Based on Idea from INCOSE Table at the Detroit Maker Faire 2015 The Challenge Your tower must be designed to hold a paper cup as high as possible. This design must support the forces created when a golf ball is dropped into the cup. Design is up to your innovation and creativity. Time of 15-20 minutes,… Read more »
Author: David Hann
David Hann teaches 8th grade math and 6/7/8th grade Design & Technology at Donview Middle Health & Wellness Academy, a public school in Toronto, Canada. He was the first teacher to pilot a 3D printing program in a Toronto middle school, complementing his existing Design & Technology program in a wood/metal shop. In 2014 and 2015, David and several colleagues collaborated to have 8th grade students build pinball machines using Makey Makey and Scratch for a cross-curricular final project (covering Math, English, Science, History and Geography). He has presented this project at conferences and Maker Faires, including the 2015 World Maker Faire in New York. David is one of the co-founders of the MakerEdTO group, which organizes a summer maker conference for Toronto/Ontario teachers, and facilitates the development of educators maker skills and professional network. He holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Toronto, in Education, and in History & Philosophy, and has additional qualification as a Design & Technology specialist teacher.
Simple Parts – Part III – Communication through Drawings
Reflecting – Looking at Drawings from Part I Task 1 Start with students back in groups from part 1. Return their drawings in the group folder from the first class. Have students take out just ONE drawing from their folder. Give students 3 minutes to try and re-create the shape from their drawings done during… Read more »
Simple Parts – Part II – Empathy and Communication
This activity is done in partners. You may choose to have students choose their own partners, or students may be required to find partners within the groups they had for Part I. The main setup for these activities is that partners must not be able to see each others’ work, and it is helpful (though… Read more »
Simple Parts – Part I – Reiteration and Defining the Problem
Introducing the Materials Show students the materials and explain classroom procedures for getting them, and also clean-up expectations. (eg. 1 person from each group come up, or 1 group at a time, or distribute buckets of materials to each group, etc.) Have the students in groups. CHALLENGE Build the tallest freestanding structure you can… Read more »
Design Lessons Using Simple Parts – Introduction
Introduction I have been experimenting this year with teaching concepts like empathy, reiteration, creative thinking, communication and collaboration, through a series of activities that use simple parts (or what my kindergarten colleagues often call “loose parts”). These activities lead nicely into an exploration of technical drawings and 3D design. They are written as if they… Read more »
Real Tools – Real Life – Real Learning
Don’t Run With Scissors There is a lot of discussion in the FabLearn community about tools, not only new tools like 3D printers and CNC machines, but also about finding great hand and power tools for children. As I have been pondering tool use in the classroom, I have come to several conclusions: Tools need… Read more »
Snow – A Great Maker Material
We’ve all done that classic maker activity at one time or another: the paper cut out snowflake. Most makers would agree that paper is one of our most basic, essential materials. For me, many of my earliest “Making Memories” are from time spent playing out in the snow! Therefore I would like to suggest that… Read more »
Thoughts on Failure
“Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes.” John Dewey This blog post is based on my November 10th 2016 Ignite talk for Fair Chance Learning’s event in Niagara Falls with Brian Aspinall, during the Bring It Together conference. See my slide deck here…. Read more »