Read, Teach, Bake

                                        Image: young children sitting at desks with laptops and virtual reality headsets Virtual reality and augemented reality are the next big thing in classroom technology. And the good news is, it is possible to integrate it without expensive headsets and other special equipment. One option is Labster, a collection of  more than 250 virtual science labs including biology, chemistry, physics, and microbiology. Labster even includes virtual labs for STEM!  Image from Labster.com featuring VR girl in front of VR lab equipment. Access to Labster requires a subscription. According to Labster agents, the price ranges from $50 - $100 per student depending on the contract. Once purchased, Labster integrates with multiple learning management systems (LMS), including Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, and Google Classroom. Teachers and stud...

  Multicolor letters spelling Makerspace on a wooden shelf           Library MakerSpaces are places where students can actively create, explore, and learn. No more passively waiting for the next instruction, students solve problems, design solutions, and think outside of the box. Students are developing the skills outlined in the AASL's 21st Century Standards while building social skills and confidence  and becoming life long learners (Canino-Fluit, 2014).  MakerSpaces are the place where students can tinker, apply digital and manual skills, research, experiment, create products, and express themselves. In other words, MakerSpaces are for actively learning and creating not just passively consuming information (Britton, 2012).           The blog I want to share is by Amy Cowen on the Science Buddies.org site. She shares 26 MakerSpace projects with links to instructions for STEM activites for all ages. The pro...