Design Challenges and More with Makerspace in a Box

The Maker Brief

Ms. F. Nexidough has been struggling with too much sunlight beaming into her bedroom during her afternoon nap. She shared this problem with you and wanted to know if you could come up with any ideas for helping her block the sunlight. She gave an unusual request: the thing has to be a permanent statue in her garden.

The Challenge

Create a unique design that stacks the items in your box as tall as possible to block the most light.

The Maker Brief

It's time for dinner, but your friend Sam doesn't want to go home because he will feel lonely. He asks you, "Could you make something that can keep us connected from far away?" You decide to look in your Makerspace box and make something so that the both of you can be connected, even when you are not together.

The Challenge

Make an original design that will let you stay connected with a friend even when you can't be in the same place at the same time.

The Maker Brief

You've noticed that the whole world has been struggling with the delivery of vaccines to places like islands, mountaintops, and very rural or highly populated areas because they are hard to reach. You believe that if there was a safe way to transport the vaccines through the air that the world would be a safer place.

The Challenge

Develop a new way to transport a "vaccine" through the air.

The Maker Brief

Your younger brother and baby sister are annoying you so much that your face is turning purple (an odd shade of purple like byzantium, too!) You ask, "Why are you doing this to me?!" They sing, "Because we are bored. Play with us!" You decide to make a fantastical story with science, magic, and wonder using items that you have in your Makerspace box.

The Challenge

Make a story using 5 different things in the Makerspace box.

The Maker Brief

Your pet is getting a lot of sleep and eating a lot of snacks. You have noticed that your pet is getting so big, it is hard for your pet to climb onto the couch. You start to imagine a way that you can encourage your pet to start being more active without taking too much of your time.

The Challenge

Make a toy for a pet that encourages it to be active.

The Maker Brief

You returned from your favorite place in the whole wide world and want to share it with your best friend. They couldn't accompany you on your trip because they needed a very rare surgery on their ears. Doctors are trying to help them hear better.

The Challenge

Make a model of your favorite place, or a person in that place, that you can share with your friend.

The Maker Brief

You and your family are looking for new ways to have fun together. All of you are tired of constantly using technology, so you decide to develop a new or classic game to play!

The Challenge

Create a new or classic game using the Makerspace box materials.

The Maker Brief

You love racing and decide to create two items that can be used in a race. You are excited to share your ideas and decide on making models of the two racing things.

The Challenge

Design and build models of two items that can race.

The Maker Brief

You love old stories about pirates and their love of gold and other treasures. You especially like their adventures as they search for treasure!

The Challenge

Make a treasure and then create a map to the treasure using the Makerspace box materials.

The Maker Brief

A friend reads and shares an article with you about George de Mestral's invention of Velcro back in 1941. You are fascinated to learn that his idea for the hooks and loops in Velcro was inspired by rough seeds called burrs that often stick to animal fur. You think it would be fun to create a new product inspired by another object just like George de Mestral.

The Challenge

Design and build a model of your new product using the Makerspace box materials. Follow this process:

1. Choose one design card from this Design Card Sheet and one inspiration card from this Inspiration Card Sheet.
2. List the features of both items shown on your chosen cards. Think of ways to combine the features into a new product.
3. Draw a sketch of your new product and give it a clever name.
4. Build it and have fun!