Week1: What is a GRID?

What is a GRID?

In this lesson we will learn what a grid is. The word grid will be discussed in great depth during this season of bESTology. So let’s see what this word grid is all about.

Definition of a grid:

These definitions are directly form the Online Oxford Dictionary.
grid,  NOUN.

1. A framework of spaced bars that are parallel to or cross each other; a grating. ‘the metal grids had been pulled across the foyer’
2. A network of lines that cross each other to form a series of squares or rectangles. ‘a grid of tree-lined streets’
3. A grid of regular squares on a map that are marked with numbers or letters to enable a place to be precisely located.
4. A pattern of lines marking the starting places on a motor-racing track.

More example sentences using “grid”:

• A field for American football; a gridiron.

• A network of cables or pipes for distributing power, especially high-voltage transmission lines for electricity. ‘the reactor was connected to the grid in 1985’

• Computing:  A number of computers linked together via the Internet so that their combined power may be harnessed to work on difficult problems.

• Electronics:  An electrode placed between the cathode and anode of a thermionic valve or cathode ray tube, serving to control or modulate the flow of electrons.

Resources 

1. Oxford Online Dictionary
2. City Grids
3. Electrical Grid
4. A square mile of a city grid
5. Web designs and grids
6. BESTinc.org

Research/Reflect/Brainstorm

As you can see from the definitions above, there are many types of grids.

• First brainstorm as a group or in smaller groups, as many types of grids that you can image. Write down where you might find these grids and what they are used for.
• After you have done some brainstorming dive into some research. See how many of your ideas are real and maybe list ideas you never even thought of.
• Discuss how these grids affect you personally; your future, your education, your personal life
• Discuss how many of these grids are used in your communities and how many of these grids are used around you on a daily basis.
• How have you used a grid today?

Activity 

Watch this video – Robots on a GRID
In essay format write your opinion about this video. How does this affect us?

BEST Connection

One important component of the BEST competition is your team’s connection to your community and the BEST community. Many teams will even have a separate committee design a website specific to the theme of the competition. Have you or your team ever discussed or thought about the fact that your webpage is a grid?

Analyze your webpage as well as the BEST webpage and see if you can figure out what type of grid it is.

Community Connection

Your city or even your neighborhood must be built using some type of grid formation. Find a map or visit your local community website and see if you can find any grid patterns for your city, neighborhood, or even school district.

Blooms Taxonomy 

Bloom’s Taxonomy: create, explore, evaluate, generate, include, identify, list, observe, reflect, review , use, and write

Workforce Skills 

Critical thinking, materials evaluation, reading comprehension, science, writing, research