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Design Lab

2016-PRESENT | BARRE TOWN MIDDLE & ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The Barre Town Middle & Elementary School Design Lab represents a new course of study that transforms the traditional “Art” and “Technology Education” classes for grades 5-8. By combining design methodology with state-of-the-art digital fabrication tools, traditional woodworking tools, and classic artistic mediums, students have the opportunity to uniquely tackle real-life challenges and express their creative passions.

Since its inception in the fall of 2016, Design Lab has focused on three primary goals:

  • DESIGN = PROCESS: Enable students to understand and explore design as a universally applicable problem solving process and way of thinking. Students are not expected to leave Design Lab as master carpenters, draftsmen, engineers, or artists. Instead, the expectation is that they leave being better thinkers.

  • LEARNING THROUGH FAILURE: Allow students to embrace risk & failure as learning mechanisms. Students direct their own projects, stumbling through assorted pitfalls and triumphs, with the teacher acting as a cheerleader and a resource, not as a leader.

  • MEANINGFUL MAKING: Facilitate student engagement with meaningful challenges. By choosing their own projects, students explore the topics that they find most meaningful.

To learn more about Design Lab, please contact me at mpopebte@buusd.org

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 Follow the Design Lab on Instagram @BTMESDesignLab

🎵Doesn’t seem to matter what we do… We’re always number two…🎵 This group of Kens crushed it today, earning us the runner up spot in the Lip Sync Battle! As always, what I love most is seeing my crew push themselves and le
🎵Doesn’t seem to matter what we do… We’re always number two…🎵 This group of Kens crushed it today, earning us the runner up spot in the Lip Sync Battle! As always, what I love most is seeing my crew push themselves and let their lights shine. They are #kenough #voteforpope
It was great to reclaim a share of the Golden Pumpkin this year with this wacky bunch of crayons! #voteforpope #crayola #crayon
It was great to reclaim a share of the Golden Pumpkin this year with this wacky bunch of crayons! #voteforpope #crayola #crayon
Three-peat Complete! The return of the Lip Sync Battle meant that our TA had the opportunity to build on the legacy of past Pope TAs. These pictures make me smile, not because we won (we didn’t always win and we certainly won’t always win
Three-peat Complete! The return of the Lip Sync Battle meant that our TA had the opportunity to build on the legacy of past Pope TAs. These pictures make me smile, not because we won (we didn’t always win and we certainly won’t always win) but because they represent groups that came together, supported each other, celebrated each other’s strengths, and pushed themselves beyond their usual comfort zones. 🏆🏆🏆🥉🥉 #voteforpope
It’s hard for me to believe, but the Original Pope TA has graduated from high school! This amazing group taught me what a TA should be and made me a better teacher in the process. Congratulations to all the graduates, and especially to this gro
It’s hard for me to believe, but the Original Pope TA has graduated from high school! This amazing group taught me what a TA should be and made me a better teacher in the process. Congratulations to all the graduates, and especially to this group of kind, sassy, talented “kids”! #PartyInPopesTA
A continuation of my Barre LEGO series: here are some of Barre’s amazing granite sculptures! Youth Triumphant (also known as The Naked Man), the Italian-American Stonecutter, and Mr. Pickwick. #btmes #designlab #barrerocksolid #barrerocks #lego
A continuation of my Barre LEGO series: here are some of Barre’s amazing granite sculptures! Youth Triumphant (also known as The Naked Man), the Italian-American Stonecutter, and Mr. Pickwick. #btmes #designlab #barrerocksolid #barrerocks #lego
Lately, I’ve been having fun with Studio, a digital LEGO designer. Here’s my version of the Barre Opera House, scaled to fit a LEGO modular city. Swipe through to see the real opera house at the end! What have you been making lately? #btm
Lately, I’ve been having fun with Studio, a digital LEGO designer. Here’s my version of the Barre Opera House, scaled to fit a LEGO modular city. Swipe through to see the real opera house at the end! What have you been making lately? #btmes #designlab #barrerocksolid #lego
Creativity thrives, even in (or perhaps especially in) the most trying times. I’ve been blown away by the creative work that’s been produced by our students (and staff!) over the past week. Let’s keep #makingthings! #btmes #designla
Creativity thrives, even in (or perhaps especially in) the most trying times. I’ve been blown away by the creative work that’s been produced by our students (and staff!) over the past week. Let’s keep #makingthings! #btmes #designlab
The Barre Town Sticker Co., a student-created “business”, is officially open! #designlab #btmes #silhouettecameo
The Barre Town Sticker Co., a student-created “business”, is officially open! #designlab #btmes #silhouettecameo
Thanks to two of our 7th graders (and many helping hands), our school garden has a fresh sign! #designlab
Thanks to two of our 7th graders (and many helping hands), our school garden has a fresh sign! #designlab
Sometimes 8th graders make awesome fan art. This one’s for you, @chilis ! #fanart #designlab #chilis #welcometochilis
Sometimes 8th graders make awesome fan art. This one’s for you, @chilis ! #fanart #designlab #chilis #welcometochilis
Our @rethinkrobotics Baxter donated by @trowandholden is one step closer to being able to do homework! He can type! (Not specific words yet, but still, look at him go!) #designlab #baxter
Our @rethinkrobotics Baxter donated by @trowandholden is one step closer to being able to do homework! He can type! (Not specific words yet, but still, look at him go!) #designlab #baxter
