Students at Pleasant Hill put their creativity, collaboration and engineering skills to the test! Earlier this month, Ed Kettler’s 4th-grade students created three-dimensional dioramas to participate in Design LAB's gathering spaces competition.
Design LAB challenged students to create diorama gathering spaces to promote companionship and communication in the community. Students are encouraged to use recycled materials such as cardboard, plastic jugs and popsicle sticks to bring their ideas to life.
To assist with the creation, volunteers visited schools to provide insight into the design process of real-life architectural structures, sharing details and helpful tips for the students to incorporate in their work.
“Dennis Wade from Megen Construction came out here every couple weeks to work with the kids and give them ideas on how to better build their structures,” Ed Kettler 4th-grade Science and Social Studies teacher at Pleasant Hill said. “He was super helpful to the students and gave them some great advice on what to do.”
The competition challenged these young minds to unleash their imagination and transform simple cardboard into awe-inspiring architectural marvels. From dog spas to homeless shelters, restaurants to football stadiums, each model brought a unique vision to life.
What truly set the project apart was the collaborative spirit among the participants. As these budding architects and engineers tirelessly worked, they not only nurtured their own skills but learned the importance of teamwork and cooperation.
“We created a restaurant because we loved the idea of eating with all our friends and family,” Taylor Sargent, 4th-grader and winner of the school’s competition said. “I learned that it's like a really good feeling to help people get together and work as a group.”
Beyond the collaboration on display, the competition served as a powerful reminder of the importance of sustainable practices and eco-friendly alternatives. Not only were the projects made using eco-conscious materials, but Sagrents’ group also showcased other sustainable practices that could be replicated in real life construction designs.
“They built this grass roof on top which they learned in class would help lower utility bills and energy costs. They took their knowledge of what would benefit the planet and kept that in mind when they were building,” Kettler said.
