Ann Arbor Open Project
The School
Ann Arbor Open is a K-8 school of choice in the Ann Arbor school district. This school features multi-graded classes and embraces embraces child-centered, project-based curriculum that reflects the children's interests. The school focuses on educating the whole child.
To find out more about A2 Open, check out their website: http://www.a2schools.org/Domain/12
The Project
We began our partnership at Ann Arbor Open with Meg Fenech, principal, and Leslie Lawther, fifth/sixth grade teacher, in the fall of 2016. While Woven Wind led outreach days with interactive presentations and hands-on activities in the classroom, we worked to design a wind turbine for the roof of Ann Arbor Open. This year, we are finalizing the design and building the turbine. Currently, the application that will be powered by this turbine is to be decided.
This project is not only an engineering design project for the students to watch, but also an educational tool for them to get involved with. We strive to involve the 5th and 6th grade students in the design process by visiting the school throughout the year to conduct several educational workshops, as well as involve them in the design decisions such as choosing their application. We facilitate outreach days to teach about the blades, electrical system, generators and transmission system, and the turbine structure. Through these activity days, the students are able to understand the engineering concepts used in wind turbines and develop an innovative, engineering way of thinking.
Project Status
What We've Done
In the winter semester of 2017, we began our partnership with Ann Arbor Open. We held five outreach activity days to teach about the basics of Woven Wind: Introduction, Blades, Electrical/Transmission, Application, and Student Panel. We wrote our proposal and started our engineering design process.
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What We're Doing
Right now, we are creating the fine details of our engineering designs and setting ourselves up to build. We are welcoming new members to the team and teaching them what we know. We are preparing for this semester's activity days and are excited to see the students again, teaching about what we know best.
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What We Plan To Do
We plan to install the turbine in late spring, near the end of the school year. In order to do this, we must stick to our schedule continue good communication within our team and with our partners at Ann Arbor Open.
