Future Engineers! Ready for our Mindstorm Kits in January…

As we get ready for our Lego Mindstorm Kits (coming in January), both class reviewed the process engineers go through when creating and/or designing technology or another other product.  (Problem Identification, Brainstorm, Build/Creation, Test, Finalize).  We discussed various examples of products that have most likely followed these stages.

Both classes also reviewed images and clips featured here (this site).  I think everyone enjoyed going back in time! 

In preparation for our robot build, we created teams and performed a test run of the above steps.  The problem was related to my research project at school.  Every team received a device prototype and brainstormed ideas for apps.  Their descriptions were all recorded in their journals.  There were some interesting ideas.

We will most likely continue this next Saturday as we wait for our robot kits.  The students seemed to enjoy the process, although we really didn’t have enough time to dig deep into everyone’s creativity.  I hope next Saturday gives everyone another chance to be extremely creative.

In the boys class, we had an interesting discussion about global warming, the ecosystem and the year 2012.  They wanted to know if the world would really end?  Hmmmm

We’ll see where the conversation goes next week.

Stay tuned…