As educators, we often fail to give students time to explore and experiment with the design and building of structures which spark creativity and understanding of how things work. In this lesson, students were given the opportunity to build robots, an air basketball court, a balance scale, or an eco- battery windmill. Through this exploration, students were able to use critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration skills through hands on learning.
Technologies used: iPad, Lego WeDo, Air-Stream Machine, Gyroscopes and Flywheels, Physics Discovery, and Eco-Battery Vehicles.
Working in teams, students were challenged to build a variety of machines that incorporated science concepts with problem solving and critical thinking strategies. The five different building stations allowed student to interact with machines that focused on physics, airstream, robotics, and energy transformations. Teams were given 30 minutes at a station to attempt to build the machine.