The third through fifth graders are beginning on a project that will take them through the next several week exploring urban environments for alphabetic letters through the eyes of photographer Abba Richman. I found a poster earlier in the summer with a composite of Richman's Alphabet photography in black and white and thought it would be a great start into our year with one of our main focuses being Structures. (You can see the poster that inspired this lesson and get a closer look at each of the letters of the alphabet, plus view a set of letters in color by going to PBase.com, a photo sharing site on the Net. If you click on the PBase link above, it will take you directly to Abba Richman's poster. Click on The Alphabet in the bread crumbs at the top of his page to go back and view the rest of the alphabet photos.)
As an amateur/hobbyist photographer, I'm fascinated by the abstract, especially in black and white. I love looking at through the view finder at a 'big picture' in the world around me and seeing what sort of a snapshot of that bigger picture I can capture, bringing the details into closer view. This is what the students will be creating, only without an actual camera.
We will be taking a look at Mr. Richman's photos and discussing all of the different materials that are in the photos, then mentally exploring our school to find alphabet pictures of our own. Then, while working in teams, we will be using different materials, like aluminum foil, wood pieces, felt, sand paper, craft foam, and plastic, to create a letter of the alphabet that mimics Richman's Alphabet photography. While we are exploring the different materials through team work, each student in the team will be responsible for their own material. The students will have to work together and communicate (just like engineers do) on how and where the materials are going to be in their picture.
Meanwhile, the Kindergarten through Second Grade students will be using the Engineering Design Process to create a cleaning machine like Dr. Seuss's 'The Cat in the Hat' had.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
A new look for a new year
I'm very excited about the coming 2012-2013 school year! This is Braden River Elementary's second year of having Engineering as a Fine Arts class. We had an awesome first year learning about engineering, simple machines, and transportation. This next year is going to be even more exciting - this year we have R-O-B-O-T-S!!! (I can't wait to share them with you!)
You may have noticed I changed the skin on the blog to include more colors. I think this is a more kid friendly theme and goes well with the Inspiring Elementary Engineering logo that our school district had done for us last year.
Well, I've already told you about one of the cool units we are going to be doing in my class this year, Robots, or Robotics - more correctly, where we will be taking a look at some of NASA's robots and Mars Rovers, along with trying our hand at making some robotic hands, making robots out of recycled materials, building robots from LEGO bricks, and, oh yeah, having some fun on the floor with some robots called "Roamers".
We will also be spending some time in water transportation, building some boats and having some water fun with them as well. (What would an "Under the Sea" theme be like without some water fun in class?!) And then spending the second half of the year on Construction and Structures. There is so much in this unit, I could spend a whole year on it, but then, that might be a bit much. However, we will be taking a look at 3D shapes, bridges, dams, towers, skyscrapers, walls, tunnels, and more stationary creations. Last year, our 5th grade TSA students had the opportunity to work with an engineer and build some balsa wood truss bridges. I hope to be able to do that again this year, and actually go to the Balsa Wood Bridge contest at USF in Tampa during Engineers Week in February!
This is going to be an exciting! I can't wait to get started! Looking forward to seeing all of you on Monday, August 20th, where we will be "Learning Under The Sea!"
You may have noticed I changed the skin on the blog to include more colors. I think this is a more kid friendly theme and goes well with the Inspiring Elementary Engineering logo that our school district had done for us last year.
Well, I've already told you about one of the cool units we are going to be doing in my class this year, Robots, or Robotics - more correctly, where we will be taking a look at some of NASA's robots and Mars Rovers, along with trying our hand at making some robotic hands, making robots out of recycled materials, building robots from LEGO bricks, and, oh yeah, having some fun on the floor with some robots called "Roamers".
We will also be spending some time in water transportation, building some boats and having some water fun with them as well. (What would an "Under the Sea" theme be like without some water fun in class?!) And then spending the second half of the year on Construction and Structures. There is so much in this unit, I could spend a whole year on it, but then, that might be a bit much. However, we will be taking a look at 3D shapes, bridges, dams, towers, skyscrapers, walls, tunnels, and more stationary creations. Last year, our 5th grade TSA students had the opportunity to work with an engineer and build some balsa wood truss bridges. I hope to be able to do that again this year, and actually go to the Balsa Wood Bridge contest at USF in Tampa during Engineers Week in February!
