Engineer-Mom Volunteer, Amy Vandiver, Shares Friction, Speed, and Gravity Concepts
After fourteen successful MakerSpace Friday events I can safely say that MTCES loves MakerSpace! Getting started was a little scary and overwhelming, but with the help of parents and community volunteers, we have reached over 350 students with STEM opportunities that engage the learner and challenge the mentors and students! The challenge has come from learning new technology tools to share and in scheduling volunteers and students. Here at Mt. Carmel we are also fortunate to have STEM projects developed for Mt. Carmel Elementary by University of Alabama in Huntsville, Engineering Design students (sponsored by Women in Defense) like this Marble Roller Coaster, that we include in our MakerSpace Friday offerings.
As part of our Community Mentor outreach, UAH Engineering Design Student, Danielle Lewis Volunteers to help with MakerSpace Friday
Teachers have learned to love the MakerSpace Friday opportunites and use the SignUpGenius posted for Teacher & Students I create based on Community Volunteers that have signed up on their own SignUpGenius link. It is very exciting to see our program grow as more volunteers come forward. UAH students have been amazing to help alongside our parent volunteers. Each volunteer works with 2 students or more, depending on the activities being offered that particular day.
Cory Copeland, UAH Mechanical Engineer, has worked with our program from the first day to help us tinker with our new technology and get us all up and running for MakerSpace Friday.
The library used Scholastic Book Fair funds to purchase 3 very important tools to begin our MakerSpace: OSMO, Sphero, and green screen equipment (iPad mount, tripod, and lens). Using the free Touchcase app for creating green screen videos, we have been slowly finding the many functions available in this app and helping our students to find their presentation voices.
UAH Students, Taixing Bi, Electrical Engineer, and Cory Copeland, Mechanical Engineer,
helping 2nd grader create puppet show utilizing green screen technology
One of the most popular stations offered at MakerSpace Friday is Sphero. This little robot ball, affectionately known as Roger, has been used/played with to teach place value, direction, speed and velocity relationship and coding. We look forward to learning more with Sphero as we get to know his capabilities. Meanwhile, the students think he is fabulous!
Character Day and MakerSpace makes for crazy pictures!
Dixie Smith, UAH Engineering student learns from classmate,
Cory Copeland on how to program Sphero
