Makerspace...Phase I

We are taking baby steps with our makerspaces.  Since the last blog entry, "It's all about the Makerspaces," we have re-purposed one area to make a project center in hopes that students who have products which require art supplies will utilize this resource.  It seems like such a small thing, but I feel good about this change and also with the direction in which we are going.

Here is what we did for phase 1...

Instead of using the magazine shelves to store our supplies, as we mentioned in the last blog entry, 

we took out that set of shelves entirely.  That really seemed to open up the space.

After having maintenance move our magazine shelves to the back storage, we had to move the juvenile section because that is the space we decided to use for our art supplies.  

So we shifted the juvenile section to a set of shelves that were actually empty in the back of our library.  Now our makerspace for school-related projects looks like this...

We are planning to add more supplies as needed, but you have to start somewhere.  Having said that, here is our list of starter supplies...

Construction paper

Manila paper

Markers

Crayons

Pencils

Glue

Glue sticks

Staplers

Post it notes

Things we can add right away are notebook paper (which the students still ask for), rulers, and white copy paper.  After that, we will just see what the students request.

In order to keep the area in good shape for all to use, we did post our norms in a couple of different places around the area.

Of course we also made a sign to signify the purpose of the area and to advertise...

We debated on whether we should start making morning announcements to advertise but decided that the space really couldn't accommodate a large number of students just yet.  So we are advertising by word-of-mouth.  We haven't had too many takers yet, but our second semester has just started.  Give it time!

Now we focus on phase 2 of our makerspaces...the student production room.  We have pulled out the desktop computers since we have closed off that area completely.  As mentioned in the previous makerspace blog, this is the area we want to outfit with a few comfy chairs, our ipads, and the video production area.  In addition, we just received permission to paint one of the walls in that room with chalkboard paint so the students have a creation/brainstorming area.  We contemplated dry erase paint, but we decided chalk was cheaper and wouldn't "walk  away" from the area the way dry erase markers would.

Our progress with phase 2 has just come to a screeching halt due to the Junior English research.  Not that we mind because we all enjoy co-teaching the research classes and helping the students.  In addition to the research, we also have TCEA next week.  So phase 2 will have to simmer on the back burner for awhile.  Can't wait to see how the giant chalkboard turns out!

Thanks for stopping by!