destination imagination: s.t.e.a.m./s.t.e.m. engineering unit plan · 2018-08-29 · select tools...

Running Head: UNIT PLAN 1

Destination Imagination:

S.T.E.A.M./S.T.E.M.

Engineering Unit Plan

Created by Michael A. Tschritter

Practicum II: Grade 3

School: Isabel F. Cox School

March 29, 2016

UNIT PLAN 2

Destination Imagination: S.T.E.A.M./S.T.E.M. Engineering Unit Plan

Michael A. Tschritter

Grade 3 Science- Practicum II

Introduction/Rationale for Unit

“The future is only a generation away” (Inspiring Education Steering Committee, 2010,

p. 10). Regardless of what teachers, administrators, parents, or members of the general public

think that the goals and/or structure of education in Alberta should be, we must never lose sight

of the fact that the children who are the students in today’s classrooms are the future and will

continue to live in Alberta and shape its dynamic nature long after we are gone. What are the

essential skills and understandings that we believe Albertans need to learn in order to thrive in

the twenty-first century? The 2013 Ministerial Order on Student Learning was developed directly

out of the vision for Inspiring Education and as a result of this vision the fundamental goal of

education in Alberta is now “to inspire all students to achieve success and fulfillment, and reach

their full potential by developing the competencies of Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens

with an Entrepreneurial Spirit, who contribute to a strong and prosperous economy and society”

(Government of Alberta, 2013, p. 2). The major competencies stressed over these three areas

include numeracy, literacy, thinking critically, identifying and solving complex problems,

managing information, innovating, creating opportunities, applying multiple literacies,

demonstrating global and cultural understanding, demonstrating good communication skills and

the ability to work cooperatively with others, identifying and applying career and life skills, and

knowing how to learn (Alberta Regional Consortia, 2009, n.p.).

We must develop opportunities that inspire our global community of learners to utilize

diverse approaches in applying 21st-century skills and creativity. As a program, Destination

Imagination is built on the foundational principles of being “[an engaging], hands-on system of

learning that fosters students’ creativity, courage and curiosity through open-ended academic

challenges in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), fine arts

and service learning (Destination Imagination, 2016, n.p.). The world as we know it today has

been built by architects and engineers who have spent countless hours building, testing, and

improving designs in order to make society function. When we look around our cities and see

UNIT PLAN 3

bridges, cars, houses and skyscrapers, we must remember that we owe the production of the great

marvels of production to the engineers who built them. All engineers start their careers

somewhere because understanding how to apply the scientific method to real world applications

does not happen overnight. The purpose or intended goal of this unit is to allow students to

use the principles of S.T.E.A.M., S.T.E.M., and Destination Imagination’s Creative Process

to build things with a variety of materials as well as test materials and designs. This unit

blends the “Building Things with a Variety of Materials” and “Testing Materials and

Designs” units within Alberta Education’s Grade 3 Science curriculum. Utilizing engaging

real world contexts and student-centred activities all students will be able to learn

principles of design and testing materials. In the spirit of S.TE.A.M and S.T.E.M., many

cross-curricular outcomes have been woven into the very core of this unit to uphold the

Alberta Education Ministerial Order of 2013 that schools must try to develop well-rounded

students/citizens of the world.

Learner Focus

Students are expected to actively use their prior knowledge of the real world throughout

the unit by applying what they know about the world in relation to the different scientific and

cross-curricular concepts such as mathematics being taught. There are sixteen major areas of

understanding that students are expected to grasp/learn by the end of the unit. These

understandings are:

Using a variety of materials and techniques, design, construct and test structures.

Select appropriate materials for use in construction tasks, and explain the choice of

materials.

Select tools that are suitable to particular tasks and materials, and use them safely and

effectively.

Understand and use a variety of methods to join or fasten materials.

Identify the intended purpose and use of structures to be built, and explain how

knowing the intended purpose and use helps guide decisions regarding materials and

design.

Understand that simple designs are often as effective as more complex ones, as well

as being easier and cheaper to build, and illustrate this understanding with a practical

example.

UNIT PLAN 4

Recognize the importance of good workmanship, and demonstrate growth toward

good workmanship.

Maintain and store materials and tools safely and properly.

Apply skills of listening, speaking and cooperative decision making in working with

other students on a construction project.

Recognize that functional structures must be sufficiently strong and stable and that

unstable or weak structures are often unsafe to use.

Compare and evaluate the strength and stability of different models or objects

constructed.

Describe the distinctive properties of some common solids, such as wood, paper or

plastic, that make them suitable for use as building materials.

Apply procedures to test the strength of construction materials, in particular, different

stocks of papers, plastics or wood.

Apply procedures to test different designs.

Apply procedures to test the strength of different methods of joining.

Identify and apply methods for making a structure stronger and more stable; e.g., by

adding or joining parts to form triangles.

I Can Statements

I can safely use a variety of tools and methods in building activities.

I can use many materials and designs to build structures.

I can compare different materials and designs.

I can investigate different materials and designs for their use in a building task.

Overview of Unit General Learner Expectations

Scientific Understandings General Learner Expectations:

o Grade 3 Building with a Variety of Materials General Learner Expectation-3-6:

Use, safely, a variety of tools, techniques, and materials in construction activities.


Construct structures, using a variety of materials and designs, and compare the

effectiveness of the various materials and designs for their intended purposes.

o Grade 3 Testing Materials & Designs General Learner Expectation-3-8: Evaluate

the suitability of different materials and designs for their use in a building task.

Overview of Unit Specific Learner Expectations

Scientific Understandings Specific Learner Expectations:

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 1: Using a

variety of materials and techniques, design, construct and test structures that are

intended to:

UNIT PLAN 5

Support objects.

Serve as models of particular living things, objects or buildings.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 2: Select

appropriate materials for use in construction tasks, and explain the choice of

materials. Students should demonstrate familiarity with a variety of materials, such

as papers, woods, plastics, clay and metals.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 3: Select tools

that are suitable to particular tasks and materials, and use them safely and effectively.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 4: Understand

and use a variety of methods to join or fasten materials.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 5: Identify the

intended purpose and use of structures to be built, and explain how knowing the

intended purpose and use helps guide decisions regarding materials and design.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 6: Understand

that simple designs are often as effective as more complex ones, as well as being

easier and cheaper to build, and illustrate this understanding with a practical example.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 7: Recognize

the importance of good workmanship, and demonstrate growth toward good

workmanship.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 8: Maintain

and store materials and tools safely and properly.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 9: Apply skills

of listening, speaking and cooperative decision making in working with other students

on a construction project.

o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 1: Recognize that

functional structures must be sufficiently strong and stable and that unstable or weak

structures are often unsafe to use.

o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 2: Compare and

evaluate the strength and stability of different models or objects constructed.

o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 3: Describe the

distinctive properties of some common solids, such as wood, paper or plastic, that

make them suitable for use as building materials.

o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 4: Apply procedures

to test the strength of construction materials, in particular, different stocks of papers,

plastics or wood.


to test different designs.


to test the strength of different methods of joining.

o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 7: Identify and apply

methods for making a structure stronger and more stable; e.g., by adding or joining

parts to form triangles.

