Design Process in Action

We have been learning about objects and materials in science. For our design project, students were given the challenge of creating a card holder for Valentine's Day. We saw some examples, talked about criteria and appropriate materials, and began to plan our holders. All drawings were labeled and materials were collected before the building could take place. It was a hub of excitement with so many ideas being shared and explored. Students were involved in lots of problem solving as some original ideas didn't work out quite like they expected. It was wonderful to hear compliments being given as students shared their learning.

Here are our thoughts:
I learned to connect easy pieces to hard pieces by using glue. -Chase
I put paper over it and I used tape. -Arianna
I learned how to trace my box to cover it with paper. -Tyson
I liked stapling all by myself for the first time. I stapled paper. -Lily
It was hard to cut open the big hole to put my cards in. -Bianca
I learned how to cut out a heart and to use the stapler. -Brooke
I used glue on my paper. -Dominic
I never used folded paper before to make hearts. It worked very good. -Adria
It was harder than I thought to close the ends of the box. I used glue, but it was too runny. I will use more tape. -Theo
I never tried using staples ever. Staples are really good for holding paper together. -Jack
It was hard to get the glue stick on the box. Instead I used white glue. -Charlotte
I learned how to stick paper to cardboard. I used white glue. It really stuck. -Ava
It was  hard to cut the paper to fit my box. I used white glue and not a glue stick. -Ben
It was easy to make the small hearts out of paper. I folded it and made a heart. -Marshall
I learned that you can cut holes in the middle of boxes without cutting the top off. The cards will go in the hole. -Andrew
I made a heart out of paper. I stapled my heart and I tested it with dominoes. -Desi

What amazing work grade 1s! We can't wait for our card holders to be used on Valentine's Day.

-Mrs, T :)

Gluing station

Testing station

Can it hold 20 cards and 10 dominoes?

Designers in Action

The students have been learning many things about the five senses. As a final project, they decided which sense was the most important to them and they created a device to protect that sense. Wow, there were lots of terrific ideas being shared.

Here are our thoughts:
I made goggles. I used toilet paper rolls. -Jay Dee
The hardest thing was to put the tape on. -Russell A.
It was fun to make my design. It protects my ears. -Josh
It was fun to ask the students questions about their design. -Gavin
I loved to put the tape on and the plastic on. The pipe cleaners were hard to twist. It was hard to make holes. -Callum
Putting on the pipe cleaners was hard because they didn't fit my head. -Naomi
It was hard to put the egg carton on the pipe cleaner.-Sasha
I liked the part where I cut the bottom off the bottle. The pipe cleaners fit on my ears so it can stay there. -Bapreet
My device protects my eyes. It stays on for more than 10 seconds. -Jake
I enjoyed how I made my design. I like to use it. -Cady
I liked my device because it looks nice. -Anna
The thing was hard to make because I had to tie some stuff. -Eliza
I used scissors to cut the paper towel rolls. -
I built something to protect my eyes. It was hard because there was a lot of taping and tying. -Levi
It was hard because I had to put so much tape. Everything was falling apart and it was really hard. -Brady
I liked making my project. I liked putting the pipe cleaners on. -Landyn
It was a little bit easy. I had to take off some tape because I couldn't see through it well. Then I thought of the idea to put pipe cleaner on. -Zachary
It was kind of hard making it because one side was crooked and one side was straight. -Sierra
It was hard, but it was a little bit easy putting the string through the holes. -Cody
My goggles protect my eyes. -Ethan

It really was impressive how the devices were created with many recyclable materials. Students put thought into their plans, made changes, and worked through challenges that they faced. Way to go Room 2!
-Mrs. T :)

Design Project: Bird Feeders

During our IBL classes with Mrs. Friesen we have been learning a lot about how people, plants and animals live throughout the changing seasons. We know that some animals hibernate, or migrate, or stay here. Students designed bird feeders to help the birds that stay here for the winter. Criteria was made together so everyone knew what was required for their design. Students were able to test their designs and make necessary changes like all good designers do. Self-reflection was an important part of the process as well. Students were asked to think about what they did well and what changes they would make next time. There were many good conversations before, during and after the design process. We were able to build our bird feeders with our Grade 1 friends in Ms Turner's class, which made it even more fun. It was a busy, active morning.

Here are some of our thoughts:
I liked making the bird feeders because we got to make our own. -Graysen
I put on the string so it could hang from a tree. -Kayden
I held the bottle and squeezed it. -Kingston
I liked making the bird feeder because it was hard work. -Kyla
I enjoyed touching the seeds because they felt smooth. -Diamond
I had to change my perch because it was too high. -Andrew
I liked holding the bottle when it was being filled with bird seed. -Ezra
I fixed the perch because it was too high. -Shelby
The thing that was easy was getting the bird seed in because we used a funnel. -Ashton
It was hard to put the long perch through the second hole. -Kody
I learned that the bird seed goes in the bottle so the birds can eat it. -Brianna
It was easy to walk around and get all the things I needed to make my bird feeder. - Xoie
I liked when I put the seeds in because I poured it in the bottle. -Ashley
I learned that the hole had to be big so the birds can get the bird seed. -Rylee
You need to put holes in the bottle so the birds can eat. -Brayden
The sticks weren't staying in the right spot so we used glue. -Saydee
It was hard to put the perch through the hole because the hole was small. -Reese
Sticking the perch in the bottle was easy because I twisted it. -Hunter

Thanks to the parent volunteers who were able to help us with this activity! Awesome work Grade 1s.

-Mrs. T :)