Q: Can I add stuff to my Maker Kits?

A: The kits are awesome! They provide so many possibilities for exploring and building. They are the center of your Maker Corner. Don’t be afraid to use the kits along with other materials that you might have around. On the contrary, encourage students to bring their additions to this Maker Corner during the year. Provide a big cardboard box and start collecting recyclables. Never underestimate the utility of plastic bottles, bottle caps, and styrofoam trays...

What seems to be trash for some people is a treasure for makers.

You don’t need expensive stuff; you need to recognize opportunities!

Q: How can I teach all this vocabulary to my students? They will speak lots of Portuguese in class!

A: First of all, Portuguese is not a threat to your classes. You should see it as an opportunity. If your students are using their first language in a Bilingual class, it’s because they don’t know how to express themselves in the target language. So the best we can do is: Model and Scaffold.

Take the unboxing cards for each mission as an example. Before I start working with the kits, I ask my students to create a poster showing all the parts and how they are organized in the kits. It’s a great way to have them look at all the parts closely since they will have to draw them. Also, when they label them, they will learn the names and the vocabulary to be used throughout the missions. And finally, it will give them a sense of responsibility, since they will be in charge of putting all the materials away so the other groups can use it too. Remember to keep their posters when working with the challenge, and always refer to them whenever vocabulary questions come up!

Q: How can I show parents what we’re doing in class?

A: This question is so important! Not only because parents should be an active part of the school community, but also because sharing is an integral part of the Maker Manifesto. I have an idea! Why don’t you set up your own Maker Mission Memorial in your school?

There you can display photos of your students when they’re going through the missions. Oh, remember to take photos of them DOING the missions. The final product is nice, but “making hands and tinkering minds” are way nicer!

Q: How can I tell the Maker Mission stories to my students with very little language?

A: In a bilingual context, we find students with varying levels of proficiency in class. It’s a challenge, indeed; however, it’s easy to overcome it. Use the images in the zines to illustrate what’s going on in the story.

You can come and go, focusing on the images rather than on the text itself. Also, don’t be afraid to adapt the language to a level your students will understand. The text serves as a form of input, but no one is better than you when it comes to choosing what is best for your students!