August/September Makerspace projects
August/September Makerspace projects
Check out these fun challenges for August and September!
Check out these fun challenges for August and September!
Embedded Files
Latin American Cultural Awareness Month (September 15 to October 15)
Latin American Cultural Awareness Month (September 15 to October 15)
This week we recognize William R. Cumpiano. Born in Puerto Rico, he is a celebrated stringed-instrument maker, author, and teacher. In addition to building hundreds of guitars and other stringed instruments, he has been awarded a patent for developing an improved guitar soundboard.
Whatever your favorite music is, have you ever wondered what sound is and how musical instruments make sounds? These videos and interactive websites have lots of great information about this topic. Then it's time for an easy but fun project: speakers for your phone!
Cardboard Tube Phone Speakers
Cardboard Tube Phone Speakers
When you play music from your phone, is the sound just never quite loud enough? Now that you know a little more about how sound works, let’s use that knowledge to make an easy speaker for our phones that will make music louder.
Materials: phone, cardboard paper towel tube, 2 paper or Styrofoam cups, markers, pencil, scissors, pencils
1) Place the bottom of a phone on the cardboard tube in the middle and trace around it with a pencil.
2) Use the pencil to make a hole in the middle of this shape. Cut out the shape.
3) Use markers to decorate the tube.
4) Place the phone inside the hole. Play music from your phone. What happens? Why? The air in the tube vibrates and the tube vibrates.
5) Unfortunately, the sound is going out to the sides. To make the sound go towards you, trace the tube on the side of each cup. Make a hole in the middle of the circle, then cut it out.
6) Push each end of the tube into the cups.
7) Play music from the phone again.
*** Can you think of ways to improve upon this design?
Kites
Kites
Earlier this week, the 2020 finalists for the National Toy Hall of Fame were announced. That’s right – there’s a National Toy Hall of Fame! Every year, toys “that have inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over a sustained period” are chosen to join the Hall of Fame. This year’s contenders include Jenga, My Little Pony, and sidewalk chalk.
The kite was inducted in 2007. Have you ever flown a kite? Made one at home? And what do you know about this seemingly plain and simple toy?
Now it’s your turn to make a kite. What materials do you need? A sheet of paper, a paper bag, or a plastic bag is a good start. You may also try using straws, craft sticks, skewers, chenille stems, string or yarn, and tape. Use this slideshow to learn how kites fly and to get ideas for building a kite. Then try flying it – inside using a fan or outside by running around!
Playground Challenge
Playground Challenge
School has started, but without one of the best times of the day – recess! And if you miss running around, swinging, and climbing on a playground, then things have been especially hard since they have been closed the past few months. So until playgrounds do open, we will just have to use our imagination and create our own using materials around the home.
What do you want to build? Monkey bars, swings, and a seesaw? How about a slide or a climbing structure? Some playgrounds have very different types of equipment to play on and even creative themes. So find craft sticks, toothpicks, straws, paper, paper plate, cardboard, glue, tape, playdough, string, chenille stems, and other items – then see what you can create!
If you need some inspiration, check out these amazing playgrounds from around the world.
Guion S. Bluford Jr. Makes History
Guion S. Bluford Jr. Makes History
On August 30, 1983, Guion S. Bluford Jr. became the first Black American to travel into space. He flew aboard the space shuttle Challenger as part of a mission to launch a communications satellite, conduct scientific experiments, and test the shuttle’s robot arm. Learn more about him and other space pioneers, then try out a fun balloon rocket STEM activity.
Video, African American Pioneers in NASA's Space Program
Report abuse