Playground Re-Design Project
This project was probably one of the most meaningful projects that we had done this year. Our job was to be engineers, architects, visionaries, and creative thinkers to come up with a design for a playground in which both kids in wheelchairs and other kids can play in. We had to combine accessibility with our creativity to come up with a playground that was at least 75% wheelchair accessible, but that other kids would want to play on as well. My job was to be the head engineer of my group, which meant coming up with measurements, making sure that the playground we designed was ADA approved, ensuring that we stick to all ADA regulations, and creating blueprints to show how our playground will be located, and creating an inspiration board to keep track of all of the things that influenced us to want to make our playground the way we designed it. In the end, our playground came out to be very well designed and looked very fun! it was more than 75% wheelchair accessible and I am really proud of the way it turned out.
Personal Reflection
Monica Morales
10th Grade Math
Christina Quattrocchi
May 20, 2013
Playtime is the time during a child's youth where they learn all of the basic socialization skills that will help them for the rest of their lives. They learn how to share their toys in the sandbox, how to take turns on the swings, how to be polite when waiting in line for the slide, and more importantly, they learn how to make friends by interacting with other children. Every child should have a chance to do all of this and not be forced to sit in the sidelines. School is also another important place where children learn and acquire all of these socialization skills. They learn to be polite and raise their hands, how to not talk while others are talking, they discover something called an “indoor voice”, and learn to respect their peers and mentors. Their classroom is like their second home, they spend a large part of their day here, and it is very important that they feel completely comfortable and very included in what is going on. As a student of High Tech High, I would have to say that my favorite part about the school is the fact that a large part of its culture is focused on giving you a sense of family or community. Because it is a small school, you get to know almost all of the students on a more personal basis and get to interact with everyone at one point or another. However, if you are in a wheelchair, it can be hard at times to be able to socialize with all of your peers. For example, if everyone is on the grass, your wheels have a hard time getting over those small bumps and holes in the grass, and it may prevent you from going down there to meet up with friends. It can be even harder to have to maneuver around a crowded playground. If you think about it, we really take for granted all of the simple things that we can do every day, some of which are a lot harder to do if you are in a wheelchair. That is why our design is made to fit the needs of children in wheelchairs. We wanted to make it as easy as possible for these kids to be able to play side by side with their friends and feel like a normal kid. We designed our playground to be very simple, spacey, but still fun. It has all of the basic components that any other playground would have, including slides, monkey bars, and even a maze. There are two sets of monkey bars, one that is closer to the ground so that the kids in wheelchairs can pull their chairs across, and the other set for the other kids who want to swing across. The two are conveniently located next to each other to allows both kids to socialize. As for the maze, it is wide enough so that the kids in wheelchairs can also try to complete it, which means that they can follow their friends through the maze and maybe play a game of tag. Our playground is also completely covered by shade, so it will not be a problem for kids to get too hot or sunburned in the sun while playing. By encouraging that all children play together on one playground, it can strengthen the bonds that the kids share within the classroom, as well as on the playground. This will cause these children to get a sense of the real High Tech culture, and experience first hand all of those socialization skills that they are starting to learn.
