From the classroom

Passive speaker model 2, student designed #3dprint #studentwork #designtech #design #audio by sarahsutterteacher via Instagram http://ift.tt/1qGE3XH

From the classroom

Headphone stand, slips on over the edge of the table. Also has a place for a cord. #studentwork #studentdesign #designtech #3dprint #3dprinting by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1TJwX0k

From the classroom

Student designed, 3d printed passive audio amplifier for his iPhone. #designtech #designcycle #3dprint #123ddesign #fabed #3ddesign #studentwork by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/24ZdZ9X

From the classroom

Google Educator Group event in Yoyogi Park on a Saturday afternoon. Creating 360 photospheres and 360 videos to post to Google Maps and use with Google Cardboard. #GEG #education #teachers #Tokyo #Japan by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1XbdiHT

From the classroom

#shopbot running a #studentproject for a bat rack for the softball team. #realneed #useful #designtech #design by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1ZAahjg

From the classroom

Success in today's #jascd25 #TIOM #etextiles workshop. Blinking led lights w #gemma board - one hour session. #circuits #designtech #edtech by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1NoOJoF

From the classroom

Design Cutter workshop at #jascd25 #TIOM . I love pop up paper cutting! #tokyo #japan #designtech by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1SC7kQA

From the classroom

#Makergear making . . . gears . . for a #steampunk clock. #3dprint #3d #designtech #makered by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/23VDbgU

From the classroom

White #pla and natural #abs filaments. Kids used #shapeshifter for their creations. Yay #autodesk! #3dprint #3d #3dprinting #makergear #designtech #designfab by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1SePQJQ

From the classroom

#Othermill cutting 20gauge copper. Metals students have a new tool to work with! #diy #maker #makered #jewelery #designtech #art #cnc #router by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1Si0AAI

From the classroom

Today we pushed the boundaries of what will print without supports. #3dprint #3d #makergear #makered #3dprinting #pla #shapeshifter #success #smallvictories by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1S4rgeo

From the classroom

Today's successes. #3d #3dprint #3dprinting #shapeshifter #makergear #designtech by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1oxuZmX

From the classroom

#isometric #drawing exercises in #design class. #3d communication of ideas supported by #basic #skills . #designtech #designer by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1WGBCPM

From the classroom

#centriphone #3dprint in progress. 3hrs in, 3ish left to go. #patience #designtech #3d #3dprinting by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1WvbWFw

From the classroom

Next up, one #centriphone #3dprint on the #makergearv4 . Taking the senior #video to the next level! #designtech #makered by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1R278qX

From the classroom

Intel #edison board, #grove #sensors with plug and play ease. #arduino #code and #blynk library and app. A great afternoon workshop! #professionallearning #teacher by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/253TwSf

From the classroom

#raster #engrave success! 100/30 on speed/power, 75watt . #lasercut #cardboard #iteration revision after #feedback #studentwork by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1UcFQR5

From the classroom

#feedback trials today. #laptopstand #ergonomic folded from one sheet of #cardboard , folds flat for portability. #studentwork #designthinking #design #lasercut by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1QG6v6t

From the classroom

#standingdesk adjustable angle w storage option, sits on avg table height. #design #studentwork #cardboard #lasercut #feedback #designthinking #designcycle by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1QL58Qs

From the classroom

Akie Abe spoke to students, parents, and other attendees at the 2016 Women In Japan Conference. #wij2016 #studentrun #womensday by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1W54ot4

From the classroom

#lasercut #plywood bowl. #makered #example #inspiration #make by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/21LOB5R

From the classroom

#laptopstand team 2. Angle a little steep, but screen at eye level. #ergonomic #challenge #lasercut #cardboard #studentwork #designtechnology #designtech #design by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1OSRzMF

From the classroom

#testing out the first #iteration of the sit on the floor #laptopstand #lasercut in #cardboard . #success ! #design #designtech #2d3d #feedback #userneeds #prototype #studentwork #student by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1QV9Kc3

