Activity number 4

Name of the activity

Upcycling STEAM Challenge: Engineering Design Process for Primary School Children

Introduction of the topic

In this lesson plan, primary school children will learn about the concept of upcycling and the engineering design process. They will use their creativity and critical thinking skills to design and build a functional and aesthetically pleasing product using upcycled materials.

Learning objectives

Learners will understand the concept of upcycling and its environmental benefits.
Learners will learn about the engineering design process and how to apply it to design and build a functional and aesthetically pleasing product using upcycled materials.
Learners will use their creativity and critical thinking skills to come up with innovative solutions to upcycling challenges.

Materials

For the construction of the product/object/artefact, learners can use any kind of recycled material, but priority should be given to materials coming from school waste. For example, using cans (drink cans), cups (yoghurt cups) and containers (baby wipe boxes) saves a lot of money on classroom materials and teaches good environmental habits.

Upcycled materials: plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, tin cans, old magazines, and fabric scraps, among others.
Crafting materials and stationery: Glue, tape, scissors, and markers among others.

Grouping and interaction

Duration: 2-3 class periods (depending on the complexity of the project)

Interaction: Pairs or Teams (3 - 4 people per group)

Description of the activity

Day 1

Introduction to Upcycling and the Engineering Design Process:

Begin the lesson by introducing the concept of upcycling and its environmental benefits. Ask learners if they have heard of upcycling before and what they know about it.

Show examples of upcycled products such as a pencil holder made from a tin can or a tote bag made from old t-shirts. Discuss how these products were made and why they are better than buying new products.

Image source: Thrift Diving

Introduce the Engineering Design Process and its importance in solving real-world problems. Explain the engineering design process and how to apply it to address design challenges. Give an overview of each step (Define the problem, Generate Ideas, Design and Build, Test and Evaluate, Improve and Redesign) and give examples (see Module 4 to learn more about this topic).

Procedure:

Brainstorming - Divide learners into groups of 3-4 and give each group a set of upcycled materials.

Ask learners to come up with a design challenge related to upcycling. For example, design a toy using only upcycled materials or design a piece of furniture using cardboard boxes.

Ask each group to brainstorm and ideate possible solutions to the design challenge. Encourage learners to think outside the box and come up with new and innovative ideas.

Design - Ask each group to choose the best idea from their brainstorming session and create a detailed design plan. The plan should include sketches, materials needed, and step-by-step instructions.

Day 2

Build - Provide learners with crafting materials and give them time to build their product. Likewise, and to foster sustainability and creativity, you can encourage learners to bring materials from home that they can upcycle. Encourage learners to work collaboratively and help each other out.

Test and Evaluate - Once the product is complete, ask each group to test their product and evaluate its functionality and aesthetics. Did it meet the design challenge? Is it visually appealing? Does it function properly?

Give learners time to make any necessary improvements and redesigns. Encourage them to think critically and use feedback to improve their product.

Share solutions/ Presentations and Reflections- Ask each group to present their product to the class. They should explain their design challenge, their design process, and the features and benefits of their product.

Wrap up the lesson by asking learners to reflect on what they learned about upcycling, the Engineering Design Process.

Use of the device you created - sustainability of the artefact

Even though there are millions of examples on the internet from which teachers can draw from, they should set design challenges catered to their reality and their needs. In other words, functional and aesthetically pleasing products (using upcycled materials) that are useful for their school and/or classroom. More importantly, the difficulty level of the task should be adapted to the age of the learners.

Here is an example of an activity: Learners have to build an "Activity Cube" (also known as a Busy Box or Didactic Cube) that serves several purposes.

An Activity Cube is a multifunctional toy for babies and toddlers. On the 6 sides of the cube are various objects with different artefacts that the child can touch, explore and manipulate.

The cubes can be used for different purposes and as props used in/for multiple subjects.

Arts: The suggestion is to stack the cubes to create a curtain that the children can use as a theatre curtain or backdrop for class/school performances.

Maths: Learners can place the cubes against the sunlight and on the floor and let their creativity run wild. They then mark on a piece of paper or in the schoolyard the outline of the shadow they discovered when placing the cubes on the ground. Then the teacher can ask the following questions: What is the shadow? Why did the shadow form on the floor? Can the same game be done with other materials?

Extra activities

PBS Design Squad: PBS Kids provides fun engineering challenges and activities for children. It's an excellent resource to find hands-on projects as well as videos that explain the design process.

https://pbskids.org/designsquad/build/spinner/

TryEngineering.org: This website contains engineering lesson ideas, activities, and resources for both teachers and learners. It covers a broad range of subjects and grade levels.

https://tryengineering.org/teacher/lesson-plans/ac-motor/

Upcycling

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