Following up on the 2017 Sarnia READesign program, we once again partnered with the Sarnia Library to host monthly READesign session for Scouts Canada. Each session, we had an average of 20 very eager and energetic 5-7 year olds ready to read and be an engineer for a night. Over the time running the READesign sessions, we were able to reach close to 100 students and without fail, there were always a few kids who would say that being an engineer is fun and that they would like to do this everyday!
At the end of every session, we had the different sub-groups present their problem and solution to the entire bigger group and to also share something they liked. A summary of what was done at each monthly session is below.
January 2018 Session
For this session, we had 15 Scouts in attendance. The book that was read was The Chicken Problem by Jennifer Oxley
- Problem Identified: Peg and Cat accidentally let all the chicken escape and need to get them back to into the coop
- Solution: The team decided to create a cage and a big wagon to help Peg ad Cat collect all the chickens and transfer them to the coop
- Materials Required: Plastic bottle caps to serve as wheels, wooden dowels, glue sticks, string, flat wooden sticks and tape.
February 2018 Session
For this session, we had 20 Beaver Scouts in attendance. The book that was read was Deep in the Woods by Christopher Corr and Francis Lincoln
- Problem Identified: The animals in the forest need a bigger house to stay in
- Solution: The team decided to build a house big enough for all the animals to live in comfortably.
March 2018 Session
This was our first and only all females group. We were really excited to host 20 Beavers on March 20th, a Girl Guides group. We used the following books for the session:
- Book: Don’t be Afraid Little Pip by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
- Problem Identified: Little Pip wants to fly
- Solution: One half of the team decided they were going to create helium filled balloons for Little Pip to attach to his body so he can fly. The other half of the team decided to create a large kite so that Little Pip can glide in the air
- Materials Required: Balloons, hand held balloon air pump (in lieu of helium), elastic hands, glue sticks, paper, flat wooden sticks, string and tape
- Book: Lucky Ducklings by Eva Moore
- Problem Identified: Fireman Paul needs to rescue the duckling
- Solution: The team decided to create a contraption to allow Fireman Paul rescue the ducks from the drain without having to go inside the drain.
- Materials Required: String, Styrofoam bowls and plates, wooden dowels, duct tape.
- Book: The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
- Problem Identified: The little steam engine needed to get over the hill with her train of cars
- Solution: The team decided to build a massive air craft, large enough to carry all the cars over the hill.
- Materials Required: Styorofoam cups and plates, electric motors, electrical wires, batteries, battery holder, plastic propellers, duct tape and glue guns
We had a blast and are looking forward to more fun in 2019!