Functional Elements

Ask the children to name some things in the room that have moving parts (e.g., toys or furniture with wheels, curtains or blinds, doors, and scissors).

Explain that these things have a function or a job to do.

Ask the children to identify the functions or jobs of the moving parts they have named.

Ask the children to explore all of the bricks and elements in the STEAM Park set.

Encourage them to use their imaginations and creativity to find all of the pieces that can be put together to make a functional or moving part.

Consider asking questions like:

• What are the pieces called?
• What would happen if you put some of the pieces together?

Tip:
The functional elements include: one turntable, the swing and its frame, two orange rockers, the gears, the winches with the string and hook, one cannon, two darts, the carts with wheels, two hinged bricks, and two flexible accordion elements.

Encourage the children to take turns showing and telling the group how each of the functional elements works.

Consider asking questions like:

• How could you use this part?
• Have you seen other parts that move like this one? Where have you seen them? What were they used for?

Explain that a machine is made up of parts that use energy to do work.

Ask the children to name some machines they have seen (e.g., vehicles, computers, lawnmowers, elevators, coffee makers, toasters, and bicycles.

Ask the children to use some of the functional elements to build a machine that has a special purpose.

Ask each child to show you how his or her machine works and to tell you what it does.

Observing the following skills can help you monitor whether the children are developing the necessary competencies in science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

• Using technology such as simple gears and wheels in appropriate ways.
• Asking questions about science and technology related concepts.
• Experimenting/testing “what would happen if” questions.
• Observing and describing what happens.