Dear Parents/Guardians of Division 2,
Our class is excited to announce that we have started a cross-curricular unit on the theme of “Robots”. Inspired by the novel “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown, which I will read aloud in class, our students will explore creative writing, arts activities, critical thinking puzzles, group dialogue, debate, and hands-on engineering and design challenges connected to the theme.
Our class is excited to announce that we have started a cross-curricular unit on the theme of “Robots”. Inspired by the novel “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown, which I will read aloud in class, our students will explore creative writing, arts activities, critical thinking puzzles, group dialogue, debate, and hands-on engineering and design challenges connected to the theme.
The credit for the wonderful idea for this unit goes all to our division 2 students–and it brings me joy to see how much fun they have already been having in our open-ended “Robots Workshop”. Please ask you child about what he/she has been working on.
Following the design process outlined in the grade 4/5 curriculum for ADST (Applied Design, Skills, Technologies), students have already been applying their creativity, problem solving, communication and collaboration skills as they build model robots and tools with scavenged materials I have brought into class from my home. However, our supply is already running low.
REQUEST FOR DONATIONS OF SCRAP ITEMS: Here is our request for any families who may have things to donate to our “Robot Workshop Supply Shop”:
- small electronic items that can be taken apart for parts
- nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
- yarn
- string
- wire
- bottle caps
- cotton balls
- fabric scraps
- leather scraps
- small wood blocks
- sandpaper
- aluminum foil
- beads
- erasers
- popsicle sticks
- things from your “junk drawer”
- clean SMALL recyclable containers like plastic yogurt containers, egg cartons, plastic salad containers, or cans (with lids removed and no sharp edges
We cannot accept traditional Styrofoam due to the small particulate mess that happens during its cutting–but other kinds of easy-to-cut packing materials are great. Other tools/supplies that are helpful (even if supplied for just your own child to use) include:
- glue guns and glue sticks
- pliers
- small screw drivers
- jewelry making tools such as needle-nose pliers
- small sewing kits (needle and thread)
Regardless of what families can contribute, I will ensure every student has equitable access to fun materials for building from my own collection and from other donations I can secure. We thank you for your time, effort and kindness in donating.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Poirier, teacher of division 2 and VP
Safety Note: Our students are supervised closely in all hands-on creative work. Students must demonstrate they understand and can follow all safety guidelines at all times. I review all items brought into class before their use. Use of glue guns is optional and only under direct adult supervision. Use of tools such as pliers in conjunction with wire requires use of eye protection (safety glasses). Students are instructed that there is to be no building of dangerous items or weapons. Building of items such as a “marshmallow launcher” or working model of a trebuchet in specific protocol in our class (including that only soft items may be launched in our designated “launch zone” during supervised times). When it comes to safety, I’m a vigilant “Momma Bear” who seeks to ensure the safety of every student as if he/she were my own child. Please feel free to reach out if you have questions, concerns, or preferences to share.
Inquiry Ninja 