engineering

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Interactive Water Wall by Celia

Learning through Playing: An interactive way to get pre-primary students to problem-solve and work collaboratively.

Image retrieved from: www.pinterest.com

These water walls are amazing fun for Foundation years to year 2.

Year:

  • F – Y2

Subject: Design and Technologies

Sub strand: Creating Design solutions by:

  • Investigating and defining
  • Designing
  • Producing and Implementing
  • Evaluating
  • Collaborating and managing

The teacher can make it as elaborate, involved and complex as they want or keep it very simple for the younger years.

All you need is:

  • a trellis and
  • some PVC pipes along with
  • funnels,
  • u-bends,
  • T-pieces and
  • other containers lying around. This is great for recycling.

The kids can just play with the water station, or the teacher can give explicit instruction like: “Make a path for the water to run from the top to the bottom with minimal splashing.”

You can have a measuring jug with a set amount of water and then the same measuring jug at the end of the zone. This way the students can plan and engineer a way to have the maximum amount of water return to the bottom measuring jug. This is an innovative and interactive activity for kids.

Image retrieved from: www.pinterest.com

Image retrieved from: www.pinterest.com

Here is a video link to a DIY kids water wall. Have a look how easy it is to make and at the same time recycle.

If you have more time and want to be more creative, check out the Better Homes & Garden video clip:

Ivers states that technology in the classroom encourages cooperative learning which then increases metacognition, motivation and performance. This will then lead to an overall positive attitude towards learning. She also proposes that using play in learning in young children will create collaborative skills that is imperative to learning (Ivers, 2009). When technology is introduced to young children though play-based activities, learning is enhanced since they are having fun. They do not even realise that they are learning.

Image result for metacognition

Image retrieved from: http://cbsd.org/Page/15473

 

Ivers, K. S. (2009). A Teacher’s Guide to using Technology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.

Brain Pop

brainpop

‘BrainPop’ (https://educators.brainpop.com/)can be used within a classroom or at home utilizing mobile devices or PC’s.
Brainpop engages students through animated movies, games, quizzes, concept maps and actives. They also include BrainPop ESL for students whose speak English as a second language.

BrainPop has a variety of free resources to try, however if you would like to gain more from this site, you will have to subscribe and pay a fee. I have only used the free videos and quizzes within my classroom and feel they fulfill what is required to direct my students with their learning.

As BrainPop is mostly American, it does not relate to all of Australia’s Educational or ACARA’s needs. You have to decide at the time if the information or learning activity suites your students’ needs within the classroom.

BrainPop can be used for individual, group or whole class learning, the site has an interesting Science and Math’s section, which can relate to the Australian curriculum.

I find the videos content interesting and direct, demonstrating relevant information for a particular subject. I even discovered free information for ‘blogging’ https://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/blogs/, which could help us teachers understand what weblogs are and why they are needed in today’s busy world.

BrainPop incorporates most learning areas:

  • English
  • maths
  • science
  • art
  • health
  • engineering
  • technology.
  • BrainPop uses interesting characters within their  videos that can introduce new topics and break down complex ideas. BrainPop Educators can help with lesson planning, video tutorials and organizers. It also has its own blog, so you can obtain more educative material and information using educator workshops  to keep on top of all the new advances in technology.

Tours:

Educator tour: https://educators.brainpop.com/video/brainpop-educators-tour/

Brainpop junior tour:https://educators.brainpop.com/video/brainpop-jr-screencast/

ESL tour: https://esl.brainpop.com/support/tour/

 

 

Brainpop. (2016). BrainPOP. Retrieved January 9, 2016, from https://www.brainpop.com/

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Lesson 1 – Bridge Construction

Screen Shot 2015-08-20 at 9.47.26 am

Task 3:

In society we often come across problems that we are required to find solutions to. In the past people were always discovering and experimenting with ideas and technologies to solve problems or make things easier. Society is still continually developing new ideas and technologies to come up with solutions, make things more efficient or to assist sustainability. This series of 5 sequential lessons, allows students the opportunity  to practise their problem solving skills and using their creativity to create designs and technologies. Students will focus on and investigate bridge construction. They are given the opportunity to investigate, plan, test, evaluate and re-construct bridges, while exploring purpose, material selection and design. Students will also look at people involved in the process and the impact on the community.

design process

Please follow the link to see my lesson 1 overview:

https://www.mindmeister.com/573589025

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Engineered structures – Material Testing

Engineered structures- Material Testing

Subject: Design and Technologies

Year level: Year 5-7

Strand: Knowledge and Understanding & Processes and Production Skills

Sub strand: Materials and technologies specialisations, Engineering principles and systems & Creating designed solutions

Cross curriculum priorities: Sustainability, Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders histories and culture. 

General capabilities:

  • Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking
  • Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding
  • Literacy

Links to other learning areas: English, Mathematics, Humanities and Science, art.

Link to resource: http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/LRRView/6448/6448_00.htm?Signature=%28bdd3de96-97aa-4455-a684-9603dfc429cc%29

Direct link: http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/LRRView/6448/applets/tensile_tester.htm

Resource:

Engineered structures- Material Testing has been created as a virtual tensile tester.  Students can drag a range of different materials into the virtual tensometer to determine the strength and properties of a material. Students are given the opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of a engineer and undergo test on material to fine materials with the properties best suited to the intended purpose.  An automatic graph is used to plot the load in comparison to the extension (mm). From here, students are required to use critical thinking skills to analyse data and make conclusions as to which materials would be best suited for particular purposes.

Instructions:

1. Select one of the four test specimens from the upper right corner.
2. Drag the specimen to the tensometer jaws.
3. When in position the jaws will close, locking the specimen in place.
4. Press the green Start test button to begin the test.
5. During the test a load/extension graph will be drawn.
6. A load will be applied until the specimen fails.
7. When the test is complete click on the print icon to print the graph.
8. Repeat the test for each test specimen.