Today students performed their last investigation using light. The task was an engineering task where students were asked to solve a real life problem. They had to work together with a partner to design a solution, sketch their solution, build their solution, then test and revise their solution. The task was this: You're on the way to the bus at the end of the day and make a quick trip into the bathroom. You don't see the "wet floor" sign and as you round the corner you slip. Now you've fallen in the school bathroom and can't get up to get help. The hallway is very noisy at bus time and no one can hear your cries for help. The big wall blocks those outside from seeing you, either. You just happen to have one of those little flashlights that clip onto your backpack and using a diagram of the bathroom I provide, can you design a way to signal someone in the hall that you need help?
Children quickly realized that the bathroom has a wall of mirrors and designed a plan that lets them shine light into the mirror which reflect into the hallway and shines in someone's eyes. After sketching their solutions, each child was given materials to test and revise their solutions.
The cardboard simulates the wall and the little sticks have paper faces to model the person who fell and a person in the hall.
Students moved their sticks and flashlights until the beam of light hit the
face of the person in the "hall".
Some groups decided to try other ways of moving the
light using two or more mirrors.
All of them were excited to give it a try!
Future engineers!
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