Demco and the #MakerMinute @Demco #DemcoMaker

Hello everyone! I'm excited to share an awesome partnership with Demco that will share maker tips across social media. There are so many things I do in my space that make life a little easier and I wanted to find the best way to share them with as many people as possible. 

For those who do not know, I have been collaborating with Demco for a number of years. I worked with them on the design and build out of the makerspace at my school and I have used them for lots of supplies to support students in the space and my design classes. Please check out what they have to offer if you are looking to restock your space. I also have been writing posts for them since 2018 about various Makerspace and STEM ideas. The Maker Minute is our next collaboration and it has been a blast so far. Check out what we have shared,

Introducing the Demco #MakerMinute featuring @thenerdyteacher! Tune in each #MakerspaceMonday for a new #makerspace tip or trick. Then, let us know what hacks make your days easier using #DemcoMaker — Nick will be sharing his tips and yours in future videos! pic.twitter.com/JqXHZvlNmN

— Demco (@demco) November 30, 2021

In this Demco #MakerMinute with @thenerdyteacher, Nick shares a tip for answering the FAQ, "what's printing?" on the 3D printers.#MakerMonday #MakerspaceMonday #DemcoMaker #MakerEd @DremelDigiLab pic.twitter.com/LXG6S72Oo1

— Demco (@demco) December 6, 2021

Did you miss the Demco #MakerMinute on Monday? @thenerdyteacher shared how @uniliggett students are using the #FlexFarm to learn about #hydroponics and so much more!

Flex Farm for schools: https://t.co/BUC5xmUrdH@ForkFarms#DemcoMaker #STEM #STEAM #STEMed #edutwitter pic.twitter.com/45g4GxBrsz

— Demco (@demco) December 16, 2021

I firmly believe that we are all better together, so please share some of your tips and tricks for #MakerEd or your classroom using the tag #DemcoMaker and tag me, @TheNerdyTeacher. I want to share these with everyone out there. This has already been a long year and we need to help each other out in any way possible. I hope these tips can make things a little easier. 

Exploring Hydroponics with @ForkFarms #SciChat #EdChat

The thought of growing my own food in the dead of Winter never seemed like much of a reality for me since I live in Michigan. Having a whole system that would allow students to do it and learn about sustainability, agriculture, and more seemed impossible. Fork Farms has made this all a possibility with the Fresh Farm system.  

Through a partnership with Demco and Fork Farms, our students are going to be able to explore hydroponics in many different ways in our K12 setting. We were able to set up the system last week and I shared some images on Instagram. 

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A post shared by Nicholas Provenzano (@thenerdyteacher)

The one thing I want to point out from the start is how easy it was to build. I enlisted the head of the high school robotics team and middle school robotic's mentor to help me build the Flex Farm and his vast engineering skills were not needed. There were only two screws that required a screwdriver. Everything else slid and snapped into place. The entire build took around 45 minutes. It took us a little bit longer because we were pausing on various steps to make sure it was as easy as it showed in the directions. It was!

The system comes with a full curriculum that walks teachers and students through the process of hydroponics from start to finish. The system comes with all of the chemicals, seeds, and other supplies needed to get the first batch of veggies going. They have a subscription service to help replenish your supplies or you can get your own. 

The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to classroom application. One great example our MS Science teacher thought of had to do with the Space unit in 8th grade. She thought it would be cool for students to explore the need for hydroponics in deep space exploration. Asking students to think about what would need to be grown, how does growing your own food have a positive impact on a space mission, and more. We also have a Botany class in the high school that will take advantage of the system as well. There are many possibilities for using Flex Farms in the classroom. 

I am excited to see what we can do and I'm also very excited for all the fresh veggies we are going to grow for the school! If you have more questions, check out the video below and/or reach out to @ForkFarms on Twitter. 

The #KnightsForge Maker Show Checks Out @MakeDo #MakerEd

Students from the Knight's Forge Maker Show explored Makedo and how it can be used to create amazing things with cardboard. Check out their latest video on Makedo in the Makerspace.

I'm a huge fan of Makedo and think it is perfect for any classroom and makerspace. Cardboard is all around us and duct tape can be so expensive and wasteful. Makedo's reusable screws make it possible for students to prototype and then reuse the screws as needed. The full toolkit is phenomenal and in constant use in the space. Students can use the cardboard saws to trim their pieces to the size they need and then just use the screwdriver to connect the cardboard pieces with the screws. The 6th graders think they are perfect for their cardboard fort and are planning some large construction down the line. If you want your own set, check out Demco for all of the different packages from Makedo.