Birdseye-Hammond STEM Center

Named for two of Gloucester’s most famous and prolific inventors and innovators, the Birdseye -Hammond STEM Center is a focal point of science at the O’Maley Innovation Middle School.

Born out of the 2007 SEA Initiative, the Birdseye-Hammond Center is now a three-room suite where students apply the principles of science and math they learn in their classes to practical laboratory experiences.  Over the years, O’Maley students have…

• 3-D printers

• explored sustainability by manufacturing paper from recyclable materials

• learned about earthquakes and weather by gathering data generated by the O’Maley seismograph and wind turbine

• studied wind currents by building full-scale sail cars

• mastered principals of drafting and design and learned about construction by designing and building bridges

• studied about wildlife habitat through the construction of bluebird nesting boxes

• designed and built their own creations with 3-D printer

• learned about alternative energy through the study of wind turbine design and burning biodiesel fuel

• explored sustainability by manufacturing paper from recyclable

• learned about life under the microscope, studied the properties of gasses, dissected frogs, and other aspects of life sciences in the “slime lab”—the wet lab affectionately named by students after manufacturing slime to study proteins

…and many others – and new activities that engage students in the learning of science and technology are constantly being developed!

GEF funding provided startup funding for a STEM technical specialist to work with students and teachers in the center, as well as microscopes, scales, balances, curriculum units and many other supplies and materials that O’Maley students use to learn about science.

Various classes and grades take turns using the center, which is part of the science education experiences of virtually every student who passes through the doors of O’Maley.