Spring Break 2015

We are on Spring Break this week. We'll be back next week. 

Aloha!

Over 1000 PageViews...

At about 12:21pm today, we had our 1000th pageview.

Jaymes Dec and the 3rd Graders Mix Origami and Simple Circuits

Jaymes worked with all our 3rd graders (all 66 of them...in two groups of 33) to make origami "bugs" and added simple circuits made of vibrator motors and small button batteries. The kids followed mutli-step directions and created cool creatures.

Making in Education Workshops with Jaymes Dec

During the week of March 16-19, 'Iolani School brought Jaymes Dec, the Fab Lab Integrator at Marymount School in New York City, Learning Experience Designer, and a Stanford FabLearn Fellow, to campus for a series of workshops that were open to all educators. Topics included making paper circuits, programing Ardunio, and using MakeyMakeys & Scratch.

STEMlink Visits the Lower School Lab

STEMlink is a private/public STEM professional learning community here in Hawaii. This spring, they offered two strands ("STEM for ALL" and "Including the T & E in STEM") to public and private school K-12 teachers. Each strand meet for one session a month for a total of 3 months and their time included sharing exemplary programs, networking and working together on a final product.

On Wednesday, March 11th, it was my pleasure to open up our Lab to this group of educators. We had MakeyMakeys and littleBits out to play with. Our 3D printers were running. But the most popular thing was the laser cutter, teachers stepped up to the computer and designed their own name tag.

Following the "play" time, I gave a brief overview of the Lab, our program and some of the things our students have been doing this year. It's always a pleasure to talk with other educators about new ways of thinking about education and sharing with them what we are doing here at 'Iolani.

Presenting at the National Science Teachers Association S.T.E.M. Forum in May

Just got the official word that my proposal to present at the NSTA S.T.E.M. Forum in May has been excepted. This year the Forum is in Minneapolis, MN from May 20-23. I will be presenting, "The First Year of a Lower School S.T.E.M. Lab" on Thursday, May 21 from 4:15-5:15.

I am honored to be representing 'Iolani and the great work they are doing in creating a wonder learning environment for the students here.

Superheros Do Exist....

Another 3D Print from our Second Grade Maker

This second grader has been bit by the 3D printing bug. This is his 2nd design (see the post: A Second Grader goes 3D) and he's taking more risks. Can't wait to see what he makes next.

Special Guests in the Lab This Week.

This week, Ed and Barbara Sobey come to 'Iolani and worked with a number of grade levels. They did a variety of S.T.E.M. activities. They had the students design and create circuits, hovercrafts, catapults, towers, and "jitter critters". 

We welcomed Ed and Barbara into the Lab to work with 2nd grade, Kindergarten and 4th grade. Below are some pictures of the activities they did.

Fourth Grade Jitter Critters

TimeLapes Videos

Made with paper cups, tape, magic markers, a motor, fan, battery, switch, wires and paper clips, the students had to design their "critter". Once turned on, their creation would "jitter" around the paper leaving a trail and making interesting designs.

Kindergarten Towers

Using high tech building material (plastic straws and masking tape) the students were challenged to create a tall tower. They were also asked to name it and decided what goes on in their building. In groups of 2, the children got a pile of straws and were shown how to connect straws by crimping one end and inserting it into another straw. If the children needed tape, they could ask, "Tape please." and one of the adults would give them a piece. The students were encouraged to look at the designs of the other groups so that ideas could be shared.

Second Grade Circuits

The 2nd grade was given batteries, wires, & an LED, and were asked to make the LED light up. Next they were given a motor and were asked to make the motor run. They they were challenged to put a switch into the circuit. After that, they were given another motor and asked to attach it to the first motor and make the first motor turn the second one. Finally, they were to check the final creation by attaching the LED to the second motor (now a generator) to see if it was making electricity.

6th Grade Medieval Faire-Stuff they Made

Today was our 6th grade Medieval Faire. It's a great event every year...and this year was no exception. The one difference this year was that the students had the chance to make things in our Lab. The laser cutter got the most work, cutting out over 75 different projects. The 3D printers also got some work as a few risk-taking 6th graders designed items on their iPads. We had signs, weapons, shields, surgical instruments, a blacksmith bellows, alchemists boxes, and games created by the students. Here are some of the final projects as they appeared at this years Medieval Faire:

Surgery Tools

Games

Blacksmiths

Catapult 

Alchemist's Box 

The Kings Sword

Knights shields

Signs, signs, every are signs.