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STEM UnitsWhole-class Solutions for Grades 6-8
onethe power of
One Powerful Mission • One Proven Resource
STEM Units
Science, math, and technology are the building blocks
for engineering, making STEM learning crucial for the
nation’s future. The earlier students learn to work with
all of these key subjects, the better prepared they will
be for STEM opportunities in high school and college.
Tapping America’s Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative
The number of undergraduate STEM degrees won’t begin to grow at the requisite rate until . . . new – and newly energized – math and science teachers start flowing into K-12 schools, and STEM teaching and student performance improves – at all levels.
A Vehicle for STEM LearningWhile many middle school educators are familiar with teaching science,
math, and technology, they are often unprepared to apply these
subjects through engineering to create an integrated whole.
This is what spurred Pitsco Education to create STEM Units – to provide a vehicle for
helping middle school-level students make connections between the four areas of
STEM learning. Its activities incorporate all three learning domains: cognitive, affective,
and psychomotor. The STEM Units provides students with experiences in many career
areas, giving them a taste of what might await them as adults.
Flexible scheduling is just one way that the STEM whole-class units
stand out from the rest. A single three- or six-week unit can be
used to supplement existing curriculum, all 11 units can be used
to create a yearlong course, or any combination of these
two can be created. There are no prerequisites, and units
can be completed in any order desired. Additionally,
these units can be incorporated into a traditional
classroom, a technology lab, or a science lab setting.
1
STEM Units
CurriculumEach of the 11 thematic units – covering rocketry, sustainable energy, structures,
and more – offers hands-on activities so students apply the concepts learned and
develop skills to bring their dreams and ideas into creation. Teacher’s guides written
to specific activities offer detailed student and teacher procedures, national standards
addressed, assessments, and necessary background information. Using the teacher’s
guides alongside the detailed scope and sequences takes care of the day-to-day lesson
planning – teachers only need to focus on guiding students through the process.
DVD instructions for the building activities provide a visual reference for teachers
and students alike. These step-by-step instructions lead students through the basic
build process, ensuring they have the basic concepts and skills before designing
and experimenting with their own models. Plus, each unit features a student
library with texts to provide information in support of the unit’s activities.
While working through activities, students will find that their projects can incorporate
design, brainstorming, research, problem solving, planning, construction, evaluation,
and reiteration. Therefore, the curriculum is solidly rooted in the engineering process
– and the tools of science, technology, and mathematics applied contextually – to
provide relevance to the concepts and principles that students are studying.
2
SAMPLE SCHEDULESSTEM Units can be taken in a recommended order or combined in a sequence that accommodates school
schedules and requirements. Teachers can modify course content to meet student needs.
Semester, Example 1
1st quarter 2nd quarter
Air Rockets High-Flying RocketsMeasurement &
PredictionUnconventional
FlightModel Airplanes Green Future
Semester, Example 2
1st quarter 2nd quarter
Green Machines Green Future Bridges Simple Machines & Fluid PowerMedieval Machines
Semester, Example 3
1st quarter 2nd quarter
Basic StructuresUnconventional
FlightMeasurement &
PredictionModel Airplanes Green Machines Green Future
3
STEM Units
Standards & AssessmentsConcise pretests and posttests are included in the teacher’s guides. These
assessments are copied and distributed to students at the beginning
of the unit, which helps to determine students’ current understanding
of the concepts. After completing the unit, students take the posttest
to gauge their progress and comprehension of the lessons.
All of the activities are correlated to NSTA science standards, ITEEA
technology standards, and NCTM math standards. Though some
states have implemented engineering standards, there is currently
no set of national engineering standards available for K-12.
Standards Addressed by ActivityStandards were taken from the International Technology Education Association (ITEA), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Cartesian Coordinate SystemNSTA 5-8Students develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.• Studentsidentifyquestionsthat
can be answered through scientific investigations.
• Studentsuseappropriatetoolsandtechniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.
• Studentsthinkcriticallyandlogicallyto make the relationships between evidence and explanations.• Studentscommunicatescientific
procedures and explanations.• Studentsusemathematicsinallaspectsof scientific inquiry.Students develop abilities for technological
design.• Studentsevaluatecompletedtechnological designs or products.
