thrift...

Exhausting the potential of limited resources. If you were to take a set of Froebel blocks, either number three or four, each with 8 in a set, and were yourself used to the abundance of materials that are supplied in a set of legos,™ you might feel restrained. But as children are invited to use their own imaginations to discover what forms are within the range of their discovery we might be amazed. Even 8 small blocks in a number 3 or 4 set, offer the potential for new discoveries.

We live in a world with limited resources. And so what do we do with what we've got? This is always a matter of material concern in wood shop, and as children embark on projects, I direct them to the materials we have available and ask them to use thrift. Thrift is not just a concern when it comes to the pocketbook. It is one of the traits of character that facilitates the survival of nations, and the success of the human species.

My students have nearly completed their personalized legos.™ Some of them were frustrated by the experience, and one student asked yesterday, upon closing her file, "Now can I do something real?" That, my friends, is what most kids wonder while in school. On the other hand, all the students persevered, even though it was difficult and they had to start over several times before getting it right. And of course they want to see the 3-D printer in action, making their own lego™ blocks.

Make, fix and create...