Grade 3: Tinker Time Builds Innovation Skills

Mrs. Julie Stretz’s class visited the Gates Innovation Lab for the first time this year for a lesson in tinkering. Led by Elizabeth Leddy, technology education specialist, students first learned about why Tinker Time is so important. 

 

“During Tinker Time, we are focusing on innovation skills like empathy, creative thinking, critical thinking, grit (perseverance), experimentation and collaboration,” explains Mrs. Leddy. “Frustration is likely, but celebrated, as it pushes students to think about a problem in new ways so they can solve it creatively.”

 

After a tour of the lab and a safety talk from Martin Twarogowski, Gates Director of Innovative Learning, students go to work making their favorite fruit out of LEGO^TM bricks. Many found it “hard” to build a round fruit like an orange out of square bricks.

"When I walked into the lab I had no idea what we were going to do," says Dezi Endsley. "I wanted to make a red apple and it took me five tries. First, I tried to make it like a ball but I couldn't find enough slanted pieces. I decided to make it 2D instead so it was flat.

"I think the point of this project was to persevere -- to not give up," he shares.

 

Mrs. Stretz says Tinker Time is an important part of her students' growth and development. “Last year when we opened the Corkins Center, my students were so excited to work in the lab,” she explains. “It’s always interesting to watch them work together on a project that stretches their thinking and expands their communication skills. Tinker Time also complements our classroom goal which is to build a supportive community of learners. They develop a level of trust with their peers that is essential to collaboration.”

 

In particular, this lesson honed in on creative thinking, grit and experimentation, according to Mrs. Leddy.