Think Like an Engineer for Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors

A couple of years ago GSUSA released a new series of Journeys for Daisies, Brownies and Juniors, and last year, released two of them for Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors.  Even though this is mostly a blog about my experiences with Daisies and Brownies, I had a request to summarize the older girls' Think Like an Engineer Journey and since I was doing it, I figured I ought to get a few cents from AdSense for doing so (and more if you click on the ads on this page). 

If you read my post about the Think Like an Engineer Journey for Daisies, Brownies and Juniors, you'll see that the basic outline of the Journey is the same at all levels, and that doesn't change for the older girls.  Basically, at the first three meetings, girls review the design process and then put it to work in a design challenge.  In the fourth meeting the girls apply the design process to planning a Take Action Project.  In the fifth meeting, they do the Take Action Project, and at the sixth meeting they celebrate their accomplishments.

While the Daisy, Brownie and Junior plans provide word-for-word scripts for leaders, the older girl plans provide discussion topics and questions to guide the girls but they aren't quite as scripted.  While the summaries below try to give an overview of the talking points, this blog post is not meant to be a substitute for the VTK plans, but rather a summary of them, to give leaders a quick and easily accessible overview.  Once you decide to do the Journey at a particular level, I highly recommend reading the entire VTK plan for that level so that you understand where the talking points are going.  The purpose of the Journey is not to engineer the best ____ in response to the design challenge of the day; the purpose is to teach a way of thinking and then to use that way of thinking to conceive of, design and execute a Take Action Project--a sustainable solution to a problem identified by the girls. 

One thing that every design challenge requires is for the small groups who worked on the challenge to present their work to the group, and the group is encouraged to add input on improving the design.  This gives the girls a chance to practice communication and presentation skills that could be helpful in their Take Action Project or for the projects they do for the Silver or Gold Awards.  

The part of Journeys that has always been the hardest for me to wrap my mind around has always been the Take Action Project.  I think I know where GSUSA is going with the concept; I just couldn't figure out how to pull one out of the younger girls, which is my group.  In fifteen years as a leader, the highest I ever got was Juniors. Going through these older girl plans gave me some ideas.   

Girl Scout leaders are always looking for ways to "adapt" official programming to better meet the needs of their girls.  With a different set of design challenges at each level, girls could do this Journey six times during their Girl Scout years.  However I think it unlikely they will do so.  If your troop chooses to do this Journey, I think that letting them pick which three of the nine design challenges they want to do is a good way to personalize it for your troop.  

The Design Thinking Process

The design thinking process used in Think Like an Engineer is: 1)Identify a problem that needs to be solved; 2) Investigate what has already been done; 3) Come up with multiple possible solutions 4) Pick one or more possible solutions and create a design; 5) Test the design and make improvements based on what you learned; and 5)Let other people know what they've learned

Let's take a look at the meetings for the older girls:

Meeting 1:

Cadettes:

The first thing the Cadettes do as they enter Meeting 1 is build a model of a Corgi.  This model dog will be used later in the meeting. VTK has a template and a list of materials, and the girls create a 3-D model.  

In the opening discussion, the design process is reviewed and girls talk about ways engineers' designs help people.  The leader also introduces the idea of a Take Action Project and how the design process is used in it. 

For Cadettes, the first design challenge is to create a life vest for a Corgi who cannot swim because of his short legs.  First, the girls identify the problem and goal.  They are given their goals (to keep the Corgi's head above water for ten minutes) and their constraints (materials to use, time available).  Girls spent five minutes brainstorming about design and creating sketches before actually beginning to build with these materials:  

• 2 sheets of foam (roughly 9 x 12 in. each)
• 2 plastic bags (strong sandwich bags)
• 3 large rubber bands
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Duct tape
• Extra blank paper (for planning)
• Pens or pencils

The girls are given twenty minutes to engineer their designs before the group comes back together to test them with the model dog and a tub of water.  Each group explains their prototype to the large group, says what they expect to happen, puts it on the model dog as quickly as possible and tests to see if it keeps the dog afloat for at least ten seconds.  Discuss how the prototypes could be improved, and, if there is time, improve them.

