Maker Ed

Maker Education Initiative

Pandemic Proof: An Interview with After School Educator Meisha Marshall

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The advent of COVID-19 has forever altered life as we know it, and the lives and learning of students all across America.

However, it is during times like these that heroes and heroines are born, those willing to serve and support others despite general communal fear. These are the people that sacrifice their own health and safety for the protection and safety of others. 

Today’s Maker Education Initiative interview consists of a casual conversation with such a person, Meisha Marshall. Meisha is an advocate for youth in East Oakland needing alternative ways of learning, and she explores cutting-edge ways of ensuring they have access to tools that support their mental and physical health and development. Read more…

Learning in the Making: Stop Motion Animation

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Ever wonder how your favorite cartoon characters come to life? It is done through the process of animation. Stop motion is one style of animation, and it’s really simple! Instead of drawings, artists use objects to create their illustrations. This week our guest host Bárbara Yarza will teach us the basic principles of stop motion animation as we explore our stories of self. Read more…

Pandemic Proof: The Resilience of Aaliyah Coleman

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To understand the power of a positive response to a pandemic, one must first understand an individual’s potential. On Saturday, March 3, 2020, Aaliyah Coleman, 5th-grade East Oakland Student, had just won the Silver Medal at a Youth Track Meet. She competed in the long jump against fourteen other 11- and 12-year-old girls and was one of two who cleared over 13 feet. After her impressive opening meet, she looked forward to competing again the following week, this time for gold. Read more…

Supporting Oakland Youth with Hands-On Learning Through Home Maker Kits

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The response to the spread of COVID-19 has resulted in many sudden changes to schools and learning environments across the country, and the Bay Area is no different. Local schools’ capacities have been stretched thin by a rapid switch to distance learning. To continue to support our mission in this new learning environment, Maker Ed has creatively partnered with after school programs in Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) to ensure more students have access to hands-on learning while school buildings are closed. Read on for details about how we approached this project and what we’ve learned so far! Read more…

Learning in the Making: Visual Poetry

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Looking for something fun to make at home? Each week we are collecting and curating resources around a topic and this week is visual poetry.

Poetry is all around us—in books and magazines and in the lyrics to your favorite hip hop song. Whether written on paper or spoken out loud, poetry taps into the power of words to express feelings, communicate ideas, and tell stories. A visual poem (sometimes known as a concrete poem) is a written poem that creates a visual image that relates to its meaning. We will be using our imaginations and creativity to create different shapes with words! Here’s some inspiration to get you started. Read more…

Learning in the Making: Shapes in Nature

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Looking for something fun to make at home? Each week we are collecting and curating resources around a topic and the next two weeks are about structural engineering—buildings constructed by animals (May 6) and humans (May 13)!

Join us in Learning in the Making: LIVE! This will be a two part series with special guest educators from the Lawrence Hall of Science! Read more…

Learning in the Making: Music

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Close your eyes and listen. What do you hear? Birds chirping? Cars passing by? Laughter? Sounds are all around you, and all of those sounds are created by vibrations! Throughout history, people around the world have used vibration to create music as a source of joy, to mark important events, and to unite people during difficult times. Check out this activity to learn how vibrations create sound, and join us as we build some instruments and make music together! Read more…

Learning in the Making: Cooking

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Looking for something fun to make at home? Each week we are collecting and curating resources around a topic and this week is cooking. Chefs do so much more than simply combine ingredients to make delicious meals, and they have a lot in common with mathematicians and scientists. They rely on scientific principles – especially with baking – and use math for a range of functions, from measurement to ratios, to conversations! Read more…