UNIT PLAN 6

Skills & Attitudes Scientific Process Outcomes:

o Grade 3 Skills- Science Inquiry General Learner Expectation-3-1: Investigate the

nature of things, demonstrating purposeful action that leads to observations and

inferences.

o Grade 3 Skills- Science Inquiry General Learner Expectation-3-2: Identify

patterns and order in objects and events studied; and, with guidance, record

observations, using pictures, words and charts; and make predictions and

generalizations, based on observations.

Specific Learner Expectation-Focus: Identify one or more possible answers

to questions by stating predictions or hypotheses.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Engage in all parts of

the task and support the efforts of others.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Record observations

and measurements, using captioned pictures and charts, with guidance in the

construction of charts.

o Grade 3 Skills- Problem Solving through Technology General Learner

Expectation- 3-3: Investigate a practical problem, and develop a possible solution.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Attempt a variety of

strategies to complete tasks.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Identify materials

and how they are used.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Work independently

or with others to carry out the identified procedures.

Specific Learner Expectation-Reflect & Interpret: Identify applications of

what was learned.

Specific Learner Expectation- Reflect & Interpret: Record observations

and measurements, using captioned pictures and charts, with guidance in the


o Grade 3 Attitudes General Learner Expectations-3-4: Demonstrate positive

attitudes for the study of science and for the application of science in responsible

ways.

Students will show growth in acquiring and applying the following traits:

Curiosity

Confidence in personal ability to explore materials and learn by direct

study

Inventiveness and willingness to consider new ideas

Perseverance in the search for understandings and for solutions to

problems

A willingness to base their conclusions and actions on the evidence of

their own experiences.

UNIT PLAN 7

Overview of Unit Cross-Curricular Outcomes

Mathematics Outcomes:

o Specific Learner Expectation #6- Number Sense- Describe and apply mental

mathematics strategies for adding two 2-digit numerals.

[C, CN, ME, PS, R, V]

o Specific Learner Expectation #7- Number Sense- Describe and apply mental

mathematics strategies for subtracting two 2-digit numerals.


o Specific Learner Expectation #8- Number Sense- Apply estimation strategies to

predict sums and differences of two 2-digit numerals in a problem-solving context.

[C, ME, PS, R]

o Specific Learner Expectation #9- Number Sense- Demonstrate an understanding of

addition and subtraction of numbers with answers to 1000 (limited to 1-, 2- and 3-

digit numerals), concretely, pictorially and symbolically, by:

Using personal strategies for adding and subtracting with and without the

support of manipulatives

Creating and solving problems in context that involve addition and subtraction

of numbers.


o Specific Learner Expectation #10- Number Sense- Apply mental mathematics

strategies and number properties in order to understand and recall basic addition facts

and related subtraction facts to 18.


o Specific Learner Expectation #11- Number Sense- Demonstrate an understanding

of multiplication to 5 ×5 by:

Representing and explaining multiplication using equal grouping and arrays

Creating and solving problems in context that involve multiplication

Modelling multiplication using concrete and visual representations, and

Recording the process symbolically

Relating multiplication to repeated addition

Relating multiplication to division.

[C, CN, PS, R]

o Specific Learner Expectation #12- Number Sense- Demonstrate an understanding

of division (limited to division related to multiplication facts up to 5 ×5) by:

Representing and explaining division using equal sharing and equal grouping.

Creating and solving problems in context that involve equal sharing and equal

grouping.

Modelling equal sharing and equal grouping using concrete and visual

representations, and recording the process symbolically.

Relating division to repeated subtraction.

Relating division to multiplication.

[C, CN, PS, R]

o Specific Learner Expectation #3- Patterns and Relations-Patterns: Sort objects or

numbers, using one or more than one attribute.

[C, CN, R, V]

UNIT PLAN 8

o Specific Learner Expectation #3- Shape and Space- Measurement: Demonstrate

an understanding of measuring length (cm, m) by:

Selecting and justifying referents for the units cm and m

Modelling and describing the relationship between the units cm and m

Estimating length, using referents

Measuring and recording length, width and height.


o Specific Learner Expectation #5- Shape and Space- Measurement: Demonstrate

an understanding of perimeter of regular and irregular shapes by:

Estimating perimeter, using referents for cm or m

Measuring and recording perimeter (cm, m)

Constructing different shapes for a given perimeter (cm, m) to demonstrate

that many shapes are possible for a perimeter.

[C, ME, PS, R, V]

o Specific Learner Expectation #6- Shape and Space- 3-D Objects and 2-D Shapes:

Describe 3-D objects according to the shape of the faces and the number of edges and

vertices.

[C, CN, PS, R, V]

English Language Arts Outcomes:

o Specific Outcome- 1.1- Discover and Explore- Express Ideas and Develop

Understanding: Connect prior knowledge and personal experiences with new ideas

and information in oral, print and other media texts.


Understanding: Explain understanding of new concepts in own words.

o Specific Outcome- 1.2- Clarify and Extend- Consider Others’ Ideas: Ask for

others’ ideas and observations to explore and clarify personal understanding.

o Specific Outcome- 5.1-Respect Others and Strengthen Community-Use

Language to Show Respect: Demonstrate respect for the ideas, abilities and

language use of others.

Music Outcomes:

o Specific Learner Expectation- Concepts- Rhythm Outcome 1: Music may move to

a steady beat.

o Specific Learner Expectation- Concepts- Melody Outcome 4: A melody is made

up of sounds organized in patterns.

Overview of Ministerial Order Cross-Curricular Competencies

Engaged Thinker:

o Numeracy.

o Know How to Learn.

o Identify and Apply Career and Life Skills.

o Demonstrated Good Communication Skills and the Ability to Work Cooperatively

with Others.

UNIT PLAN 9

Ethical Citizen:

o Literacy.

o Think Critically.

o Identify and Solve Complex Problems.

o Manage Information.

Entrepreneurial Spirit:

o Create Opportunities.

o Innovate.

o Apply Multiple Literacies.

o Demonstrate Global and Cultural Understanding.

Resources and Materials

Resource Books/Videos List/Digital Materials List:

Alberta Regional Consortia. (2016). Learning through competencies. Retrieved from

http://erlc.ca/resources/resources/cross_curricular_competencies_overview/

Bainbridge, J., & Heydon, R. (2013). Constructing meaning: Teaching the language arts K-8

fifth edition. Toronto, ON: Nelson Education.

Black, P & William, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom

assessment. Phi Delta Kappan 30(1), 139-148.

Destination Imagination. (2016). Why destination imagination? Retrieved from

https://www.destinationimagination.org/why-di/

Edmunds, A., & Edmunds, G. (2014). Special education in Canada second edition. Don

Mills, ON: Oxford University Press Canada.

Engineering for Kids. (2016). Why is STEM education so important? Retrieved from

http://engineeringforkids.com/article/02-02-2016_importanceofstem

Garmston, R. & Wellman, B. (2014). Adaptive schools learning guide. Highlands Ranch,

CO: Thinking Collaborative.

Government of Alberta. (2013). Department of education ministerial order (#001/2013).