This is going to be an exciting! I can't wait to get started! Looking forward to seeing all of you on Monday, August 20th, where we will be "Learning Under The Sea!"
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
When objects collide kinetic energy perpetuates
We are putting our knowledge of simple machines, force, motion, and kinetic energy to the test as we wrap up our Simple Machines unit through the designing of Rube Goldberg machines. The students are working in small groups brainstorming and blueprinting machines that do not run off of electricity but rather simple machines that perform a simple task like turning on a light switch, making a blended smoothie, or getting a glass of ice water.
Inspired by a few Rube Goldberg machine videos (like the Honda Accord Rube Goldberg Machine commercial), some curious students have been researching other Rube Goldberg videos on their own time and then excitedly sharing what they have found during their next visit to STEM class. For other students, who seemed to have been quiet all year, the Rube Goldberg machine challenge has sparked their creative design interests. These students are suddenly eager to jot down ideas into their STEM journals and share them with others. Quiet students are engaging in lengthy conversations about how the marble rolls down inclined planes, dropping into baskets in pulleys, sending the other baskets on the pulleys up, to knock down dominoes that fall up winding staircases, hitting wedges, and so on.
As a teacher, it is inspiring to watch such quiet students come alive with the "magic" of science, and the possibilities of future machine creations. Every student that comes into the lab has been captivated by this project, from the littlest Kindergarten student to the tallest fifth grader. Everything they have been learning so far about force and motion is suddenly making sense to them. This is "Inspiring Elementary Engineering" at its finest! (As well as "Inspiring Curiosity", one of my favorite mottoes.)
For more information about building Rube Goldberg Machines, check out some of these videos:
Inspired by a few Rube Goldberg machine videos (like the Honda Accord Rube Goldberg Machine commercial), some curious students have been researching other Rube Goldberg videos on their own time and then excitedly sharing what they have found during their next visit to STEM class. For other students, who seemed to have been quiet all year, the Rube Goldberg machine challenge has sparked their creative design interests. These students are suddenly eager to jot down ideas into their STEM journals and share them with others. Quiet students are engaging in lengthy conversations about how the marble rolls down inclined planes, dropping into baskets in pulleys, sending the other baskets on the pulleys up, to knock down dominoes that fall up winding staircases, hitting wedges, and so on.
As a teacher, it is inspiring to watch such quiet students come alive with the "magic" of science, and the possibilities of future machine creations. Every student that comes into the lab has been captivated by this project, from the littlest Kindergarten student to the tallest fifth grader. Everything they have been learning so far about force and motion is suddenly making sense to them. This is "Inspiring Elementary Engineering" at its finest! (As well as "Inspiring Curiosity", one of my favorite mottoes.)
For more information about building Rube Goldberg Machines, check out some of these videos:
- How to Build a Rube Goldberg Machines
- This incredible monster-trapping machine was built by a 7 yr old
- Purdue University Guinness World Record machine
Friday, March 9, 2012
Pulleys transfer the direction of force
This week we are taking a look at another one of the six simple machines, the pulley. This will be a two week investigation on pulleys. Pulleys are useful simple machines because they transfer the direction of force needed to lift an object and can give us a mechanical advantage (depending on the type of pulley that is used). There are different types of pulleys: fixed, moveable, and compound, such as the block and tackle pulley. Fixed pulleys are just that - they are fixed in position and do not move except to have their wheel spin. These are usually found on blinds, curtains, flag poles, wells, and on cranes. Moveable pulleys move with the objects they are lifting or moving, such as zip lines, hoists, elevators, cable cars, and sky rides. Moveable pulleys can give a mechanical advantage because it requires less effort to lift or move an object than with fixed pulleys. Like compound words and machines, compound pulleys are made up of two or more pulleys, or pulleys that use two or more wheels. Compound pulleys like a block and tackle pulley can be found on sailing boats, shipping vessels (like fishing boats), tow trucks, and engine hoists.
