ECA Phase I Class 5: Fly Wheeler

I am more and more happy to see the children developing their enthusiasm and skill in the class every week. At this week’s class once again everyone was able to finish their work and took the time to play around with their project at the end of the class. Also, almost no one had any difficulty understanding and doing their in-class assignments. The Fly Wheeler was a small piece that gave the kids some practice on concepts such as velocity, momentum, and inertia. Aside from making the class more fun, having a hands-on approach is also more educational since it allows them to directly experiment with what they are learning. Overall, I am very satisfied with the conduct of the class and look forward to seeing everyone next week.

ECA Phase I Class 4: The Sweeper 20180328

This class went amazingly well. All of the kids understood the concepts really well and were quick to finish their projects. The sweeper is a small car with a few blades in front of it that clear its route as it moves. The car is entirely mechanical, and so this class was a great exercise in gear mechanics. Each week our projects get slightly more complex as we would like our students to feel excited by the challenge, and I was happy to see everyone getting the concepts well and finishing the in-class projects in time. I look forward to seeing the same excitement and competence next week.

PBP Phase 1: Class 1: Power Car

In our first class we built a small battery powered car and learned a bit about gear ratios and how the size of wheels affects speed. The kids quite liked racing their cars that day.

PBP Phase 1: Class 2: Power Hammer

Today we built the Power Hammer and learned about force and friction.  The students seemed to have enjoyed the activity with some making incredible modifications in order to give more impact force for their hammers. To all parents please make sure that all the students arrive on time and clean up thoroughly after.

Communication ECA Phase I Class 3: The Hammer

The kids were able to do really well in the last class and also enjoyed their time. Even though some of the children did notice that this project was a little more challenging than the ones they had worked on in the previous classes, they were able to keep up their pace and finish their projects. The concepts this class focused on were force, weight, and friction. The kids got to grasp these material and practice them with their in-class assignments. Next week there won’t be any classes as the kids will want to enjoy their spring break. I look forward to seeing everyone again on April 4.

Communication ECA Phase I Class 2: The Balance 20180314

This class went extremely well. The kids understood the Balance and the concepts we were working with very quickly. The in-class assignments were also done with relative ease. The concepts included mass, simple dynamics, and weight shift. Next week we will be working on a new project that is going to be slightly more complex than the previous week, as the concepts are supposed to build on each other until the end of the semester.

PBP Phase 1: Class 8: Final Class

Today was a free build period and most of the class built cars, all with different propulsion systems. The kids appeared to have had a lot of fun during the semester and clearly demonstrated their knowledge in the free build. Thank you all for the wonderful semester, hope to see you all in Phase 2!

ECA 201803 Phase I Class 1: PowerCar

The first class went according to plan. It was a great way for the kids to understand the conduct of the class and also get to know each other. Everyone was able to finish their project and enjoy competing against each other at the end. The kids also made sure to enjoy their time in class which is important as well, as it will encourage deeper learning. Next week we will be working with more projects in the class that are similar to what was worked on Wednesday, but slightly more complicated. 

PBP Phase 1: Class 7: Dragster

Today we built the Dragster, which reinforces the concepts that we learned from the Flywheeler. The children had fun with their Dragsters today and raced them. Next week we will have a free build. Please help the children to clean up after class is over. 

PBP Phase 1: Class 7: Fishing Rod

Today the children built fishing rods to hook various “fish” that were built from lego as well participating in a certain challenge to lift a heavier fish. The principles behind the fishing rod include ratchets,winches, and pulleys. However one of the kids built a block and tackle, a type of pulley that multiplies the force used to lift an object so I took the time to explain what it was and the advantages it has over a regular pulley system. The students enjoyed the activity and had fun attempting to grab the fish. 

Next Friday (March 2nd) will be a free building class (I think) 

Play2Learn Education