The below webpage was on display in the lobby of the school for parents and fellow students to enjoy for the month preceding the closing of the Blue School in June ‘23.
What’s in a Ferris Wheel? Summertime memories? Being entertained with a perfect balance of feeling safe and terrified? A metaphor for life — going round and round?
Over the course of 5 months, students used a Ferris wheel as a means of skill building, self-expression, and community-building across a variety of media.
Their own personal interests fueled their efforts in remixing the traditional Ferris wheel “basket”. Students brainstormed, sketched, and modeled different potential basket ideas that could carry passengers (polymer clay mini-me-avatars). Twice a week, students researched, designed, and prototyped with cardboard, clay, and wood to bring the Ferris Wheel, baskets, and their characters to life.
Students experimented with a variety of materials as they prototyped. Some of them brought materials from home, or pitched and petitioned me for additional STEAM lab materials. Many of them up-cycled materials donated by families or taken from their recycle bin.
Along the way students faced numerous engineering challenges, learned how to use new tools, and collaborated intensely with their classmates. In the end, we have baskets inspired by: a princess bed, a flying pig, a butterfly, clouds, a bubblegum machine and more. Their clay mini-mes took the form of cheese-people, anime avatars, super heroes, goth-puppies, or simple and realistic depictions of themselves.
For us, the Ferris Wheel was an opportunity to learn new skills, have fun connecting with our classmates and express ourselves in a community setting. But we are now done with this project and are curious: what does it mean to you?
What’s your favorite memory from Blue School?
listen below