10th Grade Math
Christina Quattrocchi
May 20, 2013
Playtime is the time during a child's youth where they learn all of the basic socialization skills that will help them for the rest of their lives. They learn how to share their toys in the sandbox, how to take turns on the swings, how to be polite when waiting in line for the slide, and more importantly, they learn how to make friends by interacting with other children. Every child should have a chance to do all of this and not be forced to sit in the sidelines. School is also another important place where children learn and acquire all of these socialization skills. They learn to be polite and raise their hands, how to not talk while others are talking, they discover something called an “indoor voice”, and learn to respect their peers and mentors. Their classroom is like their second home, they spend a large part of their day here, and it is very important that they feel completely comfortable and very included in what is going on. As a student of High Tech High, I would have to say that my favorite part about the school is the fact that a large part of its culture is focused on giving you a sense of family or community. Because it is a small school, you get to know almost all of the students on a more personal basis and get to interact with everyone at one point or another. However, if you are in a wheelchair, it can be hard at times to be able to socialize with all of your peers. For example, if everyone is on the grass, your wheels have a hard time getting over those small bumps and holes in the grass, and it may prevent you from going down there to meet up with friends. It can be even harder to have to maneuver around a crowded playground. If you think about it, we really take for granted all of the simple things that we can do every day, some of which are a lot harder to do if you are in a wheelchair. That is why our design is made to fit the needs of children in wheelchairs. We wanted to make it as easy as possible for these kids to be able to play side by side with their friends and feel like a normal kid. We designed our playground to be very simple, spacey, but still fun. It has all of the basic components that any other playground would have, including slides, monkey bars, and even a maze. There are two sets of monkey bars, one that is closer to the ground so that the kids in wheelchairs can pull their chairs across, and the other set for the other kids who want to swing across. The two are conveniently located next to each other to allows both kids to socialize. As for the maze, it is wide enough so that the kids in wheelchairs can also try to complete it, which means that they can follow their friends through the maze and maybe play a game of tag. Our playground is also completely covered by shade, so it will not be a problem for kids to get too hot or sunburned in the sun while playing. By encouraging that all children play together on one playground, it can strengthen the bonds that the kids share within the classroom, as well as on the playground. This will cause these children to get a sense of the real High Tech culture, and experience first hand all of those socialization skills that they are starting to learn.
Interview Questions
Below are some of the questions we asked the families who we were given the chance to interview about their daily lifestyles and struggles they face while in wheelchairs. This also helped us get a better idea of what it was that would be helpful or beneficiary, to both the kids and parents, to put on a playground.
Questions for Kids-
1.) What are some problems that you face daily if any?
2.) If you imagined a playground for the disabled, what would it have in it?
3.) Can you tell us about a time where you were on a wheelchair-friendly playground?
4.) How do you feel when you see other kids playing a playground that was not wheelchair friendly and you can not play in?
5.) How wheelchair accessible is your current school?
6.) Assuming that you have a wheelchair friendly house, do you feel more comfortable at home than anywhere else?
7.) Can you think of a time where you have attempted to play on a playground that is not wheelchair friendly?
8.) (follow up question^) Can you describe what made that a difficult or easy situation for you?
9.)If you had the chance to design your own playground, what would your playground have?
10.) Do you believe that more parks should be wheelchair friendly? (Why or why not)
Questions for the Adults-
1.) Can you describe some of the changes you have had to make around the house to meet the needs of your child?
2) Can you tell us about one of the biggest struggles you have to face daily?
3) do you feel that there is still a lot more changes that can be made to the public parks, sidewalks, etc to meet the needs of children in wheelchairs?
4.) How do you feel when your child is struggling and can’t enjoy the playground with his/her friends?
5.)What are some of your thoughts about the playgrounds that your son/daughter plays on or tries to play on?
6.) What are some of your expectations for a playground for the disabled?
Questions for Kids-
1.) What are some problems that you face daily if any?
2.) If you imagined a playground for the disabled, what would it have in it?
3.) Can you tell us about a time where you were on a wheelchair-friendly playground?
4.) How do you feel when you see other kids playing a playground that was not wheelchair friendly and you can not play in?
5.) How wheelchair accessible is your current school?
6.) Assuming that you have a wheelchair friendly house, do you feel more comfortable at home than anywhere else?
7.) Can you think of a time where you have attempted to play on a playground that is not wheelchair friendly?
8.) (follow up question^) Can you describe what made that a difficult or easy situation for you?
9.)If you had the chance to design your own playground, what would your playground have?
10.) Do you believe that more parks should be wheelchair friendly? (Why or why not)
Questions for the Adults-
1.) Can you describe some of the changes you have had to make around the house to meet the needs of your child?
2) Can you tell us about one of the biggest struggles you have to face daily?
3) do you feel that there is still a lot more changes that can be made to the public parks, sidewalks, etc to meet the needs of children in wheelchairs?
4.) How do you feel when your child is struggling and can’t enjoy the playground with his/her friends?
5.)What are some of your thoughts about the playgrounds that your son/daughter plays on or tries to play on?
6.) What are some of your expectations for a playground for the disabled?