Summer SAVY, Session 2 Day 2, Forces of Nature (3rd – 4th)
Wow, what an exciting and enthusiastic second day in our class! First, students put on their “mechanical engineer” thinking hats throughout the day as we explored an egg beater’s actions, reactions, advantages, and disadvantages. Then, students rotated through three stations to observe and analyze how mechanical pencils, glue sticks, and can openers work. As curious community members, students displayed excellent teamwork as they worked to label and examine these intricate machines.
After lunch, students got a chance to learn about another common machine: the bicycle! For this lesson, I brought my very own bike to SAVY! It was a joy to share my love of biking with students while teaching them about its sophisticated mechanical systems. After reviewing and discussing the parts and functions of a bicycle, students practiced a vital aspect of mechanical engineering– technical drawing! During this activity, students drew and labeled each bicycle component in detail based on their live observations and class discussions.
At the end of the day, the classroom buzzed with energy as students collaborated in small groups to use the engineering design process, where they ideated new ways to improve the bicycle as we know it. This hands-on approach made the learning process enjoyable and allowed students to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical setting. This lesson advanced their understanding of machines and fostered critical thinking, creativity, and cooperative learning.
Some questions for the dinner table could be:
- What do mechanical engineers do?
- What are some advantages of a mechanical pencil? What are some disadvantages?
- What different ways (energy sources) cause machines to move (perform work)?
I am so excited to continue this journey and witness the innovative ideas our young engineers will develop in the coming days!
Sincerely,
Ms. Jahn