Normal Park Museum Magnet Lower School
Lab description
Grade Levels:
PK-5
At Normal Park Lower School, the VW eLab is a vibrant makerspace for PreK–3 students. Here, young learners explore coding, digital fabrication and hands‑on making as part of our Museum Magnet program. Lessons are linked to classroom content and real‑world challenges, nurturing curiosity, creativity and confidence in every child.
VW eLab Specialist
Carolyn Langston
Carolyn Langston leads the VW eLab at Normal Park Lower School. She delights in guiding the youngest learners, sparking curiosity, creativity and confidence through hands‑on STEM projects. Carolyn helps children see themselves as inventors and makers who can turn imagination into reality.
Lab Impact
The VW eLab at Normal Park Museum Magnet Lower School ignites curiosity and creativity by giving Pre‑K through third‑grade students the space and tools to bring ideas to life. Through design challenges, digital fabrication and coding, children learn they can invent and solve problems. Pre‑K learners practice building and coding together, constructing structures with blocks and guiding BeeBots. Kindergartners study trees such as coastal redwoods and sugar maples, then use 3D pens to craft models that capture key traits while building fine motor and spatial skills. First graders design and build structures for a model town, planning neighborhoods with cardboard and collaborating on signage and street layouts. Second graders research coral species and use Tinkercad and 3D printers to create their own coral structures, exploring ecosystems and adaptations. Third graders design and build Maglev trains to explore magnetic forces and engineering, testing prototypes on foam board tracks and improving them for speed and stability. Students also create class crests reflecting shared values like curiosity and perseverance using digital design and laser cutting. Each experience empowers children to see themselves not just as learners but as creators and to approach the world with imagination and perseverance. The VW eLab integrates with classroom lessons and museum themes, reinforcing science, math and language arts through hands‑on making. It fosters collaboration, communication and confidence and helps young learners discover that their ideas have power.
Project Highlights
Projects at Normal Park Museum Magnet Lower School’s VW eLab show how creativity meets real‑world understanding. Kindergartners study trees and use 3D pens to craft models, developing fine motor skills. Second graders design and laser‑cut class crests reflecting shared values like curiosity and perseverance. Third graders research animals and habitats and work in pairs to design animals and build matching habitats, strengthening research and collaboration. Additional projects include Maglev trains for magnetism, model towns for civic planning and plant‑life‑cycle illustrations with 3D pens. Students document their process through drawings and presentations, reinforcing literacy. The eLab also supports interdisciplinary exhibits: first graders build mailboxes and write letters; second graders build marble roller coasters to study energy; kindergartners create murals with laser‑cut pieces; and Pre‑K classes make shadow puppets and props. Family maker nights invite caregivers to work alongside children on lanterns or simple circuits. Mini exhibits showcase student work with QR codes linking to videos. Teachers integrate math by having students measure materials and count items. The design process is evident at every stage: students brainstorm, sketch, build, test and improve. They learn to ask questions, take feedback and persist. The VW eLab ties into the school’s museum program; finished projects become exhibits linked to units on transportation or ecosystems, pairing Maglev trains with travel artifacts and coral sculptures with research posters. Classes share work at exhibit nights where families tour the lab and students explain how they used technology and creativity. Teachers reflect on these experiences and adjust lessons to include every voice. The open layout encourages collaboration across grades demonstrates how creativity, curiosity and collaboration can bring any idea to life.
