I got to do something really neat for the Design Squad Nation episode Garden to Go -- teach Mariam how to TIG weld! She'd never touched a welding torch before, but she was really interested to learn.
Welding is a fun process. Turning cold, hard metal into a liquid is a pretty wild, powerful feeling. Best of all, knowing how to weld enables you to build some REALLY cool stuff.
In this video, I give Mariam her first welding lesson. She's a quick learner!
I hope she continues to practice, because I think it would be awesome for Global Generation to have a welder-in-residence.
How many steps does it take to catch a monster? A whole lot, if you're using a Rube Goldberg machine!
Seven-year-old Audri built this complicated contraption using stuff from around the house. He was inspired by Rube Goldberg, an engineer and artist who created elaborate inventions for the characters in his cartoons.
Click on the video below to see Audri's awesome machine.
Have you built a Harmless Holder yet? DSN Hero Jen Chua builds projects just like this for her job! Jen's a packaging engineer. That means she figures out what kinds of shapes, colors, and materials get used to package the things you buy.
Jen works for a company that makes cleaning products that are safe for the environment. Her goal: to make greener, more efficient packaging that looks cool, too. She says "there's definitely a creative side to engineering." We agree!
Share YOUR green packaging ideas in our Projects section. Just click on the wish below to get started!
DSN hero Mariam shows us the rooftop garden she and her team at Global Generation have built. Featured on the garden is a system to collect and clean water for use in the building below, plus a wind turbine, flowers, solar panels, and a composter. Awesome!
Check out Mariam's Heroes page to see her wish, become a fan, or give her a sticker by clicking the image below!
Meet DSN Hero Chris Gray, a roller coaster designer for Great Coasters International Inc. Chris calls roller coasters "fear machines," but most importantly he applies his creativity and engineering know-how to build exhilarating (and safe!) roller coasters. Let's take a look at his video.
Have an idea for your own roller coaster or thrill ride? Click on the image below to add your own design!
In the episode Off-Road Go Karts, heroes Leah and Dewey shift things into high gear! They work with their teammates to build go-karts for a challenging off-road race. The hero with the fastest go-kart wins a college scholarship!
Dewey says engineering is "so much fun." And Leah told us "Engineering is something that anyone can do. I think it's a lot of fun and I think you should really try it."
So what are you waiting for?! Get building! Check out Leah and Dewey's Heroes pages to learn more about them, become a fan, and grant Leah's wish! Just click on the images below.
Arie and Griffen Ouimet, twin teenaged brothers, race go-karts at the SSC East racetrack in Braintree, Massachusetts. Arie prefers to be behind the wheel, while Griffen puts his engineering skills to work in the pits. The brothers are mentored by Dave Davidson, a mechanical engineer who developed the Freedom Wheel, a go-kart steering wheel that works without foot controls.
Try making your own mini race car on our Projects page. Just click on Judy's wish below!
Design Squad Nation challenged YOU to choose an activity from the DSN Web site, form a team, and build your own super-big version. The entries sent in were amazing!! Our judges looked at every entry carefully before choosing our finalists, runners up, and grand prize winner.
A BIG congratulations to all the teams! Check out the grand prize winner and runners-up:
Grand Prize Winner: String Thing
Paul, Kalin and Robert
took our online game String Thing to the next level! They built wooden sound boxes and attached rubber band strings to them (like on a guitar). The team tuned each rubber band to a different note, and then it was ready to play!
Rock on!
Runner-Up: Brilliant Bamboo Boat
Katie, Sonia and Connor chose the Watercraft activity because they love being in the water!
Instead of using straws to make a small boat, the team used tall bamboo to build a BIG boat! Zip ties hold it all together, plus there's a sail made from a tarp to catch the wind. Nice!
Runner-Up: Electromagnetic Crane
Lilly and MaryAnn super-sized the Heavy Lifting activity! They used their favorite building material, PVC pipe, to create a big crane.
The team was inspired by real-life cranes to use an electromagnet in their build. An electromagnet is a special kind of magnet that works with an electric current. See the electromagnet in action in their video!
Be sure to check out the Contest page to see videos from our nine finalists, too.
Building the DIY playground in Nicaragua was a big job -- and lots of fun, too! One group that really helped us out was Roadmonkey Adventure Philanthropy. Adventure philanthropy combines travel with volunteering. Today's special guest is Paul von Zielbauer, the Founder & CEO of Roadmonkey. He's here to tell us more about the project:
This is a story about what it's like building a playground in three days in Nicaragua with Design Squad Nation. It was... what's the right word?
FUN!
Really fun, because we built something with our own hands, with local Nicaraguan students, that brings so much joy to a community in need. Here's how it all came together.
Last March, my company, Roadmonkey Adventure Philanthropy, created an expedition to Nicaragua, the poorest country in Latin America. The expedition combined surfing lessons on the southern Pacific coastline with a playground-building project up north in Cusmapa. Eight people signed up for it. We also found a local non-profit, the Fabretto Foundation, to help us build the playground.
But who knows how to build a beautiful playground in just three days? Design Squad Nation! So Roadmonkey and Judy, Adam and the Design Squad Nation crew agreed to meet in Cusmapa to make the community's dream of a playground a reality.
We all worked long days -- from breakfast to dinner, with a short break for lunch and no siestas, thankyouverymuch. We roadmonkeys, including people from New York, Seattle and California, loved working with the local students, their parents and, of course, the good folks from Design Squad Nation. We were able to bring sustainable joy to a community few foreigners ever see. That's a special feeling.
Here are some photos of the roadmonkeys and kids during the big build!
While we were in New York City for the two-part episode A Cut Above, Eduarda was my personal tour guide/shopping expert in the city's Fashion District. If you've never been to the Fashion District before, it's AMAZING. It's an entire area dedicated just to fashion supplies. There are several blocks of shops focusing on single items like fabric, buttons, supplies, or jewels. That's like having ten stores to choose from for the right button! Can you imagine? That's a lot of buttons. It was a little overwhelming at times, but it was the best fashion hardware store you could ever ask for. We found so many new and inspiring things for our project.
