Thanks to Donors choose and Mrs. Newburger's eternal optimism and tireless grant writing, Piedmont's media center won a BB8 droid complete with iPad in a cool protective case for operating on the go. 
Come by the Makerspace and check it out. BB8 already has a fan club, I think! 
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Check out these photos and videos from the first two days of his life at our school.

There's still plenty to discover. He can be coded, you can draw a path with your finger and have him patrol, he has been plenty talkative, and even has Augmented reality  Star Wars action.

It's a wonderful time to be alive, kids! The future is here! No, seriously, do you think my  middle school library in the 70s had droids for loan? No, I tell you, they most certainly did not!

- Love, Ms. Gurthie

Not the Skill You're looking for, there's plenty more to learn and do in the Makerspace!
http://piedmontpd.weebly.com/studentspace/category/makerspace


Related Posts:
Big Hero 6 and the Maker Movement 

Tynker is a website that let's you easily learn to code starting from step one.
Here is how to make video games on Tynker

Some courses cost money but many are free.

To test the Video Game design link at the beginning of this post, I clicked "remix this program" for the penguin game, then I saved my work. It asked me to log in and I did using my google account so you can do the same since all students have Google Drive (the same way you log into your Chromebook).

If this is all new to you and you need help getting started wtih Tynker from step one, check these Tynker video tutorials that will show you anything you might want to do.

It's so easy a little kid can do it, in fact elementary school  students at Red Oak right here in CMS use Tynker to create hundreds of projects. Check out the games they designed! 

This photo is of an acutal working radio built with snap circuits, available in our Media center makerspace. Click the link for even more Snap Circuits Projects_

Earn the DIY Stitcher Patch by learning how to sew at home, by hand, or at school on our sewing machine in the new Media Center Maker Space:
https://diy.org/skills/stitcher

There are lots of kinds of leaders.

Some young people are born leaders. You probably already know if that is you. People tend to listen to you, to do what you say. YOu are probably good in a crisis.
Some people lead with bravery. They 
These skills can be developed if you don't have them but I want to share with you my advice for leadership if you don't have it already.

I use a backward method of leadership that is based on my own knowledge of what is my greatest gift and strength in myself and committment to what I am passionate about. I am who I am and in being me I inspire others to be the best in themselves and to stop hiding.

I used to do that with my students. I would recognize, name and develop their strengths as a way to minimize their weaknesses.

Now I will try to give it to you via this post. Here's what to do:

Ask yourself:

• What are your unique strengths that set you apart and let you shine?  Compare your strengths to Animals. Instead of beating yourself up about what you can't do, think about what you can do. Would we ask a tiger to swim all day when his gift is running? Would we ask a duck to climb a tree when he can fly instead? How are you getting to the top of that tree? Are you sure getting to the tree top is even a goal for  you? Maybe you should be an ocean diver instead.
  
• What issues/causes/problems do you care about? What injustices burn you most? How can you lead

• ( or be a first follower http://youtu.be/hO8MwBZl-Vc to help that cause ? 

Now act on those answers. Be awake and aware looking for ways to help others because the best way to know yourself is to forget yourself and act.

Servant Leadership is this new buzzword. You have to know what you are good at in order to serve.

Do not fear failure. Part of being a leader is being willing to fail and knowing that all great leaders have failed many times before success even at their greatest strengths: