PBS News Hour - Learning Matters

Special correspondent John Tulenko of Learning Matters reports on a public middle school in Portland, Maine that is taking a different approach to teaching students. Teachers have swapped traditional curriculum for an unusually comprehensive science curriculum that emphasizes problem-solving, with a little help from some robots.

 

National Building Museum - Design Apprentice Program Finale

the Green Team and their kitchen storage unit

The National Building Museum's spring Design Apprenticeship Program challenged teen participants to design and construct furniture for families in the Transitional Housing Corporation's (THC) housing program. Using resources in and outside of the Museum, teens explored how good design can maximize a small space and what role design plays in creating a home. Participants worked alongside Museum staff, volunteer design professionals, and in collaboration with THC staff and families to determine the appropriate size, aesthetics, and concept for final projects.

Teen design teams presented their process, finished products, and explained how their projects met the needs of their clients. A reception was held at the NBM for participants and their friends and families with refreshments to follow the presentations.