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Ask an Educator: Tinkering with Air Machines

Join Science World educators and teachers across B.C. for weekly sessions about STEAM learning and teaching.

About this Event

STEAM: science, technology, engineering, art & design, and math

In these weekly sessions we'll share resources, ideas, and find answers to questions.

This week: Tinkering with Air Machines

Air Machines are powered by wind. In this workshop, learn how to challenge your students to build a wind turbine-style Air Machine and introduce them to invention and innovation, along with the engineering design process. Encourage them to design, build, test, and modify their Air Machines to determine the factors that affect its performance. Along the way, they’ll ponder what it takes to be an inventor and discover how engineers learn from failure. What will your student’s Air Machines look like?

(Recommended for teachers of grades 3–7)

What is “tinkering”?

Tinkering is mindful messing about with tools and materials, with the goal of finding out their possibilities and limitations. When we tinker, we learn about scientific topics, make new things from existing parts, solve problems, and learn by making mistakes.

Suggested materials for the session:

  • Thin cardboard (e.g. from a cereal box) or cardstock
  • Straws (paper or plastic) or dowels
  • Scissors
  • Pushpins, brass fasteners, or sewing pins
  • A hair dryer or fan
  • Bottle caps
  • Tape

This session will be held on Zoom. Meeting details will be emailed upon registration.

This program is a part of Tech-Up, Science World's initiative to enhance existing programs to include coding and digital literacy.

About the sticker

Survivors

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

Egg BB

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

Comet Crisp

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

T-Rex and Baby

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Buddy the T-Rex

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Geodessy

Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

About the sticker

Science Buddies

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

About the sticker

Western Dinosaur

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

About the sticker

Time-Travel T-Rex

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.