Nicolai, with engineering consultation from Maya, constructed this PVC xylophone for a school project. As part of the assignment, he had to explore the mathematical relationship between the length and diameter of the pipes to the frequency of the tone produced by each, and the relationship to the speed of sound. Apart from the questionable paint job, the construction turned out quite well and the “instrument” produces an array of tones. I appreciate the fact that this assignment has helped further Nico’s interest in building things in the shop and with each new project he is gaining new skills and mastering new tools. I particularly enjoy watching the way Maya offers her assistance. She anticipates problems but lets Nico make his own discoveries and then offers helpful suggestions and ideas.