Archives

Projects, pilots and prototyping as we grow.

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Nest Boxes

2010-present

The mortise machine, circa 1900, is still hard at work making nest boxes.


6.MS-ETS2-3(MA). Choose and safely use appropriate measuring tools, hand tools, fasteners, and common hand-held power tools used to construct a prototype.

 

Aquaponics

January 2019-present

What do you get when you mix fish, plants and 210 8th graders?


8.MS-LS1-5. Construct an argument based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. 


8.MS-PS1-1. Develop a model to describe that (a) atoms combine in a multitude of ways to produce pure substances which make up all of the living and nonliving things that we encounter, (b) atoms form molecules and compounds that range in size from two to thousands of atoms, and (c) mixtures are composed of different proportions of pure substances. 

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Make-A-Thon 

October 2014

More than 60 volunteers from all walks of life joined us for a weekend in the O’Maley library to assemble 25 3D printer kits and thus launch our Additive Manufacturing program.

Essex River Professional Development

October 2022

O'Maley science teachers launch from Essex Shipbuilding museum for field studies at the Cox Reservation, Essex.

Boatbuilding

BOATBUILDING 

June, 2017, 2018 and 2019

40 O'Maley 8th grade students build 2, 23 foot pulling boats in 2 days. Students launch and row on day 3.


Making Biodiesel

MAKING BIODIESEL

September 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

Part of the Rethinking Recycling program. Students produce biodiesel from waste vegetable oil.

8.MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. 

Additive Manufacturing

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

March 2015-present

A lesson in the iterative process and the role of prototyping.

8.MS-ETS2-4(MA). Use informational text to illustrate that materials maintain their composition under various kinds of physical processing; however, some material properties may change if a process changes the particulate structure of a material. 

Professional Development

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2011-present


Sail Cars

SAIL CARS

Fall 2013-2019, and now back for fall 2023


Bridges

BRIDGES 

2010-present

Can you construct an 8 ft long bridge that will carry your team over your ice cream sundaes?

7.MS-ETS3-4(MA). Show how the components of a structural system work together to serve a structural function. Provide examples of physical structures and relate their design to their intended use. 

Soap Making

January 2021

Chemical reactions with a 'twist'.

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SUMMER GRAD CAMP

Summer 2013, 2014, 2015

GradCamp at O’Maley is an opportunity for students (to help) and staff to explore content (projects, ideas, interests) related to the curriculum for potential incorporation into the school day.

Topics ranged from finding locally sourced algae for biodiesel production to 3d printer building.

Blacksmithing

BLACKSMITHING 

June 2015-present

8.MS-ETS2-4(MA). Use informational text to illustrate that materials maintain their composition under various kinds of physical processing; however, some material properties may change if a process changes the particulate structure of a material. 

Tiny houses

March 2021

Pandemic project. Everyone needs their own space.


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A VITRUVIAN 6th GRADER               

Students create their own standard of measure (think cubits and digits) and use it to determine their own particular proportions.

They then scale all dimensions and draw themselves within their own vitruvian grid.

This project was developed with 6th grade math classes over three years running.