Welcome to Visitation Academy's Makerspace where there is no limit to our students' creativity, hands-on, and critical thinking skills!
In the spring of 2018, we attended a Makerspace workshop which focused on the benefits of implementing makerspaces in schools to provide students additional opportunities for hands-on STEM activities involving collaboration, design and creativity.
The Makerspace was introduced to our school community in mid-Sept of 2018. Our computer Teacher works closely with faculty in Early Childhood - 8th Grade to plan STEM challenges and activities that are relevant to the teachers' curriculum areas. Faculty members plan activities that are relevant to their curriculum areas and schedule times for their students to visit the makerspace with them present. Mr. Peppel provides hands-on assistance to faculty and students while they are using the space.
While in the Makerspace students have opportunities to work collaboratively and respectfully with their fellow classmates to be inventors and design engineers! Our makerspace contains a variety of materials such as: hand tools, cardboard, tape, craft sticks, Legos, Kinects, etc. There are many technologies used: iPads, Chromebooks, 3D Printer with Tinkercad, Dash Robots, Sphero Minis, Ozobots, Lego Kids, Cubelets, Makey Makey, Snap Circuits, and Squishy Circuits.
Please refer to the Makerspace Procedures and Expectations .
Innovations in Catholic Education Award!
Press Announcement
Congratulations to Visitation Academy who was honored in Chicago on April 24, 2019 at the NCEA Convention. Today’s Catholic Teacher , the cornerstone periodical for Catholic educators, honored 12 finalists for the national Innovations in Catholic Education (ICE) awards. The staff at Today’s Catholic Teacher searched for the schools with the best innovations in Catholic education, and more than 100 schools responded with descriptions of unique programs and projects. The award honored 12 Catholic schools that have led the way by implementing exemplary, innovative programs to improve the teaching and learning of their students, faculty, and staffs.
We were proud to receive this Innovations in Catholic Education Award and are excited to continue to provide our students with exemplary S.T.E.M. activites.
STREAM Activity: Making Bristlebots in the Makerspace! - 8th grade students worked in pairs to build “bristlbot” robots.
What is a bristlebot? It's a simple, small robot created using the head of a toothbrush, pipe cleaners, wiggly eyes, double-sided tape, a vibrating motor and a small coin cell battery. While following the steps to construct it, they reviewed circuitry skills; how properly connecting the metal wires of the motor to the positive and negative sides of the battery caused motion. The robot moved by vibrating its body. Through trial and error and by changing the position of some components, they discovered how the speed and direction of the bristlebot was effected.
Second grade students were invited to share in this activity. Second grade learned how battery-operated objects work and each team were able to see their bristlebots come alive.