From the classroom

#makergear 2 have arrived! 2 more- we love the ones we have. #3d #3dprinting #designtechnology #designtech by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1T9szsc

From the classroom

I actually had prep time today and made some more examples to show the kids tomorrow. #flexible #acrylic #parametric #kerf #laser #lasercutting #designtechnology #designtech by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1RFI5ZG

From the classroom

#parametric #kerf in #acrylic is #flexible too! #bend #lasercutting #laser #designtechnology #designtech by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1RlOFlj

From the classroom

Cut examples of parametric kerfs to enable 3mm plywood to bend. Thanks to fequalsif.com for the file via #instructibles . #laser #lasercutting #wood #parametric #ai by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1oLotJS

From the classroom

First files on the #lasercutter this semester. #cardboard #prototype #studentwork #classroom #projectbased #designtech #design #laser by sarahsutterteachervia Instagram http://ift.tt/1UvwYFp

Fall Semester 2015-16

It's been a busy semester! Here are some of the things that we did in the design classroom first semester this year.  Just about all of the photos are from a grade 9 Design & Fabrication course - intro level, survey of a little of everything, just the basics. More to come from second semester!

Fab Learn Asia 2015

Fab Lab Kamakura co-founder, and Fab Learn Asia organizer, Youka Watanabe

I participated in Fab Learn Asia 2015 this December, presenting about our school program on Saturday, and on Sunday leading a workshop using the laser cutter and then also participating in the panel discussion at the end of the conference.  The conference itself was well attended, and included primarily people from Japan, but also from around the world, from various educational institutions, teachers and student presenters, fab labs, fab cafes, and industry leaders who shared expertise about their tools.  The workshops were kept primarily hands on and in the maker/fab lab spirit.   

Dr. Hiro Tanaka, co-founder of FabLab Kamakura, Keio University faculty

My presentation on Saturday

Arduino basic LED session

More Arduino basics in a workshop

STEM Study Night at Fab Cafe Shibuya

Takehiro Hagiwara (MESH), Aki Kawana (Loftwork), Youka Watanabe (FabLab Kamakura), me!, Matt Krebs (anthropologist), Clint Hamada (Yokohama International School)

I was excited to be asked to participate in the presentations and panel discussion for the STEM Study Night at the Fab Cafe in Shibuya in December.  I shared an overview of our K-12 design program and its use of Design Thinking, and participated in the panel discussion Q&A at the end of the session.  

The evening was well attended, with presentations and the following format: 

Moderator: Youka Watanabe 19: 00 - 7:05 p.m. Youka Watanabe Introduction 19:00 - 19:10 Daisuke Okabe: The Idea of STEM 19:15 - 19:30 

Matt Krebs: FabLabs x Cultural Anthropology in Japan 19:30 - 19:45 

Sarah Sutter: Case Study - The American School in Japan 19:45 - 20:00 

Clint Hamada: Case Study - Yokohama International School 20:15 - 20:30

Bradley Hayes: Case Study - The British School in Tokyo 20: 30 - 8:45 p.m. 

Takehiro Hagiwara: MESH 20:45 - 21:00

Aki Kawana:? What's Creativity 21:00 - 21:30 

Panel Session

 Check out the link to the program with bios of all the presenters. This was one of several preliminary events leading up to the Fab Learn Asia conference later in December, held in Yokohama. More on that to follow!

New CAD Center Space to teach in!

In August I returned to school, with the new Creative Arts Design Center finished and open! As with any new space, we scrambled to make it student-ready by the first day(s) of school, including new shelving for storage, custom tables, chairs, last minute orders of materials, and unpacking the things that had arrived already. The second floor of this marvelous building houses the design spaces, two dedicated middle school rooms, one flexible ms/hs room, one hs design studio, a robotics / programming room, and one room for elementary teachers to bring their students to for specific projects.  There is also a flexible "plaza" for additional collaborative work, presentations, or even concerts - the strings room is also on this floor!  Here are a few of the shots of the space from early on in the term.