5th grade has just completed their first Engineering Challenge. This involved designing and building a bird beak that would pick up "food" like dry rice and dry beans. They were given limited supplies. They first drew out their ideas on their own and then worked in groups to decide who's idea to use or whether or not to use a combination of ideas. This process gave them the opportunity to lobby for their idea, to be an active listener to others' ideas, and to compromise when choosing the final idea. The build and then test process was also interesting. Many of the bird beaks did not work the first time on both types of food. They had to be improved in some way. Some even had to be started all over again. The students handled this disappointment with amazing patience. I believe they have learned over the years in my class (and others) that mistakes are part of the process. They know that tenacity will help them achieve their goals. I am very proud of their accomplishments!!!
The build process:
The testing station:
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