"A Deep Love of Learning" by St. Luke's designLab teacher Kimberly Gerardi

design-build team profile

A DEEP LOVE OF LEARNING

B Y K I M B E R LY G E R A R D I

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Connecticut, and I recently challenged my 6th grade students to design economically efficient homes by creating their own clean energy prototypes. The model-home challenge is part of Habitat for Humanity’s online learning curriculum. In small design-build teams, the students created quarter-inch scale models using the Engineering Design Process. Let me share our story with you.

K I M B E R LY G E R A R D I

I WORK AS THE DESIGNLAB TEACHER at St. Luke’s School in New Canaan,

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A L L P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F S T, L U K E ' S S C H O O L .

My school is a secular, college-preparatory day school for

and how that ties into the ratio lessons they are learning in

grades 5-12 in New Canaan. The designLab is St. Luke’s hub

math class.

for design-thinking, engineering and computer courses, and home to our 3,500 square foot, fully equipped fabrication lab created for hands-on learning and exploration.

Having led five summers of camps related to sustainable energy systems, I really wanted to tie my love of Tiny House Construction together with my theories about teaching sus-

In addition to the exceptional designLab space, my mod-

tainability to middle school students through prototyping.

el-home challenge had the support of administrators and fac-

Each summer I refined the class projects and consolidated

ulty who are willing collaborators with insights, knowledge

supporting material based on student feedback. The infor-

and abilities, and somehow make the space for allowing cre-

mation was important, but it was summer camp after all, and

ative ideas to take shape. And they do it well. I am privileged

the kids loved the hands-on aspect of the work. Live Green

to work among professionals who are all working towards

and Take It Apart are two classes that I developed for middle

the same goal: To provide an exceptional education that in-

school students to connect with and explore technology with

spires a deep love of learning, a strong moral compass, the

the purpose of creating sustainable energy prototypes.

commitment to serve, and the confidence to lead.

Through computer science and the Engineering Design Pro-

tiny house construction

cess, my students collaborate and learn the foundational

St. Luke’s puts an emphasis on project-based learning both

roughly quarter-inch scale. These systems translate to full

in individual classes and in teaching teams. One example is

scale systems when they learn from professionals who further

when 6th grade math teacher Susan Garnett and I work to-

unpack the needs of the systems and homes in real-world

gether to introduce scale to our students. It is imperative stu-

scenarios. Students can relate to the material through the on-

dents grasp how to read and use architectural scale rulers,

line Habitat for Humanity resources that highlight the need to

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knowledge necessary to create simple working systems in

>>

“

It never ceases

to amaze me how inventive middle school children

can be. They seem uninhibited, have a growth mindset and are willing to be playful about what is possible. But without the tools and information necessary to build trust and empowerment in the classroom, they will not move beyond that initial functional fixedness.

�

K I M B E R LY GERARDI

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bring these sustainable energy systems to places like Guatemala, Mongolia and Indonesia. We grow the students’ lenses on the world when they learn about what homes are like around the world. Students discuss the possibility that people in many places around the world do not have the means or knowledge to improve their way of life.

habitat for humanity While developing my curriculum, I looked at Habitat for Humanity as a possibility to run a mini-course or special trip to build a home with students.

Perhaps we could travel to a site over a Spring Break to help build a house.

But it became clear that there would not be sufficient time for middle school students to learn the skills necessary to safely build a house. Having used the Habitat Restore in Danbury, Connecticut to obtain windows, doors and other building materials for my Tiny House

exploration, I was familiar with their website. I noticed that within the Habitat for Humanity online youth program, there were additional educational experiences linked to their site. After reading through the materials on Habitat for Humanity’s website and realizing that they were already thinking ahead to not only the use of sustainable building materials, but to reaching people who are truly in need of this technology and these resources, I knew this was the perfect paper project for my sixth grade class. Using the model house 92 |

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plans provided from their website, I knew that we could cre-

house adjacent to the habitat house. Or as students Alana W.

ate quarter-inch scale models with clean energy systems

or Grace K. might use under the beds of their rooftop garden.

within relative scale to the house. Using the makecode plat-

After weeks of working with micro:bits, the students were

form for micro:bit (micro:bit is a tiny programmable computer,

finally able to realize how the information transferred from

designed to make learning easy and fun) we could learn how

prototype to real-life applications. Similar to the self-watering

to use drag and drop code, but also create variables and

plant project, we used other tools (such as our laser cutter to

tailor the code to fit our needs.

cut plexiglass windows) in our designLab to build solar ovens that double as rainwater collection and solar stills.

