We love finding creative ways to utilize exploratory, hands-on, and real-world learning at KJDS! Our 2/3 class use their knowledge of the Engineering Design Process to become geotechnical engineers, learning about factors that need to be considered when building a bridge over a river. Last year they read a story about a fictional village in Nepal and learned about the real technology of a TarPul bridge, or wire bridge, described in the story. The kids then moved into experimentation with the concepts they read about. They observed and experimented with different variables, gathered data, learned about soil types and erosion, and worked with their engineering teams to begin choosing a site for their own (imaginary) TarPul bridge. We hope to continue using this new knowledge and practice of engineering skills to build  future structures to help solve a problem here in our school community.