Fifth graders in MB's woodshop classes have been channeling their inner R. Buckminster Fuller, the architect famous for the geodesic dome. The students worked together to construct three impressive geodesic domes of their own, inspired by everything from soccer balls to the famous Spaceship Earth structure at Disney’s Epcot Center.

The students certainly enjoyed this collaborative project, which saw each of the three 5th grade classes dive into the design and building process. Woodshop teacher Eric Drotch, explained the learning curve: "The project emphasized teamwork; working from a plan; precise measuring, cutting, and assembly; resilience; and engaging with various math, engineering, and design concepts.”

Fifth grader Shayla broke down the construction: “We had these long pieces of wood, and we had to cut them into two lengths, A pieces and B pieces. And there were the connectors we used to connect the wood. They have special sides for each piece. And it took us a long time to make the domes, but it was really fun making them.”

The timing was perfect. The awesome structures were finished just in time to be used at MB’s Harvest Dinner in October, where they quickly became a hit.

"I was so happy to see people eating under them and enjoying them,” shared fifth grader Finn, thrilled to see the community enjoying the fruits of their labor.

The consensus among the builders? The hard work was worth it. Another student, Kate, summed up the experience perfectly: “I think that building the dome was really fun, and I enjoyed that we were all working together really hard, and that we each had a part to do in it, and we all took part in it.”

The geodesic domes are expected to live on, as plans are now being proposed to potentially repurpose them on campus for continued use, such as converting them to greenhouses for the community garden.