EST400 COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT

DESIGN BRIEF

Name: NaomiMathew

Client: AlisonSchipp

Context/Problem
My client is a Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 teacher who uses story stones
during play times as an educational toy. However, problems have arisen
with the safety of the stones as some students have been tempted to
throw them and have hit other students on accident. The weight of the
stones in the bag is also an issue as the younger children struggle with
carrying them back to the shelves when they pack up. In addition, the
stones do slip out of the bag quite easily.

Challenge
I am going to create a product that has a similar use to that of story
stones and is also appealing to and practical for Prep, Grade 1 and Grade
2 levels. The product needs to be lightweight but sturdy, easy to store and
carry and be safe for the students to use. The product should be relatively
small.

Specifications

Shouldnotexceed20cminanydimension
Shouldhaveacarryingfeature
Shouldbesimplefortargetedyearlevelstouse
Shouldbelight
Storageshouldnotbeintheformofabag

(refertoAppendix1)

INVESTIGATION
My investigation started with the tools that I already had as I was trying to create
this product at a low cost. This led me to the understanding that I possessed
vices, a saw, safety goggles, sandpaper, safety gloves, a mask and a hammer.
These tools and equipment would be ideal for creating a product made out of
wood. I considered using wood as it is readily available, relatively cheap, sturdy
and there are many different types of wood with associated properties available.
I also considered Plexiglass as it would be relatively easy to cut using the score
and snap method and it would be lightweight and sturdy. However, I chose to use
wood because I felt that it was aesthetically better, it was cheaper and there
were many types of wood that I could investigate to suit my purpose. I finally
chose Treated Pine and MDF for the storage box and MDF coasters as a
replacement for the story stones. I considered solely using MDF or Balsa wood
sheets for the storage box but they were too thin and would not be sturdy
enough. The Treated Pine was sturdy, cost effective, durable and relatively light
in the amounts needed. It is also environmentally friendly as the extra wood was
recycled by my clients school and used in their garden. Acrylic paint was used
on the wood as the colours were vibrant and bold which would appeal to the
younger students and it was easily applied on the pine and MDF surfaces. I also
decided to add a handle to the box to make it easier for the younger students to
hold it. I chose a metal handle over a wooden handle as I knew that would be
quite solid and would not chip if hit. My investigation also led to the
understanding that I had to work between 7am and 8pm when I used the
hammer in accordance with Residential Noise Regulations.

SOLUTIONS

DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCT

Materials: Treated Pine wood, MDF, acrylic paint, handles, screws and nails
Tools and Equipment: Saw, hacksaw, pencil, eraser, ruler, markers, hammer,
paint brushes, toothpicks, face mask, protective goggles, safety gloves, screw
driver, sandpaper and vices
Process: The first step in creating the product was measuring the pieces of pine
and MDF that would be needed using a pencil, eraser and ruler. The next step
was cutting them to size using a saw and vice. I stood sideways when cutting the
wood and used the appropriate protective equipment such as safety gloves, face
mask and protective goggles as well as wearing closed-toe shoes for safety
purposes. There were some issues that arose with cutting the wood such as not
having the appropriate work bench which made cutting the wood quite hard as it
was not sturdy. After trialling a few different places, I found a table that was
secure enough to cut the wood on. The next step was cutting grooves into the
wood. This was quite difficult as the saw I was using had large teeth and was too
cumbersome and therefore did not allow me to create the small grooves. As
such, I bought a small hacksaw which worked better as it had smaller teeth and
was easier to manoeuvre. Next, I sanded down the pieces of wood to give it a
smoother finish and to ensure that the pieces of wood were exactly the size they
were meant to be. I used a mask and safety goggles to protect myself. After that,
I painted the pine and the MDF with a few coats of acrylic paint. Once the paint
dried, I nailed the pieces of wood together one at a time. As it was problematic
trying to hold the wood in the correct position while nailing, I asked for a second
pair of hands to do the holding while I hammered. I ensured that I held the
hammer in the middle of the shaft for better grip and control. Then, I attached
the handles onto the box using a screw driver and screws. Once the storage box
was finished, I slid the pieces of MDF that had been cut as segregators into the
grooves and placed the story shapes into their allocated compartments.
Description: The final product is a rectangular prism which is open on top. The
inside of the box has been segregated into three sections where the story shapes
are kept. The handles have been placed on the top of the box as opposed to the
sides in an effort to keep it slightly more compact. One feature of this product is
the compact nature of the story shapes which allows for a greater quantity of
shapes to be stored in the box. This product is slightly different to story stones as
the shapes have been segregated into categories which are Characters, Place
and Object so that it is slightly more structured for younger students. As this
product is aimed at younger students, each category has been allocated a
certain shape and colour. The outside of the box has been divided into three
sections and painted with the colour of the corresponding shape. This provides a
visual indicator to the younger students of where each shape needs to go,
making it easier and more efficient to pack up. The outside of the box also
features an Instructions panel which provides simple advice on how they can
use the product for its designed use. Handles have also been added to the box
to add to the aesthetics of it as well as its practicality.

DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTIONALITY
The story shapes are lightweight which makes it safe and practical for Prep,
Grade 1 and 2 students to be using. The addition of the handles to the storage

box, which is relatively lightweight, makes it even easier for the product to be
carried and used. Pine wood was used for the majority of the box because it
added to its durability and considering the quantity of wood used, would still
ensure that the box was light. The rectangular shape of the box and its size
ensures that it can be easily stored. The instructions and colour scheme of the
product makes it easy to use while the colourful pictures ensure that it is
appealing to the targeted year levels.

EVALUATION OF PRODUCT AND PROCESS

I believe that this product is quite successful as the size and shape of the product
make it lightweight and easy to store. The story shapes are also a safe
alternative to the stones that were previously used. One of the main features of
this product that is successful is the colour-coordinated shapes and sections as I
believe this makes it easy to use and to pack up. The handles make it easy for
students to hold onto the box and the lowered sides of the box ensure that
students have easy access to the story shapes. However, if presented with a
similar challenge, I would try to add a lid to the box so that the story shapes are
more protected when stored and the box can be stackable. This would mean
removing the handles from their current position and perhaps placing them on
the sides of the box as well as raising the height of the sides so that a lid can be
placed on top. The construction process was quite successful as I had a clear
order of what needed to be done. However, I would ensure that I am
continuously checking that all the pieces of wood fit together well before painting
as I had to sand down the MDF wood after it had been painted because it did not
fit smoothly into the groove. I would also use a vice to hold together the pieces
of wood that need to be nailed as it might move less and the result would be a
more even finish.

TASKS PERSONAL IMPACT AS AN EDUCATOR

One of the ways in which this task has impacted me as an educator is by giving
me insight into the necessity for the different stages of the process, from the
investigation to the evaluation. This will be reflected in the way I teach as I would
place more emphasis on the understanding of the actual process rather than the
product. This task has also encouraged me to teach technology more in my
classroom as it naturally allows for the integration of other subjects as well as
practical skills which would result in a more holistic form of teaching.

PICTURES
1. Measuring pieces of wood.

2. Cutting pieces of wood to size

3. Measuring and cutting the MDF dividing pieces

4. Measuring and cutting grooves into the wood

5. Sanding pieces of wood

6. Marking up painted sections

7. Painting wood, coasters and MDF

8. Product after final base coat

9. Nailing pieces of wood together

10.Storage box completely assembled

11.Screwing on handles

12.Finishing details on coasters and storage box

13.Final product

Appendix
Appendix 1: Communication with client