NCTM 6-8Students specify locations and describe spatial
relationships using coordinate geometry and other representational systems.• Studentsusecoordinategeometryto
represent and examine the properties of geometric shapes.Students build new mathematical knowledge
through problem solving.Students apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems.Students use visualization, spatial reasoning,
and geometric modeling to solve problems.• Studentsrecognizeandapplygeometricideas and relationships in areas outside the mathematics classroom, such as art, science, and everyday life.Students understand measurable attributes of
objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement.• Studentsunderstandbothmetricand
customary systems of measurement.ITEA 6-8Students develop the abilities to assess the impact of products and systems.• Studentslearntodesignanduse
instruments to gather data.Students develop the abilities to apply the design process.• Studentslearntoapplyadesignprocess
to solve problems in and beyond the laboratory-classroom.• Studentslearntomakeaproductor
system and document the solution.
Standards Addressed
4
This page may be photocopied for use within the classroom. By honoring our copyright, you enable us to invest in research for
education.
The more rigid a beam is, the less likely it is to _____.
A. stay glued together
C. support a load
B. bend
D. form a joint
For Questions 2-5, match the following joints with the correct joint type.
A. braced miter joint
C. lap joint
B. butt joint
D. miter joint
If there are two 24" x 1/8" x 1/8" balsa wood strips, how many braced miter joints can
be constructed if each beam is 2 inches long?
True or false. The superstructure of a bridge is located above the roadbed.
In Joe’s full-scale drawing, one 1/8" x 1/8" square is equivalent to 2.5 feet. In a half
scale drawing, how many 1/8" x 1/8" squares are the equivalent to 10 feet?
If you pull a piece of taffy apart, it will break because what force was exerted on it?
A. compression
C. weight
B. torsion
D. tension
Bridge A was built with an 8-centimeter substructure and was able to hold a load of
30 kilograms. Bridge B was built without a substructure and was able to hold a load
of 28 kilograms. What can you infer about bridges and substructures?
1
Pretest I
2__
6
78
9
10
92
3__
4__
5__
Balsa Bridges
4
Classroom ManagementEach STEM Unit is designed for 20 students, so all equipment and
supplies are based on that number. This size was chosen to ensure the
successful facilitation of the hands-on elements of the program.
Scope and sequence documents provide a suggested schedule
for each unit but can be altered depending on student pace or
class schedules. If students finish lessons early, it is a simple matter
to choose an extra activity from the teacher’s guides.
Students frequently work in teams of two or four, so the ideal environment
for the STEM Units is a science or technology lab. However, a traditional
classroom with worktables and storage facilities is also appropriate.
The units include materials, tools, resources, and DVD instructions.
These materials come packaged in their own storage boxes. Each
storage box has a pictorial showing the location and item numbers of
the products – allowing easy storage and reordering of consumable
materials as needed. Storage-room shelving is the ideal location for the
boxes, though they can also be stacked in a closet or storage area.Green Future
Scope &Sequence
59859 V0510
© 2010 Pitsco, Inc., 915 E. Jefferson, Pittsburg, KS 66762
All rights reserved. This product and related documentation are protected by copyright and are distributed under
licenses restricting their use, copying, and distribution. No part of this product or related documentation may be
reproduced in any form by any means without prior written authorization of Pitsco, Inc.
All other product names mentioned herein might be the trademarks of their respective owners.
STEM Units
5
STEM Units
Tools and EquipmentEase of application was key to the design of the STEM Units, so everything
needed comes prepackaged. From hot-air balloon launchers and bridge
testers to multimeters and stopwatches, each unit includes the equipment
needed to complete and test the projects. Enough kits and materials –
even glue and colored pencils – for the entire class are also included.
To avoid excess cost and clutter, basic tools used in multiple units come in a
Start-Up Package, which is a required part of the program. Whether you are using
two or 10 units, the Start-Up Package contains the scissors, scales, calculators,
and other commonly used items the class will need to complete projects.
Given the hands-on nature of the activities, some materials will need to be
replenished after each unit. Reordering needs vary from unit to unit, but many
of these materials are sold in packages that make reordering a simple task.
6
Teacher EnablementThe ideal teacher for STEM Units is confident teaching physical science,
technology, or mathematics. A background in engineering or with leading
hands-on projects is a plus. However, the program’s approach to STEM
learning provides educators the opportunity to expand into a hands-
on, contextual style of teaching – without any specialized training.
