Students Examine the Chemistry of The Patio
This Spring, sophomore chemistry students were challenged to look at a familiar building on campus in a new way, when Dr. Marta Guron assigned her Honors Chemistry students “The Patio Project.” A creative spin on the group research paper, the project asked students to examine the once home of John J. Raskob, The Patio, through the eyes of a chemist. The students spent the semester looking for science in the construction, maintenance, design and systems of the building. What they found was an interdisciplinary learning experience that forced them to think about how history, art, engineering, and chemistry each played a role in the formation of the historical building in which their school began.
This Spring, sophomore chemistry students were challenged to look at a familiar building on campus in a new way, when Dr. Marta Guron assigned her Honors Chemistry students “The Patio Project.” A creative spin on the group research paper, the project asked students to examine the once home of John J. Raskob, The Patio, through the eyes of a chemist. The students spent the semester looking for science in the construction, maintenance, design and systems of the building. What they found was an interdisciplinary learning experience that forced them to think about how history, art, engineering, and chemistry each played a role in the formation of the historical building in which their school began.
Each student group chose an element of the building to focus on – from the marble fountain in the center of the courtyard, to the mechanics used to heat and cool the 45+ room house, to the third-floor infirmary used to quarantine the Raskob children during illnesses.
“The Patio project” had students digging through the archives, looking through digital records and taking trips to the Hagley Museum in Greenville, where much of the Raskob family’s artifacts and records can be found.
“It was interesting to go to the Hagley Museum and look through the personal records of Mr. Raskob and see the history and the conversations that led to building The Patio,”says Zixin Cao’14 and Rebecca Peet ’14. “We didn’t realize that we had access to all of this research until we started looking – it was really neat.”
“(This project) gave us a chance to look back at the roots of our school, and learn history along the way,” added Conor Furey ’14, whose group studied the stained glass ceiling in the Patio, designed by Henry Keck, student of Tiffany.
“It was cool to take some concepts or general information that we learned in class and apply them to specific ideas, structures or parts of our school,” added his group-mate, Mike Ford ’14.
At the conclusion of their research, the students presented their findings with power point presentations given in the Music Room of The Patio. As they shared the historical and scientific discoveries they had made, many of the students spoke about their work with excitement and genuine interest.
“It was so much more hands-on than a typical research project,” said sophomore Kevin Reardon ‘14, whose group examined the mechanisms of the retractable roof in the center courtyard.
“It was cool to see science in every day life,” added Miranda Mazzio ‘14, whose group studied the early refrigeration system used by the Raskobs in the 1920’s, “it really gave us a new way to look at things.”
Archmere Academy is a private, Catholic, college preparatory co-educational academy,
grades 9-12 founded in 1932 by the Norbertine Fathers.
grades 9-12 founded in 1932 by the Norbertine Fathers.
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