The students have been exploring some of the different types of pulleys using wooden models. We have also explored the school and found some pulleys that help us with tasks like pulling the American flag up and down the pole each day, opening and closing the curtains on the stage, and opening and closing the blinds (or drawing the blinds across the window). We watched a video clip from PBS's "Sid the Science Kid"series as Sid learns about a simple machine that can help him move some of his toys up to his newly built tree house. (Next week we will watch the conclusion of the video and see some other ideas and examples of pulleys that Sid and his friends and family come up with.) In our journals, we have been drawing some examples of pulley systems and blueprinting the direction of effort used, and how it is being used to make our lives easier.
The fourth and fifth graders started exploring pulley systems using single, double, and triple pulleys, spring scales, and washers. They have been constructing pulley systems to move large washers and investigating the mechanical advantage they get with each system.
The students have been exploring some of the different types of pulleys using wooden models. We have also explored the school and found some pulleys that help us with tasks like pulling the American flag up and down the pole each day, opening and closing the curtains on the stage, and opening and closing the blinds (or drawing the blinds across the window). We watched a video clip from PBS's "Sid the Science Kid"series as Sid learns about a simple machine that can help him move some of his toys up to his newly built tree house. (Next week we will watch the conclusion of the video and see some other ideas and examples of pulleys that Sid and his friends and family come up with.) In our journals, we have been drawing some examples of pulley systems and blueprinting the direction of effort used, and how it is being used to make our lives easier.
The fourth and fifth graders started exploring pulley systems using single, double, and triple pulleys, spring scales, and washers. They have been constructing pulley systems to move large washers and investigating the mechanical advantage they get with each system.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Inclined Planes Help us Move
This week we are taking a closer look at inclined planes and how they help us move. An inclined plane is a flat surface that has been raised at one end, such as a ramp, slope, or slide. Stairs can be considered an inclined plane because they help to move loads gradually rather than straight up or down. There is a trade off, though, in using an inclined plane to help move a load, you are trading force for distance. It will take less force to move an item up a ramp into the back of a truck, for example; however, it will require more distance to go up the ramp rather than a straight upward lift, like from the side walk directly below into the tailgate of a truck.
The primary students have been exploring inclined planes through Legos and building water slides for the balls or Lego people to go down. The students enjoyed working in small groups to design their slides with little direction from me, except what an inclined plane is, and what their slide had to do. (Although, for some, I did have to provide a little additional guidance about connecting the tubes together so they fit in the doorways.)
The intermediate students have been conducting experiments in distance and force using cars and car launchers they made from the Legos. We have been able to tie this lesson in with math, and for some, this is an introduction to the metric system, in using meter sticks to measure the distance the cars are launched. The students also had to construct a data table in their journals to record the varying distances with the launchers, then analyze the data, and discuss their results - both verbally and in writing.
For more information about inclined planes as part of simple machines, check out these sites:
The primary students have been exploring inclined planes through Legos and building water slides for the balls or Lego people to go down. The students enjoyed working in small groups to design their slides with little direction from me, except what an inclined plane is, and what their slide had to do. (Although, for some, I did have to provide a little additional guidance about connecting the tubes together so they fit in the doorways.)
The intermediate students have been conducting experiments in distance and force using cars and car launchers they made from the Legos. We have been able to tie this lesson in with math, and for some, this is an introduction to the metric system, in using meter sticks to measure the distance the cars are launched. The students also had to construct a data table in their journals to record the varying distances with the launchers, then analyze the data, and discuss their results - both verbally and in writing.
For more information about inclined planes as part of simple machines, check out these sites:
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Honoring Engineers during Engineers Week
We are taking a break from our Simple Machines unit in honor of Engineers this week to learn more about what they do in celebration of National Engineers Week, Feb. 19th - 25th. As part of our celebration and exploration, we've watched a video entitled "The Sum of All Thrills" found on Discover Engineering's website about a group of three teenagers that visit the Innovations area in the Epcot Center at Walt Disney World. These teenagers work with a pair of civil engineers to learn more about the physics and science that goes into designing theme park roller coasters. The teens are introduced to kinetic and potential energy, and then given the challenge of designing a couple of roller coasters, one on a marble track, the other on Epcot's "Sum of All Thrills" computer generated ride.
