Laser Cutting Lasting Lessons in History

While papers and exams are important tools in evaluating a student’s understanding, History and Social Studies Department Co-Chair Anthony Shaker believes in supplementing these traditional forms of assessment with projects that force his 7th grade students to think outside the box. And so, in a typical year, Shaker will bring his students to the TIDES Garage in the Kovler Family Library multiple times to enhance their understanding of the lessons in class, while further developing their maker empowerment and design thinking skills. While this has been anything but a typical school year, Shaker did not want his students to miss out on these projects.
 
With that in mind, Shaker worked with STEAM and Coding teacher Sylvia Glassco on a culminating project for his students’ examination of the book Refugee by Alan Gratz. This historical fiction weaves together the stories of three adolescents who were refugees from three time periods—Nazi Germany, Cuba in the early 1990s and Syria in 2015. Students read the book, identified themes that connected all three stories and experiences and worked with Glassco on translating these themes with laser cuttings.
 
Shaker shared, “Ms. Glassco was instrumental! She discussed the finer points of the technical process and explained how the students’ paper and pencil design would translate with the laser cutter, how to do ‘engravings’ and ‘cuts’ and how each of those methods would create a different visual impression on the viewer.”
 
“As we talked about the design work,” Glassco said, “I asked students to take advantage of their medium and think about what is unique to a laser cut that can’t be done on a paper drawing. Students brainstormed that the empty spaces that have been cut out of the wood might represent something missing, like a hole, an opening, like a door, or perhaps light and hope streaming through. I told them to look for these meanings as strategies to convey the themes [Shaker] talks about.”
 
Once students had finalized their design, Integrated Learning and Information Sciences (ILIS) Department member Eric Rampson worked tirelessly with the laser cutter to produce a finished product. Shaker noted, “Seventh graders love building things and working with their hands, so the TIDES Garage has become almost an auxiliary classroom. This year has been challenging in that the TIDES Garage hasn’t been available. So I’m particularly grateful that the Glassco-ILIS Crew found a way for the TIDES Garage to come to me and my students and that we managed to engage in some creative design work despite the limitations this year.”
 
This school year has been challenging in many ways, from implementing new safety protocols to adjusting existing teaching practices. However, this project is a perfect example of the type of dynamic curricular experience that can still happen with a dedicated and talented faculty. Parker is extremely proud of these teachers, and all our faculty, who have approached this school year with the type of teamwork, dedication, resilience, creativity and passion showcased by this cross-curricular culminating project.

Click here to see the laser cuts.
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Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.