For many of my Engineering busy bags, I make cards to copy. This is NOT to discourage creativity, but rather to illustrate what can be done to my students. Once students understand spans and leverage and the like (or at least see that it is possible), then they can be even more creative with their own designs, whether it be with the activities, or building in centers.
Visual Discrimination:
This is just a simple set of cards that display different formations of colored popsicle sticks for students to recreate. The cards can be found here, the colored popsicle sticks can be found at the Dollar Tree.
This is just a simple set of cards that display different formations of colored popsicle sticks for students to recreate. The cards can be found here, the colored popsicle sticks can be found at the Dollar Tree.
Ice Castle:
I cut up several styrofoam packing pieces from Christmas packaging into small "bricks". Add some blue and white metallic pips cleaners and some toothpicks, and you have all you need to build your own ice castle!
Pool Noodle Building Set:
Did I mention that these things are extremely versatile?? I cut up pool noodles into small sections, then halved and quartered some of them. Add toothpicks, and you have a create-your-own-whatever building set. Popular results are robots, aliens, faces, and whatchamacallits.
Constellation Maker:
The cards are not pictured (due to being temporarily misplaced). But what we have here are packing peanuts (cut into squoundish bits) and toothpicks. There are cards that feature different constellations that students can recreate. Or they can make their own! (But they have to name them)
I cut up several styrofoam packing pieces from Christmas packaging into small "bricks". Add some blue and white metallic pips cleaners and some toothpicks, and you have all you need to build your own ice castle!
Pool Noodle Building Set:
Did I mention that these things are extremely versatile?? I cut up pool noodles into small sections, then halved and quartered some of them. Add toothpicks, and you have a create-your-own-whatever building set. Popular results are robots, aliens, faces, and whatchamacallits.
Constellation Maker:
The cards are not pictured (due to being temporarily misplaced). But what we have here are packing peanuts (cut into squoundish bits) and toothpicks. There are cards that feature different constellations that students can recreate. Or they can make their own! (But they have to name them)
Cup Stacking:
Yes. We call them cups. That is all.
These adorable, small cups can be found at the Dollar Tree in various colors. The picture cards can be found here. You can also add popsicle sticks to level it up.
Block Building:
Add picture cards to materials you already have in your classroom, such as wooden/foam cubes, snap cubes, or Lego's to illustrate spanning, leverage, and balance. You can add popsicle sticks to the blocks to level the activity up. Simply build different structures and take pictures of them that you can print out and place in the bag.
Yes. We call them cups. That is all.
These adorable, small cups can be found at the Dollar Tree in various colors. The picture cards can be found here. You can also add popsicle sticks to level it up.
Block Building:
Add picture cards to materials you already have in your classroom, such as wooden/foam cubes, snap cubes, or Lego's to illustrate spanning, leverage, and balance. You can add popsicle sticks to the blocks to level the activity up. Simply build different structures and take pictures of them that you can print out and place in the bag.