Punahou School K – 12 Learning Commons

School as most of us knew it

Is an obsolete paradigm

Here’s what Punahou is doing about it …

Education must change if we want to prepare our children for a changing world. School is no longer about absorbing and regurgitating content, but gaining the skills and mindsets to navigate an innovation-based, global society. Punahou’s K — 12 Learning Commons will provide both the physical spaces and learning experiences to make

The K – 12

Learning

this happen.

In the K – 12 Learning Commons, students will: Tackle authentic challenges through creative problem-solving; Have the technological and creative resources to help them turn their questions into meaningful work for real audiences; Collaborate and innovate with students and teachers from across campus; Learn from experts and mentors from the world outside school.

at Punahou School

CommonsÂť Old Paradigm Teacher-driven

Consuming knowledge Individual What to learn Fixed curriculum Abstract

New Paradigm Student-driven Creating knowledge Collaborative How to learn Innovation Authentic

The Junior School Learning Commons The K – 12 Learning Commons will be comprised of multiple facilities in the Junior School and the Academy. While the Academy project is still being planned, the 20,000-square-foot Junior School Learning Commons, which includes an 11,000-square-foot visual and performing arts complex, is currently under construction. It is scheduled to open in fall 2019 as part of the second phase of the Sidney and Minnie Kosasa Community for Grades 2 – 5.

As the future heart of Punahou’s kindergarten through grade 8 community, the Junior School Learning Commons will offer abundant resources to help students develop critical 21st-century skills like innovation, entrepreneurialism, collaboration and creativity.

Ground Floor

On the ground floor, students will engage in hands-on design thinking, fabrication, engineering and creative problem-solving. Spaces include makerspaces, collaborative gathering and meeting areas, technology and multimedia studios, and a demonstration kitchen.

Oculus Stage and Gathering Space: With a circular roof skylight reminiscent of the central patio in the Mary Persis Winne Units, this multipurpose pavilion offers a presentation and gathering space for up to 150 people.

Demonstration Kitchen: Adjacent to the outdoor covered courtyard, a space where students can experiment with the chemistry and preparation of food.

Design Lab Warehouse: A staging and instructional space to support design and fabrication activities, this area will house a range of materials for projects and double as a classroom or green room for the adjacent Technology, Performing Arts and Virtual Reality Design Lab.

Technology, Performing Arts and Virtual Reality Design Lab: Equipped to function as a “black box” rehearsal and performance space for drama, dance and improvisation, this flexible space also supports the production of video, virtual reality and music recording projects.

J.

Faculty Gathering Space Visual and Performing Arts Spaces: flexible classrooms, practice rooms and a resource room/costume shop for music and movement classes.

Flexible Gathering Space: Equipped with moveable furniture that can be configured to support more intimate group activities, such as storytelling or small group instruction.

Fishbowl Collaboration Space: A glass-enclosed meeting room for student and faculty collaboration, this space can also double as an audio-visual control room during performances in the adjacent design lab.

Additional Design Labs: Connected by a moveable wall, these spaces work with the other design labs across campus as flexible areas that support a range of student and faculty work, from low-tech to sophisticated robotics and engineering projects.

Think Tank Hallway: Equipped with writeable walls and open to the three maker studios, this will be a space for brainstorming and displaying student work.

Design and Engineering Lab: Equipped with heavier, more sophisticated machinery, this studio is connected to a covered lanai for outdoor work.

Second Floor

On the second floor, students will have access to age-appropriate reading and research areas, the Hawaiian collection, and flexible teaching and gathering spaces.

An adjacent visual and performing arts building will include rehearsal, performance and diverse instructional spaces for music, theatre, dance and visual arts including ceramics.

The entire facility will also serve as the “front door” to the Junior School, with a dropoff and pickup area fronting Piper’s Pali.

Visual and Performing Arts Spaces: art classrooms, ceramics kiln, project display areas and covered lanai.

Drop-off and main entrance to Junior School

Conference room, administrative offices and health center

History Wall: exhibit with artifacts and history of Punahou.

Ing Library for Young Readers: Defined by age-appropriate furniture and a miniature amphitheatre for “storytime,” this reading and study area is for students in kindergarten through grade 3.

Hawaiian Collection: resources and teaching space to support Hawaiian Studies.

Flexible Teaching Space: for classes and small group learning, open to both sides of the second floor.

Learning Commons Bridge: a transparent walkway linking both sides of the second floor.

Diamond Head and Banyan Tree View Gathering Spaces: with age-appropriate furniture and reading/research materials for students in grades 4 – 8, as well as gathering and performance space.

1 Fourth-grade faculty decide to create a student-driven inquiry around water.

2 The fourth-graders study water issues in other parts of the world using virtual reality technology and share the issues specific to Hawai‘i with students in Scotland.

Anatomy of a Learning Commons Lesson 3 This is a recent example of the type of interdisciplinary, applied learning that the K – 12 Learning Commons

They visit a sustainable farm that includes an energy-producing water wheel. A ninth-grade biology class joins them, partnering the “big” and “little” kids to enhance social, emotional and ethical learning.

will stimulate.

4 Back on campus, ninthgraders and fourth-graders work on water-related investigations together.

5 Ninth-graders and fourth-graders decide to build functioning water wheels using laser and water jet cutters, with technical support from the Design Thinking, Technology and Fabrication staff in the D. Kenneth Richardson ’48 Learning Lab (a makerspace and outpost of the future Academy Learning Commons).

Naming opportunities are available. For more information, contact Noelehua Lyons ’91 Archambault at 808.944.3204, narchambault@punahou.edu or Holly Paulson ’87 Sereni at 808.943.3626, hsereni@punahou.edu in the Office of Institutional Advancement or visit campaign.punahou.edu/learningcommons.

The Junior School Learning Commons is one of the priorities of the Ku‘u Punahou campaign, launched to reimagine the future of education at Punahou. To learn more, visit campaign.punahou.edu.