Cool Tools: Smart Carts, Wheelbarrows and Learning Simple Machines in the Schoolyard

Third Grade in Virginia and elsewhere study simple machines: levers, wedges, inclined planes, screws, pulleys, the wheel and axle.

What a wonderful opportunity to study physics and engineering outdoors in the yard or schoolyard!

How does a shovel work? And a trowel?
Now experiment with several kinds of the same tool and discuss why each one works and which you find optimal.  Then design your own tools....

A wheelbarrow is an example of a machine that uses a lever and wheel/axle.
Do some testing in your yard with different wheelbarrows and garden carts.

With the Smart Cart and garden cart I can carry a load single-handed, up and down an inclined plane, with two wheels.  The Smart Cart is much easier to use than the less expensive garden cart.
With the wheelbarrow: I need two hands to carry the same load, and I need to do more work for the same load, but I only have one wheel to look after.

• Discuss with your students the pros and cons of one and two wheels.
• How well does each machine steer?
• What happens when you want to put down your barrow?
• Which machine is more stable?
• How do the wheels differ in size, and tire, and maintenance?
• Try the balance with different distributions of load?

My 7 cu ft dark green Smart Cart cost about $350
My 7 cu ft light green garden cart cost about $120
My 6 cu ft wheelbarrow cost about $85
My 4 cu ft wheelbarrow cost about $35-40
My 2 cu ft red wheelbarrow cost about $30

What is the triple bottom line for the various criteria: economic, environmental and social?
As an adult, I much prefer to use the dark green Smart Cart: I decided to base my decision not on cost alone, but how well it does the job of moving my load from point A to point B, and other criteria such as looks, mechanics and durability.

My kids K-5 give their thumbs up for the little red wheelbarrow.  And they also like the balance and ease of the big Smart Cart!

If you're looking for curriculum on simple machines and STEM in the Schoolyard - without reinventing the wheel - here it is...
http://www.realschoolgardens.org/Libraries/Documents/STEM_in_the_Schoolyard_-_Simple_Machines.sflb.ashx

Buy wheelbarrows and garden carts at your local hardware store.
Buy Smart Carts online at http://shop.mullerscarts.com/utility-cart/

Greening STEM - Environmental Education Week

This week April 13 - 19 is Environmental Education Week.
Time to think and plan!

What are you going to do to focus on "EEE" - that is Environmental Education & Engineering and Greening STEM?

http://eeweek.org/learning-center

Need more ideas? Check out my pieces on:

• QR Codes in the Garden
• How Much is that Tree?  Using the i-Tree Design Tool to Calculate the Ecological & Monetary Benefits of Trees

And the EE Engineering Educator Toolkit

Art and Science: Mural by Kyle Pierce at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum

Yesterday I was at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum for a free workshop to DNA barcode fish with 14 teens and scientist mentors.  I also visited Q?rius,  the Natural History Museum's beautiful 10,000 sq feet daylit "curiosity cabinet".  I enjoyed the new mural, and a chance to meet and talk with the artist, Kyle Pierce.

Here's more about the new mural on Kyle's blog: http://blog.kylepierceillustration.com/2013/12/12/mural-for-qrius-at-the-smithsonian/

Kyle and I talked about inspiration, science, walls, art, and mural techniques.
This mural for example is made by photographs printed on to vinyl, and works indoors.
Is there a technology to do this kind of work outdoors?
As quoted on the mural:

"The question is not what you look at, but what you see."  Henry Thoreau 

That goes for whether you are here to barcode fish, or to create buildings and art!

Webinar: Want to learn more about Next Generation Science Standards and Environmental Education?

Download a webinar on the Next Generation Science Standards and Environmental Education (http://www.seer.org/Webinars/3-17-14NWF.wmv)
Note: The webinar is approximately 2 hours long, so the file may take several minutes to download to your computer.
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) represent an unprecedented opportunity for the environmental and sustainability education communities. Time to get up to speed on these important issues!

Reposted from the Green Schools National Network Facebook page 3/21/14

Invitation to the NoVA Outside Student Environmental Action Showcase

You're invited to participate in the NoVA Outside School Environmental Action Showcase!
Come and See Green STEM Learning in Action. 

SEAS Partners and Exhibitors

If your organization would like to lead a student activity at SEAS, of if you're a NoVA Outside member interested in bringing an exhibit/display, please contact info@novaoutside.org.

Information below is for school registration.

The NoVa Outside School Environmental Action Showcase (SEAS) is an exhibition and celebration of the environmental stewardship efforts of Northern Virginia K-12 students, teachers, schools, and non-profits.
 
Schools are invited to bring 5-6 students (from Green Team, after school club, etc.) to share what the school and students are doing for the environment. A 6’ table will be provided for display materials (tri-fold displays recommended). 

Register at http://www.novaoutside.org (it's free!). Questions? 
Contact info@novaoutside.org 

See what student driven environmental actions schools across the region are doing to improve their community.  See great examples of creative problem solving, using 21^st Century skills and STEM.  Lots of hands on activities and demos for students and teachers to explore.   Meet regional environmental organizations.  Find resources available to you to continue your work. 

HERE’S HOW TO REGISTER: 

Note:  If your school is participating in more than one part of the showcase, register all of your teams separately.

Are you planning to take 5-6 members of your Eco Team to the General Showcase?

Register at www.novaoutside.org ASAP.  Plan to bring your students, teachers and parents.    Bring a tri-fold board to show everyone what you are doing.  Get creative. Everyone will get a chance to “Tweet” comments about your display.

Do you have a team for the Caring for our Watersheds Competition?

Your proposals are being submitted by March 5. You will be notified by Earth Force if you are one of the 10 teams to present on April 10.  Registration information will be given to you at that time.

Do you have a team for the KidWind Regional Competition?

Join the JMU Virginia Center for Wind Energy and Three Birds to test out your student designed windmill blades.  Open to grades 4-12. See  http://challenge.kidwind.org/events  Register on that site and onwww.novaoutside org ASAP.

Snowtime - timelapse film by Vyacheslav Ivanov

http://vimeo.com/87342468 -
a beautiful 2-minute film "Snowtime" by Vyacheslav Ivanov

The film shows the sublimation of snow crystals (ie how a crystal goes from crystal into a gas) in reverse timelapse - so it looks similar to how a snow crystal grows.

Getting Hip to Climate Change: ClimateChangeLIVE

Climate Change is here.

There's plenty of opportunity to learn about the implications of Climate Change, and still time to register for FREE to attend the ClimateChangeLIVE distance learning adventure.http://climatechangelive.org/?page=registration

As an educator you might be interested in:

ClimateChangeLIVE - Registration

climatechangelive.org

All those interested in participating in ClimateChangeLIVE are encouraged to register, so that you can receive...