the variety of things that make their way to our makerspace.

Getting it Set Up

Generally, I have two long tables down the middle of the classroom, underneath the tables are various crates and containers and on top of the tables- bins of the more day to day materials. I like to combine materials and have students dig through the boxes for ideas. I rarely have everything out at the same time- I shift storage bins depending on the unit. It is like at home when I hide some of my 8-year old’s toys for a bit, then switch toy boxes every month or so, it keeps his interest. My students get excited when the blue creates, are now the red boxes etc. They begin to remember what supplies they are missing and look forward to being able to use them again- play-doh is one of these supplies. Students absolutely love play-doh, so if I do not make it ‘disappear’ they will hone in on that first.

A makerspace can be small and compact- an art supply nook in the corner of your classroom. It can be boxes of recyclables or it can be one long table down the middle of the room. I like the center of the room, accessible from both sides approach. This way they see the supplies daily and it continues to be a focal point in the learning environment. Since my classroom is student-centered, they use it just about every day to make quick demos, design visual representations of body systems and to even design Rube Goldberg machines at the end of the year. They can use it to tinker and design during combinatory play or to get ideas on how they want to teach a concept to the class, it is not a free for all- they use it for my class only- but it is accessible always.

Here is a list to get you started- the basics of any makerspace. But the organic and natural design will fluctuate and change as more supplies arrive. It is awesome when you ask for just about anything- what you will get. The crazier the supply, the more creative students will become. One last thing, you should have volunteers/helpers set up in each class, to help reorganize and keep it clean. Students need to put things back and clean up every day, but if you have helpers, it will never get to unorganized and messy. I am a neat freak and it took me awhile to get comfortable with the messy aspect of a makerspace, but it is important that it feels and appears to be a place used and loved, not a pristine place they are reluctant to utilize.

Please check out several of my earlier posts about makerspace activities we have done in my classroom, here in this blog and in iteacherimother.blogspot.com, for more ideas.

Basic Makerspace Supplies

•      Toothpicks       • Card stock

•      Straws •  Toilet paper rolls

•      Craft sticks      •  Paper towel rolls

•      Pipe cleaners •  Sponges

•      Q-tips   •  CDs

•      Spaghetti   •  Rubber bands

•      Plastic silverware       • Paperclips

•      Paper plates/bowls   •  Scotch tape

•      Small cups       •  Duct tape

•      Coffee filters   •  Masking tape

•      Aluminum foil       •  Cardboard

•      Plastic wrap    •  Beads and sparkles

•      String    •  tissue paper

•      Yarn      •  Play dough

•      Playing cards •  Crayons and markers

•      Index cards     •  Foam balls

•      Scrap paper     •  Lego bricks