Lane School Students Prepare for Maker Day

Students from Lt. Job Lane Elementary School will get the chance to spend a school day participating in different kinds of hands-on learning on Feb. 14, on the school's first Maker Day. 

According to Lane School Principal Rob Ackerman, on Maker Day students will work in small groups alongside adults in building different items, with the emphasis on, well, making things. 

"Maker Day was inspired by the need to get students creating, designing,
building and having fun," according to Ackerman. "In recent times there has been a de-emphasis on hands on learning in schools." 

This de-emphasis on hands-on learning in part stems from "federal accountability regulations resulting in MCAS." according to Ackerman. 

With Maker Day, Ackerman hopes to give students a chance, at least for a day, to focus on using technology in making things, from oragami to computer programs. 

"We have everything from origami, bird houses, computer programming,
videography, mosaics, arts and crafts, LED bracelets, Legos,
catapults and more," Ackerman said.

Students will work in small groups, using a variety of technologies including hammers, sewing needles, pliers, MaKey MaKey Invention Kits, electrical circuit paint, LED bulbs and coin sized batteries, according to Ackerman. 

"One of our activities is having students disassemble a PC and then try and reassemble it," Ackerman said. "How often do we give kids remission to do this?" 

The focus of Maker Day is to give students the chance to learn by building and creating something with their own hands. 

"Students are capable of doing amazing things," Ackerman said. "As teachers we need to inspire and give them opportunities to learn by doing."

If Lane School's first Maker Day is a success, Ackerman said he hopes to continue the tradition in the future. 

Lane School parents, how do you feel about Maker Day? Are your kids excited to spend a day working on hands-on projects? Let us know in the comment section below!