Your generous donations will help to implement a Makerspace in the SMS Library. 

Leslie Preddy in her book "School Library Makerspaces" sums up the makers movement in school libraries well when she states, “a makerspace is a community destination where students – sometimes alongside staff, parents and mentors – can create, problem solve, and develop skills, talents, thinking and mental rigor. Envision the DIY Network meets the hands-on learning philosophy of a children’s museum, but there in a school library.” With the help of this grant we can create just that in the Somerville Middle School Library; a place where learning occurs through creation & not lecture style learning. The Library Makerspace will be a place where the design based learning theory taught in the Next Generation Science Standards and our STEM classes can come to life.  A place where every student in the school has the opportunity to create, and a place where failure is embraced and shown that it is really the first step in learning.  

These funds will allow us to purchase Ozobots which help to teach the students coding and programing. We will also use the funds to purchase Little bits kits for students that allow them to not only use their coding skills but also their creativity and much more. We would also like to be able to purchase some books which will help to get our more interested in making. 

The OzobotsBit cost $59.95 an we would like to purchase 4 of them. 

We would love a Student Set from Littlebits which costs $274.  The kit includes all the Bits modules and instructions your students need to create circuits in seconds and combine them with craft materials to make projects. Perfect for 4 students working individually or 8 students working in pairs.

The library could also use some sets up books that would go along with our new makerspace. Here is an example of one of the sets of books we would like. 

Back Up Plan