10 Great Makerspace Projects Using Social Studies

Technology and tools once available only in factories can now be found in classroom makerspaces. Maker culture uses 3D printers, laser cutters, and other manufacturing tools to provide invaluable learning experiences. Combining technology with more abstract ideas such as social justice, history, and civics can lead students to become more involved with the local community as well the global one. This interesting guide provides step-by-step instructions to help both educators and students experience social studies projects like never before. Learn how to implement STEM principles to make social studies hands-on and fun at the same time.

Technology and tools once available only in factories can now be found in classroom makerspaces. Maker culture uses 3D printers, laser cutters, and other manufacturing tools to provide invaluable learning experiences. Combining technology with more abstract ideas such as social justice, history, and civics can lead students to become more involved with the local community as well the global one. This interesting guide provides step-by-step instructions to help both educators and students experience social studies projects like never before. Learn how to implement STEM principles to make social studies hands-on and fun at the same time.

A must-read for elementary school librarians interested in starting a makerspace at their school, but who are concerned about the cost and are looking for curriculum links for getting started. Makerspaces are a powerful way to expand a school library's influence as an educational partner in the school community. However, many elementary school librarians and educators are hesitant to consider adding a makerspace to their programming due to concerns about costs. This book focuses on effective ways to start a makerspace in your school on a shoestring budget while simultaneously supporting curriculum standards and inviting the collaboration of other members of your school community. Today's school librarians have many responsibilities and often face a shrinking budget. The Elementary School Library Makerspace: A Start-Up Guide is a one-stop shop for learning the specific steps to successfully starting an elementary school library makerspace, without getting behind on managing your current school library tasks and responsibilities or blowing your budget. You'll learn how and where the makerspace movement started, and why; understand why today's young students crave hands-on experiences; and receive dozens of makerspace examples for each grade level by content area, including ones for language arts, math, science, engineering, arts, social studies, and technology. The book also covers how and why to track particular numbers regarding program performance, explains how to use creativity to start your makerspace with minimal dollars, and outlines how to make your PR efforts in letting others know about your school library makerspace effective in engaging many possible audiences.

You've created a STEAM program in your library, but how do you work literacy into the curriculum? With this collection of resource recommendations, direction for program development, and activities, you'll have students reading proficiently in no time. Many schools and libraries are implementing STEAM programs in the school library makerspace to promote problem solving by allowing students to create their own solutions to a problem through trial and error. In order to enhance literacy development in the STEAM program, however, they need resources for integrating literature into the curriculum. In this collection of resources for doing just that, veteran education professionals and practiced coauthors Liz Knowles and Martha Smith bring readers over eight hundred recommended and annotated books and web resources, selected based on research on successfully integrating STEAM and literacy programs and organized by the five STEAM areas. Titles are complemented by discussion questions and problem-solving activities that will aid educators in both adding and using the best literature to their STEAM programs for encouraging learning. In addition to promoting literacy, these resources will help to develop creativity, lateral thinking skills, and confidence in students.

Digital tools and applications are an intricate part of many classroom communities. In the field of education, there is a need to continually monitor the digital landscape and keep up to date on the tools and applications that are available to classroom teachers and K-12 students. Understanding the ever-changing digital landscape and its impact on teaching and learning is critical to using digital tools and applications effectively and in ways that enhance students’ opportunities to learn. Next Generation Digital Tools and Applications for Teaching and Learning Enhancement is a critical scholarly publication that explores digital tools and applications for the PreK-12 classroom and how digital technology can enhance the preparation of teachers. Featuring a wide range of topics including education equity, social media, and teacher education, this book is essential for educators, academicians, curriculum designers, educational software developers, IT specialists, library specialists, researchers, and practitioners.

Education has changed dramatically in recent years as educational technologies evolve and develop at a rapid pace. Teachers and institutions must constantly update their practices and curricula to match this changing landscape to ensure students receive the best education possible. 3D printing has emerged as a new technology that has the potential to enhance student learning and development. Moreover, the availability of makerspaces within schools and libraries allows students to utilize technologies that drive creativity. Further study on the strategies and challenges of implementation is needed for educators to appropriately adopt these learning practices. The Research Anthology on Makerspaces and 3D Printing in Education considers the benefits these technologies provide in relation to education as well as the various ways they can be utilized in the classroom for student learning. The book also provides a review of the difficulties educators face when implementing these technologies into their curricula and ensuring student success. Covering topics such as educational technologies, creativity, and online learning, this major reference work is ideal for administrators, principals, researchers, scholars, practitioners, academicians, instructors, and students.

Learn how to manage and integrate the technology of 3D printers in the classroom, library, and lab. With this book, the authors give practical, lessons-learned advice about the nuts and bolts of what happens when you mix 3D printers, teachers, students, and the general public in environments ranging from K-12 and university classrooms to libraries, museums, and after-school community programs. Take your existing programs to the next level with Mastering 3D Printing in the Classroom, Library, and Lab. Organized in a way that is readable and easy to understand, this book is your guide to the many technology options available now in both software and hardware, as well as a compendium of practical use cases and a discussion of how to create experiences that will align with curriculum standards. You'll examine the whole range of working with a 3D printer, from purchase decision to curriculum design. Finally this book points you forward to the digital-fabrication future current students will face, discussing how key skills can be taught as cost-effectively as possible. What You’ll LearnDiscover what is really involved with using a 3D printer in a classroom, library, lab, or public space Review use cases of 3D printers designed to enhance student learning and to make practical parts, from elementary school through university research lab Look at career-planning directions in the emerging digital fabrication arena Work with updated tools, hardware, and software for 3D printingWho This Book Is For Educators of all levels, both formal (classroom) and informal (after-school programs, libraries, museums).

Social-Emotional Learning Using Makerspaces and Passion Projects is chock-full of meaningful projects that educators can use to teach social-emotional skills in grades 3-6. The projects show students how to create a digital calming room, prototype an inclusive playground, and make recycled cards with paper circuits to spread kindness. They also teach young makers how to focus on self-regulation and self-care, engage in community outreach by helping struggling families, and tell their own stories using podcasting and green screening. In addition, the book provides teachers with helpful strategies for scaffolding passion projects, funding a makerspace, and tips for building community and celebrating diversity. With the engaging ideas in this book, educators will be able to help their students build direct connections to social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision-making, self-management, and self-awareness (CASEL's SEL Framework).