Thanks to our special collaboration with the WOUB Learning Lab and our fantastic mentors, we’re meeting up online again this summer! Join us for FREE weekly maker sessions and donation-based tech workshops that you can do from home. Sessions are geared toward 6th-12th graders. Materials and supplies will be made available to participants for pickup at the museum building (67 Columbus Road, Athens).
Discovery Lab maker sessions will focus on opportunities to build and create, incorporating STEAM (STEM+Arts) to support authentic learning in a project-based format. Technology-focused workshops will introduce participants to utilize technology in their maker projects at home.
Register today and sign up to pick up maker supplies and a private Zoom link.
Discovery Lab Zoom Meetup dates:
All Discovery Lab Meetups will be on Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:00pm. Zoom link will be sent to participants.
Thursday June 3 – Bringing Paper to Light!
Explore electrical circuits and learn how to bring your paper constructions to light! We’ll explore different techniques for incorporating LEDs into paper constructions. These same techniques may be useful during other projects throughout the summer as a way to make other constructions more active. Materials will be available at the museum for this session.
PICK UP FOR SESSION 1: Wednesday, June 2, 5:00-6:00pm OR by appointment (send an email to director@ovmod.org)
Thursday June 10 – Origami, Reinvented
Origami is typically considered for its minimalist artistic philosophy that results in beautiful art pieces, but it is also accessible to beginners, and can transform ways we think about technology. The simple act of folding paper will amaze you with what you can create, and we’ll try some unexpected add-ons to take your creations to another level!
Thursday June 17 – Sick Beats with Dr. P (aka Contemporary and Digital Music)
Learn to build loops, record a song, and play with online synths. Never played a musical instrument before? No problem! Tools all available online. Helpful (but not necessary) to have a working microphone on your computer, phone, or tablet for this session. This Discovery Lab is in collaboration with the Ohio University Contemporary Music and Digital Instruments program.
Thursday June 24 – 100 Things to build with a Cardboard Box
Gather up all your cardboard and something to cut it! We’re going to explore a bunch of different ways to construct with cardboard. It’s also helpful to have tape, metal brads, wire, paper clips…bring your maker materials and your clever ideas!
Thursday July 1 – Coding Art
We’ll use the free web-based platform, Turtle Art, to draw, sketch, and create Insta-worthy art to share. Create your own brand logo! Design art for your latest album cover! No experience with computer coding necessary.
Thursday July 8 – No Discovery Lab
Thursday July 15 – Low Tech Game Design
No need to be bored with board games, as they come in all shapes and sizes. Will your game be played on a square, a rectangle, or some other shape? Will it use dice, cards, or other pieces? How many players will be able to play at the same time? We’ll talk about game considerations, show some examples of popular games, and then your imagination is the limit.
Thursday July 22 – Fiber Tech
Using only your fingers, hands, and (maybe) arms, learn how you can knit yarn into interesting shapes and creatures. Once you’ve started the structure of your project, we’ll think about and plan how to add technology to your creation to truly create some fiber tech!
Thursday July 29 – Book Nook
Have you seen the TikTok Book Nook trend? Learn how to create your very own magical world right on your bookshelf by building a lighted Book Nook! Perfect for readers and imaginators (plus, a book nook makes a super gift).
Thursday August 5 – Miniature Golf Course Designer
Have you ever played miniature golf or Putt-Putt and thought about what kind of fun or wacky courses you might design? This is your chance to design a single hole or multiple hole miniature golf course. We will provide some of the supplies to get you started, but you can bring in other materials you have around your home. Will you challenge players with tricky angles, creative barriers to navigate around, or something else?
Special Workshop Dates
Donations for our special workshops are welcome here!
Tuesday June 15 – Introduction to 3D Printing
Join us to learn the basics of 3D modeling and printing. This introductory session will work through the basics of Tinkercad and 3D modeling. By the end of the session, participants should be able to work independently to create 3D models on the computer. Files created over the week can be sent to the instructor for perusal. In a follow up session, participants will discuss their models with the instructor.
Tuesday June 22 – 3D Printing Work Session
Participants of the Introductory Session and more advanced users who already have used Tinkercad can submit model files to the instructor in advance. During this session the instructor will discuss with the group ways to improve the printability of designs and show how the designs are sliced up in preparation for printing. Prints will then be made during the following weeks.
Tuesday June 29 – Meet the Microbit: an Introduction to Programming the Microbit
Meet the Microbit, a small microcontroller with a lot of boatload of features packed onto a tiny board. This introductory session is for those who have not used a microbit before or who would like a refresher. You will learn how to create and load basic programs using block coding. We’ll explore different sensors and hook up an external buzzer. Microbit kits will be available for loan. A laptop and the Chrome browser is recommended for the workshop. Other major browsers will work with an extra step.
Tuesday July 13 Advanced Microbit Workshop
Explore advanced techniques with the Microbit. It will be assumed that the participant knows how to create and download basic programs to the microbit (either Introductory Microbit Workshop or previous experience with the Microbit).