Steindorf Maker Lab

CA STEAM Symposium 2024 and 2025

Thanks for attending my session at the STEAM Symposium. Here are some links that I'll be referring to:

Contact me: Rick Schertle - schertler@cambriansd.com

Maker Meet-up at the 2025 STEAM Symposium

Attention: All K-8 assignments for Distance Learning are now being pushed out through Google Classroom and SeeSaw. This webpage will no longer be updated. Thanks and happy making!

- Mr. Schertle

Welcome to Mr. Schertle's Make at Home webpage for Steindorf K-8 students or anyone who likes to make stuff! Every week, I'll be posting a Make at Home project and video. Please hang on to those Amazon boxes, scratch paper, craft supplies and other recyclables. We'll be making things with stuff around the house. Have fun!

Click Here to go my to Middle School Grades 6-8 Page. K-5 Videos and Activities are below.

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K-5 Wednesday 9/16/20 - Ziplines!

This looked so much fun, I decided we'll do it with all K-5 students. Have a blast with this activity. You can use the project guide HERE and build with whatever you have around the house.

Wednesday 9/9/20

Version 1

Complete this if you've had Maker Lab already with Mr. Schertle this week. (Grades 2 and 4)

During our session this week, we made some awesome paper airplanes. For your asynchronous time, do the following:

Watch the video and skip to the later section when I tell you to.
Document your all your airplane building in SeeSaw or Google Classroom for your regular classroom teacher to give you credit.
Improve the design of your airplane to make it fly even better.
Use some of the resource links below to make different designs, maybe even the world record airplane.
Make targets or landing zones for your airplanes.

Version 2

Complete this if you have not had Maker Lab with Mr. Schertle this week. (Grades K, 3, 1 and 5).

Begin by watching the introductory video on building paper airplanes. After you have build a basic paper airplane, you can go onto the activities above in Version 1 and document all your building in SeeSaw or Google Classroom.

Resources:

zoom_9_08_20.mp4

zoom_2.mp4

K-5 Wednesday Asynchronous Activities - Wed. 9/2

Watch video for details. K, 2, 3, and 4 - Debrief your Engineering Design Tower Build. What would you improve? Make improvements and try again! Document in Google Classroom or SeeSaw and post a picture or video of your tower.

Grades 1 and 5 - Sketch a picture of what your tower might look like following the guidelines in the video. This weekend, debrief your tower build following the instructions above.

My Maker Stuff - August 24th

Grades 2, 3, and 4 do the following as a followup from our live session this week. Grades 1 and 5 please make of list of things you MIGHT include in your maker stuff box that we're going to put together tomorrow and Friday. Put your list in SeeSaw or Google Classroom.

Take a picture of all the things you collected during our Maker Materials Scavenger Hunt. The picture can include the container for your maker materials, tools and other items. Post the picture to SeeSaw or Google Classroom with the title: My Maker Stuff

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My Maker Space - August 21st

Watch the video and then create a See Saw post or Google Slideshow of your personal Maker Space. Share your presentation with your teacher.

Tower Challenge - May 25th

Grab one piece of paper (8.5 x11), a pair of scissors and a 5-inch strip of tape. See how tall a tower you can make that stands on its own. Compare with a friend or family member, at your house or virtually.

Bonus challenge: Do it WITHOUT tape!

Project credit to: The Tech Interactive - San Jose, CA

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Farewell until next year!

Here is my final video of the year. It's been fun sharing a video with you each week. Today we visit the Eggo factory, explore a historic Portuguese neighborhood and share a special summer farewell. (Fun fact: Eggos were invented in San Jose!)

Roller Coasters - May 18

Everyone loves a good roller coaster! This week, using The Tech Interactive's fun video, we'll build a roller coaster of our own. When done, post a picture or video of your coaster into SeeSaw or Google Classroom. But first, watch the intro video of me below. Have a great week! P.S. You may have seen this, but if you're looking for more fun things to do, print out this San Jose Coloring Book below. It includes San Pedro Square, which is featured on my walk this week along with 20 other San Jose landmarks.

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Mr. Schertle's Walk - San Pedro Square and Guadalupe River Park

WeLoveSanJoseColoringBook.pdf

Thanks to local realtor Kirsten Reilly for publishing this awesome resource.

Click to download and print.

May 11 - Rockets!

Rockets have always been one of my favorite projects. When was a kid I was in the rocket club at my middle school. I remember we took a rocket out to the Mojave Desert, launched and it went over a half mile high - out of sight. When I become a teacher, I advised a rocket club and later designed a compressed air rocket which could be used anywhere. This project takes the air rocket concept and makes it even simpler - blowing your rocket off a tube - similar to blowing the wrapper off a straw! Check out the video below for directions and have fun launching! If you want to launcher paper rockets really high, check out my history with air rockets here.

May11.mov

Welcome to the Week - May 11th

Puff_Rocket.mov

Puff Air Rocket Directions

May 4th - Kites!

A few years ago I found out about Big Wind Kite Factory when visiting the island of Molokai. Johnathan who owns the shop had a great kite design that I loved. Directions can be found here: www.bigwindkites.com/20kids/20kidsmatlist.html . Most afternoons the wind come up in San Jose and is perfect for kite flying at your local park. Be sure to share out your kite designs on Google Classroom or SeeSaw. Click below for my weekly video and video kite directions on this link.

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April 27th - DIY Zines!

Today we're going to write/draw our own mini magazine (or zine) using scissors and a blank 8 1/2 x 11" piece of paper. You'll use the YouTube weblink below on the right, but first, watch my weekly video on the left below showing the Berryessa BART Station.

After writing and/or illustrating your zine, post a picture of it in SeeSaw or Google Classroom to share with the rest of our class. Your zine can be about anything - a hobby, what life at home looks like during Shelter in Place or something simply made-up. Have fun with it and if you like this Make at Home, feel free to make a whole bunch of zines!

Miss you all!

- Mr. Schertle

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April 20th - Paper Airplanes!

Ever since I was a kid, I've loved making paper airplanes. This is a great Make at Home project for all ages. John Collins, the Paper Airplane Guy, has written several books on paper airplanes, has spoken all over the world and holds world records for paper airplanes. This week, we'll follow some of John's instructions to make our own awesome paper airplanes.

Watch my intro video for the week (April 20th) below on the left.
Then watch John's recent video filmed at Maker Camp Family Edition (below right). John is a real entertainer and is fun to watch. If you don't want to watch the whole thing, skip ahead to his airplane builds.
Test out your airplane, modify it as needed and measure how far it flies if you are able.
Post a couple of sentences about your building experience and if you like, a photo or video of your plane in SeeSaw (grades K-2) or Google Classroom (grades 3-5).
Have fun Making at Home!

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