When we started working with cardboard, the immediate gratification of getting to take creations home was valuable–getting the children to push through the difficulties of working with a new material. However, the immediate gratification of taking things home kept children from pushing further to add detail. We are beginning to see that they are ready to focus on sticking with projects for longer periods of time.

As a next step, we let the children know that they would be keeping their work at school, even if they feel the projects are complete. During project time, the children can start something new or add to what they already have. We’ve seen a big shift in the willingness of the children to go back to previous work.

We are careful to talk about this process in motivating ways. Rather than seeing one’s work as something to be fixed, we frame this process as taking the amazing work they already have and making it better.

How can you make it EVEN BETTER?!?

Looking more closely at the process of one Kindergarten  cardboard engineer will help us to illustrate the design process we are watching with them all.

On day one of his new creation, this is what one student makes. He has some body armor and a powerful weapon. He is eager to take them home. We let him know these things will stay at school so that he has time to add some details.

Another day of work leads him to make a mask, he even cuts out where his eyes should fit. He attaches it to his armor but then realizes that it changes his armor. Actually, he likes the changes but it doesn’t fit. His eyes don’t make it to the place he had designated in his design. We think together and realize that he could cut curves in the bottom to make room for his shoulders. Sure enough, that helps it slide on, but he wants to make the cuts even deeper to help get his eyes lined up. It worked!! Now he wanted to take it home. We let him know we’ll keep it at school. We let him know that his options are to start something new or to keep going and make this creation even cooler. After a moment of thought, he decides to keep going. This time he adds lots of colorful tape.

On a new day, this engineer talks himself through needing to leave such a great creation here at school and starts to talk through trusting the process. “It’s not like I’m going to have to leave it here forever and ever! Plus, this is WAY cooler than before, so I’m glad I kept it here. It was worth it!!”

Another student notices his classmate in his costume nearby and stops to check out his creation. In admiration, he says “That is super cool!! But it would look even better with some body armor.”

The engineer agrees and since he can’t take it home, he might as well add on. He wants to tape armor to his coat. But what if he doesn’t have the same clothes on every time? I point him to the work of another designer who has made really cool armor for his hands and arms. This arm armor slides on and off his hands. What can our cardboard engineer glean from his classmate’s designs?  We look together at the construction to see if we can tell how they were made. We see that one is made by bending a large piece of cardboard several times to wrap around the hand. Another is made by taping two pieces together.

With new inspiration, our engineer tries again and is successful.

Next, he decides to try to make a chest plate but when he attaches it to what he already has, it blocks him from sliding into his helmet.

We look in the mirror to see where the chest plate needs to be in relation to his helmet. We realize that it needs to be below. He looks at the work of a few peers who have chest plates but when he goes back to work, he decides not to do what others have. He forges his own way by attaching the chest plate below his helmet. He adds armor to his feet. Little by little, one delay of gratification at a time, this creation is growing in sophistication and detail. He is learning so much more about his craft with each new addition. Others are looking on and gaining inspiration of their own. We see more and more children building things to wear.

The next day, again knowing that he isn’t going to be taking his creation home, the engineer is fresh out of ideas. We discuss the possibility of asking others for input. He agrees to bring his creation to  project circle to discuss with his peers. As teachers, we love to see these discussions develop. These are not conversations the group is capable of having when we start the year, but after working to building our community and finding a project that brings such interest, we can see the children really listening and responding to each other’s ideas.

“How can I add more details?”  

Katori: He can color transformer stuff.

Me: A picture of a transformer or a transformer symbol?

Katori: A transformer symbol.

Engineer: I forgot!!

Kaya: Maybe you could add some details to the chest part, some color because I don’t see much color on it.

Eli: I was wondering if you wanted to put some camouflage on it or some bumps that look like camo on it.

Kiyan: I was thinking you could put Spiderman on the chest.

Engineer: This is a transformer.

Kyan: Well what about a web and then the transformer symbol in the web?

Engineer: I could do a transformer who transforms into a spider, so I’ll think about that. Does anyone else have an idea?

Me: This little spot on the bottom where the paper is peeled off is showing the bumps. You could peel off the top layer and your chest plate could be this cool bumpy texture the whole way.

Eli: Then how would he draw?

Katori: Then it could be this thing and you could speak from it.

[several children begin telling ideas at once]

Engineer: There are too many voices talking at once so could you please just like raise your hand?

Me: Is there a different part that he could make to add on to what he’s got?

Engineer: I have such good ideas for myself. I could put wings on the back!!

Riker: You could put the wings on secretly!

Engineer: Do you mean so that the wings can go down and up? Oh, yeah!! That would be awesome!

Kiyan: You have your hands covered but what about things that go on your arms?

Eli: What about your legs?

Engineer: I don’t think I could make something like THAT, but I’ll think about.

Our cardboard engineer heads back to work adding details inspired from our class conversation. We see others take inspiration from the conversation and use ideas to make their own creations more sophisticated.  We see them extending their work, persisting, problem solving. We see children seeking out classmates for help, allowing for small moments of collaboration. We see some children becoming experts in certain areas or developing a special technique and others coming to get tutored. We see children thinking and having the space to take their own initiative.

The post The Design Challenges of a Cardboard Engineer appeared first on Sabot at Stony Point.