Explore Makerspace! With 25 Great Projects

EXPLORE

MAKERSPACE! WITH 25 GREAT PROJECTS

Alicia Klepeis

Illustrated by Matt Aucoin

CONTENTS Timeline . . . iv Introduction . . . 1 What Is a Makerspace?

Chapter 1 . . . 11 Exciting Engineering Chapter 2 . . . 22 Terrific Technology Chapter 3 . . . 34 Making Music Chapter 4 . . . 46 Amazing Art Chapter 5 . . . 60 Super-Cool Science Chapter 6 . . . 73 Great Games Glossary * Metric Conversions Resources * Essential Questions * Index Interested in primary sources? Look for this icon.

Use a smartphone or tablet app to scan the QR code and explore more!

You can find a list of URLs on the Resources page.

If the QR code doesn’t work, try searching the Internet with the Keyword Prompts to find other helpful sources.

KE YW OR D PR OM PTS makerspace

CHAPTER 1

EXCITING ENGINEERING When you make structures from cardboard tubes or build towers from blocks, you are using the same skills engineers use when they design buildings made from wood and steel!

While engineers don’t build actual structures, such as bridges and buildings, in a makerspace, they might use a makerspace to build a model of the real structure. While they are designing, engineers need to think about the materials they will use. Using materials with enough strength is important. Engineers might try different materials to find the ones that work just right.

11

EXPLORE

MAKERSPACE!

invention: an original

process or device.

technology: the tools,

methods, and systems used to solve a problem or do work.

system: a group of

objects or parts that work together.

WORDS

TO

?

INVESTIGATE!

Why do engineers and designers strive to improve products used in our daily lives? Why do we use the engineering design process to solve design challenges?

KNOW

Engineers are people who design and build different kinds of machines and structures. Do you enjoy making devices work better? Do you like to solve problems or build things? Then you might enjoy working as an engineer.

Sometimes, the way engineers can turn their ideas into new inventions and designs might seem like magic. But in reality, engineers use science and technology to solve practical problems.

There are many different kinds of engineers. Civil engineers design roads and other types of transportation systems .

Mechanical engineers design all kinds of machines, including elevators, air-conditioning systems, and the engines in your cars.

Electrical engineers design everything from computers and robots to systems that deliver electricity to your school or home.

Aerospace engineers work on airplanes, jets, and rocket ships.

12

EXCITING ENGINEERING CROSSING BRIDGES Imagine you are walking through a forest on your way to a friend’s house. The house is many miles away. Suddenly, you come to a raging river. What do you do?

This type of situation has challenged lots of people, including famous explorers, for as long as humans have been on the move!

One solution to this problem is to walk to the end of the river and continue walking on dry land. But that could take a long time. Another solution? Build a bridge!

THE ZHAOZHOU BRIDGE

The Zhaozhou Bridge is the oldest standing bridge in China.

Sometimes called the “King of Bridges,” it is located in the Hebei Province in northeastern China. This stone bridge was built more than 1,400 years ago, during the Sui Dynasty. It took 10 years to build and is 167 feet long and 31 feet wide. The Zhaozhou Bridge has survived eight wars, 10 floods, and numerous earthquakes. And it still carries people across the Jiaohe River! Look at the structure of the bridge. What characteristics do you spot that have helped it stay standing for so long?

13

EXPLORE

MAKERSPACE!

ravine: a small narrow valley with steep sides. obstacle: something that

blocks a person’s way or stops progress.

Inca: the South American

people who built a great empire in the Andes Mountains 800 years ago.

suspension bridge:

a bridge that has its roadway suspended from two or more cables that are strongly anchored at the ends.

WORDS

14

TO

KNOW

A bridge is a structure that continues a road, path, or railroad across a river, ravine, or other obstacle. Bridges have been around since ancient times. People often constructed early bridges from logs or other materials that were easy to find, such as rocks.

The Incas of South America were master bridge builders. They made ropes from twisted mountain grass and other plants.

Then they constructed simple suspension bridges from these ropes and stretched them across deep ravines.

EXCITING ENGINEERING sloped: a surface that has Many modern-day bridges are made from steel. This is a strong, light metal.

