After opening the recycled boxes, I took the time to investigate the characteristics and structural performance of the cardboard. I found that it would be easy to be able to construct a box shape. Mathematical literacy guided my vision of a box shape, and I cut out the sides of the box. At the start of construction I was using masking tape to connect my boxes. However, this did not work; the tape was not strong enough to hold my model in place and made the model very flimsy. Critical thinking allowed me to problem solve; I thought of using PVA glue however it did not dry quickly enough so I then decided to use the hot glue gun.
The glue from the hot glue gun dried quickly and held the boxes in place and therefore it was much easier to work with. I then spent a reasonable amount of time working on creating an even box. I used scissors to create the holes in the bottom of the nesting box. The entry hole was cut, wide enough for a possum to ‘fit into’. When attaching the straws to the front and inside the nesting box, the hot glue gun melted the straw, therefore I had to use PVA glue and wait for it to dry. I then created a lid that would open and close, it was important for the lid to be on an angle so that ‘water’ would run off and there also needed to be a hang over from the main box. Another important detail was the flap at the front; it needed to be long enough to partially cover the entry hole. The last step was using the hot glue gun to attach the backboard to the back of the nesting box.
Physically being able to take part in the construction process gave me an opportunity to take part in and apply skills to successfully:
– Question and predict outcomes
– Explore different materials and how they can be physically changed
– Explore components, tools and equipment to safely produce a design solution
– Evaluate and reflect during the construction process
Design ePortfolio 