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This week, Mrs. Kaiser's 5th-grade class entered into the world of Design Thinking. The challenge was to work through the steps of building and designing and create a Lego boat sturdy enough to carry their class pet, Mary the bunny, safely across a water-filled basin without getting her fur wet!

Over the course of the unit, students engaged in four trials, recording their results in their design thinking notebooks. Each trial offered a new opportunity for study and improvement, as students adjusted their designs based on previous outcomes. Their dedication and creativity shown in every step of the process.

One of the best moments from the day was the realization of an important lesson: sometimes the most unconventional ideas, the ones that seem "wild and crazy," are the ones that truly succeed. A memorable part of the class involved a student who took a leap with a design that seemed "wild and crazy." The look of joy on his face when his idea worked was priceless and it captured the core of being creative and trying new things," said Mrs. Kaiser.

This hands-on experience not only reinforced the principles of the engineering process but also celebrated creativity, risk-taking, and problem-solving. By the end of the day, Mary the bunny had safely “sailed” across the water multiple times, thanks to the creativity of our young engineers. The unit was a resounding success, leaving both students and teacher ready for the next challenge!

Check out the photos from the experiment by clicking the photo below:
gifted classroom