I-Build: The Renaissance Movement
BACKGROUND
In our 4th Grade July project, the students were prompted to build a Renaissance designed creation. I don't always like building things, but this is the Renaissance. How could we skip such an important event in history? The changes revolutionized the world. So once I realized that, I wanted the students to realize that too.
We had already built many things for our Project Fair in May, but I wanted the students to experience what it was like to build these inventions in 2016. 500 years later, can 4th graders compete with the genius minds of old?
BRAINSTORMING: PLANNING OUT THINGS CAN BE INCREDIBLY EASY OR INCREDIBLY HARD. THE ISSUE IS NOT REALLY THE IDEA, BUT IT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY ABOUT GETTING STUDENTS TO AGREE ON THINGS. THIS TEAM HAD 3 WEEKS OF TERRIFIC TEAMWORK, THEN IT ALL FELL APART THE DAY THAT WE HAD TO PRESENT.
SKETCH AND PART BREAKDOWN: PERSONALLY, I THINK THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROJECT. IT SEEMS UNNECESSARY BUT IT IS VERY VITAL TO THE TEAMWORK. I USED TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO BRING IN WHATEVER THEY WANTED AND JUST BUILD RIGHT AWAY. BUT NOT THIS PROJECT. WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON DESIGN AND REALLY IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE A BUILDER.
CONSTRUCTION: MY LEAST FAVORITE PART, BUT THE STUDENTS LOVE IT. I ALLOWED THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME BUILDING THIS TIME AROUND. IT IS VERY EASY TO LET STUDENTS RUN AROUND WITH SUPPLIES AND SLAP THINGS TOGETHER. I WANTED THEM TO REALLY DESIGN CREATIONS THAT REFLECTED THEIR GOALS
PRESENTATION: TIME TO PUT ON A SHOW. I AM NOT A SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL TEACHER BY ANY MEANS. I ONLY CARE IF THE STUDENTS MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE CLASS. I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENTS TO PREPARE OUTLINES OF THEIR SPEECHES, BUT AFTER THAT IT IS UP TO THEM TO PERFORM.
AFTERWARDS, STUDENTS ARE SHOWN HERE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DESIGNS AND THE CHALLENGES THEY WENT THROUGH.
EXAMPLE PROJECTS:
The Rowdy Jammers-Jessica, Lian, Helen
Design: A Printing Press with a unique font style
The Rowdy Roosters-Kayla and Dana
Design: A modern Renaissance home with an outdoor toilet
Kayla and Dana's Speech Outline
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The students have produced a lot of great material so far. The overall purpose of the project was to give the students an appreciation for the designers from the Renaissance. In the end, they had fun constructing simple, but very revolutionary products of history.