This post is written by Jenny Bruesewitz, a high school turned middle school English teacher in Bay Village, Ohio. Jenny presented about ELA and the Makerspace at NCTE 2023 and OCTELA 2024 (Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts).
The #teachlivingpoets tone bottle activity changed my classroom. The creation process resulted in great discussion and a visible representation of tone, which is always a difficult concept for students to grasp. Middle and high school students alike love the opportunity to discuss poetry with physical materials. Since it’s become a staple in my instruction, I’ve been searching for ways to extend my students’ poetry analysis with hands-on learning. I strayed from the English hallway one afternoon and found my answer: the Makerspace. A Makerspace is a collaborative work space inside a school library, or separate public/private facility for making, learning, exploring and sharing using high tech to no-tech tools Thanks Lakehead University for that concise definition. In a Makerspace, your classes can incorporate technology (3d printer, laser cutters, etc.) into any living poet unit.
Pairing poetry with tech, engineering, and creative design is an interdisciplinary unit at its finest. After students have analyzed a poem’s text structure, theme and language, students will plan, create, and troubleshoot with technology. It all comes together when they analyze elements of their physical representation. Being in the Makerspace is also a practice in a growth mindset: What if something goes wrong? Well, you work on how to adjust the settings, rethink size, and try again. Similar to writing poetry, our first product is not often our best product.
Advice
Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by technology. Coming from someone who works in Google Documents only, you can do this! There are AMAZING librarians, tech teachers, and other faculty and staff members in your building (and district) who can help you plan and implement a lesson in the Makerspace. This is also an opportunity for your students to step up to instruct and troubleshoot. There are students in your class who live for STEM activities and tinker with 3d printers at home or in the library, whenever they can get their hands on them. They will be delighted to support you while things are unfolding in the Makerspace.
Silicone bracelets
Equipment – Glowforge and silicone bracelets
Did words from their favorite living poet stick with them? Did your students write their own poems? A bracelet makes poetry visible. Students will choose their favorite line and have it lasered into silicone bracelets (seen above) or other available materials.
3d printed symbol
Equipment – Tinkercad (program) and 3d printer
“Something You Should Know” by Clint Smith is my favorite poem. (Thanks #teachlivingpoets for introducing me to Counting Descent.) I remember hermit crabs as simple animals from my childhood vacations to North Carolina, but since reading the poem and talking to students about the poem (some are hermit crab enthusiasts), I learned of their complexity and gained a new understanding as the symbolism of the hermit crab unfolds throughout the poem. A 3d hermit crab sits on my desk as a reminder of not only my favorite poem, but my own layers. Your students could choose symbols from their favorite poems of study and create a representation.
When students craft a poem with a strong symbol, they’ll be amazed at how difficult it is and how easy the poets make it look. The last step of this process could be for your students to then 3d print the symbol they created within their poem.
Jewelry
Equipment – Glowforge, wood, and jewelry pieces
What better way for a student to participate in a poetry slam or class reading than wearing a symbol of their poem! Earrings and bracelets are popular products in the Makerspace.
Mini magnets
Equipment – Canva (online creation) or paper with colored pencils, button maker, button pieces with magnets
Have your students create mini magnets of keywords from their favorite living poem and see how reworking changes the meaning, mood or tone. Instead of buying those pricey magnet poetry sets, students can create their own bundle of words and share their words with classmates for a fun poem creation activity.
Planning
The possibilities are endless. Start with one class. Get comfortable with the process and add in another group. If you have large classes, have half the class in the Makerspace and the other half planning or reflecting. Unsure if your students know the Makerspace? Set up a quick Google Form asking them about their experience.
Assessment
Maggie Smith’s newsletter and social media posts talk through her writing process. Use the Makerspace process as a way for you students to reflect on how their product matched their original plan. Thanks to AI rubric generators (the snippet of the rubric below is from Magic Tools), you can create a rubric to meet your needs including literary symbols, the Makerspace process, as well as reflection on the combination of the two.
Final notes
My three main takeaways from working in the Makerspace. #1. Find your support team. There are teachers and students who work with you in your unit and inspire you with future ideas. #2. Plan for extra time. The first time you do this, something will go wrong. And maybe even the second, but it’s a great reminder for our own growth mindsets. And finally #3. Embrace the unknown. I was pleasantly surprised at the two “ships” that came out in the Makerspace: Leadership. You will be amazed at the skills your students have in this setting. Let the students be the experts in the room. Relationships. You will learn so much about your students. It’s great to see them outside your classroom walls. The Makerspace leaders now come check in with me, often asking if I need anything created.
Have fun creating! Shout out to all the teachers who have worked with me to plan and create in the Makerspace. Feel free to join our community and get in touch to discuss any lesson ideas. jennifer.bruesewitz@bayschoolsohio.org.
#TeachLivingPoets 
This is why NCTE is daunting. I would have loved to have been at this presentation! I have some people to share this with, for sure, so thanks!
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