8P4 - Cardboard

I created the Inferno Tower from Clash of Clans using cardboard and tape because I thought it would be fun to bring something from the game to life in a physical form. During the process, I learned a lot about how to design and construct an object, especially with limited materials. It was an interesting challenge to figure out how to turn a digital design into something tangible. It really sparked my creativity!

The 7 standards of the class are Empowered Learner, Digital Citizen, Knowledge Constructor, Innovative Designer, Computational Thinker, Creative Communicator, and Global Collaborator. My project connects most closely with the Creative Communicator standard because I was able to help Lucas with his own project, and we shared ideas and collaborated on how to make our designs better. It wasn’t just about building; it was also about working with others to communicate ideas and improve the process.

One of the biggest challenges I faced during this project was figuring out exactly what to create. At first, I wasn’t sure what kind of design I wanted to try, but I was able to overcome that by looking up ideas and getting inspiration from other projects online. This helped me decide on the Inferno Tower and gave me a starting point to build from. It was a bit of a challenge, but I learned how to break things down into manageable steps.

If I were to do this project again, I would change a few things about the design and materials I used. While I’m happy with the outcome, I didn’t feel fully satisfied with the finished product because there were aspects of the design that didn’t turn out as I had envisioned. Next time, I would try different techniques or materials to improve the overall look and sturdiness of the project.

The Hastings High School Career and Technical Education Program offers a variety of fields like Agriculture, Business Management, Computer Programming, Construction Trades, Culinary Arts, Digital Multimedia, Engineering Design, Finance, Insurance, and Marketing. My project connects to the Engineering Design CTE program because I used the principles of design and construction, much like you would in a formal engineering course. It gave me a taste of what that program is all about.

My project also connects to careers in Design Engineering. I spent time designing and building something, which is a core part of what design engineers do—creating and developing new products. If I continue in this field, I could see myself working on projects where I would use similar skills to design both functional and creative solutions.