SECOND GRADE l Literacy I Engineering Design Practices I Empathy
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Lab Happenings
Essential Questions
What do engineers do? How can I learn how to think like an engineer? How can I learn how to work like an engineer?
Project Time! The Power of Books
How can we, as engineers, help others with access to literacy and education? That is our mission!
Reading is inspiring!
- Four Feet, Two Sandals by by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed: We are going to design and make backpacks for Operation Refugee Child and fill them with joyful and helpful things in collaboration with the Art's Exploratory!
- We have started to learn how to sew some basic embroidery stitches. We have used seam rippers to safely reverse engineer a variety of backpacks and bags to see how they are made. And we are, now, cutting out our backpack patterns!
- We will need lots of materials to make this happen. Your help is greatly appreciated! You can contribute to this project by donating here! https://www.donorschoose.org/project/operation-joy-for-all/2428400/?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=project&utm_campaign=twitter&rf=twitter-siteshare-2017-02-project-teacher_1492738&challengeid=20856097 via @donorschoose
- We have started to learn how to sew some basic embroidery stitches. We have used seam rippers to safely reverse engineer a variety of backpacks and bags to see how they are made. And we are, now, cutting out our backpack patterns!
- folding origami dogs
- making delicious Moon Pies
- playing games (Apples to Apples and Bubble Talk)
- learning how to code at https://studio.code.org
- Ben's Dream by Chris Van Allsburg
- CHALLENGE: Can you design a world landmark out of Skoolzy straws?
- Jimmy Zangwow and the Great Moon-Pie Adventure by Tony DiTerlizzi
- CHALLENGE: Can you design a safe lunar landing system for Jimmy Zangow? Your mission is to try and keep the 2 "astronauts" (large marshmallows) in the cup when dropped from 3 feet.
- The Boy who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
- Inspired by William's wind turbine, we used Snap Circuits to light up a lightbulb and to turn a fan! We explored motors, batteries, circuits, switches, and electricity.
- You can find the story and an interview here! https://www.smore.com/tngfv-the-boy-who-harnessed-the-wind
- Inspired by William's wind turbine, we used Snap Circuits to light up a lightbulb and to turn a fan! We explored motors, batteries, circuits, switches, and electricity.
- The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter
- Some great noticings and wonderings: Do you think Alia made a special stack of books that she wants to read? Does she have a new library yet? 30,000 books! That's so many stories! (Question of clarification before starting the challenge) Can we build a staircase out of the books to get the rest of the books over the wall?
- CHALLENGE: Engineers help people. How can we use a pulley system to make moving books over a 7 foot wall easier?
- Martin Luther King Jr., Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, and Abraham Lincoln all came up in our discussion about books and the people we meet!
- Snowflake Bentley by Jacquelin Briggs Martin
- How are Snowflakes Born? (a dramatic performance)
- Chemical engineering with artificial snow!
Novel Engineering: Great Literature with some Engineering Fun
- Snowball by Shel Silverstein
- CHALLENGE: Can you design a way to keep an ice cube (snowball) from melting?
- The Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett
- CHALLENGE: Can you design a troll friendly trap for Treva?
- Iggy Peck Architect by Andrea Beaty
- Material Constraints: Can you use "just one thing" as a building material like Iggy Peck?
- Twenty-one Elephants And Still Standing by April Jones Prince
- Structural Engineering: Can you design a bridge that can hold "21 somethings"?
- You can find the story and the challenge here https://www.smore.com/kvyuh-21-elephants
Ask Your Engineer
- What embroidery stitches have you learned so far?
- Would you consider Alia Muhammad Baker a hero? Why? Why not?
- Do you want to go and get a library card from our local library?
- How do you make a Moon Pie?
- What is equality? What does equality have to do with knowing how to read?
- Check out some amazing landmarks together at http://www.listchallenges.com/150-most-famous-landmarks-in-the-world. If you could visit any landmark in the world where would you want to go? What landmark did you build out of the Skoolzy straws? What do you know about your landmark?
- Did your lunar landing system keep your astronauts safe? What was your design like? Did it work on the "challenge terrain" as well?
- Did your invention keep the ice cube from melting? What materials did you use? How did you make it? What would you do differently next time?
- Can you show me how a snowflake is born? Who is Snowflake Bentley? What was his problem?
- Tell me about Treva and her problem with the trolls. What did you use to make your trap? What did you use for bait? Why? How did your trap work?
- Tell me about the story Iggy Peck Architect! What did you design? What material did you use?
- What did you use to build your bridge for 21 somethings?
- (While doing your daily reading together or watching a movie...) So, what problems do you see? What could we do as engineers to help?
Ideas for Engineering at Home
- Don't miss the IMAX film Dream Big- Engineering Our World-A Heartfelt Story of Human Ingenuity at the Reuben H. Fleet
- Snap Circuits were a huge hit! We have the Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Discovery Kits in the lab. ($20)
- I love the idea of setting out a building material at night with a building challenge card for the early rising engineer! You can download some great challenge cards here! http://picklebums.com/building-challenge-cards/
- The more cooking the better! Reading to follow directions is a huge and important skill to have! It is also a great way to practice fractions!
- Design a friendly trap for ________! (stuffed animal, sister, elf on the shelf, etc.)
- The perfect gift for your engineer? Here are some things to consider: marbles, masking tape, rain gutters (Home Depot), a stop watch, and the quintessential carboard box! They also love love love "The Trolls" movie soundtrack!
- Build a fort! Can you make one with mutiple rooms? Can you create a skylight?
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Can You Help?
Folks often ask me, "How can I help?" If you are interested in supporting the Engineering Lab through donating your time or materials, please shoot me an email ([email protected]). As our projects get fleshed out, I'll also post a wish list. In the meantime, if you're looking to donate, we always need cups, toilet paper rolls, sharpies, and masking tape. LOTS AND LOTS OF MASKING TAPE. Thanks!
Folks often ask me, "How can I help?" If you are interested in supporting the Engineering Lab through donating your time or materials, please shoot me an email ([email protected]). As our projects get fleshed out, I'll also post a wish list. In the meantime, if you're looking to donate, we always need cups, toilet paper rolls, sharpies, and masking tape. LOTS AND LOTS OF MASKING TAPE. Thanks!