All About Engineering: Let’s Learn and Build Things! (FLEX)

Let’s learn all about engineering! 

There are NO live meetings. This is a 5-week flex class. Although we won’t be meeting live, there will be plenty of teacher-student interaction in the Outschool classroom. No deadlines. Students will have the option to take a picture of their work and submit it to the Outschool classroom or make a short video. Answer all questions under each post and engage with other learners. 

All learners must be supervised when completing activities. You might want to help them with their projects. 
 
What you will learn in this flex class:

- Engineers use science and math to solve problems.
-  Engineers also build and test things. 
- Each time they re-design it, the solution can get better.

Week 1:

Before we watch our video, you will discuss and answer these questions with your peers:
- What do you think an engineer does
- Did you ever need to solve a problem by creating something new?
- Why is it important for an engineer to draw a solution before building it?
- What can you do if a solution to a problem doesn’t work the first time?
- What is the coolest invention you have ever seen?
- If you could be an engineer, what kinds of projects would you like to work on?
- Respond to your peers

- Watch my video about engineering 

- Learn:
What kind of things does an engineer do. 
Why is it important for an engineer to test things they create.
Why is it important for engineers to have a good imagination.
What are some steps that engineers go through when solving problems.
What are some examples of problems different types of engineers have solved.
Why don’t engineers get upset when their solution doesn’t work.

- Answer questions and share with your peers and respond to them. Keep the conversation going. 

- Learn new vocabulary words and write them down. 

- Learn how to build train railway structures with legos and affordable “wooden track ascending incline-2 pack” and “block platform straight track” you can get from dreamuptoys.com

Week 2:

- Watch my video
- Watch DIY activity video
-  Let’s build a candy structure that is strong enough to hold up a book! (A bag of gummy bears, toothpicks, and a hardcover book)
- Learn about common misconceptions
- Build a bridge out of pasta and test it

Week 3: 

- Learn about robotics and watch videos
- Students compare the effectiveness of different materials used for keeping ice from melting. Materials: Bag of ice cubes, a variety of materials; some suggestions:
- Paper plates
- Cardboard
- Felt or other fabric
 - Aluminium foil
- Popsicle sticks
- Pipe cleaners
- Wood pieces
- Plastic bags
- Modelling clay
- Paper bags
- Plastic cups
- Styrofoam cups
- Newspaper

- Let’s build structures out of craft sticks, wooden clothespins, and binder clips. (Watch my video first) 
- Test your structures and bridges with books. - Let’s see who builds the tallest structures

 Don’t forget to share your work in the classroom and comment on peers’ submissions. NO deadlines.


Week 4:

- This week, you will choose a project to make and submit it to class and tell your peers why you chose it. Take a video or a picture. You can do more than one. It’s up to you. 
List of projects you can choose from: (watch my videos on how to complete each one first) 

1. Build a projector
2. Build a spectroscope 
3. Build a paper rocket launcher
4. Build a paddle boat
5. Build a bubble blower machine
6. Build a cardboard plane


- Let’s play a quiz game on Kahoot! Have fun competing and ranking up. 
- Complete quiz worksheet and exit tickets. 

WEEK 5:
Simple machine lesson.
DIY activity 

Learners who engage the most will be rewarded at the end of the month. They will get to choose a free class to enrol in or request one that’s not listed.