STEP 1:  Welcome to Tinkertime!

For this Tinkertime activity, you will get to explore building structures with your choice of many different kinds of materials. Be creative! You may combine together materials in any way. You have the choice to work alone, or to work respectfully and responsibly with the partner or small building team.  What does that look like?

• • • Share materials, 

    • keep noise down....classes around you might be working!

    • be kind to each other and work cooperatively, 

    • keep your working space neat,

    • when directed, clean up your area and look for others to help clean up their area too,

    • pack supplies back neatly in the bin, because another class will be trying these activities.  

STEP 2:  Unpacking.  

Take the time to unpack the bins together and talk about how the materials might be used to build things.

STEP 3:  Spontaneous Challenge

Working alone or in teams, you will have 10 minutes to build a bridge that connects 2 desks, or 2 piles of books, spaced at least 3 feet (1 yard) apart.  

Are you ready?  Here is a link to a 10-minute timer....LINK

STEP 4:  DISCUSSION AND VIDEO

How did it go?  Leave your project and come to discuss as a class...

• Were you able to build the bridge?

• What worked well?

• What didn't work well?

• What would you do better if you had more time?

Here is a video to watch together about WHAT IS AN ENGINEER?  Just watch the first section.  After the conclusion, hit pause and come back here.

After the video, move on to STEP 5.

STEP 4:  Time to Explore!  

• Now you have some time to go back to your projects.  You might redesign your bridge, add to it, or start an entirely new building project.

• What's important?  Decide on an objective, make a design, and get started!

• Here is the link to the template....draw what you plan to build, figure out what materials you will need.  There are paper copies of the design paper in your bin.

• Here is a video for the facilitator to use to time your session today.  Be sure to leave about 10 minutes at the end of exploration to do a great job cleaning up. 

• Also be sure to check out what your classmates build...you might see things you'd like to try!

• If you have time, check out the cool videos at the bottom of the page.  Ready to Explore?!?!?! 

STEP 5:  Cleanup

Please help each other to pack the cart back up so that it looks just like when we started! Here is a cleanup countdown video for you!   

Videos about Simple Machines