The Amazing Wiki Seat (Part 2)

At this point I FINALLY had a teacher willing to participate in the Wiki Seat project/adventure with me and I was ready to dive in head first. I knew the initial introduction may be a little different and too open ended for most students. I prepared a short hand out with "guiding questions" to help facilitate brainstorming for the students.
The guiding questions included:

• What materials will you use? Will you use new materials, materials from other projects, or recyclable materials?

•  What additional materials will you need? Paint, fabric, etc.
• How much weight does your chair need to support?
• What is the purpose of your wiki seat? Chair, table, or something else?
• Would consumers want to purchase your seat? Are you designing your chair for a certain consumer group? 
• If a furniture designer wanted to reproduce your design how much would it cost to replicate? 

I made my copies and with my catalyst in hand prepared myself for 3 classes of high school students. (I just came from a 5th grade class so I figured the personalities were pretty much the same.)

Monday morning I walked into the welding classroom with anticipation that the students would love this project and would think it was a nice change from the normal class projects.
I gave my short spill about the background of the wiki seat and then passed out the guiding questions to help get the kids going.
This is the part that scared/disappointed me.....

I started getting questions and "the looks":

• What are we making? My response: A seat or other structure using this as your starting point.
• Can I see an example? My response: Yes, but don't you want to create something of your own.
• What are we suppose to be doing? My response: Use this catalyst to create a structure.(Sound familiar?)
• Do we have to do this? My response: (not appropriate for this blog)
• Do I have to fill out this whole sheet? My response: No, this is just to help you get ideas.
• The blank stare x 10! My response: In my head " Did I just miss something here?"

Blank stare??? Really, have we sucked all the creative juices out of students by the time they reach high school?? I taught in a classroom for 10 years, I am pretty sure I gave good instructions while still keeping the project open ended to allow for student creativity. Why weren't they getting it? Why were they still asking questions? Why weren't they collaborating with their neighbors and giving each high fives?

Then it dawned on me....the students were so use to step 1, step 2, step 3 assignments that they lost the ability to THINK!!! They were so use to questions with ABCD answers that they didn't know where to begin when it came to problem solving or creation.
I took a step back and started asking the students what they enjoyed doing when they were not a school. I soon discovered that I had a class with a football player, fishermen, music enthusiast, a gamer, a horse rider, a ping pong lover, and countless other unique students.
The juices startign flowing at this point and students started sketching designs for their wiki seats.

 As they started sketching their faces were lighting up. This project was now meaningful to them and they wanted to create something unique to their personalities.

You will see this finished design in my next blog post!

I really loved the tailgate design! I thought this was a great way to recycle used objects and use more than one wiki seat.  
At this point I started Tweeting the sketches to @WikiSeat in hopes to encourage more students to finish or at this point even begin sketching.

I particularly enjoyed watching this student sketch because he wanted his sketch perfect before I took a picture!

Fire pits were a popular item in the 3 classes!

After the students finished sketching they started to prepare their material list and calculate the cost of the metal they would need to complete their project. Many students realized quickly that the cost could be an issue and began thinking of items they had a home.
I  was feeling more confident about my decision to begin the project (at one point I thought about leaving after the first class and heading back to my office to hide.) . After the third class I convinced myself that the kids were going to "get it " eventually. It would just take time and patience.
The welding teacher and I decided that the students' first task would be to weld the catalyst and then take the wiki seat home to create their structure. I told the students that I would be back each week for the next 4 weeks to check on progress.

Stay tuned for the results of the project and parent feedback!

The Amazing Wiki Seat Project (Part 1)

During the week of TCEA I was lucky enough to attend a Makers Movement workshop. I knew as soon as I walked in the door that I would love the workshop because there was “stuff” everywhere. This truly was a hands on workshop where you got to make stuff! After a short 10 minute overview of the Maker’s Movement we were assigned the task of creating a chair using cardboard and these plastic zip-tie like connectors. This activity was right up my alley. As a DIYer fanatic at home I dove right into the project and our group came up with a pretty cool design.

We then took a circuit board and play doh to make a controller to play Pac Man. This was seriously the most fun I had ever had a workshop. Most importantly the presenter told us how each activity connected back to the TEKS and how each project included multiple TEKS. 

We completed several other hands on task and then we left with the presenters’ website to view other projects that were similar to the ones we completed. I scrolled through the website  a week later to come across the Wiki Seat project http://www.wikiseat.org/. I was instantly intrigued because it gave the kids the chance to think outside of the box and still apply math, science, and language arts skills. I went ahead and purchased 2 of the catalyst with hopes that one teacher would love the project! 

The Wiki Seat catalyst of the starting point of the project. Students add 3 legs and a top to create a functional seat.

 

The first elementary teacher I approached liked the idea but wasn’t sure where she would get the materials and didn’t know when her class would have time. Strike 1! I reevaluated and tried an art teacher at the secondary level. No response… Strike 2! Why wasn’t anyone jumping on this opportunity? This was such a cool project and it covered so many concepts! 

Skip ahead a month...On a whim I emailed the high school welding teacher in hopes that maybe he could at least weld a few additional catalyst for me and then I could approach a teacher with a class set of catalyst. No response…. Strike 3! (So I thought) Well I’m not one to give up when it comes to a cool project that I feel passionate about so I decided to drop by the welding class and “bug” the teacher.

 With my wiki seat shipping box in hand I walk into a classroom full of high school students and ask the teacher if he read my email. Yes, I know not the most professional way to handle the situation but I am persistent and don’t like to told no (does anyone like to be told no, didn’t think so). I was welcomed into the class and given a 30 minute tour of the facilities. The teacher supported the project and wanted to display the finished products at his FFA banquet in a month. 

Victory at last!! I had a willing teacher however, would I have willing students????

Stay tuned for Part 2 when I get to introduce the project to 3 classes of high school students! Let's just say I didn't get the response I was hoping for!