Harness the Maker Movement in Your Classroom!

Are you interested in learning more about making in the classroom, makerspaces, or the maker movement in general? There are lots of ways we can help!

We can help you:

• Get started in setting up your school makerspace
• Find local makers to help with topics outside your area of expertise
• Help you come up with great project ideas for all ages and budgets

Looking for information for Homeschool parents? Check out our Homeschool programs!

The Maker Effect Foundation

The Maker Effect Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity that exists to activate and amplify the efforts of makers as they learn, build and work together in their communities. As part of our mission, we produce Maker Faire Orlando, we operate MakerFX Makerspace in South Orlando and we work with educators throughout Central Florida.

Maker Faire Orlando

Maker Faire Orlando is a community-organized, family-friendly celebration featuring local do-it-yourself science, art, rockets, robots, crafts, technology, music, hands-on-activities, and more. It’s an event where people show what they are making and share what they are learning.

Educators (all grade levels including college / university and libraries) receive free admission to Maker Faire Orlando. In addition, pre-registered Title I school groups including students, educators, and chaperones receive free admission. If your organization is interested in sponsoring our programs for educators, please visit our sponsor information page.

To receive free educator admission to Maker Faire Orlando for you and a guest, please bring your school ID to the ticket booth at the entrance to the event where you will be given a wristband for entry. You are welcome to attend the event with your guest on both days of the event, however you will need to check-in and show ID both days. If you attend on two separate days, you may bring the same guest both days, however you may only bring a total of one guest to the event regardless of how many days you attend. Your guest may be asked to show identification. Please subscribe to our Maker Faire Orlando Educator email newsletter (and add makers@makerfaireorlando.com to your contacts) so that you can stay informed on event information and any updates to the check-in process.

Title I schools wishing to bring a group of students, chaperones, and educators should fill out our Maker Faire Orlando Title I School Group Ticket Request.

Each year we curate (in the month before the event) a special set of Maker Faire Orlando exhibits that are targeted for educators. If you can’t see everything at Maker Faire, you can use this list to prioritize! Many of these exhibits are created by educators, or these makers have indicated they are willing to help educators.

We maintain a list of local makers that are willing to do demonstrations or talks in your classrooms, help with project ideas, or provide training for educators looking to expand their skills sets and we partner with makerspaces such as FamiLAB, and MakerFX as well as organizations including Deltamaker 3D Printers and The Orlando Science Center.

Stay up to date with the latest on the Maker Movement in Central Florida with our Maker Faire Orlando Educator email newsletter.

If you would like to learn more about Maker Faire Orlando or for assistance bringing the maker movement into your classroom, email us at makers@makerfaireorlando.com

Other Resources

• Maker Ed is a non-profit organization who is committed to “empowering communities transform their education systems by integrating making into all facets of their work”. The team at Maker Ed has put together an extensive library of resources that you may want to check out! This link will take you to the getting started page, but there is so much more information available.

• Make Magazine is a publication created by Make: Community to connect Makers with each other, with products and services, and with their partners.

• FamiLAB is a provider of space, tools, and community for creative technical learning and projects. FamiLAB’s mission is to be a community that fosters learning and creativity through hands-on projects, collaboration, and the sharing of skills & tools to improve ourselves and enrich the world around us.

• MakerFX is a makerspace in South Orlando that is a program of The Maker Effect Foundation. MakerFX is home to a diverse set of makers and tools, with projects ranging from props and cosplay to woodworking and electronics. We also keep the hands-on activities from Maker Faire Orlando such as the Make-a-Shirt screen printing equipment at MakerFX for year-round hands-on learning.

• Melrose Center is part of the Orange County Library System that uses their experience as providers of informal learning and technology education to provide services for community members to gain the understanding required to be both contributor to, developer for, and consumer of today’s emerging technologies.

If you would like to learn more about Maker Faire Orlando or for assistance bringing the maker movement into your classroom, email us at makers@makerfaireorlando.com