A design-minded teacher facilitates learning that is flexible, creative, and collaborative—with a healthy mix of critical thinking, trial and error, failure, and success. In The Cardboard Classroom, authors Doug Robertson and Jennifer Borgioli Binis offer practical guidance and sample projects developed from Robertson’s authentic classroom experiences to help you find space for this engaging approach to instruction in your daily practice. Elementary educators will: Discover why design thinking is more the identity of the teacher than instructional strategy Learn how design-minded teaching advances student learning and improves engagement Study real-world examples and experiences of the design process in action Receive comprehensive examples of projects you can utilize and adapt to fit your classroom’s needs Obtain reproducible tools and templates to enhance your understanding of the material Contents Preface Introduction: Lighting and Thunder Part 1: Overview of Design-Minded Teaching Chapter 1: What Does Design-Minded Thinking Mean? Part 2: Design-Minded Teaching in Practice Chapter 2: Define—What’s the Problem? What’s the Goal? Chapter 3: Design—How Can We Solve the Problem? Chapter 4: Build—How Do We Create a Solution? Chapter 5: Test and Revise—What Happens When We Try Out the Solution and Respond to Data? Chapter 6: Reflect—What Did We Learn? Chapter 7: Putting It Into Practice Part 3: Becoming a Design-Minded Teacher Chapter 8: Specific Designs Chapter 9: Assessment in the Design-Minded Classrooms Chapter 10: Cure-Alls, Buy-Ins, and Trust Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) References and Resources Index

A STEAM-centered, adorably illustrated picture book about Meg, a brilliant and creative boxitect who creates extraordinary things out of ordinary cardboard boxes. Meg is a brilliant and creative boxitect. She loves impressing her teacher and classmates with what she makes out of boxes. But there’s a new kid at Maker School: Simone. Simone is good at everything, and worst of all, she’s a boxitect too. When the annual Maker Match is held, Meg and Simone are paired as a team but can’t seem to stop arguing. When their extraordinary project turns into a huge disaster, they must find a way to join creative forces, lift each other up, and work together.

Art Workshop for Children is not just another book of straightforward art projects. The book's unique child-led approach provides a framework for cultivating creative thinking and encourages the wonder that comes when children are allowed to freely explore the creative process and their materials. As children work through these open-ended workshops, adults are guided on how to be facilitators who provide questions, encourage deep thinking, and help spark an excitement for discovery. Children explore basic materials and workshops that use minimal supplies, and then gradually add new materials to fill the art cabinets as well as new skills and more complex workshops. Most workshops are suitable to preschool-aged children, and each contains ideas for explorations and new twists to engage older or more experienced artists. Interspersed throughout are sidebar essays that introduce perspectives on mess-making, imperfection, the role of adult, collaborative art, and thoughts on the Reggio Emilia method, a self-guided teaching philosophy. These pieces underscore the value of art-making with children, and support the parent/teacher/care-giver on how to successfully lead, question, and navigate their children through the workshops to result in the fullest experiences.

In Math Art and Drawing Games for Kids, you’ll find an amazing collection of more than 40 hands-on art activities that make learning about math fun! Make Art + Learn Math Concepts = Become a Math Genius! Create fine art-inspired projects using math, including M. C. Escher’s tessellations, Wassily Kandinski’s abstractions, and Alexander Calder’s mobiles. Make pixel art using graph paper, grids, and dot grids. Explore projects that teach symmetry with mandala drawings, stained glass rose window art, and more. Use equations, counting, addition, and multiplication to create Fibonacci and golden rectangle art. Play with geometric shapes like spirals, hexagrams, and tetrahedrons. Learn about patterns and motifs used by cultures from all over the world, including Native American porcupine quill art, African Kente prints, and labyrinths from ancient Crete. Cook up some delicious math by making cookie tangrams, waffle fractions, and bread art. Take a creative path to mastering math with Math Art and Drawing Games for Kids!

Offers craft projects children can create with cardboard boxes, including making a playhouse, giant dice, and a princess castle.

Eco-Friendly Cardboard Crafts to Make and Play With At last, a genius way for you to put all that cardboard lying around the house to good use! Mailing boxes, paper towel rolls, cereal cartons and more can be transformed into a range of crafts, toys and games that guarantee hours of fun, imaginative playtime. Blast off in a cardboard Rocket, set up a fun Ice Cream Cart or become royalty in a Castle Cubby with life-size play structures that will delight your little ones. Let big imaginations run wild with pretend play creations like cool Butterfly Wings, a handy Tool Belt or a Mini Monster Truck that’s built for jumps and tricks. Create games that will challenge and engage your kids with projects like a Pinball Machine, Tabletop Soccer and Cardboard Labyrinth. With all of Kathryn’s best tips and tricks for sourcing, upcycling and handling cardboard, plus a wide range of inventive projects, this incredible collection is your go-to guide for easy, eco-friendly ways to transform cardboard into crafty creations your kids will love.