For the closing activity, girls discuss the design process and how they put it into use. 

Seniors and Multi-level:

Seniors begin their Journey by looking a various items used daily and brainstorming how to improve them.

After their opening ceremony and troop business, Seniors review the design process.  Then it is on to their design challenge:  To use the provided materials to create a substitute for the plastic rings that hold together six packs of soda.  The materials are:

• 1 large piece of cardboard (1 x 2 ft or more)
• 8 paint stirrers
• Wax paper
• Paper (newspaper, white paper, etc.)
• 20 rubber bands
• Duct tape
• 1 meter (39 inches) string
• Scissors
• Paper (for planning)
• Pens or pencils

Girls spend five minutes planning their design and 20 minutes trying to build a prototype, working in small groups. Then the groups gather, present their designs and test them.  Improvements are suggested.  

To end the meeting, girls share problem they are interested in, like protecting wildlife.  At this point the girls are only discussing problem/issues, not solutions or projects.

Ambassadors:

Ambassadors begin the first meeting by brainstorming ideas for devices that would help various professionals like doctors.  After the opening and troop business portions of the meeting, the design process is reviewed.  Next, the girls have 25 minutes to accomplish the design challenge. Then the group gets together and shares their designs --what worked and what didn't.

The first design challenge for Ambassadors is to design something that enriches the life of an animal.  The process starts with a discussion about the needs of animals and how enrichment devices make it easier for an animal, wild or domestic, to thrive in its environment.  Each group of two or three girls is given a pile of supplies and has to select an animal and discuss its needs.  Then each group needs to quickly sketch three ways to meet one or more of those needs. They then need to pick a design and build a prototype that can be presented to the group for feedback.  The following materials are listed:

• 1 large piece of cardboard (2 x 3 ft or more)
• 2 poster boards
• Paper towel and toilet paper tubes (however many you can find!)
• 10 paint stirrers
• 5 ft. rope
• Scissors
• Duct tape
• Blank paper (for planning)
• Pens or pencil
• Optional: Anything else you have that might make good materials for the Design Challenge. For example, if you have tennis balls, girls could incorporate them to help meet the "fun" criteria of the challenge.

Meeting 2:

Cadettes:

As Cadettes being meeting two, they make lists of all the communities they belong to.  They also list words that describe or define a community.

During the opening discussion, girls use these lists to pick a community to effect with their Take Action Project. Once the community has been chosen, girls brainstorm problems in that community.  

The design challenge for Meeting 2 is to create camp shelters for people that mimic natural shelters used by animals.  Girls discuss different types of shelters used by animals and the things humans need in their shelters.  Then, using the materials listed below, the groups first brainstorm for five minutes and then spend 20 minutes to create a shelter that is big enough for a quarter piece of construction paper to easily be put in and out of it.  They have to be wind resistant and will be tested in front of a fan for 15 seconds, and will be sprayed with water 15 times to see if they are water resistant.  The following materials are available:

• 1 piece of masking tape, 12 inches long
• 1 piece of packaging tape, 12 inches long
• 1 sheet of cardboard, 8"x 8"
• 2 plastic cups, 1-2 oz.
• 2 sheets of construction paper
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Extra paper (for planning)
• Pens or pencils

The girls then gather and present their cabins to the group as if they were presenting them to the client who hired them.  Next, each cabin is tested for water and wind resistance and then the girls discuss how the cabins could be improved.  If time permits, let them try to improve their models. Discuss the problems and possible solutions.  

If time permits, discuss problems in the community chosen for the Take Action Project. 

Seniors and Multi-level:

Before the meeting the leader prepares four or more posters, each of which lists a community to which the girls belong (school, town, state, USA etc).  As girls come in they are encouraged to brainstorm problems faced by each community and to list them on the posters. 

