Building aBetter Boat

Setting the Tone for a SuccessfulInquiry-Based Classroom

Presenters

• Erica Posthuma-Adams, University H.S.

• Ryan Bruick, Noblesville H.S.

• Ben Buehler, Blue River Valley Jr/Sr H.S.

• Cathy Huss, Twin Lakes H.S.

• Bill Thornburgh, University H.S.

From Day One . . .

• Get kids excited.

• Engage your students.

• Introduce them to a collaborative learning environment in a discovery-based activity

• An embedded lesson in using the scientific process.

Sample Activity Presentation

• Slides 5-9 are a sample version of how some of us implement the activity.

• Sequencing (adjust to fit your needs):1. Introduction 5-min.

2. Production 25-35-min.

3. Creating Whiteboards 10-15-min.

4. Whiteboard Presentations 20-30-min.

5. Post-Discussion Wrap-Up 10-min.

• Notes:o Size constraints are mainly to limit material use.o May make more sense to score COST / PENNIES, giving you a ratio

indicating the cost for each penny floated, lowest value wins.o Avoid answering most questions, like “How do I measure . . .?”, let the

students ask these questions of each other during presentations.

Guidelines

Build a boat capable of floating as many pennies as possible.

Provided a list of materials and their "prices".

Build your boat to meet the time and size regulations . . .

Regulations

The Build a Boat Hope it Floats Boat Float-Off begins 30 minutes from the time I say "Build Your Boat".

Boats cannot be larger than 4 x 6 x 10 centimeters.

Calculate the total cost of your boat.

How to Win

The winner of the Boat Float-off is the group earning the highest score based on the following equation:

Score = Number of Pennies Floated

Total Cost

Material Price List(Boat dimensions cannot exceed 4 cm x 6 cm x 10 cm)

Paper $0.10 for each cm2

Aluminum Foil $0.20 for each cm2

Clear Plastic $0.30 for each cm2

Cardboard $0.50 for each cm2

Paper Clips $0.25 each

Rubber Bands $0.50 each

Plastic Straws $0.10 for each 1 cm length

Clear Tape $0.15 for each 1 cm length

Duct Tape $0.75 for each 1 cm length

Presenting Your Results

Your whiteboard must include the following:

• A complete list of materials and the individual costs as well as your total cost.

• Your calculated score = number of pennies

total cost

• A list of things you discussed when designing the boat.

• A list of any obstacles that kept you from building a better boat.

• What were your boat's best/worst features?

Whiteboard Session Discussion

• Gets students in front of the classroom presenting – taking ownership.

• Students, not the teacher, provide rationale for:o Precision and Accuracy in Measuremento Clear Presentation of Resultso Showing Evidence for How they Arrive at an Answero Need for a Set of Rules for Rounding their Answers

• Most-importantly . . .

The Big Question . . .

• Ask the students, “Why did we build a boat today? What was the purpose of this activity?”o Kids will offer a lot of good reasons for starting with

this activity. If no one hits on it, ask them how many of them, by show of hands, if they were given the same set of rules could build a better boat right now?

o In this class we learn through experimenting, discussing results, and revising our ideas based on our best information.

o Everyday we will work toward building a better model of how matter behaves at the particle level.