As technology improves, engineers can design longer and stronger bridges.

The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in China is more than 102 miles long and runs between two cities, Shanghai and Nanjing. Spain even has a bridge called the Alamillo that looks like a harp!

LOOK UP!

Engineers also design buildings. One part of the building an engineer thinks about carefully is the roof.

one end or side that is at a higher level than the other.

shingles: rectangular

tiles that cover a roof or the sides of a building.

Shingles can be made of wood, metal, asphalt, or other material.

thatch: a plant material, such as straw, used to cover the roofs of buildings.

climate: the weather patterns in an area during a long period of time.

WORDS

TO

KNOW

P T HUGE THA BR S S I O

D

Ye a

ve

ri

t!

?

GE

DID YOU CR

Roofs can be flat or sloped . They can be covered in shingles or metal. There are all different kinds of roofs. Around the world, they are built differently, for different purposes. For example, traditional homes in Africa might have thatch ON 1: roofs made of straw or palm leaves.

ER S

2: t o h, b Person ’t ge ut I still can

One reason there are different types of roofs is that different materials are available around the world.

Another reason is the climate where the roof is built. You wouldn’t want a roof that allows the breeze to get through in a cold place like northern Canada, would you?

15

EXPLORE

MAKERSPACE!

pitch: the steepness of a

slope, particularly of a roof.

collapse: to fall in or down suddenly.

WORDS

TO

KNOW

Engineers also have to think about the pitch of a roof. In some parts of the country, you’ll see flat roofs. In other areas, you’ll see steep roofs.

Do you live in an area that gets a lot of snow? What happens to the roof during a heavy snowstorm? If too much snow builds up on the roof, it might be in danger of collapsing . If the roof has a steep pitch, the snow can slide off onto the ground!

Engineers think about all of these things when they design bridges and houses. When you are working on smaller projects in your makerspace, how do you decide what type of bridge to build or what pitch the roof of a structure should be?

In the next chapter, we’ll learn more about technology, electricity, computers, and different technology projects you can do in your makerspace!

?

16

CONSIDER AND DISCUSS

It’s time to consider and discuss: Why do engineers and designers strive to improve products used in our daily lives? Why do we use the engineering design process to solve design challenges?

PROJECT! BUILD A BRIDGE What bridges do you cross where you live? Bridges can be made of steel, cement, wood, or even logs placed across a stream. Depending on the materials you use, your bridge will be stronger or weaker. In your makerspace, can you create a bridge that can support the weight of five toy cars or five building blocks? Use the engineering design process to organize your work.

SUPPLIES **engineering notebook **twist-ties from garbage bags **paper clips **pipe cleaners **string or twine **toy cars or building blocks **boxes or cardboard tubes

1

Figure out how long the bridge needs to be to fit five cars or blocks across it.

2

In your engineering notebook, create a sketch of what you want your bridge to look like. Decide what you think would be good supports for the four corners of the bridge. How will you attach the bridge to these supports? What will you use to build the bottom, or roadway, of the bridge?

3

Using twist-ties, pipe cleaners, or whatever materials you choose, build the base of the bridge. Attach the base to the supports.

4

One at a time, place your cars or blocks onto the bridge. Does it break? How many weights can your bridge hold?

THINK ABOUT IT: Did your first design work? How can you make

your bridge stronger? How can you make it more flexible? What other materials can you use? Try to make different bridges and see if you can make them stronger!

17

SUPPLIES

PROJECT! LOOK OUT FOR SNOW From Washington State to Vermont, there are many places in the United States that get snow during the winter. Snow in the western part of the United States tends to be drier and lighter and less dense than the snow on the East Coast. If there is too much snow on a roof, it can cause problems for homeowners. The roof could even cave in! Also, if snow melts and refreezes, it can form ice dams that can cause leaks or other water damage. Can you design a roof that makes it easy for snow to fall off?

**plastic garbage bag **cardboard box or shoebox **tape **scissors **cardboard, thick paper, thin metal, Styrofoam, or other material **at least 1½ cups of glitter, sand, or soap flakes (like Ivory) for snow

1

Place a garbage bag in the area where you will do your experiment. This will make cleanup easier!