Retrieved from https://education.alberta.ca/media/6950988/mostudentlearning.pdf

Inspiring Education Steering Committee. (2010). Inspiring Education: A dialogue with

Albertans. Retrieved from

https://ideas.education.alberta.ca/media/14847/inspiring%20education%20steering%20comm

ittee%20report.pdf

Kagan, S. and Kagan, M. (1998). Multiple intelligences: The complete MI book. San

Clemente, CA: Kagan.

Small, M. (2013). Making math meaningful to Canadian students, K-8 second edition.

Toronto, ON: Nelson Education.

Stiggins, R. J. & Chappuis, J. (2012). An introduction to student-involved assessment for

learning sixth edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Association for Supervision

and Curriculum Development (ASCD): Alexandria, VA.

“NASA for Kids Introduction to Engineering” YouTube Video (Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE-z_TJyziI)

UNIT PLAN 10

“Facts on the Leaning Tower of Pisa [Told by Kids] YouTube Video (Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QymrWaq4OQQ)

“Building Materials” Song (Link: (YouTube Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOKr462HLc0&list=PLyHPBb1mXkQSq7_jXAjxUUFr

j00xvDP9P)

“Understanding Characteristics of Building Materials” Game (Game Link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/characteristics_materials.shtml).

Complete Materials/Manipulatives List (see lesson descriptions for specific

materials/manipulatives for each lesson for more detail):

Lesson #1: SMART Board, “NASA for Kids Introduction to Engineering” Video (see

YouTube Video link in lesson plan), Paper, Newspaper, Tape, & Individual “Student

Engineering” Booklets (1 per student).


YouTube Video link below), Paper, Newspaper, Straws, Toilet Paper Rolls, Tape, &

Individual “Student Engineering” Booklets (1 per student).


YouTube Video link below), Paper, Newspaper, Straws, Toilet Paper Rolls, Tape, &

Individual “Student Engineering” Booklets (1 per student).

Lesson #4: SMART Board, “Building Materials” YouTube Video (see link in lesson plan),

and “Understanding the Characteristics of Building Materials” Game (see link in lesson

plan).

Lesson #5: SMART Board, Rubber Bands, Tin Foil, Paper, Erasers, Shiny Rocks, Q-tips,

Cotton Balls, Dimes, Wood, & Individual “Student Engineering” Booklets (1 per student).

Lesson #6: SMART Board, The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall (1989), Popsicle Sticks,

Pipe Cleaners, Glue Sticks, Foam, Tin Foil, Newspaper, Straws, Toilet Paper Rolls, Tape, &

Individual “Big Bad Blow Dryer Booklets” (1 per student).

Lesson #7: SMART Board, The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall (1989), Popsicle Sticks,

Pipe Cleaners, Glue Sticks, Foam, Tin Foil, Newspaper, Straws, Toilet Paper Rolls, Tape, &

Individual “Big Bad Blow Dryer Booklets” (1 per student).

Differentiated Instruction

All students’ needs will be met by this unit because they will be able to collaborate with

their new classmates in a safe and caring learning environment. In order for all students to be

successful at learning the concepts/outcomes being taught in this unit, the students need to know

they can actively construct and share knowledge with their classmates through inquiry in order to

build scientific, mathematical, and other curriculum areas understandings. Each of the lessons

within this unit was designed to allow for students to use multiple ways/strategies to express

UNIT PLAN 11

their scientific understanding of various concepts. Many of the lessons also contain elements of

partner and small group work that will allow the students to engage in the common goal of

learning about our senses through scientific inquiry. Through the various tasks/problems posed

in this unit, students will use a wide variety of ways of communicating understandings (including

making visual and oral observations, documenting learning through pictures and words, and

working with and manipulating physical hands-on materials). As a result of the open-endedness

of the learning strategies for scientific inquiry that students can use in this unit, each and every

student should have the opportunity to experience some sort of scientific learning success

regardless of their individual learning needs and abilities.

Brief List of Different Unit Assessments and Evaluations

Minor Assessments/Formative Assessments/Daily Class Work:

Various ongoing activities and mini-assignments in “Student Engineering Reflective

Log/Booklet” (see each day of detailed unit plan below for specific details).

o The teacher will provide verbal feedback to students after analyzing a page in the

reflective log (see Appendix A in this document for greater detail about the pages) in

order to celebrate the “process of learning” rather than “the product of learning”.

o Teacher observation will be used throughout each lesson to identify students who

may need greater support.

o Open-ended questioning strategies using Bloom’s Taxonomy in order to ensure

that each student is developing higher order thinking skills.

Throughout every lesson students will be encouraged to self-monitor/reflect upon their own

learning and ask for help when they are confused on a concept.

Informal observations of students’ work collaboratively and individually on a wide variety

of tasks will occur throughout every lesson.

Final Summative Engineering Challenge: The 4th Little Piggy and the Big Bad Blow Dryer

Project:

The final summative engineering challenge is the culmination of all of the outcomes

students are expected to demonstrate mastery/competency in by the end of the unit.

The final summative engineering challenge will be assessed using a rubric written in

student-friendly language (please see Appendix B for a copy of the rubric).

o This assessment is unique because it not only allows the teacher to see each

individual student’s attainment of scientific outcomes from the unit, but it also

allows each student to self-monitor/self-reflect on his or her own learning.

UNIT PLAN 12

Weighting of Assessments and Evaluations:

70% for “Student Engineering Reflective Log”/Formative Daily Class Work.

30% for Final Summative Engineering Challenge: The 4th Little Piggy and the Big Bad Blow

Dryer Project.

Calendar for Sequencing of Unit:

*Please Note: The sequencing for the unit has been planned keeping in mind Alberta

Education’s 2016 Guide to Education which recommends that roughly 1 ½ hours per week be

spent on Science Instruction. I have chosen to dedicate between two-three time blocks per

week for Science Instruction in my Grade 3 Practicum Classroom with a time duration of at least

50 minutes (unless otherwise noted).

Unit Week

Number

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Week 1

(Apr. 4-8,

2016)

Apr. 5-

Lesson #1: Introduction to

Engineering &

Building

Towers Day 1

(90 minutes)

Apr. 6-

Lesson #2:

Building

Towers Day 2

(50 minutes)

Apr. 7-

Lesson #3: Using

S.T.E.M. to

Make Our

Towers

Stronger Day 3

(50 minutes)

Week 2 (Apr.

11-15, 2016)

Apr. 12-

Lesson #4: Understanding

Engineering:

Characteristics

of Building

Materials (50

minutes)

Apr. 13-

Lesson #5:

Understanding

Engineering:

Exploring

Building

Materials (50

minutes)

Week 3 (Apr.

18-22, 2016)

Apr. 20-

Lesson #6:

The Parts of a

House/The

Fourth Little

Piggy & the

Big Bad Blow

Dryer Day 1

(50 minutes)

Apr. 21-

Lesson #7:

The Parts of a

House/The

Fourth Little

Piggy & the

Big Bad Blow

Dryer Day 2

(50 minutes)

UNIT PLAN 13

Lesson #1: Introduction to Engineering & Building Towers Day 1- Tuesday, April 5, 2016- 90

Minutes

Lesson Understandings:

Unit Overall Big Idea: No matter where you live in the world – everything is made from different

materials. It is important for students to recognize and appreciate how different materials are used

in building and construction tasks.

