Daily Discovery: Wild Ones Engineering Challenge

Follow along with FCMoD’s live stream Storytime in the Home: Wild Ones: Observing City Critters. Then take a walk in your  neighborhood. Use your observation skills to keep an eye out for signs of wild animals in your area. Think about how animals must adapt to living in our city. Can you design and build a safe way for animals to cross busy streets? Try this engineering challenge with items you have at home!

Supplies:

• Building supplies (Try anything you have at home like blocks, LEGO, popsicle sticks, playdoh, cardboard,
  etc! The possibilities are endless!)
• Piece of paper
• Something to write and draw with

Instructions:

1. Identify your user. This is the animal who will benefit from your design. It can be any animal you want. Maybe it is a dog like Scooter from the book! Or maybe it is a squirrel or a deer! The animal’s goal is to cross a busy street safely. Think about what this animal needs. How do they move? What do they like and dislike? What are some of the obstacles they face in meeting their goals?
2. Sketch out your design on paper. Identify 3 ways your design will help the animal cross the street.
3. Place all your building supplies on a clear surface with plenty of room to create.
4. Draw a busy road on a piece of paper.
5. Try to build your design with the materials you chose. Can your design help your animal cross the road safely? How might you change the design to make it better?
6. Share your project with us on social media using #dailydiscovery
7. Check out all the other amazing activities you can download that go with the Wild Ones book, like making dog bones at home!