BLMS Library Media Center Makerspace "Preparing Students for the Future-- Now."

Batesburg-Leesville, SC - Recently, Jill Slapnik, Batesburg-Leesville Media Specialist, received a Donors Choose grant for $600 to help start the school’s library Makerspace. In November and December, students were able to paint a wood block and decorate it as a holiday gift. Former B-L Middle art teacher, Kim Ruff, donated the wood and Oswald Lumber waived their cutting fee. Now, thanks to donors funding Mrs. Slapnik’s project, students will have other opportunities in which to create and explore. Students can interact with S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) activity stations that include arts and crafts, engineering, technology, and problem solving.

Students will have the chance to create origami and duct tape crafts, build with Lego’s and learn about robotics, coding, and programming with the new Sphero 2.0, Ollie, and Ozobot robots and explore circuits and coding with Makey Makey. Students can use the online Scratch coding app, in conjunction with the MaKey MaKey to interact with music and games. Other items that will be available include a littleBits Synth Kit that can be used to create music, a Bloxels Builder kit that students can use to create their own video game, a circuit kit, a Stikbot Animation Studio kit for creating stop motion videos, and a View-Master Virtual Reality Starter kit.

The media center is also plans to incorporate recyclable, free, and found items to be used in projects--like jars, toilet paper and paper towel tubes, pine cones, and cardboard. Jigsaw puzzles and coloring are also available. Donated ribbon and bows from Berwick Offray is another material that can be utilized creatively. Currently, students can color a Valentine sheet, build a house out of playing cards, or make a card soldier like in Alice in Wonderland, make a Lego heart, or a paper rose.

The Makerspace will help BLMS students develop creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration skills, which is “Preparing Students for the Future---Now.”

Caption for photo:

B-L Middle School students enjoy making original holiday gifts during time in the school’s library during Makerspace.