Each unit is supported by Pitsco Education’s renowned customer service
personnel. When calling during office hours, you talk to a real person who
has the product knowledge and experience to answer
questions and to guide you through any challenge.
7
STEM Units
STEM Units OverviewProviding students with a STEM experience where all four subjects are
integrated and presented in a real-world manner is the central objective of
the STEM Units. This program focuses on students taking concepts learned in
other classes and applying them to realistic engineering challenges.
Designed to offer optimum flexibility, the STEM Units can be incorporated in
support of existing curriculum or as an entire course on its own. It fits easily
into existing labs or classrooms and is easy for teachers to use and store.
ADVANTAGES:
• Gives students a real-world understanding for the STEM subjects they learn in standard math
and science courses
• Develops in students the confidence to design and build their own ideas at an early age
• Teaches skills and concepts that are the groundwork for the Engineering Courses or other
high school engineering programs
• Offers flexible scheduling and ease of use within the classroom or lab
Note: STEM Units are designed to complement a rigorous program of math and science courses. The STEM Units do not eliminate the need for these courses. Units are designed for 20 students.
• Teacher’s guides and detailed scope and
sequences create the framework of each STEM
Unit. These offer day-by-day scheduling,
teacher and student procedures, assessments,
glossaries, and more.
• National standards are correlated for each activity
and challenge in the teacher’s guides.
• Hands-on projects – the basis of every lesson –
encourage the application of science, technology,
and mathematics in an engineering context.
• All necessary equipment is provided.
• All kits and materials are included so teachers
don’t have to shop around for project elements.
• A student library and DVD instructions for
each unit provide detail and depth to the
learning experience.
• A simple storage solution helps teachers focus
on what’s important – teaching and leading
the activity.
Elements of STEM Units
8
Unit Titles
• Air Rockets
• Basic Structures
• Bridges
• Green Future
• Green Machines
• High-Flying Rockets
• Measurement & Prediction
• Medieval Machines
• Model Airplanes
• Simple Machines & Fluid Power
• Unconventional Flight
9
STEM Unit TitlesAir Rockets
O V E R V I E W
Introduce students to experimenting with variables and finding velocity with
this unit on air-powered rockets. In the first section, students build simple straw
rockets and test how different rocket lengths and launch angles affect flight.
Students record the resulting data and use it to calculate velocity. In the second
part, the class turns to rockets launched by the powerful
AP Launcher. These tube rockets are ideal for outdoor
or gymnasium launches that help students explore
fin placement and design their own rockets. Finally,
students build and launch rocket-boosted gliders.
Weeks
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
The Varying Launch Angles activity delves into the effect of
launch angles on the flight of straw rockets. After building
a basic rocket, students complete two launches at a given
launch angle and repeat this process while increasing the
angle in increments of 15 degrees. As they work, students
measure and record each launch’s flight time and range.
After completing the launches, students evaluate
the collected data to learn about the connection
between launch angle and rocket performance.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• Straw Rocket Launcher
• AP Rocket Launcher
• Tire pump
• Digital scale
• Calculator
• Stopwatch
• Various small tools such as scissors and measuring tape
• Assorted kits and materials
• Straw Rockets Teacher’s Guide
• Basic Rockets Unit Guide
• AP Rocket and Glider video
• Straw Rocket video
• Air Rockets Scope & Sequence
10
Basic Structures Weeks
O V E R V I E W
By combining geometry, material science, and graphic design, Basic Structures delivers great
learning potential. After building structures from straws and pipe cleaners, students compare
the strengths of three different polyhedrons and then calculate the efficiency of each. Then,
they are challenged to construct the tallest self-supporting straw tower possible. In the
second part of the unit, students enter the world of package design to create
a telescoping box with a tessellation design. Then, they test the
strength of different bonding materials used in packaging
and design and build a box to hold a specific volume.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
This unit begins with the Comparing Strength of Polyhedrons activity.
First, students learn about static forces and geometric figures in order to
develop a hypothesis about which geometric figure is the strongest.
