Project Colloquium

Jonathan set up in our southern-exposure room. It's a room with a view, and not just any view: below it lies the garden for which he has big plans. On Friday this meant a diorama and a budget proposal. He welcomed visitors into his proposal lair and shared that work.

Evan and Taylor showed off a video they had made illustrating Worst Technology Practices. This was a big hit, especially the gale of Laptop Frisbee. I believe this work may enter the realm of SK lore. One visitor also pointed out that they projected the sequence illustrating 'Do Not Leave Computer on the Floor' from a computer that was sitting on the floor.

Jianmarco and Mike had two presentations, one covering the rationale, process, and progress of our student government. Last week's meeting began the process of matching the SK Bill of Rights with the SK Bill of Responsibilities. The other piece included an animated model of the bridge they propose to build over the gully on the southern border of the playground.

Ryan and Lev created a book exchange. They were set up in the corner office, an airy space which we have already begun using as a reading room. Ryan made an inventory form listing all Summers-Knoll families, so that members of our community can lend, borrow, and buy books from the collection. Look for this on display in the school's common spaces in the weeks to come.

Aristea and Isobel put together an iMovie showing some of the time we've spent with Val's kindergarteners and Mrs. Carpenter's first and second grade class. We've had project time with both groups, as well as weekly common time with the younger ones. Saul complemented this with a chart planning out work crews for SK, a program loosely modelled on our observations of Scattergood Friends School in September.

Trent was seated atop the joint of two gigantic boards attached at a precisely calculated angle. He is assisting George in the construction of a Gaga Pit--a vaguely chaotic playground ball game played in an octagon. (For more on octagons, link to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jpz_55EdM.) Danny helped with this project early on; at the colloquium he was showing off a YouTube channel he had created featuring SK Exhibitions, including textual information, video, and links to the school's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Lily and Denali set up together, Denali to explain plans for a mural in one of the stairwells, Lily to share her process and progress in creating a student band at Summers-Knoll. The two of them borrowed some PA equipment and instruments to show off. Denali's idea is that people who come upstairs to the new MS world should realize that they are entering a different kind of space.

And the fifth graders were able to join us at the last minute. Led by parent Mark Maynard and their teacher, Jason dePasquale, they are preparing seed bombs to scatter over an empty lot in downtown Ypsilanti. They showed off the seeds, wrapped in soil and looking like chocolates, as well as signage showing what the program is about and where the planting will occur.