I finally got around to making some pop bottle rocket launchers. These don’t have any special safety features, one student holds onto the bottom of the rocket and launcher while another student pumps. They might get a little wet, but not as much as you would think.

Parts :
5′ of 1/2″ PVC (cut into 3 pieces)
2 – 90 degree elbows
1 – endcap
1 – valve stem (they are different heights)
PVC primer and glue
{pvc cutter, drill, channel locks)

The size is arbitrary. I went with 3′ tall.
You need to drill a hole in the end cap and pull the valve stem through til it seats.
(I used channel locks to grip the stem and pull)
I needed a 1/2″ hole.

Because I didnt have a vise, I worked my way up to 1/2″ through several bits.
I did use the channel locks to hold the end cap as best I could.

The most expensive part is really the bicycle pump (to get a good one).

I got to do a little “trash talk” with some first graders at Clarks Creek Elementary in Plainfield. They all knew a bunch already, but we went over it just to make sure. They knew about landfills and the 3R’s (Reduce Reuse Recycle). I pulled some items out of a trash bag and they told me if you could ReduceReuseRecyle that item. They knew what many items were made of (paper, metal, plastic). One new thing to many was where those materials came from. Most knew paper came from a tree and we dont want to keep cutting trees down. Only a couple knew that metal come from underground. I dont think anyone knew that plastic came from oil. 

We talked about the 3 steps in Recycle (collect, manufacture, purchase) and how we need to get better at step 3 (buying stuff made with recycled content). Then we did 2 activities.
1) We model the recycle process with broken crayons. They had to process the crayons : pull paper off, sort by color, break into smaller pieces, put them in the to the silicone molds. Then I melted them in a toaster over (need a bigger oven, could only put 1 mold tray in at a time). They take about 8 minutes at 250 degrees and about 30 minutes to cool/solidify.
I need to get MUCH neater with pulling molten wax molds out of the oven…i kept spilling it
2) the 2 teachers had cut up old t-shirts into strips for students to braid doggie pull toys (Reuse)
This was my first time braiding, same for most of the students. But I think it went well.

Some numbers :
we still generate almost 5 pounds per person per day
National recycling rate is 32%
Indiana is 20% (goal is 50%)
Most trash still goes to a landfill (I think about 5% is burnt for electricity or heat)

I got to spend an afternoon with the Shakamak Elementary teachers talking about STEM & MakerEd. I gave them a bag of maker supplies and had some others/extras available as well as a hot glue station. They were to make something, anything…maybe related to class, maybe about themselves. They could do it individually or as a groups…but every build had to have a light on it (LED & battery).

I like doing this for many reasons.
Making opens up multiple parts of the brain, giving learning multiple anchor points.
Making fosters communication :discussions and questions, conversations.
Making is naturally collaborative.
Making is cross-curricular.
Making is good for our mental, physical, and emotional health .
They learn about LED’s and how colored lights make everything better.
These are some of the important aspects that we talk about WHILE they are experiencing them.

Then we chatted bout STEM and Maker, what it is, with examples for every subject area.
Except 1 … that morning I realized I did not have anything with music
How could I have ever left that out??!!!

At the end they share about what they made.
Here are some of the things they made :

I helped at the Crawford County 4-H Design Innovation Lab Open House. My main role was to do some laser cutting, so I personalized nametags for those that wanted one. A couple of kids then designed their own for me to laser (since my computer was logged into glowforge)

I presented at/attended the Indiana Association of Physics Teachers Spring 2024 meeting. Friday night was a gathering of 10 people and I shared “MakerSpace Physics”. It was a presentation with examples of making for learning Physics. I also shared many hands on items for them to explore (not everyone has done paper circuits or 3D printed balloon cars or made a straw oboe)

Someone brought their telescope because they are doing a project on Astronomical Photography

Saturday had about 20 people and was a typical session day.

Headed to Shoals High School to do some paper circuits with a couple of classes.
They quickly did the battery & bulb (light up one LED with one battery, try each color, how many can you do at once, which colors work together). Then we introduced alligator clips for our wires. We started with 1 light again. The first difficulty is that everyone wants to clip the alligator clips from both wires to the battery (essentially touching both sides of the battery at once, creating a short circuit). Then we tried a series and parallel circuit. There is always a bit of struggle (lights need to be in the same direction ; connections need to be good). And the flaw that in series, you need two batteries (each LED needs about 3 V). After that they created a paper circuit with copper tape. One class was not so interested in making a drawing, but we got through it and they all accomplished the task.

