Kindergartners in Leni Nakao-Yamada’s class recently brought a storybook to life in their Design, Technology and Engineering (DTE) lesson with Liz Castillo and Danette Kobayashi. Inspired by My Monster and Me by Nadiya Hussain – a touching story about a little boy whose “worry monster” follows him everywhere he goes, students explored how creativity, engineering and fabrication can help express big emotions.
After discussing the story’s themes of worry and resilience, students were challenged to design and build their own monsters. Before beginning, they revisited important lessons in safety and technique: tying back hair, wearing closed-toe shoes and practicing how to safely use low-temperature glue guns. They reviewed the cardboard attachment methods – folds, L-braces, flanges and bends – that they had learned in a previous class, skills that would help bring their monsters to life.
Castillo demonstrated how to attach a toilet paper roll to a cardboard base by cutting flanges and gluing safely, always applying glue to the larger object rather than the smaller one. “Safety first,” she reminded the class. To reinforce the concept of structure and stability, students compared two images on the screen: one showing a wobbly spoon glued improperly, and another reinforced with an L-brace – sturdy and strong.
After watching a short video of other students demonstrating gluing techniques, the kindergartners selected their own materials – colorful paper strips, cardboard, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, string and googly eyes – and got to work designing and fabricating their monsters.
The project was a lesson in perseverance, creativity and emotional expression. “Design, Technology and Engineering is challenging,” said Kobayashi, “but that’s where the learning happens. It teaches grit, problem-solving – and it’s fun!”
By the end of class, every student had not only fabricated a colorful, one-of-a-kind monster but also learned that, just like in My Monster and Me, facing your worries with creativity and courage can make even the biggest emotions a little less scary.