For example, by using the micro:bit code and a circuit project for self-watering plants, we substituted the moisture sen-

The benefit of having a state-of-the-art designLab is the abil-

sor for a temperature sensor and created our geothermal

ity to provide students with the materials they need in order

system. Students were able to understand that they could

to create the groundbreaking projects that help inform global

change variables for moisture levels into temperature vari-

change. After all, how could I ask students to build a sustain-

ables in order to trigger the servo motor which acts as a

able energy model and prototype without the necessary tools

valve in our prototype. In addition to creating a self-water-

and equipment? Our students have the ideal environment

ing plant (perhaps for one of our student’s vertical vegetable

and tools for inspiration and invention:Â six 3D printers, a 60w

gardens in their Dream Green home) we also could use a

CO2 laser cutter, two ShopBot CNC routers, a SawStop table

similar code and system prototype to send collected rain-

saw, multiple power tools, hand tools, digital support tools for

water from our solar still via water tubes under the house for

graphics and decal fabrication, computer science tools and re-

radiant heat. Wherever possible, this system could be used

sources including tools for AR/VR fabrication, one-to-one ratio

underground as a geothermal system or extend the grow-

of children-to-computers and a class size of 14.

ing season by running warm water through tubes in a hoop

>>

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inspiring the next generation

My students consistently impress me year after year and

The way we can get our technology to function in the min-

contributions came from their ideas for clean energy systems

iature house just might inspire a child in my class and cause

in their Green Dream Home designs, an exercise at the end

a wonderful ripple effect to reach many people over time.

of the Thinking Green, Building Green lesson in the Habitat

Suppose even one student loved the idea of creating these

for Humanity online curriculum. Through these designs, stu-

sustainable energy homes and dedicated themselves to take

dents shared ideas for new ways of harnessing solar energy

a deeper dive into clean energy systems design? Suppose

such as Henry B.’s biomimetic-designed magnifying glass

another student was inspired by the public purpose for pro-

shaped windows which mimic water droplets that can magni-

viding those in need with a home? It reminds me of the TED

fy the sun and work in tandem with heat absorbent plains (on

Talk by Daniel Pink titled, The Puzzle of Motivation. Pink goes

the walls and floors) to harness more solar energy. And Ryan

over the behavioral psychology of functional fixedness and

C.’s thoughtful way of utilizing the wind energy atop his home

how we can be given problems to solve with no help, or with

on stilts. Ideas were illustrated by Wyatt F. and Izzy Squared

guidance to help us succeed. So regardless of incentive,

(The Two Izzy’s in class!) that were mindful of aesthetics and

without the information we need to succeed, it is way harder

comfort for maxing and relaxing in their self-watering rooftop

to move beyond the ability to see things for what they are.

gardens.

It never ceases to amaze me how inventive middle school

In our designLab at St. Luke’s, service learning and global

children can be. They seem uninhibited, have a growth mind-

leadership projects like this happen every semester. There

set and are willing to be playful about what is possible. But

are so many opportunities for kids to grab a hold of mean-

without the tools and information necessary to build trust and

ingful content, technology, and most importantly to design

empowerment in the classroom, they will not move beyond

with empathy. Empathy for our planet and for the people who

that initial functional fixedness.

live on it.

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within this specific exploration, I was pleasantly surprised yet again by my 11-year-old students. Their most significant

“

Their most significant contributions came from their ideas for clean energy systems in their Green Dream Home designs, an exercise at the end of the Thinking Green, Building Green lesson in the Habitat for Humanity online curriculum.

”

K I M B E R LY G E R A R D I

final thoughts

Constructing Modern Knowledge is a conference where

What I have noticed about children, having had two of my

via Martinez, their opening remarks are not only inspiring,

own, and having worked with kids in grades kindergarten to

but encouraging. “You’ll be amazed at what you can do” still

12th, is that it takes more than just the tools and the insight

resonates with me. And it was there that I was inspired and

to produce good work. Students need to be inspired to work.

challenged to grow yet again as a student. As a designer. As

Just when I thought I could easily take on the responsibility

an educator.

people go to invent to learn. Led by Gary Stager and Syl-

of passing on my knowledge of design and technology to the next generation of inventors, engineers and prolific artists, I realized I could not take off my student cap just yet. I needed to be able to inspire budding minds and help mold them into people who would soon change the world.

As a basic foundation in all quality design it is imperative that the work represents an authentic truth in order to evoke an emotional response. Empathy plays a huge part in how our work can become rewarding and serve our outer purpose as individuals on this planet. Having been a teacher in both

Crawling out of my narcissistic shell, and emerging as a new-

theatre and design at a middle school and high school lev-

born, er, reborn educator? . . . I realized that I needed to reach

el, it has been the essence of my mission to make empathy

my students based on their interests and experiences. Grap-

a priority in the learning environment. It is my responsibility

pling now with this resistance from my ego, telling me that I

as a teacher of design technology to encourage students

needed to fulfill my creative outlet as a teacher or I could not

to build from the heart and provide them with the tools and

possibly inspire others, I traveled to the Constructing Modern

knowledge to succeed.

Knowledge conference in Manchester, New Hampshire.

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