High quality learning experiences occur when students have the opportunity to collaborate between subjects and grades. Students in Gahanna Lincoln High School’s engineering and architecture classes, have all been working together to create “Little Libraries” to benefit the elementary school students in the Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.
Through funding provided by the Gahanna-Jefferson Education Foundation, GLHS students have designed and are building structures that resemble small tree houses called Little Libraries. These libraries are being placed throughout the district at all the elementary buildings. Once installed, the Little Libraries will be filled with donated books. Students are encouraged to borrow a book to read or leave one for someone else to find. Elementary school children can exchange books with one another at no cost.
The process for building the libraries began with GLHS teacher Jason McGee’s architecture class. His students studied little libraries in other cities, paying close attention to the way many are designed in response to the context and environment in which they are installed. Reflecting on their studies, students were asked to design little libraries that would work well in their Gahanna surroundings. After designs were finalized, the public was asked to vote for their favorite libraries.
“A good architect can not only design well, but can also share that idea with their client,” said McGee. “Students were asked to create a 3-minute video presentation, in which they visually and verbally explained their ideas to viewers. We had more than 400 community members who voted on the top libraries.”
Once the winning libraries were chosen, the architecture class began working with GLHS teacher Mike Kunselman’s engineering class to bring the designs to life.
“The best architectural designs come from a continual conversation with the construction team,” said McGee. “Students sketched some initial ideas and then shared the drawings with the engineering students. The teams discussed aesthetics, as well as buildability and budget, and continued those conversations throughout the design process. This ensured designs were buildable and gave the engineering students ownership in the process as well.”
The engineering students utilized the equipment in the Lincoln Fab Lab using laser cutters and other tools to cut out the walls, roofs, windows and doors. After the pieces were cut out, they were labeled and organized into an assembly line, using glue, screws and nails to put them together. Once constructed, the libraries were sent to a local Boy Scout troop to paint.
The Little Libraries have been installed near the front entrance at Royal Manor and Chapelfield and will soon appear at the remaining GJPS elementary schools.
McGee and Kunselman agree that the most important aspects of the project was the collaboration between classes and the real-world experience.
“The project gives the sophomore Fab Lab students the ability to work with some of the most creative seniors in the school from the architecture class,” said Kunselman. “It gives everyone participating the ability to see what it would be like to collaborate with professionals in other fields and to work with clients in the real world.”