Maker Faire 2014 Reflection

This weekend my family and I visited Maker Faire in the Bay Area for the second year in the row.  What an amazing experience!  My husband, a middle school math teacher, and I walked through on Saturday just marveling at the spirit and energy of each person attending the fair.  We attended several talks at the Education Stage and then meandered through the plethora of interactive exhibits.  If you like to make ANYTHING (bread, robotics, gardens, model trains, etc), this should be a must!  Even our 21 month old son had a great time.

This led me to think.  What can I make?  I know the answer to that.  So then I thought, I wonder what our faculty can make?  Could we create a PD day where we host a Maker Faire of our own and teach one another how to garden, sew, solder, woodwork and more?

Below are images and captions from the fair that I found inspiring.

How's this for a pony ride? Using mobility cart bases with plastic ponies!

The images below were taken at the Castilleja School's booth.  Check out their Bourn Idea Lab for more information on how they made each of these projects.

American history monument designed using SketchUp.

Microscope built using a laser cutter.

Calculus project

3-D printed art project with ties to sixth grade ancient history.

The remaining pictures just made me think, "I bet I could do that, better take a picture to inspire myself."

A bubble machine that provided endless entertainment for our family.

I can cook and sew, but I can't do anything with an Arduino...yet.

I have enough ripped jeans.  Could I make this?

Old ties = new belt

Lamps made from a laser cutter.

Marble run made using popsicle sticks.

Another marble run

Those crazy cupcakes.  Could this be a Halloween outfit?!