Using pipe cleaners and straws, they build three polyhedrons: a
cube, rectangular prism, and triangular prism. The strength of each
polyhedron is tested with hanging weights that are progressively
increased until the figure can no longer hold the weight. Then, students
evaluate the results and compare it to their original hypothesis.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• Super Boxmaker
• Hooked weight set
• Digital scale and spring scales
• Calculator
• Various small tools such as triangles, ruler, and scissors
• Assorted materials
• Straw Structures Teacher’s Guide
• Packaging Design Teacher’s Guide
• Dr. Zoon Straw Structures Video
• Dr. Zoon Packaging Design Video
• Basic Structures Scope & Sequence
11
STEM Unit Titles
Bridges Weeks
O V E R V I E W
Bridge the gap between construction and engineering with this unit. Students start by
constructing toothpick bridges and testing them to the point of destruction. Then, they use
this data to calculate each bridge’s efficiency. Moving on to the more detailed balsa bridge
construction, students learn about material strength. As the culminating activity, students design
and build a bridge to strict specifications with the goal of holding the maximum load possible.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
Following the unit’s coverage of bridge construction and building
a model toothpick bridge, the Calculating Efficiency activity
focuses on determining the efficiency of the completed bridge.
Students weigh their bridges and then perform a destructive
test on them, taking note of how much test weight broke each
bridge. They use basic math skills to calculate the efficiency of each
bridge based on its weight and the weight it was able to hold.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• Toothpick Bridge Tester
• Pulley Bulley Bridge Tester
• Timber Cutter and Timber Tester
• Health O Meter Scale
• Calculator
• Various small tools such as rulers
• Assorted kits and materials
• Toothpick Bridges Teacher’s Guide
• Balsa Bridges Teacher’s Guide
• Building Toothpick Bridges book
• Dr. Zoon Toothpick Bridges Video
• Dr. Zoon Bridge Building Video
• Bridges Scope & Sequence
12
Green Future Weeks
O V E R V I E W
The future is bright – bright green. So prepare students for that future by introducing them
to key technologies for the future: fuel cells and magnetic levitation. The first half of this unit
focuses on magnetic levitation – or maglev – vehicles. Maglev transportation has been popular
in Europe for years, and now students can learn about the concepts behind the technology right
in the classroom. They calculate acceleration, investigate friction, and then design their own
maglev vehicles to race against classmates’ vehicles. In the section on fuel
cells, students work with a model car powered by a small fuel cell.
Experiments with electrolysis, efficiency, and resistance help them
connect scientific concepts with the real-world applications of fuel cells.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
After building a magnetic levitation vehicle and learning about
acceleration, students learn an important concept in the Investigating
Friction activity. Students test a maglev chassis by running it down a
maglev track at a specific incline. They repeat the process with a maglev
chassis upside down (magnets up) on a track without magnets. The test
times are recorded and the acceleration of each test run is calculated.
Finally, students consider acceleration and gravity to determine the
different amount of friction acting on the vehicles in each test.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• Maglev Track
• Intelligent Fuel Cell Car Lab
• Digital scale
• Stopwatch
• Various small tools such as hobby knife and scissors
• Assorted kits and materials
• Maglev Vehicles Teacher’s Guide
• Intelligent Fuel Cell Guide
• Dr. Zoon Maglev Video
• Green Future Scope & Sequence
13
STEM Unit Titles
Green Machines Weeks
O V E R V I E W
Everyone has heard of windmills and solar panels, but most of us don’t know how they work.
Help students understand how these technologies use mechanical and electrical engineering
to provide clean energy. By building and testing easy-to-assemble solar cars, students begin
to understand gear ratios and speed of rotation. After racing their solar cars, they use the
collected race data to graph distance versus time and to calculate slope. Before leaving solar
energy, they are challenged to create a four-wheel-drive solar
car. Moving on to wind energy, students learn the basics such as
measuring and graphing wind speed, varying blade pitch, and
measuring voltage on a wind generator demonstrator. Then,
students build and operate their own small wind generators.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
Understanding gears is important to get the full potential from solar
vehicles. In the Investigating Gears activity, students use parts from
the SunEzoon Car Kit to learn gear ratios and to use gears to their
advantage. Experimenting with different gear combinations, they
learn how the combinations affect the number of rotations of a gear
as well as the direction of rotation. Students write a lab report with
their findings after they finish the hands-on portion of the activity.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• WinDynamo II Wind Generator
• Mini Multimeter
• Portable Wind Meter
• Table fan
• Stopwatch
• Various small tools such as hobby knife and tape measure
• Assorted kits and materials
• SunEzoon Cars Teacher’s Guide
• Wind Energy Teacher’s Guide
• Dr. Zoon SunEzoon Video
• WindGen video
• Green Machines Scope & Sequence
14
High-Flying Rockets Weeks
O V E R V I E W
Fun and excitement go hand in hand with learning STEM concepts through these
rocketry activities. Starting with water rockets, students dive into the science of
rocketry with fuel-pressure testing and analysis, fuel-volume testing, and apogee
while launching water-propelled rockets. Then, students move to the rockets
with real power – solid-fuel rockets that can reach hundreds of feet into the sky!