Supporting Idea of Learning Segment: An engineer is someone who designs and builds

structures, products, or machines.

Segment Main Focusing Inquiry Question: How can we use the five steps of the engineering

process to help us make decisions when participating in building tasks?

I Can Statements:

o I can safely use a variety of tools and methods in building activities.

o I can use many materials and designs to build structures.

o I can compare different materials and designs.

o I can investigate different materials and designs for their use in a building task.

Science Outcomes of Lesson:


o Grade 3 Building with a Variety of Materials General Learner Expectation-3-6: Use,

safely, a variety of tools, techniques, and materials in construction activities.




o Grade 3 Testing Materials & Designs General Learner Expectation-3-8: Evaluate the

suitability of different materials and designs for their use in a building task.


o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 1: Using a variety

of materials and techniques, design, construct and test structures that are intended to:

Support objects.



intended purpose and use of structures to be built, and explain how knowing the intended

purpose and use helps guide decisions regarding materials and design.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 9: Apply skills of

listening, speaking and cooperative decision making in working with other students on a

construction project.




o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 5: Apply procedures to

test different designs.



nature of things, demonstrating purposeful action that leads to observations and inferences.

o Grade 3 Skills- Problem Solving through Technology General Learner Expectation-

3-3: Investigate a practical problem, and develop a possible solution.

UNIT PLAN 14

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Attempt a variety of

strategies to complete tasks.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Identify materials and

how they are used.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Work independently or

with others to carry out the identified procedures.

Specific Learner Expectation-Reflect & Interpret: Identify applications of what

was learned.

o Grade 3 Attitudes General Learner Expectations-3-4: Demonstrate positive attitudes

for the study of science and for the application of science in responsible ways.


Curiosity


study



problems



Cross-Curricular Outcomes of Lesson:



Understanding: Connect prior knowledge and personal experiences with new ideas and

information in oral, print and other media texts.

Ministerial Order Cross-Curricular Competencies (CCCs):

Engaged Thinker: Know How to Learn, & Identify and Apply Career and Life Skills

Ethical Citizen: Literacy, Think Critically, & Identify and Solve Complex Problems.

Entrepreneurial Spirit: Create Opportunities, Innovate, & Apply Multiple Literacies.

Supporting Learner Growth:

Collaborative Engagement Strategies:

o Instructional Intelligences: Think-Pair-Share, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Wait Time.

o Kagan Strategy: Think-Pair-Share.

Differentiation in Instruction:

o Opportunities for Student Choice: The students will have the opportunity to work with a

partner during this lesson to construct the tallest tower that they possibly can. Each partnership

will have the complete freedom to choose how they would like to build their tower. However,

each partnership’s tower must stand on its own for 1 minute without anyone holding & the

tower can only be made out of paper, newspaper, and tape.

o Multiple Intelligences: Naturalistic-Scientific, Logical-Mathematical, Verbal-Linguistic,

Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, and Visual-Spatial.

o Bloom’s Taxonomy Levels:

Evaluation Level Questioning: Can you describe to a partner what you think

engineering is?

Analysis Level Questioning: Can you hypothesize what types of work engineers

do as part of their jobs?

UNIT PLAN 15

Materials/Resources Required: SMART Board, “NASA for Kids Introduction to Engineering” Video

(see YouTube Video link below), Paper, Newspaper, Tape, & Individual “Student Engineering”

Booklets (1 per student).

Teacher/Student Lesson Activities:

Anticipatory Set:

o NASA Introduction to Engineering Video (5 Minutes): The students will begin by

completing a Think-Pair-Share with a partner to discuss what the question, “what is

engineering?” The students will also discuss another question, “what do engineers do?” Then,

the students will watch the “NASA for Kids Introduction to Engineering” YouTube Video

(Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE-z_TJyziI) in order to find out about engineering

and the type(s) of work/jobs that engineers do.

o Naming Our Engineering Company (10 Minutes): Next, the teacher will explain to the

students that some engineers work for companies that pay them to build different products or

structures. We are going to become our very own engineering company! What should we name

our company? The class will vote on what to name our engineering company. The teacher will

also use this time to go over a few rules for our engineering company. These rules are intended

to make the science classroom a productive learning environment as well as to simulate some

of the rules engineers are expected to follow in the real world.

Practice/Development:

o The Engineering Process (10 Minutes): The teacher will explain that no engineer can just

begin building things. If they did, they would most likely fail and not be successful. All

engineers use the engineering process. The engineer process is as follows:

Identify a scientific problem or question.

Make a plan.

Design a solution and test it.

Reflect and rebuild.

Share it with the world.

o Introduction to Towers (10 Minutes): After explaining the engineer process, the teacher will

introduce the students to one type of structures that engineers design, towers. The teacher will

explain that a tower is a tall, narrow building that stands on its own or is part of another

building such as a church. The teacher will then show the students a few pictures of towers to

help the students learn that towers have one or more of the following three purposes:

Looking out for danger.

Sightseeing/tourism.

To take up less space in crowded cities.

o Creating a Tower from Paper Engineering Challenge #1 (45 Minutes): The following

prompt will be used to set the project-based learning activity context for this lesson:

Have you ever wondered if you could build a tower from paper? Well today is the

day you’ll find out! Your challenge is to use only paper, newspaper, and tape to

create the tallest tower that you possibly can. But there’s a catch . . . your tower

must be able to stand up on its own for 1 minute without anyone holding it. Work

with a partner for this challenge. You have 45 minutes for the challenge. Make a

plan for your tower before you begin building. Test the strength of your tower

prototype. Reflect and rebuild your tower if you still have time. Be prepared to

discuss by the end of your work time what worked well and what did not.

UNIT PLAN 16

Closure/Reflection:

o Class Oral Reflection on Paper Tower Building Challenge (10 Minutes): Finally, the

lesson will close with the class briefly discussing what worked well & what did not when they

were building their towers. As many students as possible will be given the opportunity to share

their thoughts and experiences from the challenge with the class.

Steps for Future Learner Growth:

Modifications: Students who struggle with ideas for how to build their tower could be encouraged

to take a ghost walk around the room to others groups of students in order to see how their

classmates are building their towers.

Extensions: Students who finish early can be challenged to undertake deep reflection by using

their observations from the challenge to write about what they would do differently next time in

order to make their tower taller and/or stronger

Formative Assessment to Guide Learning:

An informal teacher observation will occur during the paper tower building challenge in order to

formatively assess the students’ abilities to apply their own procedures to test different designs as

well as to work cooperatively with a partner on a construction project.

Teacher analysis of each student’s “Engineering Challenge #1: Creating a Tower from

Paper” Page to check that all students have used the engineering process in order to engage in

active planning before building and active self-reflection during building. The planning and self-

reflection stages of the challenge help the students to learn about using the scientific process in

inquiry investigations.

Notes and Revisions for Future Teaching Use:

UNIT PLAN 17

Lessons #2 & 3: Building Towers Days 2 & 3- Wednesday, April 6, 2016 & Thursday, April 7, 2016-

50 Minutes Each Day









I Can Statements:

















Support objects.





o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 6: Understand that

simple designs are often as effective as more complex ones, as well as being easier and

cheaper to build, and illustrate this understanding with a practical example.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 7: Recognize the

importance of good workmanship, and demonstrate growth toward good workmanship.




o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 2: Compare and evaluate

the strength and stability of different models or objects constructed.



