Engineering Design

Engineering Design — What can you engineer and design with a cardboard box?

Engineering Design Read Aloud Books:

What to do with a Box by Jane Yolen and Chris Sheban

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires

Materials:

1. Paper to make a plan
2. Pencil
3. Cardboard box(es)
4. Other materials such as crayons, construction paper, masking tape, etc.

What to do:

• Your challenge is to design a new object or tool that you can use in your home to solve a problem using a cardboard box.
  • This can be something that you already have but want to improve.
  • Or it could be something that is new.

1. Follow the Engineering Design steps below:
   • Engineering Design Steps — Google Slides
   • ASK:  
     • What is the problem you want to solve?
     • What have others done?
     • Research the possibilities.
   • THINK:
     • What are the guidelines? These could also be considered “rules” and could include examples such as:
       • The object or tool must solve a problem.
       • The object must use a cardboard box.
       • Your child should help you determine what the guidelines are.
     • Are there any limits? Limits could be things such as:
       • You can only use 3 feet of tape
       • Your object or tool must be smaller than 2 feet wide
     • Your child should help you determine what the limits are
   • IMAGINE / CHOOSE:
     • Brainstorm and choose what would be the best design for this task
   • PLAN
     • Draw the design and label the materials needed
   • CREATE / IMPROVE
     • Build, test it and make improvements as necessary

Take a picture of your tool and share it with your teacher!