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Bike Shop 3-5 / Week 12 / Bike Shop Day
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Week 12 · Design a Better Bike

Bike Shop Day

Bike Shop Day: Design Show
// Define, compare, test, improve
⏱ about 15 min

Bike Shop Day: Design Show

Rocket sets his basket model on the table like a trophy. Raven props up her shining strip.

"Welcome to the Design Show!" Rocket announces.

Raven turns to the family. "What do you notice? What would you improve?"

Nova hovers above the models. "Every question makes a design better," she says.

The family pulls up chairs.

  1. Engineers define a problem with criteria and constraints.
  2. There is always more than one possible solution, so compare ideas.
  3. A fair test changes one thing and repeats trials.
  4. Tests find failure points. Improve them, then test again.
  5. Sharing ideas helps designs get better.
◇ FAMILY DESIGN SHOW
Show your model and say the problem it solves.
Name your criteria and constraints.
Show your sketches and your score table.
Run your fair test for the family, one trial.
Ask each person for one thing they like and one idea to improve it.
No model yet? Present your sketches and test plan instead.
Safety first
A grown-up does any cutting.
Use only soft, light things for weight.
Never shine a flashlight into anyone's eyes.
Models stay off real bikes.
For a grown-up
Ask open questions, like: how did you decide on that?
Celebrate the failure points your child found. They are real engineering.
DESIGN SHOW CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
A family member suggests an idea. What is a good next step?
What is a failure point?
What word means the things a design must do to succeed?
WHY THIS EXERCISECriteria are what a design must do to count as a success.

You did it, Bike Shop engineer! You learned how a bike works and how to keep it safe. Keep your shop notebook, keep asking what you notice, and helmet on for every ride.

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