SparkTruck Pit Stop
We had some amazing guests visit the Museum from Stanford University in sunny California. Jason, Didi and Eugene have spent the summer traveling across the United States in a mobile workshop dubbed the SparkTruck. Check it out! Along the way, they have been stopping at museums, community centers, events, and parks… Anywhere they can find. Their truck is full of various…
Circuit Experiments
We have been working on some new circuit block prototypes lately. Christian is working on a motorized generator that is constructed out of an old bike. Nick built a really cool circuit puzzle using conductive tape. These projects have really got us thinking about the future possibilities of our circuit blocks. I attempted to build a matching game that utilized…
Playing with Gears
I was asked by a fellow teacher to create something that facilitates the exploration of gears. Gears can be tricky for children to understand, so I thought it was a great challenge! After an extremely informal brainstorming session with Christian, I came up with this activity. I have to thank Christian for passing by during the day and suggesting that…
Renaissance Faire Field Trip
The day after Pittsburgh’s Mini Maker Faire I decided to take a trip to Pittsburgh’s Renaissance Faire…What a weekend! The DIY spirit was in full force at the Ren Faire. Vendors were selling all kinds of wares, from handmade armor to beautiful ceramics. Much like the Maker Faire, the Ren Faire was filled with people having a good time. I would say…
A Musical Field Trip
More exploration of sound and music in the month of August… I recently took a trip to the Bayernhof Museum outside of Pittsburgh. The Museum is located in a lovely old mansion and houses a eclectic collection of various musical machines and devices. Many of them dated as far back as the 1800s. I was given an amazing tour and…
MakerBot in MAKESHOP
We have a new toy in MAKESHOP — a MakerBot Replicator 3D printer! It’s on loan to us from the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University, and we finally broke it out to play with it! Calling this machine a “printer” isn’t entirely accurate: this isn’t a printer like the one on the corner of your desk or even…
Join Assemble for M3!
Our friends at Assemble are hosting a series of awesome workshops for children. Materials, Media and Me (M3) is a series of Saturday afternoon workshops for children ages 8-10. Each week, a different artist or technologist will introduce a material, show students how they use the material, and lead them through a project. M3 classes will highlight Metal, Paper, Fabric,…
Our field trip to Assemble
We had such a great time that we are sharing more photos from our field trip to Assemble. Check them out by visiting their website or stay tuned for our next collaboration with them!
Partying at Assemble
The great thing about Pittsburgh is the size of the city and the enthusiasm of its people. Pittsburgh is the right size to allow for collaboration between many individuals and organizations. This is especially true in regard to the people who are offering art and technology opportunities to children, youth and families. Although we work with many different individuals and…
Rideables Competition is now open!
Micro Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support programs that engage Youth Makers, children aged 7 to 17, in the hands-on design and production of objects that respond to two themes: Wearables and Rideables. The Wearables competition ended last week, but there is still a chance to apply for the Rideables competition! The Rideables grant submissions will be…