Our Visit to the Oakland Museum

Students loved seeing how a Day of the Dead can be brought to life. The Ofrendas were vibrant and amazing tributes to family members who are no longer with us.

Makers Lab Comes to Willow!

Yesterday, Willows were introduced to the idea of Makers. We started with a brainstorm of what makers do. Below are the Willows' responses. 

Makers:

• invent
• make stuff
• learn from mistakes
• find new ways to try things
• stay positive
• build
• help by making inventions
• help people learn
• keep trying--persevere!
• have fun!

Then we watched a video of a boy who created a Rube Goldberg-like structure. 

Rube-Goldberg model

After watching the video they added:

• use ordinary materials in unusual ways
• don't expect success on first try
• work together
• track their "fails" and successes
• make prototypes
• use "every day" materials
• add on to contraptions
• get ideas from others
• record their answers

Then I showed them one other video of a young inventor. Girl Invents No-Spill Cup Video

Students added:

• take a problem and find a solution
• prototype (not a ready design, they work through the flaws, redesign, prototype again)
• start with an idea
• think about a person who needs it.

Even kids can do it!!

Then Matt Pearson came to class to introduce the Willows to "aerodyamics." Students were able to tinker and try to create a structure or vehicle that would hover, with up to 8 connected objects. There was no tape to be found, so students were stretched to think how they might connect objects and then get them to hover in a wind tunnel! As you can see, students were engaged and enthusiastically participated.