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?

Thank you!

Contact us:bluster@davidsonday.org

ORjabernethy@davidsonday.org

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