We ran out of space in the shop, so we’ve conquered new territory for construction. #designlab #ifyoubuildit
We ran out of space in the shop, so we’ve conquered new territory for construction. #designlab #ifyoubuildit
Our 7th grade Enrichment class put on a happy face for their portrait project! #designlab #makered #bsupride #portraiture
Our 7th grade Enrichment class put on a happy face for their portrait project! #designlab #makered #bsupride #portraiture
Under the direction of @anneleeds, things are going swimmingly at The Gallery at Barre Town! #elementaryart #thegallery #makered
On Friday, my first ever TA graduated. They were a group of talented, funny, kind, sassy, ridiculous and wonderful kids. What I appreciate most is that they genuinely enjoyed spending time together. They believed in the idea that we were a family, an
On Friday, my first ever TA graduated. They were a group of talented, funny, kind, sassy, ridiculous and wonderful kids. What I appreciate most is that they genuinely enjoyed spending time together. They believed in the idea that we were a family, and I always felt like I could count on them to support each other. I look forward to seeing all that they will accomplish! #PartyInPopesTA #funsockfriday #hideandseek #foodforfriends #wheresthehockeystick #putupthebasketballhoop #canwegooutside
8th grade perspective drawings! #designlab #architectsintraining #perspectivedrawing
8th grade perspective drawings! #designlab #architectsintraining #perspectivedrawing
When there's a playhouse under construction in the room, you squeeze in. It's what you do. #designlab #itswhatyoudo #ififitsisits
When there's a playhouse under construction in the room, you squeeze in. It's what you do. #designlab #itswhatyoudo #ififitsisits
A group of 7th graders showed their love for Mr. Leonard by building him a monster chair! #designlab #chair #mathmonster
A group of 7th graders showed their love for Mr. Leonard by building him a monster chair! #designlab #chair #mathmonster
Because learning to sew sometimes means making a t-shirt out of the ugliest fabric you can find. #designlab #sewcool
Because learning to sew sometimes means making a t-shirt out of the ugliest fabric you can find. #designlab #sewcool
Through Their Eyes: 8th Graders are working on final projects. An apt quote for the process of design! #designlab #throughtheireyes #designprocess #crayonart
Through Their Eyes: 8th Graders are working on final projects. An apt quote for the process of design! #designlab #throughtheireyes #designprocess #crayonart
🎵Doesn’t seem to matter what we do… We’re always number two…🎵 This group of Kens crushed it today, earning us the runner up spot in the Lip Sync Battle! As always, what I love most is seeing my crew push themselves and le It was great to reclaim a share of the Golden Pumpkin this year with this wacky bunch of crayons! #voteforpope #crayola #crayon Three-peat Complete! The return of the Lip Sync Battle meant that our TA had the opportunity to build on the legacy of past Pope TAs. These pictures make me smile, not because we won (we didn’t always win and we certainly won’t always win It’s hard for me to believe, but the Original Pope TA has graduated from high school! This amazing group taught me what a TA should be and made me a better teacher in the process. Congratulations to all the graduates, and especially to this gro A continuation of my Barre LEGO series: here are some of Barre’s amazing granite sculptures! Youth Triumphant (also known as The Naked Man), the Italian-American Stonecutter, and Mr. Pickwick. #btmes #designlab #barrerocksolid #barrerocks #lego Lately, I’ve been having fun with Studio, a digital LEGO designer. Here’s my version of the Barre Opera House, scaled to fit a LEGO modular city. Swipe through to see the real opera house at the end! What have you been making lately? #btm Creativity thrives, even in (or perhaps especially in) the most trying times. I’ve been blown away by the creative work that’s been produced by our students (and staff!) over the past week. Let’s keep #makingthings! #btmes #designla The Barre Town Sticker Co., a student-created “business”, is officially open! #designlab #btmes #silhouettecameo Thanks to two of our 7th graders (and many helping hands), our school garden has a fresh sign! #designlab Sometimes 8th graders make awesome fan art. This one’s for you, @chilis ! #fanart #designlab #chilis #welcometochilis Our @rethinkrobotics Baxter donated by @trowandholden is one step closer to being able to do homework! He can type! (Not specific words yet, but still, look at him go!) #designlab #baxter We ran out of space in the shop, so we’ve conquered new territory for construction. #designlab #ifyoubuildit Our 7th grade Enrichment class put on a happy face for their portrait project! #designlab #makered #bsupride #portraiture
Under the direction of @anneleeds, things are going swimmingly at The Gallery at Barre Town! #elementaryart #thegallery #makered
On Friday, my first ever TA graduated. They were a group of talented, funny, kind, sassy, ridiculous and wonderful kids. What I appreciate most is that they genuinely enjoyed spending time together. They believed in the idea that we were a family, an 8th grade perspective drawings! #designlab #architectsintraining #perspectivedrawing When there's a playhouse under construction in the room, you squeeze in. It's what you do. #designlab #itswhatyoudo #ififitsisits A group of 7th graders showed their love for Mr. Leonard by building him a monster chair! #designlab #chair #mathmonster Because learning to sew sometimes means making a t-shirt out of the ugliest fabric you can find. #designlab #sewcool Through Their Eyes: 8th Graders are working on final projects. An apt quote for the process of design! #designlab #throughtheireyes #designprocess #crayonart
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