UNIT PLAN 18


methods for making a structure stronger and more stable; e.g., by adding or joining parts to

form triangles.






Specific Learner Expectation-Focus: Ask questions that lead to exploration &

investigation.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Engage in all parts of the

task and support the efforts of others.

o Grade 3 Attitudes General Learner Expectation-3-4: Demonstrate positive attitudes for

the study of science and for the application of science in responsible ways.


Curiosity


study



problems





o Specific Outcome- 1.2- Clarify and Extend- Consider Others’ Ideas: Ask for others’

ideas and observations to explore and clarify personal understanding.


Engaged Thinker: Numeracy, Know How to Learn, & Identify and Apply Career and Life Skills

Ethical Citizen: Literacy, Think Critically, & Manage Information.

Entrepreneurial Spirit: Create Opportunities, Innovate, & Demonstrate Global and Cultural

Understanding.



o Instructional Intelligences: Gallery Walk, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Wait Time.

o Kagan Strategy: RoundRobin.



partner during this lesson to construct the tallest tower that they possibly can. Each partnership

will have the complete freedom to choose how they would like to build their tower. However,

each partnership’s tower must stand on its own for 1 minute without anyone holding & the

tower can only be made out of paper, newspaper, and tape.

o Multiple Intelligences: Naturalistic-Scientific, Verbal-Linguistic, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal,

Bodily-Kinesthetic, and Visual-Spatial.

UNIT PLAN 19


Evaluation Level Questioning: Can you explain why it is important for towers to

have a strong and stable base?

Analysis Level Questioning: Can you describe what looks similar in the pictures

of the towers on the SMART Board?

Materials/Resources Required: SMART Board, “NASA for Kids Introduction to Engineering” Video

(see YouTube Video link below), Paper, Newspaper, Straws, Toilet Paper Rolls, Tape, & Individual

“Student Engineering” Booklets (1 per student).


Day 1 (Wednesday, April 6, 2016):

Anticipatory Set:

o What Do Engineers Do to Make Towers Strong? (5-7 Minutes): The teacher will begin by

telling the students that as we view a few of the most famous towers in Canada and the world,

look closely at them. Is there anything that is the same about these towers? The students will

then view several pictures of famous towers in Canada and the world. The teacher will tell the

students a few pieces of interesting information about each of the towers.

o What Do Most Towers Have in Common? (5 Minutes): Next, the students will look at the

shadow silhouettes of 10 towers. The teacher will ask the students to look at the shadows of

these towers and think about what they all have in common with each other? The class will

then use the RoundRobin collaborative learning strategy in order to brainstorm as a class

some ideas about what all these towers have in common. By the end of this brainstorming

session, the class will have generated several ideas. The one big idea that must be mentioned if

no student mentions it is that all these towers have wide bases and skinny tops. Then the class

will briefly consider why most towers have wide bases and skinny tops?


o Mini Science Experiment (5 Minutes): The teacher will ask each student to pull out a pencil.

The students will then try to balance the pencil on its eraser end. The students will be asked to

briefly discuss as a class what they noticed when they tried to balance their pencil? The

students will also be asked if they think the size of their pencil and the size of the eraser end

matters.

o The Secrets Behind How Engineers Build Towers (3 Minutes): The students will then be

told that when engineers design towers they have to keep three important considerations in

mind. These three considerations are:

Firm Base.

Distance Around.

Materials Used.

o Engineers Are Not Perfect . . . The Leaning Tower of Pisa Shows Us Why (5-7 Minutes): Sometimes engineers can get it very very wrong. The students will view the YouTube video

below in order to see what happens when engineers make mistakes. This will help the students

to apply their new understanding of the important considerations that engineers must keep in

mind when they are building towers:

“Facts on the Leaning Tower of Pisa [Told by Kids] YouTube Video (Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QymrWaq4OQQ).

UNIT PLAN 20

o Brainstorming About Yesterday’s Towers (3 Minutes): The students will be asked to

discuss get back together with their partner from yesterday and discuss some things that they

think could be done to make their towers stronger and/or make them stay in place.

o Creating a Tower from House & Classroom Materials Engineering Challenge #2 (50

Minutes): The following prompt will be used to set the project-based learning activity context

for this lesson. The students will have 15 minutes to start working on this challenge today

(Wednesday) & will continue working on this project-based learning activity for 35 minutes

during the next lesson tomorrow (Thursday):

Now that you know about what makes towers strong and stable, try this next

challenge! Your challenge is to use only the materials in your Ziploc bag (paper,

newspaper, straws, toilet paper rolls, and tape) to create the tallest tower that you

possibly can/ But there’s a catch . . . your tower must be able to stand up on its

own for as long as possible without anyone holding it. Work with a partner for this

challenge. You have 50 minutes for the challenge. Make a plan for your tower

before you begin building. Test the strength of your tower prototype. Reflect and

rebuild your tower if you still have time. Be prepared to discuss by the end of your

work time what worked well and what did not.

Closure/Reflection (*Note: This section of the lesson’s activities will occur for the last 15

minutes of Thursday’s class after the above tower building challenge is complete:

o Share Your Tower (5 Minutes): The final step of the engineering process is always for

engineers to share their work. The students will be asked to take 5 minutes to do a Gallery

Walk and look at the towers the rest of our class created. Remember don’t touch anyone else’s

work other than your own.

o Use Your Engineer Brain (5 Minutes): The students will be asked to consider what they

think would happen if we had taken the towers outside into the playground? Can you think of

anything that might have kept our towers from standing up very well? How might you solve

this problem if you were an engineer?

o Final Towers Engineering Question (5 Minutes): The class will be asked to look at a picture

of an electrical tower on the SMART Board. The students will be asked to consider based on

what they now know about towers, do you believe this tower would be stable or fall down if

there was a lot of wind? Explain your thinking to a partner.


Modifications: Students who struggle with ideas for how to build their tower could be encouraged

to take a quick ghost walk around the room to others groups of students in order to see how their

classmates are building their towers.



order to make their tower taller and/or stronger


An informal teacher observation will occur during the paper tower building challenge in order to


well as to work cooperatively with a partner on a construction project. The students will apply and

incorporate the knowledge that they have learned about the how engineers build towers during this

lesson into the construction of their own towers.

Teacher analysis of each student’s “Engineering Challenge #2: Creating a Tower from

Household & Classroom Materials” Page to check that all students have used the engineering

process in order to engage in active planning before building and active self-reflection during

UNIT PLAN 21

building. The planning and self-reflection stages of the challenge help the students to learn about

using the scientific process in inquiry investigations.


UNIT PLAN 22

Lessons #4: Understanding Engineering: Characteristics of Building Materials- Tuesday, April 12,

2016- 50 Minutes









I Can Statements:














appropriate materials for use in construction tasks, and explain the choice of materials.

Students should demonstrate familiarity with a variety of materials, such as papers, woods,

plastics, clay and metals.

o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 3: Describe the distinctive

properties of some common solids, such as wood, paper or plastic, that make them suitable

for use as building materials.


test the strength of construction materials, in particular, different stocks of papers, plastics

or wood.






