Newberg High School Makerspace Teacher Bryan Long collaborated with Dundee Elementary School Fifth-Grade Teacher Mary Jane Bachmeier to offer something educational and enjoyable for both of their classes.
The Dundee students had been learning about marine biology, so NHS students stopped by to survey them on their knowledge a few weeks ago, using the information to guide them in designing and making personalized wooden dolphins for the children.
After designing the dolphins on the computer, students cut out their design on three stacked wooden dolphins, creating a shadow-box-like depth. This stacking allowed the creators to add detail with each layer, such as a sun or a palm tree. NHS seniors Allyssa Mahe and Savhanna Boyd helped Long deliver wooden dolphins to Bachmeier’s students on Dec. 13.
“These two did a lot of work on this project, so they decided to come back,” said Long, advisor for the Benevolent Tigers, a student group that gives back to the community with projects like this one.
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One of the things that Dundee students loved the most was the woodsy aroma of the figurines. The students sliced the dolphin shapes from wooden blocks using a laser cutter, instilling each piece with a scent that Long says is “like a campfire.”
“It smells so good; it brings memories of me and my grandma when we go to Long Beach,” Dundee fifth-grader Owen Gehrig said, cradling the gift in his hands. “We go there every Fourth of July. It reminds me of when we are walking late at night and hear the firecrackers crackling.”
Fifth-grader Brighton Denny said she was excited about the present as well.
“It’s really cool how they burnt it and the way it looks,” Brighton said. “I’m very happy.”
Bachmeier said she found the experience to be amazingly thoughtful, as well as educational.
“Each one was personalized to fit the fifth-grader's perception of what they imagined a dolphin's habitat to be, and the results were incredible,” Bachmeier said. “... It was touching to see my 11-year-olds look up to these high school students in awe, as they received their dolphins.”
The Dundee students are participating in the project too, and they will glue the three pieces together and add color if they so choose. The Dundee students and their teacher were not the only ones who enjoyed the experience.
Boyd attended fifth grade in Bachmeier’s classroom, and adored her teacher. She couldn’t wait to visit and even crafted a dolphin for Bachmeier to thank her for past kindnesses.
“She always allowed students to wear crowns on Fridays; it was her thing,” Boyd said. “So her dolphin has a crown on it.”
She and Mahe are also pretty fond of their Makerspace teacher. They love that his Makerspace affords them the chance to tap into their imaginations and connect with other people.
“It’s creative; you can make a lot of projects,” Boyd said. “I made almost all of my family’s Christmas gifts.”
Mahe said she also enjoys the creative freedom as well as the peacefulness of the space.
“I like having time to myself where I can create or draw,” she said.
Long enjoys giving the students this freedom, but this lesson plan was meticulously planned. He not only taught his students lessons in design and manufacturing. He acted as a role model for generosity and compassion, making sure to plan to provide enough dolphin figurines for every student, even new students.
“If you have any new students, we made two extra, just in case,” Long said.
Bachmeier actually did have one new student, so he got a dolphin too. Everyone learned a little about science and a lot about generosity and compassion and no one was left out.
“It was just wonderful,” Bachmeier said.