Innovative Arts: Making the class that I want for my own kids
Innovative arts was born from my frustration as a science teacher. I was frustrated because the amount of content I had to teach each year…
Category: Resources for Teachers
The basics of using a UScutter Vinyl Cutter software
Intro to this resource – Using UScutter vinyl utter software A UScutter vinyl cutter is a great tool that you can use for anything vinyl!…
8 Videos to help you learn Easel by Inventables
Intro to this resource – Learn Easel Easel by Inventables is a great resource! I’ve been teaching students how to use our CNC machines for…
Make a cardboard truck project!
This is such a fun project! When I realized that my students are able to make a cardboard truck project, I didn’t look back! Kids…
Make a Jigglebot or a Doodlebug
What is this site? Puzzle Shift Create is a new approach to education. Students learn how to think for themselves and use real tools to…
How to teach TinkerCAD to beginners
Everything you need to know on how teach TinkerCAD to beginners.
How to use Tinkercad for beginners – 7 bite-sized lessons
What is this site? Puzzle Shift Create is a new approach to education. Students learn how to think for themselves and use real tools to…
5 next-level uses for technology in the classroom
There is simply so much untapped potential in new uses for technology in the classroom! When I started as a teacher, everything was on paper.…
10 Clever Student Autonomy Examples
What is student autonomy? Students with autonomy need to be able to think independently, have a voice that carries weight, and constructively use any freedom…
Hack Teaching Growth Mindsets with a Brain Lesson
I used to fail at teaching growth mindsets to my students for a long time. After I started finding success as the Innovative Arts…
11 Specific Ideas to Have More Fun Teaching
I was researching how to have fun in the classroom and was unimpressed with the advice on how to have fun teaching- “include technology” and…
Actually Teaching Growth Mindsets: 5 Dos and Don’ts
Growth mindsets are the superfad from five years ago. At this point, most teachers have have tried and probably gotten tired and frustrated like I…
Ep12 Trello as a Classroom Portfolio Tool
I have been trying to help my students create portfolios ever since I started teaching. Every attempt was a failure. Failure #1) Paper Portfolios A…
Help kids start thinking like creators with the “Creator Mindset Spectrum”
Outline: The apathy that we see in students has many causes. I am able to experience part of the problem first hand every August. On…
Two easy ways to have fun while teaching!
A few ways to add some fun to your daily classroom grind! Here are a few ways to be fun and educational at the same…
Celebrating Failure as Steps to Success
This post is based on Episode 9 of the Maker-Teacher Podcast! This is a big topic for Puzzle Shift Create In every classroom, this is…
Developing growth mindsets in a maker setting
I see students from 5th grade through 8th grade. Over these four years, students learn: Basic understanding of our brains work Short and long term…
How a display playing videos helped my students use their work time
Work time was instantly improved by adding a video monitor to the Fab Lab during Innovative Arts Class. The video is run by a raspberry…
Help kids understand creativity with Sparks and Grinds
It is hard to teach creativity I tried for years to teach creativity to my student in my science classroom. A few kids would run…
Introducing Innovative Arts! Kids are creators instead of consumers!
I am so excited to be developing Innovative Arts as a new course in our middle school. This is the second year for the course…