Specific Learner Expectation- Explore & Investigate: Identify materials and

how they are used.

Specific Learner Expectation- Explore & Investigate: Work independently or


Specific Learner Expectation- Reflect & Interpret: Record observations and

measurements, using captioned pictures and charts, with guidance in the


UNIT PLAN 23





Music Outcomes:

o Specific Learner Expectation- Concepts- Rhythm Outcome 1: Music may move to a

steady beat.

o Specific Learner Expectation- Concepts- Melody Outcome 4: A melody is made up of

sounds organized in patterns.


Engaged Thinker: Know How to Learn, & Demonstrated Good Communication Skills and the

Ability to Work Cooperatively with Others.


Entrepreneurial Spirit: Create Opportunities, Innovate, & Apply Multiple Literacies.



o Instructional Intelligences: Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Wait Time.


o Opportunities for Student Choice: The students will have the opportunity to use their inquiry

investigation skills during the “Mission Materials Scavenger Hunt Challenge” in order to

illustrate an understanding of how you can recognize the different types of materials that make

up everyday objects. The students will engage in a scavenger hunt in the classroom and

classroom hallway in order to identify the different materials that make up these everyday

objects.


Musical-Rhythmic, and Visual-Spatial.


Analysis Level Questioning: Can you sort the following materials in front of you

based on their properties?

Materials/Resources Required: SMART Board, “Building Materials” YouTube Video (see link

below), and “Understanding the Characteristics of Building Materials” Game (see link below).


Anticipatory Set:

o Properties of Building Materials (10 Minutes): All engineers and the people who work with

them such as construction workers need to have a good understanding of the properties of

building materials. What do we mean by properties?

Properties are the qualities that used to describe materials. You learn about these

qualities using your senses.

Examples of properties include: Hard, soft, strong, weak, smooth, rough, magnetic,

and non-magnetic.

UNIT PLAN 24


o Words that Describe the Properties of Materials & Objects (10 Minutes): The teacher will

then use child-friendly definitions with pictures to accompany these definition on the SMART

Board to explain some of the terms that are used to describe materials and objects. The students

will be asked to think of examples of objects that might have these properties.

o Understanding Characteristics of Building Materials Song (5 Minutes): The students will

then listen to the “Building Materials” Song that describes many of the properties of building

materials (YouTube Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOKr462HLc0&list=PLyHPBb1mXkQSq7_jXAjxUUFrY

00xvDP9P).

o Understanding Characteristics of Building Materials Game (15 Minutes): As a class, we

will play the “Understanding Characteristics of Building Materials” game on the SMART

Board (Game Link:


Numerous students will be selected to come up to the SMART Board and lead the class

through examining different materials within the game.

Closure/Reflection:

o Find Materials in Our Classroom (10 Minutes): Each student will use their senses of sight

and touch to find out what materials are used to make one object in the classroom. All students

will then be given the opportunity to share their object and the materials it is made out of with

the class.


Modifications: Students who struggle with understanding the characteristics of building materials

can be encouraged to use their sense of sight and touch as much as possible in order to help them

decide what materials an object may be made from.

Extensions: Students who finish early can be challenged to describe either orally or in written

format on a sheet of loose-leaf paper different objects within our world that may be made from

numerous types of materials (e.g. chairs that are made out of metal and plastic).


An informal teacher observation will occur during the “Find Materials in Our Classroom”

Activity in order to help the teacher understand what background knowledge the students have in

being able to identify the materials that objects are made from.


UNIT PLAN 25

Lessons #5: Understanding Engineering: Exploring Building Materials- Wednesday, April 13,

2016- 50 Minutes









I Can Statements:

















o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 3: Describe the distinctive

properties of some common solids, such as wood, paper or plastic, that make them suitable

for use as building materials.


test the strength of construction materials, in particular, different stocks of papers, plastics

or wood.






Specific Learner Expectation- Explore & Investigate: Identify materials and

how they are used.

Specific Learner Expectation- Explore & Investigate: Work independently or


Specific Learner Expectation- Reflect & Interpret: Record observations and



UNIT PLAN 26





Math Outcomes:

o Specific Learner Expectation- Patterns and Relations-Patterns: Sort objects or

numbers, using one or more than one attribute.

[C, CN, R, V]


Engaged Thinker: Numeracy, Know How to Learn, & Demonstrated Good Communication Skills

and the Ability to Work Cooperatively with Others.


Entrepreneurial Spirit: Create Opportunities, & Apply Multiple Literacies.



o Instructional Intelligences: Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Wait Time.


o Opportunities for Student Choice: The students will have the opportunity to use their inquiry

investigation skills during the “Mission Materials Scavenger Hunt Challenge” in order to

illustrate an understanding of how you can recognize the different types of materials that make

up everyday objects. The students will engage in a scavenger hunt in the classroom and

classroom hallway in order to identify the different materials that make up these everyday

objects.


Musical-Rhythmic, and Visual-Spatial.


Analysis Level Questioning: Can you sort the following materials in front of you

based on their properties?

Materials/Resources Required: SMART Board, Rubber Bands, Tin Foil, Paper, Erasers, Shiny

Rocks, Q-tips, Cotton Balls, Dimes, Wood, & Individual “Student Engineering” Booklets (1 per

student).


Anticipatory Set:

o Review Properties of Building Materials (2-3 Minutes): The teacher will begin by briefly

reviewing the learning the students did yesterday about the properties of building materials. All

engineers and the people who work with them such as construction workers need to have a

good understanding of the properties of building materials. What do we mean by properties?

Properties are the qualities that used to describe materials. You learn about these

qualities using your senses.

Examples of properties include: Hard, soft, strong, weak, smooth, rough, magnetic,

and non-magnetic.

UNIT PLAN 27


o Review Words that Describe the Properties of Materials & Objects (2-3 Minutes): The

teacher will then review a few child-friendly definitions of the properties of materials on the

SMART Board in order to explain some of the terms that are used to describe materials and

objects. The students will be asked to think of examples of objects that might have these

properties.

o Mini Science Challenge: Sorting Materials (15 Minutes): When engineers are learning

about building materials they often begin by sorting materials based on their properties. The

students will be provided with items such as rubber bands, tin foil, paper, erasers, shiny rocks,

Q-tips, cotton balls, dimes, and wood to investigate during this challenge. The students will be

asked to work with a partner in response to the following prompt:

When engineers are learning about building materials they often begin by sorting

materials based on their properties. Follow the instructions below to practice

sorting materials based on their properties:

Your job is to use the information we have just learned about the properties of

materials to sort the materials in 3 ways:

Shiniest to least shiny.

Most flexible to least flexible.

Most magnetic to least magnetic.

Draw a quick picture or use words to record how you sorted the objects each time

on your “Sorting Building Materials” Sheet.