2

Decide which box will be your house. A shoebox standing upright is an easy choice.

3

Gather your different roofing materials in one place. You can cut or bend the material to the size and angle you want.

WORDS

TO

KNOW

dense: how tightly the matter

in an object is packed.

matter: anything that has

weight and takes up space.

ice dam: a wall of ice that

18

forms on the edge of a roof that can cause water damage.

PROJECT! 4

Choose one material to start. Put the material flat onto the house. You may need to lightly tape the roof on so it doesn’t slip off with the “snow.”

5

Pour ½ cup of snow onto the flat roof. What happens?

6

Use the same roofing material, but move the roof to a steeper pitch on the house. Pour the snow on again. What happens? Was a flat or slanted roof easier for the snow to fall off? Which would you choose to use in a snowy location?

OU KN DID Y OW? In the book Little House on the Prairie, the Ingalls family lives in a house with a sod roof, which is a roof made of dirt and grass.

WORDS

TO

KNOW

TRY THIS! Try this same experiment again

with different types of roofing materials, such as corrugated cardboard and aluminum foil. Which roof was hardest or easiest for the snow to fall off? Why? Are there things you can do to these materials to make them more slippery for snow?

sod: the grass-covered surface of the ground.

19

SUPPLIES

PROJECT! SUPER STRONG NEWSPAPER

**lots of newspaper **pen or pencil **scissors **ruler **tape—masking, packing, or scotch **books or other heavy objects

Many people enjoy reading the newspaper. But have you ever used it as a building material? It might not seem especially strong at first, but you can find ways to make it stronger. Using just newspaper and tape, can you build a small table that can hold up a stack of books? Use the engineering design process to organize your work.

1

On a piece of newspaper, trace a square that is 12 inches by 12 inches.

12”

2

Think about how tall you want your table to be. You might want to sit in a chair or on your couch to see what would be a comfortable height for your table.

12”

3

Before using any tape, experiment with different techniques for getting your newspaper to be the right height. Folding or rolling newspapers are two examples of ways to gain height. You can also make layers of newspaper and tape them together.

4

20

Using just your tape and newspaper, build your table.

PROJECT! 5

When you are done building, see how many books you can pile on top of the table without it breaking.

THINK ABOUT IT: Can you think of other materials you could use

to make your structure stronger? How many books did your table support before it broke?

TRY THIS! You can use newspaper to build a cubby house! By

rolling the newspaper tightly and sealing each roll with tape, you can make long narrow tubes. These tubes can form the “bones” of the house. You can make it as wide and as tall as you want.

When you’re done with the basic structure, use a sheet for a roof.

How much newspaper do you need to make your house strong enough for a roof? What are some other materials you could use?

WOMEN ARE ENGINEERS, TOO When you read about the history of engineering, you might think only men worked in these jobs. There were women, too, but they are often overlooked in the history books! Emily Warren Roebling (1843–1903) is known as the first female field engineer. Her husband was the head engineer for the Brooklyn Bridge project, but he became very sick during the construction and had to stay in bed. Roebling traveled to the building site almost every day and made important decisions about what needed to be done and how. She was also the first person to cross the bridge by carriage—she carried a rooster with her as a sign of victory!

21

GLOSSARY A abacus: an instrument for performing

calculations by sliding beads along rods.

amplifier: a device that increases the strength or power of sounds.

archaeologist: a person who studies ancient people through the objects they left behind. architecture: the style or look of a building. armor: a covering, often made of metal,

that protects the body in battle.

automatic: working with little or no direct control by people.

axle: a rod, pole, or bar on

which a wheel rotates.

B BCE: put after a date, BCE stands for

Before Common Era and counts years down to zero. CE stands for Common Era and counts years up from zero. This book was published in 2017 CE.

binary: a math system that uses only the numbers 0 and 1.

braille: a form of written language for blind

Carnival: a time of public merrymaking in certain cultures, involving music, processions, dancing, and masks.

ceremony: a formal public or religious occasion, usually one celebrating a particular event or anniversary.

chariot: a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle from ancient times, which was used in battle and in races. climate: the weather patterns in an area during a long period of time.

collaborate: to work with others. collage: artwork made by gluing pieces

of different materials to a flat surface.

collapse: to fall in or down suddenly. computer: an electronic device that

stores and processes information.

concept: an idea.

