Maker MacGyver: School and Library Makerspaces on a Shoestring Budget
Makerspaces and maker programs in libraries don’t have to cost or fortune or require you to be a tech wizard, super hacker, or evil genius in order to be successful. All you really need is an open mind! Watch archive.
View archives of our Super Happy Maker Fun Hour
Library staff across Colorado share their ideas!
The programming ideas and PDF project cards below have been shared with us and are available for you to use in your library. Please give credit where/when possible, but share, adapt, and adjust these projects to suit your patrons.
If you have projects or programs that you would like to share, please email URLs or attachments and they will be added to this list. For additional programming ideas, check out these websites.
Want to develop your own class? This template can help!
Create a Digital Project:
Beginner
- Conspiracy Starter – HTML how to (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Graffiti After Effects (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Green Screen – Adobe Premiere (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Make a Beat – FL Studio (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Record Your Voice – Sonar X2 (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Using Virtual Instruments – Sonar X2 (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Photoshop Yourself (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Digital Comic – Adobe Photoshop (PDF)
- Green Screen Basic – Adobe Photoshop (PDF)
- Green Screen Tutorial – Video
Intermediate
- Gif Out- Mozilla X-ray (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Planning Your Movie (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
Make/Program an Electronic Object:
Beginner
- Intro to Arduino
- Intro to Basic Electronics
- Arduino Basiscs (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Arduino DIY Traffic Light (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Arduino in a Nutshell (booklet by Prof. Jan Borchers)
- Arduino Cheat Sheet
- Intro to Arduino with ArduBlock (Middle School) PDF (courtesy of SparkFun)
- Intro to Arduino (HS+) PDF PPT (courtesy of SparkFun)
- ArduBlock and Protosnap ProMini PDF (courtesy of SparkFun)
- Breadboard 101 (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- ProtoSnap
- ProtoSnap and Intro to Arduino
- Simon Modifications
- Motion Activated Bug – littlebits (PDF, courtesy of DPL ideaLAB)
- Squishy Circuits
- Squishy Circuit Projects and Teaching Tools
- Resistance Board
- Driving to Scratchville
- Intro to PicoBoard with Scratch (Elementary) (PPT, courtesy of SparkFun)
- Scratch and Pico Board Sensors (This is a tutorial on how to use the sensors that are on the Pico Board. If you are looking for a way to use the added analog sensors check out Driving to Scratchville.) (DOCX, courtesy of SparkFun)
- LilyPad With No Programming
- Light Up Cuff (PDF, courtesy of Jefffco Make Something, by Beverly Ball, Welding & Art Teacher at Denver Academy)
- Push Button Bike Lights (PDF, courtesy of Jeffco Make Something, by Beverly Ball, Welding & Art Teacher at Denver Academy)
- Soft Circuits Guide and Project
- Modkit and Arduino (Drag and drop programming)
- LilyPad Dev at Artisan’s Asylum (PPT, courtesy of SparkFun)
- How to Solder Comic (PDF, courtesy of SparkFun)
- Resources for Educators (DOCX, courtesy of SparkFun)
Intermediate
- Alan Smith Arduino Curriculum
- LilyPad In-Depth
- Programming with Simon
- Processing the Danger Shield
- Reprogramming the Simon
- SMD Soldering (PPT, courtesy of SparkFun)
- SIK Curriculum
- Serial Communication between Arduino and Processing
- Surface Mount Device Stenciling (PPT, courtesy of SparkFun)
Advanced
- SoftSerial
- XBee Wireless
- Xciting XBees
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Curriculum (DOC, courtesy of SparkFun)
- Five Days of Prototyping (PDF, courtesy of SparkFun)
- Arduino, Processing and Max
- TEI Workshop Materials- Gaming