Homes that Move - Day 2 - Week 1 (Mark Day School)

There were many questions yesterday about how we can make homes move. Especially without wheels! Day two is a time when excitement and anticipation are in the air and we focus on bringing our designs from 2D sketches and discussions to 3D objects made of wood and screws. Our tinkerers start to put their newfound tool skills into action!

This process contains many “what ifs.” What if the house had a chimney with smoke that came out? What if the door opened using a hand crank? What if the house could walk? What if there was a bed with an automatic sheet lifter?” - and how would we even make those things?

Day one, we stress community. And day two we translate that into teamwork in explicit ways. How do we carry wood safely? Well, we have a fun skit about how not to carry an 8’ long 2x3. We practice communicating effectively by asking “How can I help?” and we reflect on SEL moments where we can follow the “platinum rule”: Treat others the way they want to be treated.

We also leave room for the unexpected! Like when an Amazon package arrives and David decides spur of the moment to unbox it during our circle… we all watched with bated breath as he unveiled a miniature circular saw perfect for cutting sheets of plywood into smaller pieces for walls, roofs, beds, and more! As with our other power saws, we follow a set of steps that includes a “ready call” where tinkerers and collaborators check to make sure each person has eye and ear protection and is stationed properly around the piece to be cut. We use real-world tools to build real things… it’s one of the ways that we aim to empower and inspire kids!