D data: information in the form of facts and numbers.

decipher: to convert a text written in code or an unknown language into understandable language.

people in which letters are represented by raised dots that are felt with the fingertips.

dense: how tightly the matter in an object is packed.

bridge: a structure built over something, such as a river or road, so that people can cross.

design: to make a sketch or plan. device: a piece of equipment, such as a

Buddhism: one of the world’s major

religions, based on the teachings of Buddha.

buoyancy: a force that allows an object to float in liquid.

C calculation: a mathematical determination

of the number or size of something.

cargo: the goods transported in a ship, vehicle, or airplane.

phone, that is made for a specific purpose.

digital art: art created using computers. displace: to cause something to move from its usual or proper place.

DIY: do-it-yourself.

E efficient: wasting as little energy as possible. elaborate: made with much detail or great care.

83

GLOSSARY energy: the ability or power to do work or cause change. engineer: a person who uses science, math, and creativity to design and build things.

engineering: the use of science and math in the design and construction of machines and structures.

L laser: a device that generates an

intense beam of light. Lasers are often used in cutting and drilling, playing CDs, and even for surgery.

liquid: a substance that flows freely, such as water and oil.

extinct: when a group of plants

or animals dies out and there are no more left in the world.

F force: a push or pull applied to an object. frequency: how often something happens.

G geometric: a style of art that uses simple

shapes, such as lines, circles, and squares.

gravity: a force that pulls objects toward each other, and all objects to the earth.

grid: a network of lines that cross each other to form a series of squares or rectangles.

H headdress: a covering or ornament for the head, particularly one worn for ceremonies.

Hertz: a unit of frequency, equal

to one cycle per second.

hull: the main body of the ship that

includes the bottom, sides, and deck.

I ice dam: a wall of ice that forms on the edge

M makerspace: a work space inside a library, school, or other place where people can work together to make, explore, and learn using tools of all kinds. mass: the amount of matter in an object. matter: anything that has

weight and takes up space.

medium: a substance, such as air or

water, through which energy moves.

Mesopotamia: an ancient civilization located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, in what is today part of Iraq. method: a way to do something.

Middle Ages: the period of European history from about 350 to 1400 CE.

milling machine: a machine that can cut or carve different materials.

mobile: a construction or sculpture made of shapes that can be set in motion.

Morse code: a code in which letters are represented by combinations of dots and dashes, or long and short signals of light or sound.

O

of a roof that can cause water damage.

Inca: the South American people

who built a great empire in the Andes Mountains 800 years ago.

invention: an original process or device.

objective: a goal of an action, as in a game. obstacle: something that blocks a person’s way or stops progress.

ochre: an iron ore that is usually red or yellow.

84

GLOSSARY P particle: a very small piece of matter. pawn: a game piece with the smallest value and size.

percussion instrument: describes

a musical instrument played either by striking with the hand or with a handheld or pedal-operated beater, or by shaking.

pigment: a substance that gives something its color.

pitch: the steepness of a slope,

particularly of a roof. Also the lowness or highness of a sound.

ritual: a series of actions or behaviors regularly followed by someone, often as part of a ceremony. rotate: to turn around a fixed point.

S sculpture: the art of making two- or three-dimensional representations of forms, especially by carving wood or stone or by casting metal or plaster.

sequins: small pieces of shiny

plastic or metal used as an ornament, especially on clothing.

portrait: a picture of a person,

shingles: rectangular tiles that cover a roof or the sides of a building.