After seeing a bit of what civil engineers do (or at least those that design roller coasters), the younger students are given a lesson in aerodynamics as they learn a some of what aeronautic engineers do as they explore how balloons react to the air around them. This has lead to quite a few discussions about airplane and fighter jet designs, and streamlining the cone to allow it to effortlessly slice through the air like a wedge. (Some of the simple machines unit coming in.)
Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth graders have been challenged to design the tallest freestanding structure possible in a given time limit using only the supplies they are given in a zip lock baggie (10 index cards, 6 paper clips, 4 small drinking straws) and a foot of masking tape. They were allowed to use scissors to cut the cards as needed (making notches to interlock with each other), but were not allowed to use the scissors to add to their structure (as part of their structure). They could not have the structure taped to the table (thus, freestanding) and were not allowed to get more tape. A few taller structures came down with the wind as the buzzer went off on the timer, to the disappointment of the teams building them. The tallest structure for the week measured 68cm, but included a 30cm antenna made from the drinking straws.
Celebrating National Engineers Week with the students was a great way for them to learn a little more about what engineers do, and the impact engineers have on our everyday lives. Many of the students in our school have close ties to engineers through their parents. To all the engineering parents (relatives and friends, as well), this post is for you. Thank you for all you do to make our world a better place to live in.
The following video was put together with clips from our week and images that celebrate some of the different engineering fields.
After seeing a bit of what civil engineers do (or at least those that design roller coasters), the younger students are given a lesson in aerodynamics as they learn a some of what aeronautic engineers do as they explore how balloons react to the air around them. This has lead to quite a few discussions about airplane and fighter jet designs, and streamlining the cone to allow it to effortlessly slice through the air like a wedge. (Some of the simple machines unit coming in.)
Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth graders have been challenged to design the tallest freestanding structure possible in a given time limit using only the supplies they are given in a zip lock baggie (10 index cards, 6 paper clips, 4 small drinking straws) and a foot of masking tape. They were allowed to use scissors to cut the cards as needed (making notches to interlock with each other), but were not allowed to use the scissors to add to their structure (as part of their structure). They could not have the structure taped to the table (thus, freestanding) and were not allowed to get more tape. A few taller structures came down with the wind as the buzzer went off on the timer, to the disappointment of the teams building them. The tallest structure for the week measured 68cm, but included a 30cm antenna made from the drinking straws.
Celebrating National Engineers Week with the students was a great way for them to learn a little more about what engineers do, and the impact engineers have on our everyday lives. Many of the students in our school have close ties to engineers through their parents. To all the engineering parents (relatives and friends, as well), this post is for you. Thank you for all you do to make our world a better place to live in.
The following video was put together with clips from our week and images that celebrate some of the different engineering fields.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Wedges help use separate materials
This week we have been taking a closer look at the wedge. Wedges help us by separating materials, lifting items, or holding things in place. They are made of two inclined planes put together, and are portable inclined planes, whereas inclined planes are stationary. Good examples of wedges are items made of metal that have a blade (like knives, scissors, and an axe) or a point (like a pin or staples). Keys could also be considered as a wedge because the teeth wedge their way into the tumblers inside a lock.
Primary students have been creating paper wedges in class, then separating the two inclined planes on them and driving toy Matchbox cars down the slopes. (Some have enjoyed jumping the cars on the ramps. :) Its been quite a trick working with the students helping them folds and tape all of the tabs on their paper wedges into place. (We've also discovered the metal teeth on the tape dispenser are a good example of a wedge.)
Intermediate students have enjoyed using the K'Nex sets to build a model of a wedge splitting a piece of wood. These models have been helping them understand how the wedge is used to separate the materials in the wood to split it.
Next week, we will be taking a look at inclined planes.
For more information about wedges, visit these sites:
Primary students have been creating paper wedges in class, then separating the two inclined planes on them and driving toy Matchbox cars down the slopes. (Some have enjoyed jumping the cars on the ramps. :) Its been quite a trick working with the students helping them folds and tape all of the tabs on their paper wedges into place. (We've also discovered the metal teeth on the tape dispenser are a good example of a wedge.)
Intermediate students have enjoyed using the K'Nex sets to build a model of a wedge splitting a piece of wood. These models have been helping them understand how the wedge is used to separate the materials in the wood to split it.
Next week, we will be taking a look at inclined planes.
For more information about wedges, visit these sites:
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