While building and launching these thrilling rockets, students also learn about
average velocity, potential and kinetic energy, and how to design for stability.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
Engineering design comes into play with the Designing Fins
activity. First, students design their own fin shapes and create
the appropriate number of identical fins. Following this, they
build solid-fuel rockets with their originally designed fins.
Launching the rockets, students evaluate them for stability. If the
fin designs achieve poor stability, students redesign the fins and
test the rockets until more stable designs are achieved.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• AquaPort Water Rocket Launcher
• LaunchGuard System
• Tire pump
• Fin Holder and rolatape
• Altitude finder and digital scale
• Various small tools such as cool-melt glue gun, ruler, and scissors
• Assorted kits and materials
• Water Rockets Teacher’s Guide
• Solid-Fuel Rockets Teacher’s Guide
• Dr. Zoon Stratoblaster Video
• Dr. Zoon Pitsco Rocket Video
• Estes Rocket Labs Curriculum
• High-Flying Rockets Scope & Sequence
15
STEM Unit TitlesMeasurement & Prediction Weeks
O V E R V I E W
Measurement and prediction are the foundational elements of STEM research. In this unit,
students explore these elements while participating in lively experiments. First, they build
a tissue paper parachute and determine the load capacity, velocity, and acceleration of
the parachute. In a fun – and potentially messy – challenge, students design their own
parachutes to safely transport an egg to the floor. Then, students stretch their learning
potential by completing several model bungee jump experiments while exploring Hooke’s
law, properties of materials, and the use of scatter graphs for predicting outcomes.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
Engineering, science, and fun collide in the Designing an Egg
Parachute activity. Students apply their knowledge of load
capacity, velocity, and acceleration from previous activities to
build a parachute to carry an egg so it lands safely on the ground.
They start by designing and building a parachute but testing it
with a hooked mass. After testing and redesigning as needed,
they test the final parachutes’ performance with a real egg.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• Rip Cord Parachute Drop and Stand
• Hooked weight set
• Digital scale
• Calculator
• Stopwatch
• Various small tools such as scissors, ruler, and tape measure
• Assorted kits and materials
• Parachutes Teacher’s Guide
• Perilous Plunge Activity Guide
• Dr. Zoon Parachutes Video
• Measurement & Prediction Scope & Sequence
16
Medieval Machines Weeks
O V E R V I E W
Medieval war machines that once inspired fear now inspire awe and interest in students. After
learning about the history of medieval siege machines, students build and experiment with two
such mechanisms. Students build and use a catapult to learn about relating speed with projectile
mass, testing elasticity, and designing to make the catapult a mobile mechanism and to launch a
projectile the greatest distance. Then, the class moves on to the catapult’s cousin, the trebuchet.
With this siege machine using counterweights, students explore
how projectile mass affects a launch and how to calculate potential
energy. Then, they are challenged to use their knowledge to adjust
projectile and counterweight masses in order to hit a target.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
Brainstorming and design with catapults is the focus of the Transportation
Design activity. First, students sketch a model catapult like one built in
earlier activities and then brainstorm ideas for creating a system to make
the catapult mobile. Students select their best idea from the brainstorming
list and carefully sketch the completed design based on that idea.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• Catapult and Trebuchet Kits
• Digital scale
• Spring scale
• Calculator
• Stopwatch
• Various small tools such as pliers and tape measure
• Assorted kits and materials
• Catapults and Trebuchets Teacher’s Guides
• Siege Machines book
• Catapult video
• Trebuchet video
• Medieval Machines Scope & Sequence
17
STEM Unit TitlesWeeksModel Airplanes
O V E R V I E W
Personal dreams of flight eventually brought forth the science and technology to achieve what
most called impossible – manned flight. In this unit, students start by building balsa gliders and
learning how size affects flight, how to calculate glider ratios, and how to build a glider to stay
airborne as long as possible. Moving on to powered flight, students learn about elastic potential
energy and kinetic energy before building and flying a rubber band-powered model plane.
