MAY 25, 2016
New Kits Make It Easy for Schools to Partially — or Completely — Transition to a Makerspace.
MCHENRY, IL – As Makerspaces continue to gain momentum in the K-12 library world to encourage students’ inquiry and exploration through hands-on production, Follett has answered by offering Makerspace Bundles. The age level-specific bundles are individually tailored for elementary, middle, and high school grades, and include a variety of diverse materials, including books, building supplies, and robotic kits.
The bundles, designed to save time and take the guesswork out of starting a Makerspace, allow librarians to get started in the Makerspace concept without doing all of the curation work themselves. The resources for the bundles are conveniently grouped together by elementary, middle, and high school and were curated by Follett's curriculum staff. Also, in a special “Makerspace Mania” section within Titlewave®, guest librarians who operate their own Makerspaces have created resource lists for Follett based on their experiences with students across K-12.
“So many of our library customers are intrigued by the Makerspace movement, and some are diving in headfirst while others are just getting their feet wet,” said Nader Qaimari, President, Follett School Solutions. “At whatever stage the schools are, we want to help them promote creativity and 21st-century learning. These diverse bundles, with components from top vendors, are the perfect way to give students a chance to explore their own interests.”
Longtime educator Dottie Smay said her school’s library in Florida was an early adopter of the Makerspace movement but still needed many supplies and materials to keep students engaged and learning. Her school piloted Follett’s Makerspace Bundles.
“Our Makerspace is an exciting place where creativity and the joy in learning is evident in every student,” said Smay, Maker Media Specialist, Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg, Fla. “We started with the bare bones – pipe cleaners and toilet paper rolls – and we've grown so much. These Makerspace kits from Follett, however, make it simple to give kids new hands-on opportunities and tools they can use to explore and learn. Now, our cutting-edge Makerspace is even better equipped for critical thinking and project-based learning.”
The affordable, pre-packaged Makerspace Bundles start at $450 and are available for purchase on Titlewave.com.
Qaimari said Follett has plans to add more products to support the maker movement. In addition, after-school and summer Maker Solutions are under development.
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