LESSON 5 (Approximately 2 hours)
ENGAGING IN FORMAL CRITIQUE: SOLAR OVENS
Overview
Materials
Second iterations of students’ parabolic solar ovens
Mechanisms that will hold food
One or more food items that will bake in a solar oven in two hours or less:
- Marshmallows
- Hot dogs
- Vegetable skewers
- Rice
Printed protocols from Harvard’s Project Zero:
- ‘Think-Puzzle-Explore’
- ‘Elaboration Game’
- ‘Creative Questions’
- ‘Headlines’
Key Words
Parabola | Paraboloid | Focus | Directrix | Axis of symmetry | Dilation value | Engineering design process | Social constructivism | Formal critique | Elaboration | Creative questions | Headlines
TEACHING PLAN
Introduction
Today’s class is dedicated to formal critique and a solar cookout! Formal critique is used in a number of academic and professional settings, from art classes to architecture studios to startups to lab groups. Today, like so many other students and employees hoping to drive their innovations forward, we will be turning to one another for rich feedback and critique that can help us think about features of our work we had not considered and may want to explore in the near future. As we progress through today’s class, let’s reserve our right not to respond right away. Instead, let’s focus on actively listening to those who provide critique, pause and think about how it can be valuable to our learning, engineering, and art, and then communicate our responses in a logical, non-violent manner. Our success today goes beyond our projects and their mathematical, scientific, and expressive foundations. If we can succeed in providing non-personal, design-based critique rather than personal judgement and if we can respond thoughtfully rather than react defensively, it will teach us about working effectively with peers and colleagues in the future. Today, you will be asked to operate like a professional—an executive whose interests include company and group successes. We will also be enjoying our solar cookout all along so I hope you have all brought food for today’s class. I brought some extra food too so feel free to grab any of the food on my desk when we head outside in a few minutes. Let’s get started!
ASK Questions and discuss as a class (15 minutes)
Task
Wrap Up
Discuss
Distribute
Web Resources
Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment
ENGAGING IN FORMAL CRITIQUE: SOLAR OVENS
Overview
- Connecting mathematical principles that govern quadratic functions to a formal critique focusing on students assessing solar ovens built by peers
- Using a mathematical model to correctly locate the ‘focus’ on a paraboloid or parabolic trough so solar radiation can be concentrated to achieve baking temperature
- Utilizing robust protocols and peer critique to push group design forward
- Engaging in project-based learning and the ‘improve’ phase of the engineering design process
- Doing work that promotes students moving into their ‘zone of proximal development’ (Vygotsky, 1978)
Materials
Second iterations of students’ parabolic solar ovens
Mechanisms that will hold food
One or more food items that will bake in a solar oven in two hours or less:
- Marshmallows
- Hot dogs
- Vegetable skewers
- Rice
Printed protocols from Harvard’s Project Zero:
- ‘Think-Puzzle-Explore’
- ‘Elaboration Game’
- ‘Creative Questions’
- ‘Headlines’
Key Words
Parabola | Paraboloid | Focus | Directrix | Axis of symmetry | Dilation value | Engineering design process | Social constructivism | Formal critique | Elaboration | Creative questions | Headlines
TEACHING PLAN
Introduction
Today’s class is dedicated to formal critique and a solar cookout! Formal critique is used in a number of academic and professional settings, from art classes to architecture studios to startups to lab groups. Today, like so many other students and employees hoping to drive their innovations forward, we will be turning to one another for rich feedback and critique that can help us think about features of our work we had not considered and may want to explore in the near future. As we progress through today’s class, let’s reserve our right not to respond right away. Instead, let’s focus on actively listening to those who provide critique, pause and think about how it can be valuable to our learning, engineering, and art, and then communicate our responses in a logical, non-violent manner. Our success today goes beyond our projects and their mathematical, scientific, and expressive foundations. If we can succeed in providing non-personal, design-based critique rather than personal judgement and if we can respond thoughtfully rather than react defensively, it will teach us about working effectively with peers and colleagues in the future. Today, you will be asked to operate like a professional—an executive whose interests include company and group successes. We will also be enjoying our solar cookout all along so I hope you have all brought food for today’s class. I brought some extra food too so feel free to grab any of the food on my desk when we head outside in a few minutes. Let’s get started!
