Inventing and testing connectors, discovering the tolerance of materials, scrapping good ideas for better ones. This band of study hall students accepted a challenge to reach the ceiling with a tower of straws and paper clips. It has been very much about the process. They are reaching for more than the ceiling.
As these students work this is what I notice:
They willing edit/modify less successful ideas for more successful ones; either through their own evaluation or a partners observation.
They test the tolerance and flexibility of the material until it suits their design need.
They experiment with connection strategies; constantly evaluating their functionality as the project changes.
Nearly every new idea, however minor, is entertained by the group.
They pre-cut pieces, begin to measure pieces. They ask for more specific tools: knife, pliers.
Trial & error is followed by reflection, and then a new direction.
They willingly restart from scratch.
They sub-contract time-saving measures; stripping paper from the straws ahead of time, pre-fabbing modules.
They raise the ante among themselves: “this is too wobbly,” “I don’t want to just make a pole-tower...I want it to be a building,” “let’s fix this corner.”
It is prideful work to them; they care about how and where it is stored.
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