2015 Collaboratory Makerspace Resources

A one-stop shop for makerspace activites & supply lists

Collaboratory Makerspace Facilitators: Jessica Gilcreast, Caitlin Ahearn, Pamela Harland, & Kristin Whitworth

Welcome to NHSLMA's Makerspace Resources!

This page was developed for the Collaboratory Makerspace featured at the

2015 Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference.

Collaboratory Makerspace
Schedule
 
Session Activities All Day ActivitiesBeyond NHCMTC 2015

Session Activities
Here you'll find all of the resources that NHSLMA has culled during the fall of 2015 for the Collaboratory Makerspace.  For each activity, you'll find a link to the original activity we used, alternative activities and, if applicable, an unusual supply list. For example, the nose hook propellers for the Zipline Racers took us a few days to track down.

Zipline Racers

Original Activity

Propeller-Powered Zipline Racers (Instructables)

Alternative Activities

Zip Line (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

The Brown Bag STEM Challenge: Zip Lines (Starfish Education)

Propeller Car (Instructables)

Unusual Supplies

Nose hook propellers: These were difficult to find.  Caitlin purchased her set through Kelvin, while Kristin was able to find them through Pitsco.

Mystery Bag

Inspiration: Three pom poms, cups, egg cartons, cardboard, pip cleaners, cotton balls, & more will begin to accumulate in your makerspace!  Wonder what to do with all of your leftover supplies?  MAKE A MYSTERY BAG CHALLENGE!

Challenges: Ice breakers, bridges, towers, balloon cars & rafts, catapults

Other Ideas

Tensile Bubbles (Babble Dabble Do)

A Week of STEM Activities (Newspaper Tower, Army Men Launchers, Popsicle Bridges, Baby Life Vests, Boats) (The Arden Teacher)

Tiny Dancers

Original Activity

Tiny Dancers (Babble Dabble Do)

Alternative Activities

Basic Homopolar Motor (Instructables)

Make Your Own Homopolar Motor (Physics Central)

Unusual Supplies

Neodynamic Magnets: Because of the size of the batteries, these magnets were suggested from the Babble Dabble Do website directions.  However, we were not able to purchase them through Amazon; we found them through Kelvin.  These come in packs of 2, so be careful not to double order!

Pliers & Wire Cutters: These are infinitely more helpful to have on hand when doing this activity.  The more pairs of pliers, the more successful your students will be.

All Day Activities

These activities extended making throughout the day.  These types of on-going activities are perfect for our makers who have just a few minutes to spare as they are heading to class, waiting to borrow a book, or stop into our makerspaces when they have free time for "making on the fringes."

Button Maker

Our Model

We purchased this model: The Crowd Pleaser

  • 2 1/4" button maker
  • Comes with 50 pin-back buttons
  • Free shipping

Alternative Ideas

No Machine Required Buttons

Friendly Plastic

Mosaic

Original Activity

Tile Mosaic

Alternative Activities

Mini Mosaics (PBS)

Beyond NHCMTC 2015

Below are supply lists, budgeting tips, and other resources that go beyond the activities you saw at NHCMTC 2015.

Supplies Every Makerspace Should Have

Consumables

  • Engineering Design Sheets
  • Craft sticks
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Rubber bands
  • String
  • Cups: Different shapes, sizes, materials
  • Plastic silverware
  • Tissue paper, Cardstock, Construction paper, Cardboard
  • Straws: Different shapes, colors, sizes
  • Egg cartons
  • Masking tape
  • Paper clips
  • Staples
  • Recycled Containers: Produce pint containers, yogurt cups, milk jugs & cartons, coffee cartons, & more!

Non-Consumables

  • Stapler
  • Glue guns (middle school & high school)
  • Scissors
  • Bins for materials storage
  • Plastic eggs for test runs (if utilizing eggs for challenges)
  • Army figures, stuffed animals, and other "things" to be "saved"
  • Pliers
  • Wire cutters

No budget?

No problem!  Here are ways that you can get supplies for practically pennies on the dollar:

1. Recyclables!

  • Set up bins in your makerspace for each type of resource you collect (Cardboard, bottle caps, egg cartons, etc.)
  • Reward students for helping the cause (bookmarks, extra makerspace time)
  • Ask fellow teachers, custodians, and other building personnel to save their recyclables
  • Reach out to local businesses (grocery stores, hardware stores, restaurants) for items you may need
    • For example, call the local produce department for banana boxes.
2. Find a lesson you like & customize it to what you already have

3. Set a budget for your students for each activity to eliminate wasteful use of materials

NHSLMA & Social Media

Follow NHSLMA & other NH school librarians to keep the conversation going after NHCMTC15!

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