Shingles can be made of wood, metal, asphalt, or other material.

pottery wheel: a device that has a

sloped: a surface that has one end or side that is at a higher level than the other.

especially one showing only the face or head and shoulders. rotating disc on which clay is shaped by hand into bowls, pots, and other objects.

prehistoric: before written history. principle: the basic way that something works.

programmable: able to be given

sod: the grass-covered surface of the ground. sound: the energy of vibration, which causes the sensation of hearing.

sound wave: an invisible vibration in the air that you hear as sound.

instructions for the automatic performance of a task.

spokes: wire rods or bars that connect

programming: to give a computer

stalactite: a cave formation that looks like an icicle hanging from the ceiling.

a set of step-by-step instructions that tells it what to do.

property: a quality or feature of

something. The way something is.

prototype: a working model that

lets engineers test their idea.

R

the center of a wheel to its outer rim.

strategy: a careful plan or method. string instrument: a musical

instrument that creates sound through vibrating strings or wires.

structure: something that is built, such as a building, bridge, tunnel, tower, or dam.

ravine: a small narrow valley

substance: the material that

with steep sides.

something is made of.

Renaissance: the period of European

suspension bridge: a bridge that has its roadway suspended from two or more cables that are strongly anchored at the ends.

history from the 1300s to the 1600s, which is marked by a flourishing of literature and art.

system: a group of objects or parts that work together.

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GLOSSARY T tapestry: a heavy cloth with

pictures or designs woven into it, used especially as a wall hanging.

technology: the tools, methods, and systems

used to solve a problem or do work.

telegraph: an electric system or device for sending messages by a code over wires.

U universe: all existing space and matter, considered as a whole.

V vibrate: to move back and forth or side to side very quickly.

viscosity: the state of being

thatch: a plant material, such as straw,

thick and flowing slowly.

tinker: to adjust or repair something

wavelength: the spacing of sound

W

used to cover the roofs of buildings. in an experimental manner.

token: an object used in a game that serves as a sign or symbol.

waves measured by the distance from the high point of one wave to the high point of the next wave.

tropical: a hot climate, usually

wind instrument: a musical instrument

near the equator.

METRIC CONVERSIONS Use this chart to find the metric equivalents to the English measurements in this book. If you need to know a half measurement, divide by two. If you need to know twice the measurement, multiply by two. How do you find a quarter measurement? How do you find three times the measurement?

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sounded by wind or breath.

English

Metric

1 inch

2.5 centimeters

1 foot

30.5 centimeters

1 yard

0.9 meter

1 mile

1.6 kilometers

1 pound

0.5 kilogram

1 teaspoon

5 milliliters

1 tablespoon

15 milliliters

1 cup

237 milliliters

Children’s Activity • Education Resource

focus on science

BRIDGES, FURNITURE, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, GAMES—ALL OF THESE THINGS WERE INVENTED AND IMPROVED UPON BY PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO PUT STUFF TOGETHER, TAKE STUFF APART, AND FIGURE OUT HOW THINGS WORK! Humans have been inventing throughout history. We like to discover new ways of doing things and new things to work and play with! Through tinkering, trial-and-error, and the engineering design process, everyone can discover new products and processes that make life easier! The rise of makerspaces in schools, libraries, and homes around the world means that more people than ever are learning through doing.

In Explore Makerspace! With 25 Great Projects, kids in elementary school explore what it means to be an engineer. In this book, imagination, art, and logic combine to produce lasting lessons in science, math, and physics. Engineering kids learn how to look at problems and find ways to solve them through critical and creative thinking!

Try these hands-on STEAM projects! ** Build a bridge

** Design your own furniture— out of paper

** Create a board game

** Make a boat that really floats

AGES: 7–10 GUIDED READING LEVEL: S

“ Explore Makerspace! is a must-have for every classroom, library, and informal learning environment. The colorful, engaging layout, timeline, key words, and concepts all combine to introduce the reader to a makerspace world of tinkering, invention, and entrepreneurship. Explore Makerspace! will spark curiosity and interest in young and old alike and will inspire readers to think like problem solvers, idea generators, Makers!”

—Sue Considine, Executive Director, Fayetteville Free Library

~ SCHOOL LIBRARY CONNECTION REVIEW ~ Explore Forces and Motion! by Jennifer Swanson “The real strength is the suggested projects that are simple to conduct yet essential in understanding concepts such as force, buoyancy, and magnetism.”