It may be hard to remember a time when ZOOM wasn’t part of our daily life, but it didn’t even exist ten years ago. In recent months, this web conferencing app has quickly become a household name and an indispensable technology, facilitating everything from virtual weddings to graduation ceremonies. And wherever there is a reliable WiFi connection, parents and kids have also gotten used to school taking place at home via video conferencing.
As educators around the country get ready for more virtual learning in the year ahead, they know that activating students on these platforms is no small feat. Keeping students engaged in learning and progressing in their academic and social-emotional development is incredibly challenging in the virtual environment, and educators have been valiantly working to pivot their approaches to deliver high-quality instruction under these constraints. KID Museum’s commitment to our school partners through this moment of intense transformation remains unchanged. We are here to be a resource to kids, educators, and families in making learning joyful, engaging, and hands-on no matter where school is located. To that end, we are excited to introduce you to Make it! Classroom.
KID Museum developed Make it! Classroom as a flexible and comprehensive maker learning program that can be delivered virtually — either directly to students in their homes, or in a classroom. This semester or year-long program is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and can be integrated into a science class, STEM elective, or enrichment settings for elementary students. As with KID Museum’s in-person offerings, our virtual maker learning program empowers learners with technical and social-emotional skills as they pursue self-directed projects based on their own interests.
Designed to support schools in keeping their students engaged in high-quality learning, the program activates students as “makers” who build agency, confidence, and creative problem-solving while developing skills in design engineering, coding, and 3D modeling.
Each session starts with guided live instruction and inspiration, but the goal is to motivate students to pursue a project off-screen and connect with the instructor and classmates as collaborators in the process. In this way, our virtual maker program brings our signature inquiry- and exploration-based approach to life in a remote learning environment.
All of this has been possible because so many of you have deepened your commitment and invested in us at an even greater level. Thank you. With your help, we are able to keep our promise to the kids and youth who are counting on us. We are excited for the opportunity to continue to innovate to give our young people the educational experiences they deserve.
If you’re an educator or school leader who would like to know more about Make it! Classroom, please get in touch. We would love to partner with you.
