This course is a creative planning process that leads to products. Students will identify criteria and constraints related to the design and development of various products, for example “a shirt which can also be used as pants”, “a chair useable in extremely cold weather”, or, “french fries box with a ketchup container”, and etc. They will identify and describe the major steps in the engineering design process. They will analyze possible solutions to the design challenge. And during every session they will build products using simple materials. This will allow students to play with their ideas in a hands-on way that will stimulate creativity and innovation.
When children are engaged in the process of designing, they are learning to identify needs, frame problems, work collaboratively, explore and appreciate the contexts within which a solution must work, weigh alternatives, and communicate their ideas verbally, graphically, and in three dimensions. This course encourages interdisciplinary pollination of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) topics. During this program, there will be conceptual and practical overview of Recycling and Multi-functionality.
