Yesterday Ms. Braswell's Innovation Station students had to work as a team. They had 3 main materials available: rope, duct tape, and 4 pieces of 2sq ft cardboard. In this physically engaging activity, students were challenged to figure out how to get the entire class
from one location on the playground to the sidewalk 20 feet away without touching the ground between—which is (hypothetically) covered in dangerous hot lava! Guided by the steps of the engineering design process, students had to brainstorm and sketch as they worked together to develop a well-thought-out plan. Then they tested the solution by going outside and trying it out, improving as needed to achieve success. Through the post-activity assessment, students compared their problem-solving experience to real-life engineering challenges such as creating new forms of transportation, inventing new products, or figuring out a better way to run a factory.
