Sports Card Box Idea

by Dave

Tried out your sports card box idea as a class springboard for my 7th grade design unit. As an Industrial Arts teacher, I found both boys and girls enjoyed working out box designs and drafting patterns. Some worked on personal or younger sibs' sports cards for the box. Some did designs for small gift boxes for earrings, etc.

We worked on card stock and stuck with your single sheet card box idea as illustrated. Lots of measuring, cutting, folding, testing, remeasuring, etc. Their final submissions included some of the best integration of peer critique I have had!

The success seemed to be a combination of (1) usefulness to them (2) application to school assignment (3) easy pattern duplications for friends (critics!) to try out. They learned a lot. Me too!

At least two kids may continue to explore their box designs in our plastics unit.

Great stuff!
Dave

Real World reply: Glad the sports card box idea worked well for you. Your card stock was an inspired choice!

In our own Industrial Arts experiences, we found that kids were more likely to rework and retest when the materials they used for box design were lighter than commonly available box cardboards. Once they had some experience with folds and tabs, students were more venturesome in sturdier materials. Along with greater attention to maths, mechanical skills, and their use of tools!

We would welcome any student box design ideas or photos of completed boxes and happy to include them here for others to share. Plus any other words of wisdom about that peer critique process you mentioned!