Students need to sketch ideas on paper, some rough draft of a drawing. It doesnt need to be pretty, but they need to visualize ideas, even add some notes or locations of specific features. Pencil and paper.Some are good with golf pencils , some need full size. Okay, some kids like pen. Often I use whatever is handy. I do prefer an unlined page of some sort. Some kids like lines. Everyone prefers a different size paper and a different size drawing. I have been amazed at how small some kids could draw. I have seen classes where students have journals / sketchbooks / Engineering notebooks of various styles blank/lined/grid (ideas A B C). Some makers like to have a large roll of white paper in the space so people can go any size. After that rough idea is down, they could use colored pencils/crayons to add some flare or details. Maybe next, try some blue paper and white pencils/crayons. Somehow that color shift just changes our mindset.
They don’t have to freehand everything. You should also have some drawing tools. Rulers are an obvious choice for a tool, especially since it has two functions, measuring and straightedge. A variety of drawing templates are also nice to have. There are so many options (if you have a laser cutter you could make your own…even a Cricut could cut some thinner plastic to make your won). The Splat 3D Geometric Drawing Tool is a nice one to try out. Protractors and compasses (geometric ones) are good to have available. Recently this Multifunctional Geometric Ruler has popped up.
MEASURING!!!
Kids need to measure stuff so they get used to “how big” something is in order for them to design correctly. So you need to have lots of rulers and measuring tapes, and even digital or plastic calipers around for them to use….and opportunities for them to use them. You should probably also have some digital scales for mass/weight.
If you have whiteboard or glass walls, those are great for designs also. You can buy a 4×8′ sheet of flat/solid white bathroom paneling at a home improvement store and put them up whole or cut them into pieces for individuals groups. Pick a size you like, though I wouldn’t go bigger than 24″x32″. Also, you might want to round off the corners. Have you found a brand of whiteboard markers that work best? (June Gold ; ShuttleArt ; EXPO ). I hate having to pay $1 per marker. You do know that wet erase markers also work…you just have to “wet erase” everytime.
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