Open Studios in the Makerspace@LHS by Justin Nardella
On the evening of January 12th, 2017, Lynnfield High School hosted an Open Studios event. The event showcased the creative work of students from the music and art departments. The LHS Help Desk students also shared a variety of makerspace activities with the attendees. The makerspace featured a number of stations to encourage creativity, learning, and fun.
Participants in the makerspace made green screen videos using Doink and Touchcast, digital snowflakes using the Cameo Silhouette, 3D drawings with a 3D pen, and made their own video games using a Makey-Makey workstation. The Makey-Makey is a controller-like circuit board that connects to any computer via USB port, controlling basic keyboard functions like the arrow keys and spacebar. Using alligator clip wires, any electrically-conductive object can be attached to the Makey-Makey to execute any one of the keyboard functions. With the help of help desk students, guests found themselves playing computer games, controlling the games with objects like avocados and bananas!
One of the favorite activities was seeing and exploring the brand new HP Sprout learning machine. (this was a prize from a technology conference) The HP Sprout intrigued guests with its immersive, intuitive interface and learning applications. Help desk students showed guests how to use an touch-function based human anatomy program, a 3D scanner that could digitize real world objects, and more!
Parents, students, siblings, and other community members all enjoyed open studios. LHS Help Desk students were excited to introduce people to the various makerspace resources and stations. Conversations during the event consisted of what a makerspace is and how it can be used to encourage design thinking and critical problem solving skills. The entire community as a whole found the concept of the Makerspace and the creativity it promotes intriguing. Open Studios was a huge success!