Engineering Challenge

This year our district science fair will be called STEM Fest, and it will feature projects in science, math, technology and engineering. As part of an initiative to get more students interested in engineering, our district STEM facilitator is encouraging each classroom to take part in an engineering challenge. The second grade challenge is called Puff Cars, and we completed this challenge last Friday.

First of all, we began by reading a picture book called Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty. She is one of my new favorite authors. I love this book! It is about a little girl named Rosie who always wants to create and build things, but her uncle laughs at her invention and she decides not to create anymore. Then her great, great aunt Rose (who is based on Rosie the Riveter) convinces her that her inventions are not supposed to work the first time, and she gives it another go.

The students loved this text and the creative illustrations by David Roberts. After we read it, we had a great discussion about what it means to be an engineer, as well as how engineers and makers don't usually get it right the first time, and have to keep redesigning to make things work just right. We also had a little history lesson about Rosie the Riveter and girl power during World War 2.  (This author and illustrator also created Iggy Peck, Architect, which is equally fabulous.)

Then we dove into our task. The goal was to make a car that would move by blowing air across it. Students worked in groups of 4-5, and got these supplies:

• 4 Lifesavers
• 3 non-bendable drinking straws
• 2 paperclips
• 1 piece of paper
• scissors
• tape

Groups first discussed and drew out their plans, and then they let me know when they were ready for their supplies. It was very exciting to hear their conversations and see how different groups approached this task. Students made cars, tested them out, redesigned them, and tested them again.  One student in each group served as a photographer, using their iPad to take pictures and video of their progress.

All of this creative engineering took a long time- much longer than I had anticipated. That was OK though, as you just can't rush the creative process. Finally, every group had a puff car they were happy with. We tested to see how far each car could go. Each group selected its best blower, and we measured the distance of each car. All of the cars did great, but the Blazer car (by the red table) went the farthest. It will be the car that we will display at STEM Fest, although we will include pictures of all of the cars.

Trying to make a drawing a reality.

A test drive

Here are the five puff cars designed by the Bartin Bunch:

This was an excellent activity. All of the students were engaged and doing great thinking. We all agreed that we would like to participate in more engineering activities in the future.