Educator Resource Library

This curated suite of resources is designed to provide educators with valuable tools to integrate teaching about repair into any educational setting. Created by educators and repair experts, resources include pedagogy, program design, lesson plans, supplementary materials, activities and projects.

Some materials also support community repair advocates offering programs outside the classroom.

By engaging students in hands-on repair activities, educators help foster critical thinking skills, creativity, awareness of the environment, and agency. While these programs do provide practical skills, they are principally about developing students’ thinking skills, cultivating a mindset of care for the material world, and empowering students to assume full ownership of the objects in their lives.

Visitors are invited to help expand this catalogue by suggesting additions and/or by applying for a grant to develop new resources.

Featured

Fixing Things for the Future

Comprehensive handbook for establishing a student-run repair program in schools.
(in English, Spanish and German — French is forthcoming)

Source — Rudolf Steiner School, Munich, Germany
Age — 5th - 12th grade (11 - 18 years old)
Cost — Free download (English hardcopy available at cost)
Access Page — Fixing Things for the Future

Make It Work!

Teaching packs linking repair with sustainability by way of repairing electrical and electronic devices.

Source — Djapo, Leuven, Belgium; and Sharepair, the European Union
Age — 10 - 12 years old - Volume 1
Age — 14 - 18 years old - Volume 2
Cost — Free
Access — Make It Work!

Regenerational Fashion Repair Series

These workshop materials include educational slides, lesson plans, supply lists, budget forms, templates and videos.

Source — High School of Fashion Industries (HSFI) and Repair Shop, New York, USA
Age — 9th - 12th grade (14 - 18th years old), adaptable for 6th - 8th grades (12 - 14 years old)
Cost — Free
Access — Repair Shop

Riot Refurb

Comprehensive guidebook outlining how to set up an after-school program to teach students how to repair salvaged computers.

Source — Riot Refurb, South Portland High School, Maine, USA
Age — High school (14 - 18 years old)
Cost — Free
Access — Riot Refurb Program

Cultivating a Repair Mindset Toolkit 

Pedagogy, teaching and learning strategies, tools, and classroom materials.

Source — Agency by Design Oakland; Maker Ed, Berkeley, California, USA
Age — K - 12th grade (5 - 18 years old)
Cost — Free download, (hardcopy available at cost)
Access Page — The Toolkit

Alfond Computer Club

Six lesson plans and associated quizzes for teaching students how to repair and upgrade salvaged computers. More materials will be posted as they are published.

Source — Alfond Youth and Community Center, Maine, USA
Age — 3rd - 7th grade (9 - 14 years old)
Cost — Free
Access — Computer Club Curricula

Stitching Stuffies

Lesson plan and workshop guide for connecting hands-on repair and environmental awareness by guiding young children through repairing their own stuffed toys.

Source — WNC Repair Cafe, North Carolina, USA
Age — 1st - 4th grade (ages 6 - 10)
Cost — Free
Access — Stitching Stuffies

Another “R”: Repair!

Teacher lesson plan and student worksheets.

Source — Rethink Waste, California USA
Age — 3rd - 5th grade (9 - 11 year olds)
Cost — Free
Access — Another “R”: Repair!

Malvern Hills Repair Café Education Pack

Ten lesson plans tied to multiple subject areas. One hour each. Linked to Primary National Curriculum, adaptable to any school context.

Source — Malvern Hills Repair Cafe, UK
Age — Ages 10 - 11; adaptable to 7 - 14 year olds
Cost — Free
Access —
Download the Malvern Hills Repair Café Education Packet pdf
Download a pdf outline of links to English, Science, Geography and History

Repair What You Wear

Lesson plans, learning intentions, materials required, etc. Linkages to UK national curriculum standards, adaptable to any school context.

Source — Repair What You Wear, UK
Age — Ages 6 - 18
Cost — Free
Access — Fashion and the Environment

Team Repair

Hands-on learning kits for the classroom, tied to science, tech, and sustainability education. Streamlined home kits.

Source — Team Repair, UK
Age — 8 - 15 years old
Cost — Varies by product — UK only at present (September 2024)
Access — Team Repair

Restart at School

Materials to organize and teach an after-school enrichment program, culminating in a school-sponsored community repair event.

Source — The Restart Project, London, UK
Age — 7th - 12th grade (7 - 18 years old)
Cost — Free
Access — Restart at School Website

Encounter Edu — Ocean Plastics: 6 R’s

Lesson plans, curriculum links and lesson resources.

Source — Encounter Edu, UK
Age — Ages 11 - 14
Cost — Free trial
Access — Ocean Plastics

Facing the Future

Lesson plans.

Source — Facing The Future, Western Washington University, USA
Age — High school (14 - 18 years old)
Cost — Free
Access — Download pdf

iFixit K-12 Educator Tool Chest

Repair-centered lessons and activities, and supplementary resources.

Source — iFixit, USA and worldwide
Age — K - 12th grade (5 - 18 years old)
Cost — Free
Access — iFixit K-12 Educator Tool Chest

iFixit Edu

Technical writing program.

Source — iFixit, California USA and worldwide
Age — Advanced high school and university levels (16 years old and up)
Cost — Free
Access — Begin here

Club de Reparadores X Escuelas

Comprehensive handbook for establishing a school-based community repair event, outline for linking repair concepts with academic subject areas, didactic guides and games. (Spanish)

Source — Club de Reparadores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Age — All ages
Cost — Free
Access — Guide(Spanish pdf)
Access — Didactic guides, videos, games and additional materials(Spanish)

Netzwerk Reparatur-Initiativen — Repair Initiative Network (German)

Catalogue of materials and other resources related to bringing repair into the educational settings. (German)

Source — Netzwerk Reparatur-Initiativen, with links to resources from various other sources, Germany
Age — All ages
Cost — Free
Access — Repair and Education (German)

Practical Action

Lesson and supporting activity sheets.

Source — Practical Action, UK
Age — UK Primary and Secondary (5 - 16 years old)
Cost — Free
Access — 6Rs: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair

Rediscover Fashion

Textile repair and alteration instructional materials.

Source — Rediscovery Centre, UK
Age — 13 years old and up
Cost — Free
Access —Guide

Repair Café International

Classroom materials for a school-based community repair event.

Source — Repair Café Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Age — Elementary / Primary and middle school (6 - 8 year olds)
Cost — Sliding Scale, recommended: 25€
Access — Starter Kit

RepairKids Manual

Guide for organizing and running community repair events in educational contexts. (German)

Source — Kristina Deselaers, Germany
Age — All ages
Cost — Free
Access — Download Manual and Teaching Materials — (German)

Retibne

Materials for teaching repair and sustainability topics, including hands-on modules. (German)

Source — Technical Education Working Group / Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
Age — High School and University (14 years old and up)
Cost — Free
Access — Teaching Materials — (German)

Circular Economy

Teaching Resources

Source — Ellen MacArthur Foundation, UK
Age — All ages, though most materials are appropriate for high school and beyond
Cost — Both free and pay-for
Access — Teaching Resources Website

“How Might We … Build a Culture of Repair?”

Lesson plans.

Source — Design Minds - State Library of Queensland, Pimpama State Secondary College and
Relative Creative, a design firm in Australia
Age — Australian Teaching Levels 7 - 12 (13 - 18 years old)
Cost — Free
Access — Toolkit