Making Hendrix proud
Published 10:46 am Tuesday, June 3, 2014
The following was submitted by the Orcas Island Education Foundation.
“Science, technology, engineering and mathematics” education creates an integrated and innovative learning environment through weaving these subjects into every classroom.
The STEM approach transforms a typical teacher-centered classroom into a facilitated learning experience driven by problem solving, discovery and exploratory learning.
High School teacher Corey Wiscomb attended a STEM program last summer and brought it to Orcas High School this past semester. It was held in Seattle at the Experience Music Project. Teachers came from all over the country for a week-long class taught by two college professors in “How to Build a Guitar.”
“I love music, love guitars, and I’m an educator. It seemed like the perfect class,” Wiscomb said.
Excited to bring this STEM class to his students, Wiscomb sought approval to teach it from Superintendent Barbara Kline. She was equally excited until she found out that several thousand dollars worth of tools and kits would be needed to make the class happen.
Undaunted, Wiscomb applied for a few grants to underwrite the cost of the needed supplies. After receiving a $50 and $100 grant, Corey went to the Orcas Island Education Foundation, and it fully funded the rest of the needed equipment for the STEM course.
Over the course of the class, students built electric guitars from kits. The kits provided a basic body for the guitars, and the students were able to customize them. Along the way, they also learned math and chemistry.
“We learned the mathematical ratio needed to make the frets work,” remarked one student.
Some of the guitars were painted, some stayed natural wood. Wiscomb explained that the paint on one particular guitar was a chemistry experiment in itself.
“We took a lined trashcan, filled it with water, then added Borax to raise the water’s PH to around 8-9,” he said. “Oil-based paint was then added to the water. The PH level caused the paint to remain on the water’s surface. Carefully dipping the body of the guitar into the floating paintcreated a swirl effect.”
The result is a guitar Jimmy Hendrix would be proud to play.
Student Melanie Flint said she’d love to take the course twice next year. Wiscomb hopes there will be funding again for additional guitar kits, and he encourages everyone to attend OIEF’s “Food for Thought” event on June 28. He has built a special guitar for the live auction. To buy tickets for “Food for Thought,” visit www.oief.org.
Next up for Wiscomb: he has been asked to help teach the course to other educators in Everett.