After their opening ceremony, Seniors discuss how the Design Process is similar to the process for a Take Action Project.  They review the problems on the posters and decide on a community to help with their Take Action Project.  After picking a community, they brainstorm for more problems.  

The design challenge for this meeting is to design a kinetic sculpture--one that moves in the wind.  As with the other projects, girls spend five minutes brainstorming and designing and 20 minutes building.  The girls then gather and present their sculptures to the big group, describing them and testing to see if they hold together in the wind and have two moving parts.  Girls can then try to improve the sculptures.  

At the end of the meeting the girls discuss the design process and how they used it to create their sculpture. 

Ambassadors:

Ambassadors begin Meeting 2 by working together to create lists of communities to which they belong and issues and problems which are important to them. Following the opening ceremony and troop business, the group discusses those communities and chooses one to help with their Take Action Project. The girls are reminded that the design process is similar to the steps for a Take Action Project:  Identify a problem, come up with a sustainable solution, develop a plan, put the plan into action, reflect on what they've learned, and share the project with others.  They review the issues and problems listed at the beginning of the meeting to see which effect the chosen community and may come up with others. Girls are reminded that any of these issues/problems could be starting points for Gold Award projects.

The design challenge for Meeting 2 is to design a zip line course that using the following materials:

•  Chipboard (from a cereal box or back of a notepad), 
• 6-8 small paper or plastic cups (i.e. 3 oz.), 
• 9 plastic straws,
•  10 feet of smooth line (e.g. fishing line or unwaxed dental floss),
•  8 standard, flat steel washers (1 in. in diameter or larger), heavy books (or other material to stack),
• Tape (duct or masking.)

Girls are given scissors and a hole punch as tools, but they cannot be part of the course.  The zipline course must be at least five feet tall, must carry a ping-pong ball from the top string to the bottom platform in fifteen seconds or less and must have at least four platforms and three zip lines.  The girls have 25 minutes to brainstorm solutions and design a course.  They begin by brainstorming and sketching 3 possible solutions and then creating one.  They are not allowed to test it with the ping pong ball until they share their project.  They have five minutes to sketch and twenty minutes to build.

Once time is up, the girls share their designs and test them, as if they were presenting the designs to a camp director who hired them to design a course.  If the zip lines do not work as expected, the group brainstorms about why, and how to fix them. 

In the closing discussion, girls review how they used the design process, talk about what worked and did not, problems they encountered etc.  

Meeting 3

Cadettes

In meeting 3, the leader prepares index cards with the problems identified in the prior meeting.  As girls arrive, they pair up and discuss a problem trying to determine why that problem exists.  They are doing a root-cause analysis.  They should arrive at one or more causes for each problem, drilling downward.  For example, the oceans are polluted.  But why?  Because there is trash in the oceans.  But why?  Because humans pollute.  But why?  Because there are not enough trash cans?  But why? The local government doesn't have enough money to put out enough trash cans.  Once the whole group is gathered, girls discuss the problems and pick one to address in their Take Action Project. 

The design challenge for this meeting is to design a prosthetic leg for an elephant.  A link to a video is provided, which shows how one engineer solved this problem.  The girls discuss what qualities the prosthetic should have, then get into groups of two or three and begin with brainstorming and sketching.  From there, they move on to spending 20 minutes creating a prototype. The prototypes are then tested by a girl who bends her knee and places it into the prosthetic.  Improvements are discussed. 

Seniors and Multi-level: 

Using posters with trees drawn on them, and sticky notes, Seniors look at the issues/problems identified in earlier meetings and try to identify the causes of the problems and the effects they have. In the opening part of the meeting, girls will discuss these and the leader will help them make sure that they have properly identified causes and effects.  Then the group selects one issue or problem to address in their Take Action Project.  

