Reflections

• Using aluminum foil, I created a boat to test how many pennies it could hold. This experiment was not just a fun activity—it also challenged me to use my problem-solving skills. Developing these skills is valuable because it prepares you to handle unexpected situations and think creatively to find unique solutions to various challenges. 

• During this process, I learned how to fold aluminum foil so that it could turn into the shape of a boat. Learning how to fold foil differently can be useful because folding things can help improve your hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and problem-solving. In conclusion, folding things has a lot more benefits than you'd think.

• The 7 standards of the class are Empowered Learner, Digital Citizen, Knowledge Constructor, Innovative Designer, Computational Thinker, Creative Communicator, and Global Collaborator. My project ties to Knowledge Constructor because when just trying to use my own method to fold the aluminum foil wasn't working, I searched online to see if there was a tutorial on how to make an aluminum foil boat. Using the internet is always helpful when starting a project because it can give you a clear starting point, which sets you up for success. 

• A challenge I overcame on this project was not finding a good tutorial for my size of aluminum foil. I was able to do it by watching a tutorial and taking out the steps that wouldn't work on a bigger sheet. This was an issue because the boat needed to be stable, and without a good tutorial, the boat would probably sink with barely any pennies in it.

• Given a chance to do this again, I would change the shape of the boat. The reason why I would change it is that it doesn't look that great. Another reason I would change the shape is that I think if I changed the design of the side of the boat, it would hold more than 91 pennies.

• Hastings High School Career and Technical Education Program offers 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 at Hastings High School. My project connects to the Engineering Design CTE because, according to the website nagb.gov, Engineering Design is an iterative, systematic process for solving problems that involves creativity, experience, and accumulated disciplinary knowledge. This means my project connects to the Engineering Design CTE because I made a creative boat design in order to solve the problem of how many pennies an aluminum foil boat can hold.  

• My project connects to careers in Engineering Design because I created a creative design in order to solve a problem. Using the website Indeed, it says that a Design Engineer is someone who develops new designs and projects. The National average for a Design Engineer is 89,050