They test and modify their airplanes to increase flight time and then try to engineer a model
plane that will stay in the air as long as possible
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
In the Investigating Forms of Energy activity, students learn about
energy by testing rubber band-powered model airplanes.
After building a model airplane and learning how to calculate
elastic potential energy and kinetic energy, students weigh
their model. Winding it a specified number of times, they
launch it and measure the flight range achieved by the model.
Repeating this with an incrementally increased number of
winds, students analyze the relationship among the number
of winds, potential energy, kinetic energy, and flight range.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S
• Electric rubber band winder
• Digital scale
• Stopwatch and tape measure
• Various small tools such as hobby knife, scissors, and ruler
• Assorted kits and materials
• Balsa Gliders Teacher’s Guide
• Model Airplanes Teacher’s Guide
• Dr. Zoon Gliders Video
• Dr. Zoon Delta Dart Video
• Model Airplanes Scope & Sequence
18
WeeksSimple Machines & Fluid Power
O V E R V I E W
The six simple machines and fluid power come to life for students
with hands-on, flexible models. Working with the LEGO® Simple
and Motorized Mechanisms Set, the unit’s first three weeks delve
deeply into the six simple machines and learning to use them for
problem solving. With the Pneumatics Add-On Set, students then
learn the principles of pneumatics (air) and power machines such
as the scissor lift and stamping hand. As the highlight of the
unit, students construct a robotic arm controlled by hydraulic
(fluid) power. Using the robotic arm in activities, they also learn
about the Cartesian coordinate system and programming.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
Students explore transfer of energy, forces and motion, and more with the
LEGO® Pneumatics Set in the Scissor Lift activity. They begin by following step-
by-step instructions to build a scissor lift. After working it for a while, students
predict how many pumps it takes to raise the lift to its full height. They test this
and then repeat the procedure on various reconfigurations of the scissor lift.
Students review the results and create a device that uses the
same mechanism as the scissor lift but does a different job.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S• Simple and Motorized Mechanisms Set
• Pneumatics Add-On Set
• T-Bot II Robotic Arm Kits
• Protractor
• Styrofoam saw
• Various small tools such as screwdrivers, hobby knife, cool-melt glue gun, scissors, and ruler
• Assorted kits and materials
• Introduction to Simple & Motorized Mechanisms Activity Guide
• LEGO Pneumatics Curriculum
• T-Bot II Teacher’s Guide
• T-Bot II video
• Simple Machines & Fluid Power Scope & Sequence
19
STEM Unit Titles
Unconventional Flight Weeks
O V E R V I E W
Unconventional Flight covers flight outside of airplanes and rockets – such as hot-air
balloons and kites. As students design, build, and fly their own tetrahedron kites,
they apply geometry and engineering, investigate the relationship between size
and lift, and calculate area and volume. In the second part of the unit, students
build and launch hot-air balloons. In the process, they approximate surface
area and analyze the flight of their balloons. As a final project, students
compete in an engineering challenge to determine who can design,
build, and fly a hot-air balloon to achieve the highest altitude.
S A M P L E A C T I V I T Y
Students build and fly three sizes of tetrahedral kites to explore
the different lift achieved by each in the Comparing Size and Lift
activity. First, they build a small kite from a single tetrahedral wing,
followed by one made from four wings and one from 16 wings.
Next, students write a hypothesis about which kits will have the most lift in
flight and design an experiment to test their hypothesis. After conducting the
experiment, they complete a lab report to detail the results of the experiment.
P R I M A R Y E Q U I P M E N T , M A T E R I A L S , A N D R E S O U R C E S
• Inflation Station Launcher
• Indoor Balloon Launcher
• Wind Meter
• Altitude Finder
• Calculator
• Stopwatch
• Various small tools such as tape measure, spring scales, scissors, and meterstick
• Assorted kits and materials
• KaZoon Kites Teacher’s Guide
• Hot-Air Balloons Teacher’s Guide
• Adventures in Lighter-than-Air-Flight book
• Dr. Zoon KaZoon Kite and Dr. Zoon Hot-Air Balloons Videos
• Unconventional Flight Scope & Sequence
20
© 2013 Pitsco Education. All rights reserved. Pitsco Education • P.O. Box 1708, Pittsburg, KS 66762 • 800-828-5787 • www.pitsco.com HS•0613•0000•00 69325
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