The design challenge for Seniors in meeting 3 is to create an assistive device that would allow the elderly to pick something up that is on the floor or to grab something on a high shelf.  These materials may be used:

• 4 pieces of cardboard (medium-large, assorted sizes)
• 4 paint stirrers
• 8 brass tacks
• 5 paper clips
• 2 small cups (paper)
• Paper (newspaper, white paper, etc.)
• 1 sheet of felt
• 10 rubber bands
• 5 wooden skewers
• Scissors
• String or wire
• Tape
• Blank paper (for planning)
• Pens or pencils

As with the other design challenges, girls work in groups of two or three.  They spend five minutes brainstorming/designing, 20 minutes building and 25 minutes sharing, testing, discussing and improving their design.  

Ambassadors:

Meeting 3 begins with the girls breaking into groups as they arrive and taking one of the problems/issues identified last meeting and listing the causes of that problem and the effects of it.  After the meeting opening, the girls share the lists they made and decide on one problem to address in their Take Action Project.  

The design challenge for meeting 3 is to create a mobility assistance device for an amputee, using the following equipment:

• 1 large piece of cardboard (2 x 3 ft. or more)
• 1 roll of string
• 2 sheets of felt or other medium-thick fabric
• 5 cardboard tubes (Alternatively, you could roll poster boards or stack sturdy cups.)
• 5 large rubber bands
• 4 brass fasteners
• 1 sheet of poster board
• Scissors
• Duct tape
• Blank or notebook paper (for planning)
• Pens or pencils
• Optional: Bring in anything else you have that might make good materials for the Design Challenge. For example, if you have containers that could be used as wheels, girls could incorporate them into a design for a walker.

Again, the girls have five minutes to brainstorm and sketch, and twenty minutes to build, before gathering to present their designs and test them.  The devices should help the amputee get from one side of the room to another and should o Must help the user to move from one side of the room to the other and 1) Be comfortable for the user.; 2) Be easy and convenient for people to use and 3) May either attach to (prosthetic) or be a product (mobility aid) for the user.

The closing discussion for meeting 3 relates the design process to the chosen issue for the Take Action Project. 

Meeting 4:

Cadettes:

Cadettes begin planning their Take Action Project at Meeting 4.  In preparation for the meeting, the leader creates one or more posters with six pointed starts on them.  In the middle of the star is the problem the girls want to solve.  On each point is a question word:  who, what, when, where, how and why.  As girls come in they write questions about their issue on the poster.

As a group, Cadettes discuss the question and any answers they have and determine what information they might need.  Then they brainstorm ways to solve their chosen problem and the given discussion questions lead to user-centered design.  For example, girls imagine how the school principal might solve the problem vs how students would solve it.  After discussing various solutions, the girls pick one and plan how to execute it, including arriving at a list of materials needed and a "to do" list for the next meeting.  The Take Action Project should use engineering or technology.  

Seniors and Multi-level:

To prepare for meeting 4, the leader makes four charts:  What We Know, What We Need to Know, Why is This Important and What Else.  As girls arrive, they fill in these lists with items related to the problem they have chosen to address.  

These items are discussed and then the girls are challenged to find a sustainable solution to the problem that incorporates what they've learned about engineering and technology.  They follow the design process and pick and design a Take Action Project.  The goal is to have a list of supplies and a to do list for the next meeting. 

Ambassadors:

At Meeting 4, the girls being serious planning of the Take Action Project.  As they enter the meeting, they are presented with posters or sheets of paper that say "people" "resources" "needs" and "what else".  On each sheet they list information about the community they have chosen for their Take Action Project.  These are discussed after the opening ceremony, along with the people and situations that are positive forces and negative forces on their project. Girls research via computer or smartphone any information they need for their project and then discuss sustainable solutions to the identified problem.  They pick a solution and decide what they need in order to execute that solution.

Meeting 5:

At Meeting 5 the girls execute their Take Action Project, discuss it, and plan a celebration.  The meeting plans specifically mention things like posters and videos as Take Action Projects. Also, the girls plan how to present their project to others, as an important part of being an engineer is presenting a project.  

Meeting 6:  

Girls present their TAP to invited guests, celebrate its completion and receive their awards.