Makerspace

Fourth Grade

Ms. Tarr

📫 Ms. Tarr : Email

Welcome to our MakerSpace Class Portfolio! This page will act as your window into the many fantastic things happening in our classroom.

What is MakerSpace?

"MakerSpace is a place for everyone, creative and not creative to come and explore their passions using raw materials, tools, technology, repurposed items, and imagination. Students can work individually or collaboratively, using technology and/or drawing on the collective wisdom of those in the room to help achieve their goal in a makerspace."

--Thinkers and Tinkers

Our Focus

In our MakerSpace, we are focused on growing our STEM identity and mindset. This means, we are learning to become thinkers, explorers, scientists, engineers, tinkerers, creators, and makers. We learn that it's okay for something to fail, and if it does, we work to improve it. Most importantly, we are learning how to solve problems with creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication.

Conversation Starters

When speaking with a young maker, it is always best practice to focus questions on the "how" rather than the final identification.

Sample Conversation starters include:

"What problem were you solving?"
"Can you tell me how you solved the problem?"
"Did you have a plan on how to solve your problem from the start? Did your plan have to change?"
"Was there anything challenging about making/solving this?"
"What are you most proud of with this make?"

If you are looking for specific pictures of your child or evidence of their work, I encourage you to check out your child's digital portfolio on Seesaw. At the start of the school year, we do our best to connect every family to their child's Seesaw using your Skyward email. If you need a code sent home or emailed to you for your child, please email Ms. Tarr!

In our K-4 makerspace classrooms, we use station-based teaching. Within a single unit, students will rotate through 3-4 different stations, each with a very important learning goal focused on developing STEM thinking in our learners. Station-based teaching allows for students to spend most of their time engaged in play-based learning. Play-based learning is exactly what it sounds like: where we allow our students the time to play and explore in their own time, with their peers, free from explicit adult direction. Through play-based learning, students are given the space and time to explore STEM concepts such as coding, engineering, circuitry, etc. which promotes critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and most importantly, confidence! These explorations build up background knowledge on how the world works, which helps to prepare students for the small-group instruction they get from Ms. Tarr in areas of computer science, engineering, and problem solving.

2022-2023

Badging System

Throughout a student's career as a Metcalf Maker in our Hatch Maker Lab, students are building up their proficiencies with a variety of STEM maker tools. In an effort to help your child and our school staff keep track of what tools your child has proven proficiencies in, students earn badges every time they learn new tools. Our yellow badges mean that your child is able to use a given tool with supervision/help. Our green badges mean that your child is able to use a given tool independently.

Feel free to stop on by our room anytime our Hatch Maker Lab is open to check out your child's lanyard and all the cool tools they've mastered!

Badging Grade Level Introductions

Unit 1:

I am a Maker

All About Me

As we start our journey as 4th Grade Metcalf Makers, it is essential that our children understand how to use Seesaw to document their learning and build their digital maker portfolio. In order to help us navigate our devices and Seesaw, as well as to help me get to know your child, we spend time as a class completing a digital activity called "All About Me"

Additionally, we use this activity to practice how to be good digital collaborators. As makers, it is our job to provide regular feedback to each other so that we can improve our creations. However, giving constructive feedback can be tricky for students to do. We like to practice the TAG method of feedback. All comments should start with something positive (Tell something you liked), we then ask questions to either help our own thinking or encourage another's thinking (Ask a question), finally we give direct suggestions for improvement (Give a suggestion). Because this method of feedback can be tricky, it's helpful to practice with a low-stakes activity. Such as giving feedback on each other's All About Me creations.

Chromebook Introduction

Fourth grade students already have some years of using Chromebooks under their belt, but we still find that it's helpful to have a refresher every year for our elementary students. Especially as each year, we have to create a new password and re-set up our accounts. We dedicate the first few classes towards troubleshooting all device issues so we are set up for success!

Standards Addressed:

Troubleshooting

3-5.CS.03 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies.

Social Interactions

3-5.IC.20 Seek diverse perspectives for the purpose of improving computational artifacts.

Unit 2:

Algorithms & Computing Systems

Google Workspace

As a fourth grader, your child is expected to be able to use Google Workspace with confidence for completion of a much of their classwork. Though we've learned the basics of our Google Workspace tools like Google Docs, Gmail, Google Slides, and Google Drive, fourth grade is all about building up maximum proficiency. We spend time exploring important features of each tool such as formatting text, inserting media, and adjusting our default settings.

Lego SPIKE Essential

In 4th grade, one of our big overall goals is understanding how computing systems work, taking note of how hardware and software function as a complete system to accomplish a task. This year, we have a lot of mini-activities designed to prepare us for our big end of the year goal: building a computer. Our Lego SPIKE kits are perfect for this! The students follow self-guided lessons through the Lego Education Website in order to create the physical components (hardware) of their build. They then use Lego's icon-coding system to program their motors, sensors, and light matrixes to accomplish the task of that given lesson. By working through these lessons, students are working on following an algorithm, engineering/design skills, problem solving, and programming.

Algorithms & Engineering

One skill that our 4th graders need additional practice with in order to properly prepare for our big "computer design" unit, is following algorithmic directions and understanding more advanced engineering design principles. Using a variety of STEM building kits (K'Nex, Lego, Snap Circuits, Techn Tracks, etc.), students work together to follow algorithmic directions to engineer something amazing! We learn about the importance of reading directions carefully, understand how to follow directions that can feel "vague" or unfamiliar, and understand how to troubleshoot design problems.

Standards Addressed:

Devices

3-5.CS.01 Describe how internal and external parts of computing devices function to form a system.

Hardware and Software

3-5.CS.02 Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. Discuss task specific embedded systems.

Troubleshooting

3-5.CS.03 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies

Control

3-5.AP.10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.

Modularity

3-5.AP.11 Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.

Program Development

3-5.AP.15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.

Unit 3:

Building a Computer

4th grade students are given the opportunity to take everything they've learned about computing systems in K-4 makerspace and put their knowledge to the test by building and coding a real computer. We use the Piper Computer Kit in order to provide a safe, age appropriate experience with building a real computer from start to finish while playing the Raspberry Pi Edition of Minecraft to learn how to code.

Parts of a Computer Review

Before jumping headfirst into building an actual computer, we spend some time reviewing the parts of a computer and important vocabulary by assembling a paper computer. This review helps make sure all students (new and returning) are on the same page and have the knowledge necessary to complete the Piper Computer Kit activities. While building this paper computer, students will have the opportunity to see a Chromebook safely disassembled and identify the internal parts within their own laptops.

Note: Please know that not all computers can be safely disassembled at home. We have worked with ISU''s technology department to ensure this is a safe, non-toxic experience for your child. Please don't allow them to disassemble any old technology at home without first researching if it's safe to do so.

Build Your Own Computer 4th Grade.pdf

Piper Computer Building

Once students have a basic knowledge of the parts of a computer, we work in groups to assemble one of our Piper Computer Building Kits. Students are expected to follow the directions included in the kit carefully (algorithmic thinking) and work together to first assemble the basic hardware of the computer. Then, using the Minecraft Education program for Raspberry Pi, students will work through different levels of the game in order to learn how to properly assemble all the proper inputs and outputs, work with a breadboard, and program a real working computer.

Standards Addressed:

Devices

3-5.CS.01: Describe how internal and external parts of computing devices function to form a system.

Hardware and Software

3-5.CS.02: Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. Discuss task specific embedded systems.

Troubleshooting

3-5.CS.03: Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies.

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