Wheelchair Accessible Swing

Greetings, Double-O-STEM Club Agents! You have been selected for an important mission. Serena needs your help with a problem in her community.

Think about these questions as you watch the video. Write answers in your Double-O STEM Club notebook.

Watch on YouTube
After you watch the video, click the activity links below to start this mission.
 
Getting Started
 
 

In this Wheelchair Accessible Swing case, you will use library resources to:

  • Watch the case introduction video and identify the main character's problem.
  • Research and brainstorm wheelchair accessible swing designs.
  • Design and develop a wheelchair accessible swing prototype.
  • Gather feedback throughout the process and incorporate as needed.
  • Reflect on the process, findings, successes, and failures of the prototypes.

Below is a link to your agent handbook where you can take notes as you brainstorm and research solutions to Serena's problem with your fellow Double-O STEM Club agents.

Double-O STEM Club Agent Handbook: Wheelchair Accessible Swing

Learning Activities

Think

Now that you have seen the video, work with other Double-O STEM Club agents to think about the problem and a solution. 

Guiding Questions:

  • What is the main problem?
  • What other problems did you notice?
  • What research questions need to be answered to help you design a solution?

Learning Objectives

  • The agent will describe the main problem associated with the presented case.
  • The agent will articulate questions suitable for library research based on identified problems in the case.

Next Generation Science Standards - Engineering:

  • 3-5 ETS1-1 Engineering Design: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or want that includes criteria for success and constraints on time, cost, or materials.

American Association of School Librarians Standards - Inquiry:

  • A.A.1: Learners display curiosity and initiative by formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic.
  • A.A.2: Learners display curiosity and initiative by recalling prior and background knowledge as context for new meaning.

Use the internet and other library resources to research ways to ensure that playground swings are safe for all kids, including those using wheelchairs. Think about and discuss what you find. Capture your ideas in this handbook and share them with others.

Guiding Questions:

  • What materials should be used for strength and durability?
  • How far does the swing need to be from other equipment?
  • What are the weight limits?
  • What about safety bars?
  • What would be the impact of heat & rain?
  • What about instructions and rules for proper usage?
  • Are there rules about what size or shape the swing needs to be?
  • Are there rules about how children should be able to access the swing?
  • Do you see any examples online that look good to you?

Learning Objectives

  • The agent will describe the main problem associated with the presented case.
  • The agent will articulate questions suitable for library research based on identified problems in the case.
  • The agent will determine parameters for what a successful solution to the problem entails in light of the contextual constraints.
  • The agent will use library databases and circulation materials to examine identified research questions.

Next Generation Science Standards - Engineering

American Association of School Librarians Standards - Inquiry

  • A.A.1: Learners display curiosity and initiative by formulating questions about a personal interest or a curricular topic.
  • A.B.2: Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes devising and implementing a plan to fill knowledge gaps.
  • A.D.1-4: Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by continually seeking knowledge, engaging in sustained inquiry, enacting new understanding through real-world connections, and using reflection to guide informed decisions.

What criteria should others use to examine your wheelchair accessible swing model? Create a list of ideas and narrow it to 8-12 items with help from your peers and librarians. You can update your checklist as you develop and reflect on your prototypes.

Guiding Questions:

  • Does the prototype take into consideration things like accessibility, safety, quality, durability, comfort, and functionality?
  • Would it hold up under different weather conditions?
  • Does it have a look that would appeal to users?
  • Were recycled materials used?
  • Do you think it could be made at a reasonable cost?

Learning Objectives

  • The agent will collect, analyze, and reflect on data from developed tools.
  • The agent will revise work based on analyzed data and feedback.
  • The agent will describe the main problem associated with the presented case.
  • The agent will describe three strengths and limitations of using wheel-chair accessible swings.

Next Generation Science Standards - Engineering

  • 3-5 ETS1-1 Engineering Design: Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or want that includes criteria for success and constraints on time, cost, or materials

American Association of School Librarians Standards - Inquiry

  • A.B.1: Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes using evidence to investigate questions.
  • A.B.2: Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes devising and implementing a plan to fill knowledge gaps.
  • A.D.1-4: Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by continually seeking knowledge, engaging in sustained inquiry, enacting new understanding through real-world connections, and using reflection to guide informed decisions.
  • A.C.1: Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes interacting with content presented by others.

