ACTIVITY MATERIALS

• Sturdy material for the 3D sculpture (thin cardboard, 180g paper).
• Cutting tools (scissors, craft knife, etc.)
• Ruler and pencil for measurements.
• Glue/tape (glue gun or craft glue)
• Rubber bands, zip tie, brads
• Popsicles and white string

Cutting

Straight

Use gloves when cutting!

Cutting

Curves

CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: SHAPING

Bending

Scoring

Curving

Faceting

Layering

Hinging

CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: JOINERY

Brads

Flanges

Brace

Skewer

Bend

Hinge

Slots

Butt Joint

CARDBOARD TECHNIQUES: Mechanism

Gears

Scissor lift

Grabbing

Waving

Tentacle

Curving

Lever

Fanning

Gather the materials you’ll need to make a quick, low-fidelity prototype of your invention. These can be anything around you—paper, cardboard, tape, string, recycled objects, etc.

1st

Build a small-scale prototype of your invention. It doesn’t have to be perfect—just enough to explore the idea physically.

2nd

5th

Document & Reflect: Take photos of the simulated limitations and the prototype. Describe the limitations simulated, tasks explored, and design process.

10min

Observe & Reflect. Look at your prototype and ask: What works well?

What looks awkward or confusing?How could it be improved?

3rd

15 min

60 min

20 min

Draw a clear, detailed diagram of your invention. Show both the outside and how it works inside. Label the parts so someone else could understand.

4th

30 min

5th

Submit photos of your prototype and sketches

15 min

Sketch + Low-Fidelity Prototype

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

Now that you have built it out of cardboard, what would be the best materials and methods for the next prototype?

You have built and tested one possible form of this device. What other forms could this concept take?

What do you need to learn to create the next, more developed prototype of this concept? 

How are you employing your chosen Engineering field?