Form and Function Project, October 2020

Hello Everyone!

Now that we have had many discussions about the concept of STRUCTURE, we are going to do further inquiry about how FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION.

We will continue having conversations about FORM and FUNCTION, but so far, we have had discussions about:

  • How our human skeleton is designed to provide us with protection and flexibility,
  • How objects we use every day, such as sports balls and chairs, are designed with a specific function in mind,
  • How designers need certain materials to build with, based on the function or purpose of what they are building,
  • How scientists think about the form and scientific properties of matter as they create and help designers choose materials to make things that serve a specific purpose,
  • How humans create structured systems of specific forms, such as government at a federal, provincial, and municipal level in Canada, to organize themselves so we have order instead of chaos,
  • How mathematicians use the structure of conjectures, counterexamples, and asking questions through noticing and wondering, or being a skeptic and convincer, to serve the function of finding new patterns and knowledge in mathematics, and
  • How humans have created language and specific formats of writing for the purpose or function of communicating ideas.

Don’t worry, we are not done discussing these things and experimenting further. But now, it is time for you to start doing some independent research of choice.

I would like you to choose one animal, building, or object you are interested in researching further. You will look at why your animal, building, or object has a specific form to serve a specific function.

  1. First step is to do some research and note taking. Create 4 pages in your journal for FORM AND FUNCTION PROJECT – NOTES.
  2. Choose your research topic (animal, building, object). Suggestions could be based on what we have done in class: human skeleton, a specific piece of architecture, an animal with a very different structure than ours, a human body system, a specific roller coaster or amusement ride, a community system like government, a specific kind of map or navigation tool, or an entertainment/recreation toy like a yo-yo, skateboard, or specific type of bicycle.
  3. Make sure your topic allows you to do deeper research, are related to our unit, and are appropriate. Things to avoid (because Ms. D has experience with this!) are topics like a chair, a basketball, weapons, a video game, or a book.
  4. Start your research using the guiding questions. Answering the questions below is required, so you need to write the question in your journal, then find answers to the question and write them under the question. Give yourself 4 pages in your journal for notes.
  5. Use quality websites. If you are doing human anatomy, please Google Kids Health, as there are lots of age-appropriate resources and articles there. If you are doing animals, consider websites like National Geographic, PBS, or websites that end with EDU. If you are doing roller coasters and amusement rides, consider watching a YouTube video on the ride, and then Google the name of the ride and engineering design. We will talk more about this in class. Feel free to use my Articles of Interest Page with websites for a starting point.
  6. Record the website where you find information, and the date. So, for example, if I use Kids Health, I will put the name of the website next to my notes and the most recent date I can find on the web page I am using. We will start there for documenting our sources!

Here are the questions:

  1. What is the form of the animal, object, or building? Sketch a picture and label it. Take notes about its parts. What is it made of? How was it designed? Who designed it? When and why? Watch a video about it and write down key features.
  2. Where would I find the animal, object, or building? Habitat, location in the body, environment, city/town, where is it bought or sold, etc.
  3. What is the function of the animal, object, or building? Why did the building get built? Who uses it and why? What does the animal do? What does the animal eat? How does it get its food? Is it part of an ecosystem and does it have a purpose, like being a predator and eating other animals, or being food for other predators? Why was the object invented? Who uses it? What problem was the object trying to solve?
  4. What is special about your animal, object, or building? What special feature or adaptation does the thing have that makes it special and allows it to do its job? How does its form allow it to serve a purpose or function?
  5. Interesting Facts and Your Questions: Record 5 of your own questions not listed here about the animal, object, or building, and then try to answer them. Record down random facts that you find interesting about this item, so we understand why you are passionate about it and wanted to research it!

Okay, this is the START. Next time, I will tell you how we will present the information and share it with our classmates. There will be two choices. For now, gather up some great information! Research will be due by October 26th, Monday, then the presentation will be due a week after that on November 2nd. Our deadlines are flexible, so it will depend on how everyone does with the projects in class.