Free Teacher Workshop: Dexterity Puzzles

Learn how to create 19th century puzzle games to mix craft and engineering with your middle and high school students
About this Event

About the Workshop

Bring your middle and high school students into the world of 19th‑century “patience games” — delightful handheld puzzles that challenge your coordination, balance, and focus. In this hands‑on workshop, you’ll explore the playful mechanics behind dexterity puzzles and create your own unique, interactive pieces of art.

You’ll design, assemble, and decorate one or more dexterity puzzles using a variety of materials and techniques. Along the way, you’ll learn to:

• Use a specialized punch board to build a custom shadow box

• Apply basic paper‑engineering methods

• Experiment with movement, balance, and visual storytelling

• Personalize your puzzle with imagery, patterns, and ephemera

Workshop Timeline

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Workshop

7:00 PM - 8:00PM | Chat and Shop with your fellow teachers

All teachers will receive $25 of materials for free.

Our Free Teacher Workshops qualify as Prop G Hours

Learn more about SCRAP's

THIS IS OUR LAST FREE TEACHER WORKSHOP IN OUR CURRENT LOCATION!!

SCRAP is moving just around the corner to 141 Industrial St. Check our website for all of the important dates and information:

PLEASE NOTE:
This event is free, but you will be charged a $5 refundable registration fee. After attending our free teacher workshop, this amount will be refunded. We have been dealing with last minute no shows and dropouts from these workshops, so in order for us to have an accurate count for the workshop, we are implementing this system. If you're unable to attend, please cancel your ticket 48 hours before the workshop!

About SCRAP

We at SCRAP breathe new life into old arts & crafts supplies and reduce waste by diverting over 200 tons of materials heading to landfill every year. To learn more about SCRAP and our mission to make art materials & education more accessible to all, please visit our website at

About the Artist

Gordon Silveria is an illustrator and sculptor with 35 years of teaching experience. A former professor, Director of Illustration, and Director of Art Education Technology at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, he brings a lifelong fascination with playful, hands‑on art forms. His work blends illustration, sculpture, and inventive mechanics to help students discover the joy of making things that move.