What's a MAKERSPACER Picture a place bursting with creativity In every direction you see designers and light artists building amazing projects that glow shine and blink Welcome to a makerspace Makerspaces are areas where people come together to create They are the perfect places to design and create light projects Makerspaces have all kinds of materials and tools But a maker's best tool is his or her imagination Makers think of new light projects They also find ways to improve existing light projects Then they bring these creations to life Are you ready to become a maker
5 BEFORE YOU GET STARTED GET PERMISSION Ask an adult for permission to use the makerspace and materials before starting any project MAKE A PLAN Read through the instructions and gather all your supplies ahead of time Keep them organized as you create BE RESPECTFUL Share tools and supplies with other makers When you're done with a tool put it back so others can use it BE SAFE Working with electricity can be dangerous so be careful Keep your power source switched off when connecting wires Prevent short circuits Ask an adult for help when you need it
6 WHAT CREATES LIGHT Light can be natural or artificial Natural light comes from the sun It is what allows us to see the world around us Fire is another kind of natural light For thousands of years people used fire to see at night and in dark places In the 1800s scientists figured out how to use electricity to create artificial light Today there are many types of light bulbs that can be lit with electric circuits Many of them work great for lighting up all kinds of maker projects
7 LED LIGHTS Light Emitting Diodes LEDs are small light bulbs with wires When you connect the wires in an electric circuit the bulb lights up LEDs come in many colors and can be used in different ways to light up your maker projects LITTLEBITS Little Bits is a brand of electronic building blocks Types of Little Bits parts include motors power sources and light wire The pieces are magnetic so they're easy to fit together These pieces can be used to make many electronic inventions Then you can take your invention apart and use the pieces to make something new
