Fab Lab is Part of ‘Awesome’ Project for Elementary, High School Students
Elementary students are studying “What Makes Antigo Awesome,” and one of the items they might include on that list is the high school’s new fabrication laboratory.
What Makes Antigo Awesome Mosaic Tile Wall is a collaboration between elementary art instructor Andi Gretzinger, Tim Krueger, the high school graphic design instructor and fab lab interim coordinator, and the fifth grade classes at Spring Valley Elementary School, taught by Leanne Hendrickson, and Spring Valley, instructed by Bill Jaeger. It’s objective is to collaborate with high school students to create a mosaic tile wall as an introduction project to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math ) and the design process.
The fifth graders were given the prompt in their art class, “What Makes Antigo Awesome.” Using a software program, they brainstormed ideas and came up with preliminary designs in their art class.
The students then came to the Fab Lab to complete the project through collaboration and guidance from older high school graphic design students. “They got to learn how CNC routers work to complete their mosaic tile and see their designs come to life,” Krueger said. “Students also used laser engravers and vinyl cutters to create a custom keychain and Red Robin vinyl stickers.”
Pleasant View Elementary School fifth-graders tour the high school’s fabrication laboratory.
The completed project was submitted to the Guinness Book of World Record for the largest online mosaic tile wall.
“The Fab Lab hopes to extend projects like this to more elementary students,” Krueger said. “STEAM careers are rapidly growing in our region and the earlier that students get to have meaningful experiences with the design process and STEAM, the more advanced and knowledgeable they will be when they reach higher grade levels and start exploring careers.”
The Fab Lab is a business school collaboration that incorporates STEAM in a curriculum that melds aspects of engineering and design through 3D printing, laser engravers, and other computerized numerical control equipment.
Source: Antigo Daily Journal