In the last week of our 7/8 Prototyping and inventing choice class we have transformed the Innovation Lab into a open ended problem solving and invention space. Students were presented with a list of problems that exist right here in the lab, at school or in our community. Additionally students were free to add problems that they had identified. The one thing these problems had in common is that an invention could possibly solve them. Throughout the block students have been introduced to invention tools such as 3d design and printing, coding, Arduino microcontrollers, circuitry, soldering electrical components, and use of physical materials. Students have also experienced the design cycle and now understand that invention is a problem solving process that involves tinkering, trial and error, setbacks, and even starting over. This open ended inventing process has created such an atmosphere of energy and excitement in the lab! Check out the gallery below to see what the students have been working on.
We would like to offer a special thank you to Georgia Market for their loan of a shopping cart! The group prototyping a solution for a cell phone or shopping list holder that could attach to the handle of a cart needed to measure and design as they examined an actual cart. Thank you for the loan. It helped our designers a lot. |