the lower school tinker lab experience
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THE LOWER SCHOOL TINKER LAB EXPERIENCE. DAVIDSON DAY SCHOOL Bobbi Luster, Technology Specialist Judy Abernethy, Librarian/Media Specialist. Agenda. About Us Background What is technology? Tinker Lab projects What’s next?. Davidson Day School. Located north of Charlotte in Davidson, NC - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
THE LOWER SCHOOL TINKER LAB EXPERIENCE
DAVIDSON DAY SCHOOLBobbi Luster, Technology Specialist
Judy Abernethy, Librarian/Media Specialist
About Us Background What is technology? Tinker Lab projects What’s next?
Agenda
Located north of Charlotte in Davidson, NC
Founded in 1999
2 year old program through12th grade
550+ students
Growing school – plans to open new campus
Davidson Day School
Bobbi Luster◦ 15+ years in analyzing new technologies◦ Master’s degree in Library & Information Science◦ Mother of 1st and 2nd graders at DDS◦ Current: DDS Technology Specialist
Judy Abernethy◦ 40+ years in private, public and faith-based education◦ Poet, writer◦ Daughter of NASA engineers; Mother of 2 doctors◦ Current: DDS Librarian, reading and math specialist
About us…
Share our story
Receive feedback to improve upon our successes
Get the independent school community to think about technology a little bit differently
Share Lower School-specific innovations that incorporates a wider view of technology
Goals - Why are we here?
Background
Turnover in the librarian/school media specialist role
More integration of technology within in the classroom
Tablets and/or laptops now in every lower school classroom
The school updated its mission statement Vision starting to form for Lower School-only
facility Here’s what happened…
Shifts occurred…
We met over the summer and created a program that incorporates library and technology classes together and broadens the typical school view of technology.
The Biblio-Tech / Tinker Lab was born…
A light bulb went off…
Davidson Day School is a diverse independent school that cultivates academic excellence through collaboration, creativity, and character development. We strive for our students to be:◦ Independent thinkers who articulate their ideas with
confidence◦ Students who advocate for themselves and others◦ Engaged students who take intellectual risks◦ Critical thinkers who are enthusiastic problem solvers◦ Lifelong learners who chart their own paths in college and life◦ Respectful ethical citizens who are adept at addressing global
challenges
DDS Mission Statement
Provide students with instruction, tools and hands-on opportunities
Allow them to think of technology not only as something consumed on a device
Technology is also something they can create, invent, or re-invent.
Bringing concepts to life Offer reflection time
Our vision for Lower School Tinker Lab / Biblio Tech…
The traditional “Information Technology” view…
Computers iPads/tablets iPhones TVs Digital cameras
What is technology?
The Tinker Lab view…
Technology is any invention including tools, machines, materials, and sources of power that make people’s work easier.
Source: Discovery Education
What is technology?
YES! But… We have migrated most of the computers
to classrooms along with tablets that previously were dedicated to middle school students.
Goal is to, over time, more fully integrate technology instruction into the classroom so more time can be spent on hands-on broader technology initiatives.
So…first things first…do you still have that cart and the computers?
We strive to break our school year into the following technology categories:◦ Traditional computer-based lessons◦ Hands-on activities that help bridge the gap
between virtual and physical creations. ◦ New media activities
And…we do so with as much integration between library and technology and classroom and technology as possible
But now…
Character building through library/literacy activities:◦ Word of the Day◦ Comedy Corner◦ Author spotlight◦ Author visits◦ Book tie-ins – i.e. Cinderella; supporting Tinker
Lab◦ Care and running of library by students
Library connections…
3rd and 4th Grades:◦ Work with science specialist to incorporate the introduction
of electrical circuits.◦ Goals:
With basic understanding of circuits and access to materials, create a self-produced or team-based output.
In other words, what can you create? How can you collaborate?
◦ In the Tinker Lab, we follow this path: Basic circuits with AA batteries, light bulbs/holders, motors.
What can you make? Migrate to Squishy Circuits. What can you make? Migrate to littleBits. What can you make?
So…give us an example:
Basic Circuits
Squishy Circuits
littleBits
Through the process, we talk about product design, encouraging students to not only sketch their inventions, but also make sure they write down all of the tools and parts they used to make it.
3rd/4th continued:
Peer Review
Goals: Technology Evolution: hand-made quilts vs.
machine made Introduce Microsoft Excel – concepts of
columns, rows and cells Read/discuss books that introduce quilting
and character development lessons. Create patterns, reinforcing the geometry
lessons they are undergoing in math. Have a physical representation of their
creation
1st Grade – Excel Quilts
Quilt Square examples
Excel Wall Quilts
Work with 2nd grade classrooms to create a hardcover book based on their African animal projects.
Goals:◦ Introduce research skills and types of sources.◦ Weed out information to find the most interesting
facts.◦ Integrate art, music and poetry, in cooperation
with art and music specialists.◦ Create a podcast and/or CD to accompany the
hardcover book.
2nd grade
Cinderella◦ Read Cinderella books from around the world in
library and create “magical” props in Tinker Lab Makey Makey Photography & Literacy Workshop with The
Light Factory
2nd Grade
Integrate lessons on dinosaurs from the K classrooms into the Tinker Lab.
Goals:◦ Complete a hands-on project (Tinker Lab)/ intro to
engineering.◦ Use a computer-based program to allow students
to create their own dinosaur.◦ Read relevant/age-appropriate books to inspire
students to create their own dinosaur.
Kindergarten
Evolution of Dino…
Evolution of Dino…
Mini-mester project◦ Square – concession stand◦ Blog/Web site/QR code◦ Videos/Trailers
5th & 6th
Everywhere! Re-inventing previous projects or adding on to projects. Collaborating with teachers Kids! Other sources:
◦ Make! Magazine – www.makezine.com◦ Instructables.com◦ MIT Media Lab
littleBits – www.littlebits.cc Makey Makey – www.makeymakey.com
◦ University of St. Thomas (Squishy Circuits) - http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/apthomas/SquishyCircuits
◦ Kickstarter – www.kickstarter.com
Where do we get our inspiration from?
Some thoughts…◦ More lego incorporation for K-2◦ Light Bright board◦ Scratch programming◦ Prezi◦ 3-D printer◦ Laser cutter◦ CAD for lower grades◦ Roominate◦ Raspberry Pi
What’s next?
Kindergarten◦ Christina Katerina & the Box, by Patricia Lee
Gauch◦ Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family
Lazardo, by William Joyce◦ The Dragons are Singing Tonight, by Jack
Prelutsky◦ The Night at the Museum, by Milan Trenc◦ KidPix
Appendix
1st Grade◦ The Quiltmaker’s Gift, by Jeff Brumbeau
Appendix
2nd Grade◦ Studentreasures Publishing Company◦ Audacity (podcasting)◦ Kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals◦ Sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes
◦ Makey Makey – www.makeymakey.com
◦ The Light Factory – www.lightfactory.org
Appendix
3rd & 4th Grades◦ Squishy Circuits – University of St. Thomas
http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/apthomas/SquishyCircuits/ See AnnMarie Thomas’ Ted Talks video: http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M3Dow20KlM ◦ littleBits – www.littlebits.cc
See Ayah Bdeir’s Ted Talks video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YguB-keZ4Tk
◦ Doodles, Drafts and Designs / Smithsonian Libraries - http://www.sil.si.edu/exhibitions/doodles
Appendix