From Head of School Bob Izzo

"Making is so complementary to the foundation we build in our students at Hamden Hall as it fosters innovation, resourcefulness, and motivation. It requires collaboration, teamwork, curiosity, and social responsibility – all traits that are instilled in students via the Hamden Hall experience. The MakerSpace Design Lab will allow our students to reach new goals and successes in a variety of disciplines as they share knowledge and work together to see their visions come to fruition."

MakerSpace Design Lab Highlights

Fifth-grade bean bag toss project
Maritime boat making project
Middle School math project: 3D architectural scale model of dream houses
Middle and Upper School woodworking classes and clubs
Third-grade Native American structures
Middle School Electronics Club
Upper School Robotics Club
Tower Challenge, Middle School Technology and Design class
Ball Maze Challenge, Middle School Technology and Design class
Sustainable Architecture project, Ecological Science class

Fostering Creativity Across the Curriculum

Our MakerSpace Design Lab fosters creativity as it provides students an opportunity to create, design, build, and tinker with all varieties of materials and resources. Students at all levels are introduced to our MakerSpace Design Lab in order to augment project-based learning.

MakerSpace Resources Include:

Computers loaded with CAD software and 3D design programs
Table saw, scroll saw, band saw, and compound miter saw
CNC router - a computer-navigated cutting tool
3D printer
Soldering station
Mill-working equipment
Workstations

Robotics Club

Hamden Hall offers Robotics participation in Grades 6 through 12.

Our Middle School team meets twice a week after school and competes in the First LEGO League Challenge, which tackles a new real-world issue each year. Each year a different theme is introduced. For example, one school year the theme was Hydro Dynamics. “With the Hydro Dynamics theme, the team worked on a robot to tackle water-themed challenges as well as a presentation on global water access problems,” explained team advisor Jared Katz.

The Upper School Robotics Club competes within the Vex Robotics league. Non-competitive members are engaged in smaller projects, such as designing and building solar-powered cars and programming with the Rasberry Pi.

Technical Education

The Middle School Technology and Design portion of the curriculum allows Middle Schoolers to experience and learn certain life skills while delving into the design equipment in our MakerSpace Lab and the technology found in our Swain Library and Barbara Olin Taylor Learning Commons.

Seventh-graders tackled the Tower Challenge in our MakerSpace Design Lab. Students were instructed to create towers at least 4 feet tall by using limited materials. The towers had to be able to withstand a breeze from a fan that simulated wind. The results were colorful and creative!

Eighth-graders took part in the Ball Maze Challenge, which had students designing and building mazes that could be negotiated by a half-inch steel ball. The initiative was challenging, demanding, and fun according to students!

About Us

Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.