On the morning of the total solar eclipse, I went to Eastern Greene Elementary to be a part of their PD morning. We talked about STEM & Maker Centered Learning. One thing that I had to learn for this was the 3D learning model/NGSS framework involving Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, Disciplinary Core Ideas. I focused on the idea of learning science means doing science and engineering Practices. This mixes well with STEM/Maker Centered Learning.

As usual, they get a bag of maker stuff (pipe cleaners, straws, craft sticks, beads, buttons, LED, battery…) and need to make something/anything. There is also cardboard and cardboard tools available, as well as extra materials if their bag has the wrong color. While they make, we discuss the ideas, then share what they made at the end. Some did not have enough time to finish, which is good for the discussion of what to do with students when that happens. We also get to discuss “process over product”. They were collaborative in their work, something that always happens with making (humans really want to help each other). They talked. They had fun. And learned while doing that…

With the April 15th Total Solar Eclipse, a few schools wanted us to do some eclipse work.
We went to Lakeview Elementary and Shakamak Elementary to work with a variety of grades to explore the eclipse. They all knew what was coming and had good explanations of what it was. One thing they (and most people) didnt know was that a total solar eclipse happens about every 18 months. “We” dont pay much attention because it happens in different places around the world. The next one that the U.S. will see is in 20 years. We also do some Q&A about stars and what is in space (mostly empty) and what is in our Solar System

I have two models for the sizes of the bodies involved (Sun-Earth-Moon). A basketball is a good approximation for the Earth, with a tennis ball being the Moon. The Sun would be a 9 story building and 2 miles away – no model for that. The other is a 1″ Earth and 0.25″ Moon wooden bead or laser cut discs (0.27″  would be better). These are used to make a necklace. Students color in the Earth and Moon (it is really difficult to color on a 0.25″ anything)(btw, the moon is gray/grey)

We also do a corona chalk art activity to represent what we will see for 4 minutes : A ring of light around a black circle

With the after school kids we had a little more time, so we added 2 other activities.
A couple of older students tried the messy shaving cream sun art (shaving cream in a plate, add some drops of food coloring to color as a sun (mix), level out, place piece of paper on it for a short time, pull paper off, scrape off shaving cream) VERY VERY messy. Do it on a disposable table cloth. And have gloves because food coloring will stain skin (it goes away eventually). Students probably have never used food coloring, so “just a few drops” doesnt mean anything to them.
(I didnt get any pics because my hands were a mess)
( https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/sun-paper/en/ )

We also did a paper circuit activity where the moon rotates and blocks the light (LED) of the sun.
(sorry, no pics)

many people have done the Eclipse Chalk Art activity, but how about doing it with fabric paint on black t-shirts…

Use your vinyl cutter to cut a circle, we did 6″. We used sticker vinyl because it wasnt going to be permanent.
Stretch your shirt out and pin it to cardboard
Put circle on the shirt
Get some fabric paints and put dollops on the circle
Leave as is or mix them a little
(do a color mixing learning exercise – the store didnt have red so I got orange)
Use a brush (cheap is better here) to spread it radially onto the shirt (aka smudge it)
Pull up vinyl
Let dry

We purchased an Epson SureColor F170 Sublimation printer. I finally have a little time to work with it, so I got it going. There are many things to understand about creating with this printer. In addition to the special inks, you need sublimation paper. You also need “sublimation blanks” or material that is prepared to accept the sublimation process (sublimation is a phase change from solid to vapor through high temperature and pressure). While it doesnt work with 100% cotton fabric (best 65%+ poly), it can go on many other objects (wood, ceramic, metal). (It can work on cotton…just need a spray or an iron on that accepts sublimation – everything has a work around).

You need to pay attention to each materials temp & pressure requirements

I made a garden flag and need to work on some other materials.
I set the heat press for 400 F and 60 seconds.

The paper print will not have the same color appearance as you picture or the final product…so it is difficult to tell how it will come out. I am also unsure how to tweak colors (maybe you need to get good at photoshop) to make them come out differently.
This first attempt came out very well.

You should use plain white butcher paper above and below the print to protect your heat press plates.
You should use heat resistant tape to hold the print in place
You should have heat resistant gloves to handle the objects after pressing
I didnt even think about it, but my printer automatically reversed the image so text would show correctly
I saw a hint to rip the edges of the print to get a softer edge (not get that rectangle pressed into your garment.

I am sure there are many more tips I will come across
What tips do you have to share?