Move Up Day
Have you ever thought about the chairs you sit in everyday?
Today was our moving up day for our rising 6th graders. During this time the 5th graders experience a bit of what it will be like to be in middle school. During their visit to the art studio the students started out by each sitting in a different chair, including stools, benches, old wooden school chairs, swivel chairs, wheelchairs, and pillows on the floor. We made a list of all of the activities we do sitting in chairs (studying, gaming, riding in cars, eating, relaxing, playing our instruments) and estimated about how many hours a day we spend in chairs (the average they came up with was about 8 hours a day). Then they were presented with a design challenge: How can we design a better chair for learning? We discussed different chair designs and how the form often is a result of the function. We also looked at chairs that were more sculptural rather than functional. Here they are at work in the studio coming up with their designs using clay, sculpture materials, and sketches. They then had an opportunity to share their design ideas. They came up with some very creative ideas, including a chair with a built in fridge for their lunch and a locker cubby. I am looking forward to continuing to work on design challenges like this one with them in the fall.
This is just a small snapshot of Woodlawn's Move Up Day. Grades K-8 were all involved in moving up.
