How to Take Things Apart... Safely
Do you ever want to take an inside look at some of your favorite objects?
Ian Nelson
Average rating:
4.7
Number of reviews:(2,520)
What's included
1 live meeting
50 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
US Grade 1 - 4
Taking things apart can be a great way to figure out how they work. But it can be tricky to know how to take apart toys, tools, and appliances safely. In this one time workshop, we'll talk all about ways to take apart toys, tools, and appliances to see how they work. We'll discuss why it's important to have adults around who can help, what tools you should use, how to know what you can take apart next, why certain parts of an object are stuck together, how to figure out what different parts of the object do, and how to put the object back together. I'll model the kinds of questions you can ask when taking apart a retractable pen and a mechanical pencil. I highly encourage students to have their own writing tools (retractable pens and mechanical pencils) to take apart during our workshop so we can compare different designs. We will also explore how patent drawings can give us an inside look into everyday objects while exploring modern invention history. This workshop is not to be missed!
Learning Goals
In this workshop, students will be able to:
- Describe why at least one safety practice is important when taking things apart
- Explain how asking questions during disassembly helps you learn how objects work
- Recognize that engineers use technical drawings to help them assemble machines
- Appreciate the work of engineers in designing everyday objects
Other Details
Parental Guidance
In this class, we will be taking apart retractable pens. Some pen designs are easier to take apart than others, so try to see if there is at least one part of the pen that can be unscrewed or pulled apart. Consider going on a pen hunt with your learners before class to find different kinds of pens that they can take apart during the workshop. If you have an unusual click pen in your house, please send it with your learner so we can make observations.
As retractable pens can have small parts, consider giving your learner a plastic box big enough to fit the pen in to store the pen's pieces discovered in the workshop. Some learners might want to be intentional about how they organize the pieces they find in order to assist with the reassembly process. (Other learners might go with a more chaotic storage system. That's fine too.)
Depending on our class discussion, we might have time to look in on how mechanical pencils differ from retractable pens. Try to find a mechanical pencil where the top screws off and you can see the part that advances the lead.
Younger learners (and learners who have fine motor difficulties) might benefit from an adult helper. Additionally, ages for all of my classes are largely a suggestion. If your learner is interested in what we're doing in this course, I'd love to get to know them. [If you have a serious engineering minded kid eager to go deeper consider signing them up for YES, an Engineering Club for Kids which is an on-going, discussion-oriented course.]
This class has a firm maximum at 8 learners in order to give every learner a chance to participate in our discussion and show off their discoveries. Siblings are always welcome to share computers; all learners attending the class need to be enrolled.
Supply List
The teacher will provide a pdf guide to taking things apart. Again, I highly encourage students to bring a retractable pen and a mechanical pencil with them to the workshop.
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined October, 2017
4.7
2520reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I am a mechanical engineer and engineering educator who loves to help kids look at their world a little differently.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$15
per classMeets once
50 min
Completed by 924 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 6-11
1-8 learners per class
