Reverse Engineering Design

Fourth graders, excited by the new back playground, recently had the opportunity to use the playground as a subject for serious study. Under the guidance of Academic Technologist Vicki Steinwurtzel, they were put in the role of industrial engineers and tasked with redesigning a piece of equipment on the playground. The project built on the idea of engineering as problem solving and integrated technology skills.

The Challenge

Knowing 4th graders' imaginations have no limits, Vicki gave students the specifications and measurements of each piece of playground equipment and told them they had to consider safety, feasibility, cost, functionality, and visual appeal in their redesigns. Students had to take into account how changing one piece of equipment might affect something else—for example, would adding a slide, or changing the way the ropes hang on a piece of equipment alter the safety of the equipment?  Would it change the age requirement for students who played on the equipment? Would the changes be cost effective?

The Process 

 

In teams of two or three, 4th graders divvied up the responsibilities as they evaluated their experiences of their chosen equipment. Some took notes as their partners called out observations of their play experiences, while others were charged with documenting the process either through photographs or videos. Students also asked, "Who is the product for?" "What works?” and "How can we improve it to help the user next time?" Vicki enjoyed watching her students challenge themselves to think out of the box and take ownership of the project.

 

Students’ initial redesign ideas included adding a two-story slide and a huge balloon to parachute out of the large climbing structure. After some analysis using the set criteria, students determined these concepts would not be feasible and moved on to other ideas. They suggested making the new 19ft tall climbing structure (The Uranus) “more massive” by adding ropes and platforms. Another recommendation was to replace the plastic on the treehouse structure with wood and add a slide for an easier exit. They also proposed adding handles and padding to the Hodgepodge Swing in order to make it safer and more comfortable.

The Results

 

The final proposals drawn up by the 4th graders are a testament to the students' thoughtfulness. Their proposals included media documentation of the process, a drawing detailing their proposed changes, a cost estimation, and a written justification the changes. "I was surprised . . . by the amount of details present in the final design proposal[s]," Vicki says.

 

Students relished the opportunity to think about ways to make a great new playground even better. By learning how to work across disciplines, collaborate with others, and effectively communicate their ideas, students were able to dream big and turn what they imagined into workable solutions that could benefit the Primary School community as whole. Watch out NSPE!