You have 15 minutes to try to complete this challenge.

o Mission Materials Scavenger Hunt Engineering Challenge #3 (20 Minutes): The following

prompt will be used to set the project-based learning activity context for this lesson. The

students will have 20-25 minutes to complete the challenge:

Materials . . . Materials . . . Materials . . . They are all around us no matter where

we look. Have you ever wondered about the different types of materials in your

school? Your challenge is to find objects in our school that are made out of the

types of materials that engineers use for building. Work with the same partner that

you did for the previous challenge. Go on a scavenger hunt in our classroom and in

the hallway between our classroom and the school office to find objects that are

made out of materials that fit into 1 or more of the categories below: Wood, Metal,

Glass, Plastic, and Paper. But be careful, the engineering company that you work

for has guidelines for your work as you may not go into any other classrooms or go

any further up the hallway or our coat racks for this challenge.

Closure/Reflection:

o Share Your Scavenger Hunt Results (5 Minutes): The final step of our challenge is to share

with each other the different types of objects that we found on our scavenger hunt that were

made out of each material. As a class, the students will discuss objects they found that fit into

each of the categories.

o Understanding Characteristics of Building Materials Game (5 Minutes): As a class, we

will play the “Understanding Characteristics of Building Materials” game on the SMART

Board (Game Link:


Numerous students will be selected to come up to the SMART Board and lead the class

through examining different materials within the game.

UNIT PLAN 28


Modifications: Students who struggle with sorting materials based on their properties may be

provided additional guided support by asking their partner to explain why he or she feels that an

object on the scavenger hunt fits into a certain category.

Extensions: Students who finish early can be challenged to describe either orally or in written

format on a sheet of loose-leaf paper the different objects that they were surprised fit into each

category.


An informal teacher observation will occur during the Sorting Building Materials Challenge &

the Mission Materials Scavenger Hunt Challenge in order to allow the teacher to formatively

observe each student’s ability to classify different types of materials based on their distinctive

properties.

Teacher analysis of each student’s “Sorting Building Materials Challenge” Page &

“Engineering Challenge #3: Mission Materials Challenge” Page to check that all students have

demonstrated a beginning understanding of being able to recognize and describe the materials that

are used in building based on their distinctive properties.


UNIT PLAN 29

Lessons #6 & 7: The Parts of a House/The Fourth Little Piggy & the Big Bad Blow Dryer-

Wednesday, April 20, 2016 & Thursday, April 21, 2016- 50 Minutes Each Day









I Can Statements:

















Support objects.






o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 3: Select tools that

are suitable to particular tasks and materials, and use them safely and effectively.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 4: Understand and

use a variety of methods to join or fasten materials.




o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 6: Understand that

simple designs are often as effective as more complex ones, as well as being easier and

cheaper to build, and illustrate this understanding with a practical example.

o Building with a Variety of Materials Specific Learner Expectation 8: Maintain and

store materials and tools safely and properly.

UNIT PLAN 30




o Testing Materials and Designs Specific Learner Expectation 2: Compare and evaluate

the strength and stability of different models or objects constructed.




test the strength of different methods of joining.


methods for making a structure stronger and more stable; e.g., by adding or joining parts to

form triangles.




o Grade 3 Skills- Science Inquiry General Learner Expectation-3-2: Identify patterns

and order in objects and events studied; and, with guidance, record observations, using

pictures, words and charts; and make predictions and generalizations, based on

observations.

Specific Learner Expectation-Focus: Identify one or more possible answers to

questions by stating predictions or hypotheses.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Engage in all parts of the

task and support the efforts of others.

Specific Learner Expectation-Explore & Investigate: Record observations and





o Specific Outcome- 5.1-Respect Others and Strengthen Community-Use Language to

Show Respect: Demonstrate respect for the ideas, abilities and language use of others.


Engaged Thinker: Numeracy, Know How to Learn, Identify and Apply Career and Life Skills, &

Demonstrate Good Communication Skills and the Ability to Work Cooperatively with Others.

Ethical Citizen: Literacy, Think Critically, & Identify and Solve Complex Problems.

Entrepreneurial Spirit: Create Opportunities, Innovate, & Demonstrate Global and Cultural

Understanding.



o Instructional Intelligences: Gallery Walk, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Wait Time.

o Kagan Strategy: Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up.



partner during this series of lessons to construct a house that will stand the wrath of the big bad

blow dryer. Each partnership will have the complete freedom to choose how they would like to

UNIT PLAN 31

build their house. However, each partnership’s house can only be made out the materials

contained in a Ziploc bag.


Bodily-Kinesthetic, and Visual-Spatial.


Creation Level Questioning: Can you create a tower that will withstand the

wrath of the big bad blow dryer?

Evaluation Level Questioning: Is it possible for you to judge as you are

beginning to build which materials seem to be the most useful in the construction

of your house?

Evaluation Level Questioning: Can you explain what worked well while you

were building? What didn’t work?

Analysis Level Questioning: Can you describe what you would do differently

next time if you were to do this challenge again?

Materials/Resources Required: SMART Board, The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall (1989),

Popsicle Sticks, Pipe Cleaners, Glue Sticks, Foam, Tin Foil, Newspaper, Straws, Toilet Paper Rolls,

Tape, & Individual “Big Bad Blow Dryer Booklets” (1 per student).


Lesson #6/Day 1 (Wednesday, April 20, 2016):

Anticipatory Set:

o The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf Read Aloud (10 Minutes): The teacher will

read aloud The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf by James Marshall (1989) to the

students. The students will be asked to use their engineering brain as they listen to the story.

Furthermore, the students will be asked to pay particularly close attention to how the houses

were built and what happened to each of them. Periodically throughout the story, the class will

discuss why each of the houses that the little pigs built were either stable or unstable. The

students will use a Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up to discuss why these houses were either

stable or unstable.


o Brainstorming/What Makes a House Strong? (7 Minutes): The students will be placed into

small groups of four or five as specified on the SMART Board. Using the large piece of paper

provided to you by your teacher, brainstorm ideas with your group about the following

questions:

What are the different parts of a house?

What makes a house strong so that it won’t collapse?

o Houses . . . Houses . . . What Parts Do They Have? (5-7 Minutes): The students will then be

shown pictures of several houses from different parts of the world. These pictures will allow

the students to realize that not all houses look the same as the one’s Canadians live in. As a

class, we will discuss questions such as:

Why do you think the bases of many houses are made out of concrete?

Why does a roof have a triangle shape?

Why is the straw house leaning even though there is no wind? What could make it

strong?

Does the mud house look more stable than the straw house?

What do you notice on the inside of the mud house? What material does it appear

is being used for support?

UNIT PLAN 32

o The Frame of a House (2-3 Minutes): As we already know, any structure including a house

needs a strong and stable base or foundation. But after the foundation, the frame is the next

most important part of a house’s design. The frame holds the shape of a house together,

preventing the house from falling or getting destroyed. Without a good frame, walls or a roof

won’t matter.

o Engineering Challenge #5: The 4th Little Piggy & the Big Bad Blow Dryer (15-20


for this lesson. The students will have 15-20 minutes to start working on this challenge today

(Wednesday) & will continue working on this project-based learning activity for 50-55

minutes during the next lesson tomorrow (Thursday):

Since you have learned a little bit about how houses are built, it’s time for your

next challenge! Your challenge is to work with a partner to construct a house that a

4th little piggy could use to withstand the wrath of the BIG BAD BLOW DRYER.

