Scholars learned about and discussed Human Factors Engineering. Using the Engineering Design Process, scholars connected to their read aloud, The City of Ember, to problem-solve and create a solution for the characters in the story.
Scholars were tasked to create a design that would allow the characters from The City of Ember to safely travel outside of their city. In particular, scholars needed to design a way for Lina and Doon to carry Poppy, a toddler. First, scholars reviewed the text and made inferences to determine possible constraints for the design. Possible constraints included the need for the materials to be light but strong, materials to be floatable, to allow the characters to have their hands free, the supplies to be kept out of Poppy's reach, Poppy to have something for entertainment, the design to be removed and put back on quickly and easily, and more. Scholars brainstormed materials and noted the physical properties of possible materials to determine which materials would best help meet a certain constraint. In their teams, scholars determined two constraints they’d focus on for their carrier designs. Students then planned, provided feedback for their plans, created, and tested their designs.
