Who knew that an Easter egg hunt could be a lesson in engineering?
Students in Brooke Rooney’s engineering classes at the Life Ready Center discovered that sometimes an egg hunt can be more than an egg hunt. First, she talked with her students about the different types of containers that could be used — baskets, buckets or pillowcases — and how the baskets could be made in 5-10 minutes or they could be higher quality. Then the students spent three days designing and engineering their baskets before the great hunt.
Rooney herself was busy stuffing 2,500 plastic eggs with candy and miniature toys before scattering them around the Life Ready Center. Most eggs were hidden in plain sight — Rooney taped them to lockers and put them on ledges above the lockers. A few were hidden in less obvious places.
On the last day of school before Easter, students could take their baskets and collect up to a dozen eggs. (A limit was suggested so there were enough eggs to go around.)
Loralie Hanes, 15, from MacArthur High School, was picky about the eggs she collected. She was seen walking down the hall shaking the eggs taped to the lockers before choosing which ones she added to her basket.
“I don’t really eat the candy, so I don’t want them. So I am shaking them. The ones that don’t have candy shake really well. Candy is taking up all the space,” Hanes said. “I haven’t seen anyone else shaking eggs.”
Hanes was putting her chosen eggs in her basket, which was shaped like an Easter bunny.
What was she going to do with her Easter eggs?
“I’m going to carry them around all day,” she said.
Maklynn Hoerbert and Alina Anderson collected their quota of eggs and then found a quiet office in which to inspect them.
“Why am I getting so much candy? I want the balloon dogs,” Hoerbert said as she opened her eggs. Meanwhile Anderson was making a pile of candy and a pile of miniature animals as she opened her eggs.
Hoerbert said the hunt was fun, however she had trouble reaching the eggs on top of the lockers. Her taller friend came to her rescue by retrieving them for her.
Both girls also were showing off their baskets.
“I just got a lid and materials for the handle from the art teacher,” Anderson said.
Hoerbert said she borrowed a package that her mother received and grabbed a hot glue gun. The basket part is from the package and the handle is cardboard wrapped in wrapping paper.
“It worked perfectly fine,” Hoerbert said.
Hoerbert and Anderson ended up trading candy and animals from their eggs so that each was pleased.
Rooney said this is the second year for the egg hunt. Last year she was teaching about weaving techniques when her own sense of childhood kicked in and she had students design their own baskets.
“I figured an egg hunt would be appropriate,” she said.
While the official “hunt” was for her students, Rooney anticipated that other students couldn’t resist the lure of an Easter egg.
“Every student at the LRC who sees an egg will most likely grab it,” Rooney said, which is just fine with her, adding that it gives students an opportunity to meet others they may not know.
Besides a lesson on engineering and the opportunity to meet new people, the event is just fun, Rooney said.
“For some, a smile on their face and a little bit of childhood nostalgia. It’s always fun to see them be kids again,” Rooney said. “It’s a joyful moment. We don’t have many of them.”