ASK Questions and discuss as a class (15 minutes)
- Working with your project group, engage in ‘Think-Puzzle-Explore’.
- What features are characteristic of robust projects?
Task
- I am about to distribute some helpful guides for providing really strong feedback during the critique. (Distribute ‘Elaboration Game’ and ‘Creative Questions’). Please take a moment to thoroughly read both. You will be encouraged to turn to these during our outdoors critique. I think you will find these really useful! (5 minutes)
- Now, using a pencil, highlight any ‘Creative Question’ you might use today. (1 minute)
- Let’s prioritize some of these question starters. Which are some of our favorite question starters? What do you like about them? (3 minutes)
- Alright, we are ready to head outside. Feel free to collect any food off my desk if you did not bring your own. Please bring your notebooks and something with which to write. Please take five minutes to position your solar ovens outside with your food at the ‘focus’. Consider angling your ovens into the sun by using a pencil as a guide. Move the pencil until its shadow is as small as possible. (5 minutes)
- Next, take two to three minutes to quickly survey each team’s second iteration of a parabolic solar oven. Please hold off on providing too much commentary right away. (3 minutes)
- Now, we are going to cycle as a class through each team’s parabolic solar oven. Each team will first present their project, their process, some strengths, some growth areas, and then any ideas they have about further improving their work. Coordinator Team Members: You will be the spokesperson for your team. Remember to invite team members to speak if you believe they have something valuable to add and can verbalize it well. Also remember to direct questions to particular team members once members of the class begin offering feedback. (2 minutes)
- Let’s follow a protocol where each team gets to present first without interruption, then audience members can pose questions and comments, followed by each team responding. Let’s remember to provide constructive criticism rather than personal judgement. To those presenting: Let’s remember to respond rather than react to feedback. Take your time thinking of a response. There is no rush here! (2 minutes)
- At this time, we will present in random order. Again, feel free to share anything you would like about the design and build process before presenting strengths, growth areas, and ideas for future iterations. Then, audience members will provide questions and criticism. Finally, the team that is presenting will respond thoughtfully to comments. Do any of you have any questions? Let’s begin! (3 minutes)
- [At this point, students present their solar ovens, offer constructive criticism, and respond thoughtfully to peer feedback.] (45 minutes with a stretch break built in after 25 minutes and periodic reminders to check the progress of food being cooked)
- Thank you for conducting yourselves so professionally through that formal critique. Let’s take some time to eat any food that is ready! (5 minutes)
- Alright, please take a moment to clean up unless you can guarantee that you will bring your projects back into the classroom before lunch is over today. (10 minutes)
Wrap Up
Discuss
- I am extremely impressed with the work you have completed. Let’s take a moment to celebrate our hard work! Give some love to your classmates. Let’s see some high fives! (2 minutes)
- Now, let’s come up with a headline for the work we have been doing. Take three minutes to brainstorm you favorite headline within your design teams. Once you have it, please write it on the board. (Idea courtesy of Harvard Project Zero, 2006, p. 35) (5 minutes)
- Review homework deliverables due next class: (8 minutes)
- Solar Oven Final Project
- Due next class
- Be sure to see the detailed rubric for group and individual responsibilities
- Please make photocopies of your member-specific work for each of your team members. Be prepared to provide physical copies to your classmates at the beginning of next class
- ‘Headlines’: Write your favorite headline from today’s class explaining in 2-3 sentences why you chose it
- Solar Oven Final Project
Distribute
- "Protocols from 'Artful Thinking'"
- "Formal Critique Grading Rubric"
- "Solar Oven Final Project Grading Rubric"
Web Resources
- Artful Thinking Routines (Harvard Project Zero, 2006): http://pzartfulthinking.org/?page_id=2
- NASA’s Beginning Engineering, Science, and Technology (B.E.S.T.) home page (http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/#.V4Q9GJMrJp8)
- NASA’s B.E.S.T. Engineering Design Process (E.D.P.) video series (http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/edp.html)
Formative Assessment
- Student highlights of particular ‘Creative Questions’ as observed by the teacher
- Possible improvements to one’s own and others’ parabolic solar ovens as communicated through formal critique
Summative Assessment
- ‘Headlines’
- Formal Critique Assessment
- Solar Oven Final Project