5-E Classroom STEM Activity: Game Night! Dr

5-E Classroom STEM Activity: Game Night! Dr. Alexandra D. Owens Toys > Melissa Hershey Engineering Fun

By Ellen Egley

What do toys like Transformers, Nerf, My Little Pony, Play-Doh, and Baby Alive have in common with games like Magic the Gathering, Monopoly, Jenga, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Operation, Clue, and Life? 1. Chances are good you played with them at some point during your childhood (and maybe still do!). 2. They are all brought to STEM JOBS: What sparked SJ: What type of education SJ: What is your current us by the incredible STEM your interest in pursuing a is needed to be qualified for role, and what all does professionals at Hasbro, career in the toy industry? your position? that encompass? Inc. who are dedicated to MELISSA HERSHEY: During MH: To work as a product MH: I work as an engineer “creating the world’s best college, I taught STEM to engineer for complex toys on the Integrated Play team play experiences.” middle school students it is useful to have a college at Hasbro. This team is a STEM Jobs spoke with using robotics. I enjoyed it so degree in mechanical fast-paced group of multi- Melissa Hershey, a senior much that after I graduated, engineering, electrical talented designers and engineer at Hasbro, to find I took a full-time job where I engineering or robotics. You engineers focused on a new out what goes into making developed and taught STEM need to have experience with wave of Hasbro products these iconic toys and games programs using a variety of creating models or projects that merge physical play and creating new classics for educational toys. Working that light up, make sound, or with exciting digital worlds. the next generation to love. with kids and toys every day move. It is helpful if you like I specialize on projects that really sparked my interest to take things apart to see are connected and involve in becoming a toy designer. how they work. Experience robotics or animatronics I had a lot of ideas of how a with CAD software, 3D (this means they move or toy could do something really modeling and 3D printing is animate in some way). I also neat and different with just a very valuable. It also helps enjoy working on projects few modifications. I decided I to be educated about the that involve voice or vision wanted to get more involved industry, and yes, that means recognition. A lot of the in creating the products I was playing with lots of toys! products I work on have an using so I set off to become app that works with them a toy designer. Getting a job and can be used with your at Hasbro was especially phone or tablet. great because I am a huge Transformers and Nerf fan.

24 Late Fall 2018 / STEMjobs.com Photos: Hasbro SJ: What STEM skills are required in your job? MH: Problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Problem solving, which is a huge part of engineering, is probably the most important skill in my job. Every day I SJ: What professional SJ: What are some of SJ: What advice would you am presented with different accomplishments are you the different STEM give to high school students challenges that I get to figure especially proud of? roles available in the who are interested in a out and solve. For example, MH: I feel really toy industry? career in the toy industry? it may be figuring out how accomplished when MH: There are so many MH: First, keep playing. Try to make something move the products I work on different opportunities for to make your own toy or so that it really seems alive encourage people to feel people interested in STEM game. For starters, it can be or figuring out what type and be healthier. A unique to work in the toy industry. a model made from things of sensor to use in a toy to product line I got to work You have engineers that like foam core, cardboard, make sure it can react to a on was an animatronic work on designing the and hot glue. If it is a game, person playing with it. companion cat and dog actual toy. Most of them are create the rules and try to I need to think critically designed for seniors. These experienced in electronics play it with your friends. about a lot of my project products could bring joy or building things out of Ask for feedback and see before I start, recalling and comfort to aging loved plastics, but some specialize if you can make a second knowledge I’ve learned from ones without any vet bills to in chemistry so that they can iteration better. In the toy making past products or worry about. I felt like these work on items like Play-Doh. industry, we test and revise prototypes. It helps me to products made their users There are also structural our ideas a lot, so this will decide on what is the best feel calm and reminded engineers who create be great practice. approach to accomplish them that you can have packaging that looks amazing my goals. Finally, the job fun and play at any age. but also protects the requires a lot of creativity Another example is when I product. We also have a team Whether you just love to because many projects worked on a Nerf product that tests all our products to play or want to make a need to do something new that encouraged kids to make sure they are durable difference in people’s lives, and different. You need run around and be active. and safe. These engineers there is a place for you in to remember to make it As they moved around, get to try and break things the toy industry. What will exciting and fun because it they gathered “energy” on on purpose for work! If you create? is a toy, after all. a wearable device. That you were not interested in “energy” could be used to building physical things, but get points and power-ups enjoy coding or math, we for a Nerf app game. have software engineers to help create apps and a financial team that uses mathematical models to make sure our ideas make sense economically.

