K-12 Outreach: Building "Boats"

Topic: Engineering Design

Grades: K-12

Lesson Plans (courtesy of UC Berkeley SWE): main lesson plan, additional buoyancy lesson plan

What worked well: I expected the kids to make basic versions of the traditional sailboat we all think of, and was actually worried that this project did not leave enough room for creativity. So I was pleasantly surprised to see them all make unique, oddly-shaped "boats." This was great because when we started testing them on water, it was clear that some boats worked better than others. Together, we hypothesized reasons why - shape, size, different components, etc. We brought along all of the materials so that the kids could adjust their boats, following the engineering design process. 

What didn't work well: We forgot to tell them to leave room for the boats to carry coins, to test the weight they could carry. Also, it was not a windy day so sometimes the boats kind of just stood still. This could get a little boring for the kids.

mismatched heels

Day 4 of KGD rush (series of events):

1. Pulled out my heels from my bag

2. Realized they were each from a different pair (and notice the height difference!)

3. ...

4. Watched Annie burst out in laughter

5. Waited several minutes for the laughter to subside

6. Ran home to get a correct pair

Sandwich party

Today I had a spontaneous lunch with Rachel J and Shannon! (more like, I invited myself to their lunch) It's always great to catch up with my younger sisters, especially Rachel and Annie's littles!! They are so young and full of potential...

Dr. Rachel

My roommate Rachel, warming up next to our heater after a long day of shadowing at a dentist's office. Look at those adorable scrubs...she's going to be an amazing dentist!

Annie

My friend Annie getting her new bus pass after getting her entire wallet stolen at Lotus House :( but she manages to keep a positive smile :)

Sociology 111: Sociology of the Family

I finally got my first book for Soc 111! I had to order a second copy after I accidentally shipped the first one to my home address :( Anyway, so far the book is pretty interesting. I didn't get bored until page 58! It's about how marriage is pretty different in the U.S., even compared to industrialized European countries, and how the different can be attributed to our two conflicting cultural ideals: marriage and individualism. Other countries highly emphasize either marriage or individualism, but none emphasize both as the U.S. does. The class has also been interesting so far...hopefully my interest can last the whole semester!