Time to start building! Use library materials to create a prototype (an example for testing). Don’t worry about it looking nice. Have someone in your group write down the design decisions you make along the way.

Guiding Questions:

  • Do you think your design will work to solve the problem?
  • What strengths do you see in your design?
  • How might you improve your design?
Activity 4: Learning Objectives & Aligned Standards

Learning Objectives

  • The agent will describe three benefits and limitations of three different materials, such as plastic, rubber, rope, wood and metal, in the construction of a wheelchair accessible swing to be used outdoors.
  • Based on findings from conducted library research, the agent will hypothesize one or more solutions to an identified problem in the case.
  • The agent will collect, analyze, and reflect on data from developed instruments.
  • The agent will revise work based on analyzed data and feedback.

Next Generation Science Standards - Engineering 

American Association of School Librarians Standards - Inquiry

  • A.B.2: Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes devising and implementing a plan to fill knowledge gaps.
  • A.B.3: Learners engage with new knowledge by following a process that includes generating products that illustrate learning.
  • A.C.3: Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes acting on feedback to improve. 
  • A.D.1-4: Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by continually seeking knowledge, engaging in sustained inquiry, enacting new understanding through real-world connections, and using reflection to guide informed decisions. 

 
 

Time to start building! Take some time to consider what materials will work best for your prototype. Don’t worry about it looking nice. Have someone in your group write down the design decisions you make along the way. 

Guiding Questions:

  • Do you think your design will work to solve the problem?
  • Why or why not?
  • How might you improve upon your design?

Activity 5: Learning Objectives & Aligned Standards

Learning Objectives

  • The agent will describe three benefits and limitations of three different materials, such as plastic, rubber, rope, wood and metal, in the construction of a wheelchair accessible swing to be used outdoors.
  • Based on findings from conducted library research, the agent will hypothesize one or more solutions to an identified problem in the case.
  • The agent will collect, analyze, and reflect on data from developed instruments.
  • The agent will revise work based on analyzed data and feedback.

Next Generation Science Standards - Engineering

American Association of School Librarians Standards - Inquiry

  • A.C.1: Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes interacting with content presented by others.
  • A.C.3: Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes acting on feedback to improve. 
  • A.C.4: Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes sharing products with an authentic audience.
  • A.D.1-4: Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by continually seeking knowledge, engaging in sustained inquiry, enacting new understanding through real-world connections, and using reflection to guide informed decisions.

Good work, agents! I knew I could count on you to solve the community’s wheelchair accessible swing problem. Now it is time to share your designs. As a group, you will present your prototype (make a new one if yours was damaged during testing) and your design decisions.

  • Why did you design your prototype the way you did?
  • How did you improve your design after testing it?

Activity 6: Learning Objectives & Aligned Standards

Learning Objectives

  • The agent will describe the main problem associated with the presented case.
  • The agent will identify benefits and limitations of their prototype using evaluation criteria.

Next Generation Science Standards - Engineering

  • 3-5-ETS1-2 Engineering Design: Generate and compare multiple possible solutions for a problem and compare constraints and success criteria.
  • 3-5-ETS1-3 Engineering Design: Plan to carry out fair tests where variables are controlled and failure points considered to improve prototypes.
  • 3-PS2-2 Motion and Stability: Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.

American Association of School Librarians Standards - Inquiry

  • A.C.1: Learners adapt, communicate, and exchange learning products with others in a cycle that includes interacting with content presented by others.
  • A.D.1-4: Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by continually seeking knowledge, engaging in sustained inquiry, enacting new understanding through real-world connections, and using reflection to guide informed decisions.

Celebration

Excellent wheelchair accessible swing designs, agents! Watch the video below to wrap up this Double-O STEM Club mission.

Watch on YouTube

 

Previous Citation(s)
,,, &(n.d.).Double-O STEM. EdTech Books.https://edtechbooks.org/-spU

This content is provided to you freely by EdTech Books.

Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/double_o_stem_commun/WheelchairAccessibleSwing.