Designing'Makerspaces'for'the'Classroom'

What is a makerspace?
To#describe#them#simply,#makerspaces#are#
community5oriented#workshops#with#various#tools.#
They#combine#manufacturing#equipment,#
community,#and#education#to#prototype#and#create#
manufactured#works#that#wouldnt#be#possible#to#
create#with#the#resources#available#to#individuals#
alone.#

#
Key Planning Questions:
What,are,the,goals,of,this,makerspace?,,

Are#you#focused#on#getting#students#to#exercise#their#
creativity?#To#learn#about#electronics#hands5on?#To#
design#and#prototype#their#own#creations?#To#
practice#engineering#skills?#A#makerspace#can#do#all#
of#these#things,#but#some#people#choose#to#focus#
more#on#one#domain#than#another.##
#

What,does,my,school,already,have?,,

The#needs#of#a#1:1#school#or#a#school#where#every#
single#student#has#some#type#of#device#are#going#to#
be#different#than#a#school#that#doesnt#have#
functional#WiFi.##Your#library#might#already#have#an#
iPad#cart#or#the#school#might#have#a#woodshop.#Old,#
unused#supplies#are#usually#lying#around.#These#need#
to#be#considered#as#you#put#together#your#
makerspace#proposal.##

,
How,much,physical,space,do,I,have?,,

While#it#would#be#ideal#to#have#a#dedicated#room#for#
your#makerspace,#most#schools#dont#have#this#much#
space.#Consider#how#much#room#you#have#for#
supplies#and#where#youll#store#them#when#not#in#
use.#Many#schools#are#putting#together#makerspace#
carts#that#can#be#put#away#when#not#in#use.#,

,
,
How,will,it,be,used?,,

Will#it#be#a#mobile#makerspace#that#travels?#Will#
classes#come#specifically#to#use#it?#Is#it#geared#
towards#students#who#have#a#little#free#time?#Or#will#
there#be#a#maker#club?#All#of#these#will#need#to#be#
considered#when#figuring#out#what#you#will#get.#If#its#
a#drop5in#when#you#have#free#time#makerspace,#
Legos#would#be#easier#to#use#than#Arduino.#If#there#
will#be#a#specific,#regular#group,#more#in5depth#
projects#can#work#better.##
#

How,do,I,get,supplies?,,

There#are#so#many#different#ways#to#outfit#your#
makerspace!#Youre#likely#to#have#more#success#at#
trying#to#get#a#few#things#at#a#time#than#seeking#a#
large#grant.#Focus#on#smaller#grants,#DonorChoose#
projects,#book#fair#profits,#etc.#Also,#see#what#you#can#
get#donated!#Many#stores#are#willing#to#donate#
broken#electronics#for#a#tech5take5apart#station.#
Parents#likely#have#things#sitting#around#the#house#
theyd#be#happy#to#give#the#school."

"
"

Maker/Tinker Websites of Interest:

Afterschool#Alliance,#http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/#
Creator's#Studio,#http://www.creatorsstudio.org/#
Curiosity#Machine,#https://www.curiositymachine.org/#
DIY,#https://diy.org/#
Exploratory,#http://www.theexploratory.com/#
Hack#N#Mod,#http://hacknmod.com/#
High5Low#Tech,#http://highlowtech.org/#
Howtoons,#http://www.howtoons.com/#
Instructables,#http://www.instructables.com/#
Learning#Creative#Learning,#http://learn.media.mit.edu/lcl/#
Let's#Make#Robots,#http://letsmakerobots.com/#
Life#Hacker,#http://lifehacker.com/#
#

,
,
Seek,Grants,

Tips for Funding a Makerspace:

Apply,for,company,sponsorships,

#PG&E#Bright#Ideas:#This#is#a#great#opportunity#for#getting#
alternative#energy#related#materials.#For#example,#Pacific#
Gas#&#Electric#(PG&E)#funded#a#truck#conversion#and#solar#
powered#scooter#last#year#at#Oakland's#Lighthouse#
Charter#School.#At#another#school,#a#teacher#funded#an#
alternative#energy#fair#where#students#built#their#own#wind#
turbines,#biofuel#generators,#etc.#with#this#award.#

Botball#Robotics#sponsorships:#Some#teachers#seek#team#
funding#from#sources#like#Botball,#which#offers#a#
scholarship.#

ING#Unsung#Heroes:#Each#year,#100#educators#are#selected#
to#receive#$2,000#to#help#fund#their#innovative#class#
projects.#Three#of#those#are#chosen#to#receive#the#top#
awards#of#an#additional#$5,000,#$10,000#and#$25,000.#

#
Make#Magazine,#http://makezine.com/#
Make#Summer,#http://www.makesummer.org/#
Maker#Education#Initiative,#http://makered.org/#
Maker#Guilds,#http://www.makerguild.org/#
Makers#Share#Daily,#http://paper.li/MakersShare/1400252253#
Makerspace#Community,#http://makerspace.com/#
Makerspace#Meetups,#http://makerspaces.meetup.com/#
NY#Hall#of#Science#Makerspace,#http://makerspace.nysci.org/#
Playmaker#School,#http://www.playmaker.org/#
Popupology,#http://popupology.co.uk/#
Soft#Circuit#Saturdays,#http://softcircuitsaturdays.com/#
Sylvia's#Super#Awesome#Maker#Show,#http://sylviashow.com/#
The#Tinkering#Studio,#http://tinkering.exploratorium.edu/#

Lowes#Toolbox#for#Education:#This#is#another#opportunity#
that#many#teachers#have#used.#Raise#$5,000#in#minutes#
from#Lowe's#Charitable#and#Educational#Foundation,#
which#will#help#your#parent5teacher#group#achieve#even#

Schools#can#secure#a#grant#from#their#state's#Department#of#
Education#or#local#funders.#Grant#funding#is#often#an#issue#for#
those#who#don't#have#nonprofit#status,#so#you#may#need#to#
seek#an#organization#to#represent#you,#such#as#Tides#Center.#
Fiscal#sponsorship#is#a#cost5effective#way#to#implement#new#
programs,#bring#together#groups#to#collaborate#on#an#issue,#
and#test#new#approaches#to#social#change.#
#

Fund,Project,Materials,Online,,
Teachers#will#often#use#DonorsChoose.org#for#project#
materials.#DonorsChoose#lets#teachers#share#their#classroom#
needs#with#a#thriving#community#eager#to#help.##

,
Start,a,Campaign,
Indiegogo#is#a#crowdfunding#platform#where#people#who#
want#to#raise#money#can#create#fundraising#campaigns#to#tell#
their#story#and#get#the#word#out.#You#can#design#your#own#
campaign#around#your#new#makerspace.#
#

more#for#your#school.#

Questions? Please contact:

Nicole#Ricciardi#
nrricciardi@dons.usfca.edu#