I've included a few images I captured with my cell phone, but I feel these images do not do this piece justice. Nor were the images able to capture the mechanics of the team work I saw in these 4th graders today. They have one more thing left to glue on there and that is a bit of cut apart red yarn they were using for the ignition flames underneath the launch pad.
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| The only added pieces here are the pipe cleaners used to make the USA. |
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| A side view of the launch pad showing the metal plate used as a side wall. |
I was pleased to see how the students used the pieces of the plastic diskette cover and made angled supports for the underside of the launch pad rather than a standard box design for a base. (It should be noted that the students did this part on their own, in fact, the whole design was theirs without any real guidance from me.)
We had taken a short break from first and fourth grade STEM classes this rotation as the Fine Arts team supported Dr. Katz, our music teacher, in preparation for last night's Christmas performance, but now both of these grade levels are back on course.
Other pieces that were finished this week included a bird made originally from a plastic spoon with other additions from the materials cart, an airplane made from a plastic spoon and a craft stick, a book mark made from a craft stick, a kite made from straws and paper, a few rockets made from straws, another book mark - this was made with small drinking straws taped together then covered in decorative paper, and Breast Cancer Awareness pins made from clear straws tied into a knot shape with pink ribbon and a small safety pin on the back. Most of the items were team created items and only one creation per team, but I allowed this team to each make one of their own pins, since the supplies needed were minimal, and they had asked to be able to share them around the school with some teachers. (I still have my pin on my desk. I need to get a picture of someone wearing their pin to upload here.)
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| Bird made from a plastic spoon, with craft stick legs, foam sheet body, googly eyes, and pipe cleaner beak that is holding a small piece of yarn for a worm. The group found a piece of round cardboard and covered it with green felt for the grass. |
As we rap up this unit, students this week, except for first and fourth graders (and Kindergarten) will be taking the Engineering Design Process test for a grade (but not a large portion of their grade, since this is mostly a hands-on participation based class).
Kindergarten, on the other hand, will be exploring the science of how candy canes are made and creating their own, although not so sticky, versions to take home. They will be view two different short video clips from Discovery Education about how candy canes are made and contrasting the two methods.
Kindergarten, on the other hand, will be exploring the science of how candy canes are made and creating their own, although not so sticky, versions to take home. They will be view two different short video clips from Discovery Education about how candy canes are made and contrasting the two methods.
