Making with Cardboard WK 2

I decided to revisit an engineering project I do with first grade around properties of water. We start out with lot of tasks related to sink/float - as you can see from this design a boat that will hold weight challenge

One of our  tasks is to design a roof surface that will repel the most water. For the sake of time, I gave them a template of a house to cut out and put together - not so creative and not so maker oriented!


Why don't they design the whole house?! For this assignment I decided to try it. I started with a triangular pyramid, then decided that a rectangular pyramid was more what I had in mind. Great math skills - visualizing, measuring, angles, shapes, nets, precision. At first I used a box knife to cut, but I found scissors simpler to use and ending in a cleaner looking cut.  I used to make forts and castles with large cardboard boxes with my own children. This required much more precision than that, and I would definitely plan ahead to make the task approachable for the ages I'm working with. I might have some precut small pieces of cardboard ready prepared that might just need trimming. I would consider the thickness of the cardboard I'm using, possibly have extra adult helpers around for the big cuts.  I think students in 3rd grade and up could be trained to use box cutters with guidance. I covered my house with a printed stone design paper, although using natural materials could be a great way to go with this. I'm sure students would love the creativity of finishing their house.

 
Structure designs could be used in math when working on geometric shapes, surface area and volume, and architecture. I could add cardboard projects to science learning, having students make rainsticks, spectroscopes or binoculars. Cross disciplinary ideas with cardboard tubes include pom pom drops, ball mazes, marble runs, and egg drop challenges. Inspiring ideas! I posted links to these ideas on my diigo page.                                                                                          
 https://groups.diigo.com/group/ellens-makers-group

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 20, 2017 at 10:36 AM

    Hi Ellen
    I like the concept of repelling water! I'm not sure I agree with you when you say "I gave them a template of a house to cut out and put together - not so creative and not so maker oriented!"

    I think it depends on what your outcome is. For example, I've used the kits from Cardboard Tek Pinball 3000. Some folks say - it would be more makery for students to create their own. That depends on the goal I have in mind. Using the kits allows students to learn some techniques for creating with cardboard that are tried and true and tested. It also bring the students to a place where they can build / make something launching from another maker's contribution (Cardboard folks). Seeing a full functiioning pinball game within an hour of their maker class, positions them to want to personalized it for the next purpose which might be a teacher goal - like show me your understanding of a body system by creating a pinball game. If the goal is the body systems understanding, it might not be important that they spend a week 'trying to make a pinball game work". So many possible goals. Templates are fine if they support your learning goal. I think in your case - the template matched the learning goal for the maker centered learning activity.

    Wondering whether any of the cardboard tools might come in handy for your age group. The Klever cutters are awesome! I recently tried some pumpkin cutters with mixed results. So many possibilities.

    "I covered my house with a printed stone design paper, although using natural materials could be a great way to go with this." I am imagining lots of houses like this with natural materials and smiling.

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