Wildcat Workshop @ Chester Arthur School
GRADE 7
ANCIENT TECHNOLOGIES
Essential Questions
How do technologies developed by ancient civilizations influence people then and now?
How can we use universal design principles to create learning experiences for others?
How can I craft arguments to persuade others to support something I care about?
What does it mean to be a good digital citizen?
Key Projects
Museum exhibit created using universal design principles that teaches a diverse audience about an ancient technology
Op-Ed that argues for what museums should do (if anything) if communities want artifacts back
May 2023
We went outside to our “archaeological site” to measure how long our drone path segments would need to be. Some of us only had a bunch of 60-inch measuring tapes, so we’d string them end-to-end and multiply. This work helped us visualize where our drone would go.
We are close to testing our algorithms with drones. We realized we needed to think about supplementary angles to help us figure out how our drone would be turning. We broke out the protractors, and we used Turtle Stitch to map out the pathway before we go outside with the drones.
We engaged in an engineering design process with student teachers from the Drexel University DragonsTeach program. Then, we developed and tested ideas for picking up keys that we’d “dropped down a sewer grate.”
Student teachers from the Drexel DragonsTeach again visited our class. This time, they led us through an engineering challenge with paper towers. We planned our designs, navigated constraints, and reflected on successes and challenges.
Faith, Taahir, and Yasir continued working on projects for the state Media and Design Competition. They then traveled to Dickinson College to present their projects.
April 2023
We began a project in which we're programming drones to explore an “ancient archaeological site” (aka our playground). We analyzed aerial maps of the site and used white boards to brainstorm what kinds of instructions they would need to give their drones to take video footage of the sites.
We explored Tinkercad Sim Lab. We searched for ideas using a Google Image search and also found some YouTube videos to get us started.
We analyzed a photograph showing the coffin of King Tut. Then, we discussed some of the ethical questions about how ancient cultures are studied and how artifacts are collected by museums. Some museums have artifacts that communities want back. We discussed what those museums should do with the artifacts. We read an article about this topic and used the "Say, Mean, Matter" strategy to understand the perspectives in the article.
March 2023
For our string art projects, we hammered nails along the outlines of the designs we'd selected. Next, we used pliers to hold the nails to keep our fingers safe. Once we’d nailed the outlines, we removed the paper template and wrapped string around the nails to finish the design.
Four teams of grade 7 students traveled to the School District of Philadelphia to present their projects for the Philadelphia Media and Design Competition. Students entered projects into the 3D design, animation, website, and logo design categories. Two of the groups (Faith and Taraji in logo design and Taahir and Yasir in 3D design) took home first prize and will represent Philadelphia in the state competition at Dickinson College.
Below are screenshots of the website 3 students coded in HTML and CSS in code.org's Web Lab. The website features African American women leaders from Philadelphia.
February 2023
We started string art projects by reading about designs from around the world for inspiration. (Our theme is “ancient technology” but most designs we read about technically aren’t ancient. Many students also chose much for modern designs of interest.)
We selected and measured pieces of wood we’d use, sized images we found from Google Image searches and pasted into a Google Doc so they would fit our wood when printed, sanded the wood over our new sanding table, and painted our wood pieces.
We wrapped up our unit on creating webpages with HTML and CSS. Our last lesson was on styling elements on our pages with CSS.
Some students began working on projects that could be entered in the Philadelphia Media and Design Competition. Students are using different digital tools to create the projects.
Two students used the GlowForge laser cutter, Carvey CNC router, and Curio engraver to create a monument proposal for the 3D design category.
Three students used Web Lab in code.org to code a website in HTML and CSS featuring African American women leaders from Philadelphia.
Two students used Google Slides to design a logo for next year's competition.
Two students used Pixilart and iMovie to create an animated movie.
January 2023
We added on to our knowledge of HTML tags and also began styling webpages using cascading style sheets (CSS). CSS files allow us to change the properties of different elements on our webpages. For instance, we can make all paragraph text a specific color, size, and alignment. We can do the same with headings.
We added on to our knowledge of HTML and CSS tags by learning how to insert images into a webpage.
We played Interland to review important Digital Citizenship ideas about passwords, being kind online, and protecting privacy.
We began learning about how paragraphs and headings are coded using HTML (hypertext markup language) using Web Lab on code.org. HTML is basically one of the languages that developers use to tell your internet browser how to display a webpage.
November 2022
We starting using some modern technology (LEGO robots) that incorporate simple machines. Which simple machines do you think are included in this robot design?
We continued using LEGO robotics kits. We connected our rovers to our Chromebooks using Bluetooth and began creating code to make the robots move.
We paused our work with LEGO robots to build an air-powered vehicle using found materials (like water bottles, balloons, straws, tape, hot glue, and wooden dowels). Students are learning about forces, motion, and calculating speed in their science class. These vehicles incorporate simple machines (like a wheel and axle) that were ancient technologies, which connects to the learning we're doing in digital literacy.
October 2022
Students conducted an investigation with mystery powders for their science class. Students were learning about physical and chemical properties of substances. We will discuss how ancient people used chemicals and their properties later in the year as we learn about ancient technologies.
We began exploring a very important technology: Writing! We brainstormed why we think it was important for ancient cultures to develop writing systems. We decided that trade was one important reason. A number of ancient civilizations—like those in Mesoamerica (Mayans), Egypt, Mesopotamia (Sumerians), and China—developed writing systems with symbols that we call logographs. Some of these writing systems were carved into stone (Mayan glyphs, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Chinese characters) or pressed into clay tablets (Sumerian cuneiform). While they didn't necessarily have an alphabet like the one we use today, some of the symbols connect with sounds that people in those cultures would have spoken. So, today we can use symbols and their corresponding sounds to spell out things like our own names. We're doing just that! And instead of carving using a chisel, we're using our makerspace Carvey and software called Easel to create designs. The Carvey is a computer numerical controlled router that uses a drill bit to carve into materials like wood and plastic.
September
We created digital maps using StoryMap JS to show where different ancient cultures around the world (particularly in Africa and the Americas) built pyramids. We needed latitude and longitude coordinates to make our maps.
We used Tinkercad, a web app for 3D design. Our first challenge was to use and modify 4-sided pyramids to create an obelisk/tekhenu (like those created by the Egyptians). Levers and other simple machines may have been used to raise obelisks. We learned how to use the hole and group features, position objects. We’ll personalize them next week.
August 2022
Our theme for the year is "ancient technologies." We will use digital tools (e.g., computers, internet, coding, 3D printing, CNC router) to create a museum exhibit about ancient technologies.
We began by exploring how levers work. A lever has a rigid bar that pivots on a fulcrum. We changed the conditions in a lever simulation and realized that changing the distance of an object on one side of a lever can allow us to change how much we can lift on the other side of the fulcrum. Then, we watched a video about how the Rapa Nui people may have used levers to move and position the moai statues on Easter Island.
