Creative and Critical Thinking Across Curriculum

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Creative and Critical Thinking Across Curriculum

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Board Game Design

This was a fantastically popular session to host: we had students design and create their own board game. I have never seen students work so diligently and conceptually at designing and creating. It was lots of fun to teach and facilitate.

Board Game Design

This was a fantastically popular session to host: we had students design and create their own board game. I have never seen students work so diligently and conceptually at designing and creating. It was lots of fun to teach and facilitate.

Goodbye to summer and hello to the school year

As we head back to school, let us not forget the importance of play and time to be in nature.




This summer I read the book "Last Child in the Woods", which I highly recommend for urban children like my own. Time to get outside and into the world to explore and discover.




As a fun activity, we are going to try and find out the types of trees we have on our street and in our local park using the Audubon guide. We are going to look around and figure out what is in front of us, and connect with it in a larger way.

Goodbye to summer and hello to the school year

As we head back to school, let us not forget the importance of play and time to be in nature.




This summer I read the book "Last Child in the Woods", which I highly recommend for urban children like my own. Time to get outside and into the world to explore and discover.




As a fun activity, we are going to try and find out the types of trees we have on our street and in our local park using the Audubon guide. We are going to look around and figure out what is in front of us, and connect with it in a larger way.

Frank Lloyd Wright Challenge: Design Your Dream Home

I had the students think about who they are and what is important to them...and took them through a small version of the "design process".

The students wrote about themselves and their dream home, thinking about who will live there, family, hobbies, and so forth.

They finished the statement,"In my house I need places and space to....(sleep, work, cook, store things, grow things, build things, paint, run, act, dance...) so I will design a....(sleeping loft, studio, kitchen closet, greenhouse, work room painting room...)

Then, they drew preliminary plans, and built their own homes. I had lots materials that I had saved from junkology: boxes, egg cartons, plastic containers. The only material I bought was foam core (4 sheets).

Then I had them build and they loved it. Pure design and pure creativity. I monitored and helped out, and cut the foam core for them. This took a little bit of time, but because they are in grade two and three, I had be responsible for any cutting. I love the designs and the attention to detail.




I also told them that their designs may change as they start building, and that is okay, and it is important to adapt and change as we construct.

I need to reference: Learning by Design in Massachusetts: a children's design education program of the Boston Society of Architects. You can download fabulous pdf files on "Dream House Designs".



Finally, I must thank the wonderfully brilliant and creative students who came to the challenge centre for Architects Align. They all did a wonderful job and their creations are fabulous and well thought out. Thank you everyone!!!

Frank Lloyd Wright Challenge: Design Your Dream Home

I had the students think about who they are and what is important to them...and took them through a small version of the "design process".

The students wrote about themselves and their dream home, thinking about who will live there, family, hobbies, and so forth.

They finished the statement,"In my house I need places and space to....(sleep, work, cook, store things, grow things, build things, paint, run, act, dance...) so I will design a....(sleeping loft, studio, kitchen closet, greenhouse, work room painting room...)

Then, they drew preliminary plans, and built their own homes. I had lots materials that I had saved from junkology: boxes, egg cartons, plastic containers. The only material I bought was foam core (4 sheets).

Then I had them build and they loved it. Pure design and pure creativity. I monitored and helped out, and cut the foam core for them. This took a little bit of time, but because they are in grade two and three, I had be responsible for any cutting. I love the designs and the attention to detail.




I also told them that their designs may change as they start building, and that is okay, and it is important to adapt and change as we construct.

I need to reference: Learning by Design in Massachusetts: a children's design education program of the Boston Society of Architects. You can download fabulous pdf files on "Dream House Designs".



Finally, I must thank the wonderfully brilliant and creative students who came to the challenge centre for Architects Align. They all did a wonderful job and their creations are fabulous and well thought out. Thank you everyone!!!

Sugar Cube Design

We looked at climate and geography in design. The challenge was for students to
design a place to stay in for one week in the Arctic.
We discussed the environment and addressed factors of freezing temperatures, westerly winds, and limited light.

The students each had 20 blocks of ice (20 sugar cubes), one bamboo pole (skewer), and one waterproof plastic tarp (square of black plastic bag, 10 inches by 10 inches).

Students drew a side view (elevation). Students each created their own design, or joined with other students to pool resources.

It was a great building activity using a small amount of resources!!!

This lesson was modified from Architecture for Kids 1997

Sugar Cube Design

We looked at climate and geography in design. The challenge was for students to
design a place to stay in for one week in the Arctic.
We discussed the environment and addressed factors of freezing temperatures, westerly winds, and limited light.

The students each had 20 blocks of ice (20 sugar cubes), one bamboo pole (skewer), and one waterproof plastic tarp (square of black plastic bag, 10 inches by 10 inches).

Students drew a side view (elevation). Students each created their own design, or joined with other students to pool resources.

It was a great building activity using a small amount of resources!!!

This lesson was modified from Architecture for Kids 1997