The Maker As Storyteller

(Photo courtesy of Mitchell Malpartida, and used with permission.)

Freelance technologist Mitchell Malpartida is "scary" creative, when it comes to STEAM.

And he says storytelling is a crucial element of the maker experience. 

As the founder of Masterful Creations STEAM Academy, Mitchell teaches science, technology, engineering, art and math through maker projects.  His students don't necessarily realize that they're doing engineering--or combining art and science.  They just know they're making cool things that move, light up, and make sounds.

And Mitchell says his three daughters and young son are always challenging him, as a maker.

He's again rising to that challenge, by developing some spooky-fun major Halloween STEAM projects.

We won't spoil them for you.  However, these are both a lot of fun--and projects that could easily inspire fellow makers!  Mitchell will be posting video and instructions on Masterful Creations STEAM Academy's webpage in the very near future--and just in time for Halloween!

And definitely, check out his YouTube channel for a very impressive school project his ten-year-old daughter created, using maker skills and a lot of imagination.

Meanwhile, if you didn't hear Mitchell's guest appearance on our onsite special Over Coffee® Valentine show, here's the link (we made animatronic Valentines afterwards)!

Mitchell talked about his background as a maker, previewed three major STEAM projects he's creating for Halloween 2019 and explained some of the components he's using.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

How Mitchell first realized the value of storytelling in maker projects;

Three highly innovative Halloween projects on which he's currently working;

An animated school project which his ten-year-old daughter did, of which he's especially proud;

One of the best "maker lessons" Mitchell himself has learned, from his work with Masterful Creations STEAM Academy;

One project that didn't work as envisioned, in the initial design;

How "pivoting" can be a learning lesson when projects don't work out

A preview of some of Mitchell's new projects, once Halloween is over.