MELISSA HERSHEY SENIOR ENGINEER DEGREES: DUAL BACHELOR’S IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DESIGN, MASTER’S IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: 5+ STEM TYPE: DESIGNER

STEMjobs.com / Late Fall 2018 25 5-E Classroom STEM Activity: Game Night!

Here are some ideas for how high school teachers could use this story as a launching point for integrated STEM learning. Our activities follow the 5-E Learning Cycle Model.

Part 1: Engage

1 Bring in several examples of games and display them in front of the class. Include board games, card games, or other games they may be familiar with. a. What games did you play when you were young? b. What types of games do you play now? c. Have you ever made your own set of rules to a game or changed the rules? What did you do? 2 Have students read the article “Engineering Fun” in STEM Jobs magazine. Discuss the following questions: a. How is engineering a part of the toy and game industry? b. What other STEM professions are needed in this field? c. What STEM skills are beneficial? d. Why is revision and creating several iterations an important part of the toy industry? 3 Break students into small groups of three or four students. Provide each group with a game. Ask students to consider what went into the design of the game. a. What are the components of this game? b. What safety considerations were needed? c. What STEM skills are used while playing?

Part 2: Explore

1 Tell students that they will now have an opportunity to create their own game. Present the challenge to the students: Design a new game that can be added to the Hasbro line that teaches or uses STEM concepts. Create a model and presentation, and conduct product testing with the class. After revision, we will host a game night! Teacher’s Note: You may limit the scope to have the game specifically relate to topics taught in your classroom. 2 Allow students to first brainstorm and research with their groups. Research should include games on Hasbro’s website for inspiration, which can be found at edu.STEMjobs.com/teacher-resources. 3 Provide time for students to create the model of their game and a presentation to share with the class. Students can use classroom materials for creation of their model, or bring materials from home. 4 While students are working, remind them that they should consider safety standards in their design as part of their presentation, especially if the game is intended for younger children. The presentation should include: a. Description of the game b. The rules c. STEM skills and concepts d. Materials used e. Safety considerations

Part 3: Explain

1 Have groups share their model and presentation with the class. Each member should present the information for which they were responsible. Students should explain their game, the rules, STEM skills, the materials used, and safety considerations. 2 After each presentation, allow students to ask clarifying questions and offer suggestions. This feedback will be used in the next portion of the lesson.

2 edu.STEMjobs.com Game Night! Part 4: Elaborate

1 It is time to play! Have student groups play each other’s creations. Provide a piece of paper to leave with each game so that students can leave constructive feedback while playing the game. 2 Bring students back together and share their thoughts for the second iteration of the games. 3 Allow students to make any revisions to their game based on classmate feedback. 4 Organize a family or class game night. This can include inviting family members or other classrooms to come play the new games that were created.

Part 5: Evaluate Students will be evaluated for their game, model, and presentation using the following rubric. Provide the rubric at the beginning of the lesson to clarify expectations and objectives. Each group will be graded, therefore all students in the group will receive the same score.

Scoring Rubric

_____ /30 Game and Model Was research on current Hasbro games completed? Were STEM skills included in the design of the game? Was a model created that could be played? Did the game meet safety guidelines?

_____ /10 Presentation Was the information in the presentation accurate? Did the presentation include the game design, rules, STEM skills, materials used, and safety considerations? Was the presentation clean and easy to understand?

_____ /10 Participation Did each student contribute to the overall project? Did each student assist in creating the presentation, model, and second iteration?

_____ /50 Total

3 edu.STEMjobs.com Game Night! Standards Addressed: Common Core State Standards - Math Additional subject-specific standards will also apply. CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 Model with mathematics. Common Core State Standards - ELA CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11-12 texts and topics. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g. quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10/11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10/11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and videncee and to add interest. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Next Generation Science Standards Additional subject-specific standards will also apply. ETS1-2 Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering. Science and Engineering Practices Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. Disciplinary Core Ideas ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.

ETS1-3 Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. Science and Engineering Practices Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. Disciplinary Core Ideas ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. ISTE Standards for Students 4b Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks. 4c Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process. 6a Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication. 6b Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations. 6c Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations. 6d Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills- Math Additional subject-specific standards will also apply. A.1.A apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace. A.1.B use a problem-solving model that incorporates analyzing given information, formulating a plan or strategy, determining a solution, justifying the solution, and evaluating the problem-solving process and the reasonableness of the solution. A.1.D communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate. A.1.E create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills- Science Additional subject-specific standards will also apply. B.3, C.3, P.3 The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions within and outside the classroom. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills- Technology 2.C Publish information in a variety of ways such as print, monitor display, web pages, and video.

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