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Most research on K-12 educational making has focused on tinkering with tangible and digital materials and processes within STEM disciplines like computing and engineering. Despite the growing fields of bioengineering and synthetic biology, far fewer studies have explored educational making possibilities in these realms. In this study we explore students’ engagement with biomaking, where people can make new materials and artifacts by genetically manipulating microorganisms. We examined 34 high school students’ experiences and reflections on making biologos by growing color pigments and making biosensors by creating fluorescent reactions. Through observations of workshop interactions and focus group interviews, we found that biomaking primarily engages students with assembly, or step-by-step, processes rather than experimentation or tinkering with materials. In the discussion we address the potentials and affordances of assembly practices in promoting rich learning experiences not just in biomaking, but also in other K-12 maker contexts. 

In this paper, we present the development of a "reconstruction kit" for e-textiles, which transforms fixed-state construction kits---maker tools and technologies that focus on the creation of semi-permanent projects---into flex-state construction kits that allow for endless deconstruction and reconstruction. The kit uses modular pieces that allow students to both solve and create troubleshooting and debugging challenges, which we call "DebugIts." We tested our prototype in an after-school workshop with ten high school students, and report on how they interacted with the kit, as well as what they learned through the DebugIt activities. In the discussion, we delve into the affordances and challenges of using these kits as both learning and assessment tools. We also discuss how our pilot and prototype can inform the design of reconstruction kits in other areas of making.