Use a few or all of the materials provided to build 1 house per partnership. The

materials you have available include popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, tape, glue

sticks, newspaper, straws, paper plates, toilet paper rolls, foam, and tin foil. Follow

the steps below to complete today’s work:

Step 1: Begin by using your “Big Bad Materials Brainstorming Sheet” to

list the materials that your partnership believes will help you to build a

strong house.

Step 2: The work together to plan/draw a design (picture for your house).

Make sure that you both draw the design (picture) and that you label what

materials you will use to make each part of your house. Then explain why

your houses will withstand the BIG BAD BLOW DRYER.

Lesson #7/Day 2 (Thursday, April 21, 2016):

o Engineering Challenge #5: The 4th Little Piggy & the Big Bad Blow Dryer (50-55


for this lesson. The students will continue working on this project-based learning activity for

50-55 minutes during today’s lessons:

Since you have learned a little bit about how houses are built, it’s time for your

next challenge! Your challenge is to work with a partner to construct a house that a

4th little piggy could use to withstand the wrath of the BIG BAD BLOW DRYER.

Use a few or all of the materials provided to build 1 house per partnership. The

materials you have available include popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, tape, glue

sticks, newspaper, straws, paper plates, toilet paper rolls, foam, and tin foil. Follow

the steps below to complete today’s work:

Step 3: Use some or all of the materials in the Ziploc bag to build your

house. Work cooperatively and work fast. Make sure that you leave

yourself at least 5 minutes at the end for testing.

Step 4: Test your house against THE BIG BAD BLOW DRYER! Use

your “My Big, Bad Recording Sheet” to draw what your house looked like

after it faced the wrath of the BIG BAD BLOW DRYER. Circle whether

the blow dryer or you won the challenge!

UNIT PLAN 33

Closure/Reflection (*Note: This section of the lesson’s activities will occur for the last 5-10

minutes of Thursday’s class after the above house building challenge is complete:

o *If time-Final Class Reflective Thoughts (5 Minutes): The class will be asked to take a

moment to think about two reflective questions. Then in a whole class discussion format the

students will orally respond to the following reflective questions:

Can you explain what worked well while you were building? What didn’t work?

If you were to do this challenge again what might you do differently next time?

o Junior Engineers Certificates Ceremony (5 Minutes): To close the unit, the class will

celebrate all that they have accomplished during the unit. The teacher will tell the students that

they should be proud of what you learned about building during our engineering unit! It’s time

for our ceremony where you all become Junior Engineers! All of the students will receive a

personal certificate certifying them as Junior Engineers.


Modifications: Students who struggle with ideas for how to build their house could be encouraged

to take a quick ghost walk around the room to others groups of students in order to see how their

classmates are building their houses. Furthermore, during Day #1 of the challenge, the class will

discuss what certain materials might be useful for in the building process.



order to make their house even stronger to withstand the wrath of the BIG BAD BLOW DRYER.


An informal teacher observation will occur during the house building challenge in order to


well as to work cooperatively with a partner on a construction project. The students will apply and

incorporate the knowledge that they have learned about the how engineers design plans and then

make prototypes of these plans during the construction of their houses.

Teacher analysis of each student’s “Engineering Challenge #5: The 4th Little Piggy and the

Big Bad Blow Dryer” Booklet in order to check that all students have used the engineering

process in order to engage in active planning before building and active self-reflection during

building. The planning and self-reflection stages of the challenge help the students to learn about

using the scientific process in inquiry investigations.


UNIT PLAN 34

Appendix A: Student

Engineering Reflective

Log/Booklet

UNIT PLAN 35

Engineering: Building

with a Variety of Materials & Testing

Materials and Designs

Name: _________________________

UNIT PLAN 36

Engineering Challenge #1: Creating a Tower from Paper Your Challenge: To use only paper, newspaper, and tape to create the tallest tower that you possibly can. But there's a catch ... your tower must be able to stand up on its own for 1 minute without anyone holding it!

My Tower Plan

Reflect:

1. What worked well? What didn’t?

2. How could you change your tower next time?

UNIT PLAN 37

Engineering Challenge #2: Creating a Tower from Household and Classroom Materials Challenge

Your Challenge: To use only the materials in your Ziploc bag (paper, newspaper,

straws, toilet paper rolls, and tape) to create the tallest tower that you possibly

can. But there's a catch ... your tower must be able to stand up on its own for as

long as possible without anyone holding it!

My New Tower Plan

Reflect:

1. What did you do differently this time when you were building your tower?

2. How does having a good base help to make your tower stronger?

UNIT PLAN 38

Sorting Building Materials Mini Challenge When engineers are learning about building materials they often begin by sorting materials based on their properties. Your job is to use the information we have just learned about the properties of materials to sort the materials in 3 ways:

Shiniest to least shiny.

Most flexible to least flexible.

Most magnetic to least magnetic.

Draw a quick picture or use words to record how you sorted the objects each time.

My Observations

Shiniest to least shiny:

Most flexible to least flexible:

Most magnetic to least magnetic:

UNIT PLAN 39

Engineering Challenge #3: Mission Materials Scavenger Hunt Challenge

Your Challenge: To find objects in our school that are made out of the types of materials that engineers use for building. Go on a scavenger hunt in our classroom and in the hallway to find objects that are made of materials that fit into 1 or more of the categories below: -Wood -Metal -Glass -Plastic -Paper Write the name or draw a picture for each object you find that fits into these categories.

Material Category

Objects

Wood

Metal

UNIT PLAN 40

Glass

Plastic

Paper

UNIT PLAN 41

Appendix B: Final

Summative Engineering

Challenge: The 4th Little

Piggy and the Big Bad

Blow Dryer

Student Name: Date:

Final Engineering Challenge: The 4th Little Piggy and the Big Bad Blow Dryer

Level Criteria

Wow! (4)

That’s It (3)

Coming Along (2)

A Start(1)

Insufficient/

Blank*

House Design

Sketch: I labelled the materials that I used

to build each part of

my house on my sketch.

I labelled all of the

materials that I used to build each part of my

house on my sketch.

I labelled many of the


house on my sketch.

I labelled a few of the


house on my sketch.

I labelled none of the


house on my sketch.

Planning

Explanation: I provided an

explanation for why I think my house will

withstand the Big Bad Blow Dryer using

engineering principles.

I provided a clear and

purposeful explanation for why I think my

house will withstand the Big Bad Blow Dryer

using numerous engineering principles.

I provided a mostly

clear and relevant explanation for why I

think my house will withstand the Big Bad

Blow Dryer using many engineering principles.

I provided a general

explanation for why I think my house will

withstand the Big Bad Blow Dryer using some

engineering principles.

I provided an unclear

explanation or no explanation at all for

why I think my house will withstand the Big

Bad Blow Dryer.

Reflection: I have completed a reflection

that explains the

connection between the design of my

house and the building materials that

I used.

I have completed an insightful reflection

that clearly explains

the connection between the design of my house

and the building materials that I used.

I have completed a meaningful reflection

that mostly explains



I have completed an appropriate reflection

that somewhat

explains the connection between the design of

my house and the building materials that I

used.

I have completed a superficial reflection

that unclearly explains



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destination imagination: s.t.e.a.m./s.t.e.m. engineering unit plan · 2018-08-29 · select tools...

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