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Lesson Summary:
Level : Grades 5 -12
(Modifications could be implemented for younger students with design materials being cardboard and not a computer designed model.)
This book can also be read to elementary students to introduce idea of building a cabin.
The Cabin That Moose Built by Cherie B. Stihler
Build An Alaskan Cabin
Participants will explore many factors (windows, construction materials, insulation, doors, heat source, passive solar, topography, orientation) when considering climate and energy efficiency as they build an Alaskan cabin. This is a hands-on engineering activity session, mixing in Maker Education and utilizing exciting but accessible materials (conductive tape, LED lights, coin cells). This session will provide teachers the supplies to implement this relevant lesson with students in your Silhouette digital cutter, evaluate prototype for accuracy, make changes as needed, and design final model for laser cutting out of wood.
Materials:
Cardstock, Silhouette cutter, conductive tape, LED lights, Coin Cells, 1/8 in plywood and laser cutter.
Students will also complete a written description of energy efficiency considerations
and climate impacts such as flooding and extreme storms with their model.
Standards:
NSGG Connections to Technology, Engineering, and Applications of Science Dimension.
Materials:
Cardstock, Silhouette cutter, conductive tape, LED lights, Coin Cells, 1/8 in plywood and laser cutter.
Could use Children’s Book, The Cabin That Moose Built by Cherie Stihler
Have students explore and learn about factors such as windows, doors, insulation, roof design, house orientation, passive solar and topography impacts, climate change impacts to location, cultural influences and traditional knowledge. Make lists of considerations and concepts to go on the wall for students to utilize during write-up and building.
Have students learn basics of circuitry and integration of switches and parallel circuits for wiring cabin with copper wire and LEDs. Older students may make more sophisticated wiring designs.
Download free software and teach students how to make a flat net for their cabin with cut lines and perforation lines. Print out and assemble and repeat as necessary to finalize efficient design.
Help students remember all aspects of cabin when design such as including eaves, cutting out doors and windows. This will take a few iterations to capture all the features but the learning is powerful. Some students may need more assistance and there are numerous tutorials online for the Silhouette software that you can watch as a class before launching into the design process.
Have students keep engineering notes so they can incorporate this information in their write-up
Students will assemble cabin and use copper tape circuitry to make their cabin light up.
Hand out supplies, copper tape, LEDs, coin cells, and materials to make a switch such as paper clips, insulation tape. Help students implement their ideas for wiring cabin and having it turn on when door is opened and “people” are inside.
Use Full Spectrum Laser software to integrate Silhouette file and send to laser cutter. Assemble model when cut pieces come back.
Help students covert their final file to the Laser Cutter software which has the capability to integrate this type of file. Students can assemble the model when they receive the cut wooden pieces back and wire it as well.
In this step, students will finalize their documentation of the project.
Students will write a description of their house model, what their considerations in building were, cultural influences, and placement in their local village that would be the safest with climate change impacts.
This description will be completed by each student and displayed by their prototype and final model. Community members will be invited for a sharing session.
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