'Start Making! A Guide to Engaging Young People in Maker Activities' is Released

By: Apr. 13, 2016
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Start Making! offers ways to engage young people all over the world in Maker-inspired activities. Developed by the Clubhouse Network a global network of community-based centers led by Boston's Museum of Science in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab Start Making! shows you how to spread the love of creativity and science to the young people in your neighborhood.

Start Making! teaches readers how to plan and coordinate projects at home, at school or in a library, community center, after-school club, or makerspace. Written by Danielle Martin of the Clubhouse Network and Alisha Panjwani of the MIT Media Lab, this book provides strategies for engaging young people in creative thinking, developing individual and team projects, and sharing and reflecting on their creations.

Each session includes a list of needed supplies, step-by-step instructions for completing the projects, and prompts for stimulating discussion, curiosity, and confidence. These fun do-it-yourself (and do-it-together!) projects teach fundamental STEAM concepts science, technology, engineering, art, and math while introducing young people to the basics of circuitry, design, coding, crafting, and construction.

Start Making! projects include:

  • Paper cards and creations that light up
  • Using MaKey MaKey and Scratch to make music
  • Making paintings with LEDs
  • Designing and constructing 3D sculptures
  • Building a vibrating art-bot that makes drawings
  • Sew fabric creations with wearable circuits

Dip into the activities once a week, run them as a weeklong summer activity, or go through the guide in any way that works for you.

"I'm delighted with this opportunity to share the Clubhouse Network's experience with other young learners and makers around the world," said Gail Breslow, Clubhouse Network Director at Boston's Museum of Science. "I hope Start Making! will inspire young people to take the ideas in this book and make them their own."

Additional Resources

For more information about the book, see: http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920031888.do

About the Clubhouse Network

Founded in 1993 by the Museum of Science, Boston, in collaboration with the MIT Media Laboratory, the Computer Clubhouse is designed to empower youth from all backgrounds to become more capable, creative, and confident learners. Grounded in research from the fields of education, psychology, cognitive science, and youth development, the Computer Clubhouse and its learning model have gained international recognition among educators and community leaders, and serves as a model for how technological tools can support learning, creative expression, and community development. The Computer Clubhouse Network supports community-based Clubhouses around the world, providing thousands of youth with access to resources, skills, and experiences to help them succeed in their careers, contribute to their communities, and lead outstanding lives. Since 1993, the lives of thousands of youth have been deeply transformed by their experience at the Clubhouse. Against a backdrop of disturbing high school dropout rates and low college participation for under-served youth, a survey conducted by SRI International, an independent nonprofit research institute, shows that 94% of active Clubhouse members plan to continue their education after high school.

About Maker Media

Maker Media is a global platform for connecting makers with each other, with products and services, and with our partners. Through media, events and ecommerce, Maker Media serves a growing community of makers who bring a DIY mindset to technology. Whether as hobbyists or professionals, makers are creative, resourceful and curious, developing projects that demonstrate how they can interact with the world around them. The launch of MAKE Magazine in 2005, followed by Maker Faire in 2006, jumpstarted a worldwide Maker Movement, which is transforming innovation, culture and education. Located in San Francisco, CA, Maker Media is the publisher of Make: Magazine and the producer of Maker Faire. It also develops "getting started" kits and books that are sold in its Maker Shed store as well as in retail channels.



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