TOWER

CHALLENGE

Grade2

SOCIAL STUDIES1.Discuss communities (rural, towns, city), different buildings found in each

2.Research NYC, Syracuse, and home town. View buildings in different areas.

3. Use BOCES Resources: City, suburb and rural communities. video

TECH ED1. Construction Technology, design and build tower

2. Identify problem: how to build tallest tower, why does it fall over? 3. Consider solution: shapes used, materials,

MATH1.Discuss Ordinal numbers

2. Introduce 3D shapes, reinforce 2D shapes

3. Estimate height of tower

ED TECH1. Build and design tower

2. Use Videos with Bill Nye the Science Guy: Gravity.

3. Use internet to research types of engineers, specifically Civil Engineers

SCIENCEVisit Lego Land website and observe other structures

Discuss Gravity, why things fall. Watch video

3. Shadows (light) different shadows from different height objects

MUSIC & ARTS1.Draw and design tower to build with paper

2.Draw picture that corresponds with read aloud (City Mouse Country Mouse by Jan Brett

3.Use other materials such as paper machete to create other towers

ELA1. Write compare and contrast buildings found in towns and home area and cities.

2. Write how their tower was successful and changes to be made.

3.Read “City mouse, country mouse” by Jan Brett, write continuing sentences.

EDU 505 MST PreK to 6 Dr. Diann C. JacksonFallon Blask Date: May 29, 2010

Interdisciplinary Plan

Career Devel & Occupational Studies1. Research Engineer types

2. Give small presentation to class about a civil engineer and what you learned.

3. Civil Engineer come to classroom to speak.

EDU 505 MST PreK to 6 Dr. Diann C. JacksonFallon Blask Date: May 29, 2010Topic: Tower ChallengeGrade: 2

NOTES:MATH

Ordinal numbers: Students will be asked to use their knowledge of ordinal numbers when writing the steps of their procedure. First we….. Second … etc. Students will be asked to write down the steps to their tower construction by using word processing. This will help later on when students are asked to review their tower construction. Students will be able to use this information to compare and contrast their design against their classmates.

Estimation: Students will be asked to estimate how tall their tower is after they have finished construction before they take an accurate measure of their tower. Estimating will allow students an opportunity to make an educated guess while making units of measure relative to their own understandings.

Introduce 3D shapes: Students at this age are very familiar with their 2D shapes and their names. Exposing students to new vocabulary is very important. Introducing 3D shapes that they see every day and labeling with new vocabulary. Students will be given 3D shape manipulatives provided by the teacher and each shape will be identified by the “face” 2D shape, edges and number of vertices. Students will also be given the opportunity to view several different pictures of buildings to identify the many 2D and overall 3D shape of the structure. Examples:

https://www.killeenisd.org/schools/high/harkerheights/cga_pictures/cga_skyscrapers.jpghttp://cache.virtualtourist.com/2672763-Skyscrapers_along_Sheikh_Zayed_Road-Dubai.jpg

SCIENCE After students build their towers with paper and tape they will be able to visit the Lego Land

website and explore pictures of how other students have built towers out of other materials. Students will be simply asked to go to the website and observe the different structures that were built.

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/2672763-Skyscrapers_along_Sheikh_Zayed_Road-Dubai.jpg With this website they discuss earthquake safe buildings and how to construct better structures

that are stronger and safer. As a class we will be able to discuss earthquakes briefly and we will also discuss gravity and why things fall to the Earth.

We will watch a video of Bill Nye the Science guy who discusses “Gravity.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZi8TXtRRYg

http://www.dep-store.com/Bill-Nye-The-Science-Guy-Gravity-p/77c17vl00.htm Students will be asked to quickly discuss what they feel went wrong with some of their tower

attempts that might not have stood on their own. Shadow: Light and shadows are cast when the sun’s light is blocked by an object. Students will

investigate shadows cast by their free standing towers by using a fixed light and determined tower placement. Students will be able to measure the distance of the shadow cast by their tower. Students will also be asked to measure the shadow cast by their classmates when standing outside in the sun. They will be able to compare and contrast the shadows made by taller students and shorter students. This activity should be done twice at two different times of the day for students to also compare how their shadow is effected by the height of the sun.

EDU 505 MST PreK to 6 Dr. Diann C. JacksonFallon Blask Date: May 29, 2010TECH ED

Construction Technology, design and build tower o Students will be asked to design and build a free standing tower made out of paper and

tape. Students must use their creativity as well as problem solving techniques to create the tallest tower that they possibly can construct using only those limited materials. This will test the students ability to think creatively while designing a functional structure that fits the criteria of height and standing alone.

Identify problem: how to build tallest tower, why does it fall over?o Students are asked to build a free standing tower. This tower must be as tall as possible

without falling over. This is a major challenge. Students must debate and problem solve on how to achieve such a task. Students will be asked to predict their results, write down their procedure using their ordinal numbers, and reflect upon their solution.

Consider solution: shapes used, materials, o Once students have decided upon a solution and have built their structure they are then

asked to reflect upon their process of building. Students must be able to review their work and find the trouble spots or the areas that gave them difficulty. Students are asked to reflect and write about solutions for the problems that they encountered while planning or constructing their tower. Students will also be asked to reflect upon their classmates towers and see how they could integrate others design ideas into their own tower design.

ED TECH Word processing: Students are asked to write their process of designing their tower using word

processing. This is also a great way to include students who are disabled. Word processing and using the computer allow for students who are physically or visually impaired to participate in this activity by using their assistive technology.

Use Videos with Bill Nye the Science Guy: Gravity. Students are to watch a video on gravity by Bill Nye the Science Guy. This is a great video to introduce the topic of gravity. Students will only need to watch this video. A discussion around gravity must happen in either small groups or in whole group to reduce any confusion or answer any questions students may have. Gravity must also be connected to the students failed tower construction. How and why student design was unsuccessful should be related to gravity and the pull it has on objects that are unbalanced.

Use internet to research types of engineers, specifically Civil Engineers. Students are asked to use the internet to research the different types of engineers there are. More specifically students will be to look closely at what a civil engineer’s job is. This will prepare the students understanding before their guest speaker. Students will be able to prepare several questions that they would like answered after listening to their guest speaker.

ELA Write compare and contrast buildings found in towns and home area and cities. Students are to

use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast the country and the city. Students will use ideas that are based off of what they already know, have learned, and ideas from the read aloud. Students must include at least 3 items about the specific types of buildings and structures that are found in either their home town or the city.

Write how their tower was successful and changes to be made. Students are asked to write down their estimation of how tall their tower is. They are also asked to write the process of developing their tower. Students will reflect upon this process. Students should at least try 2 different times to create the tallest tower. As they do this, students should reflect upon what they changed in the second tower to better their first idea. Why is this second tower more successful?

EDU 505 MST PreK to 6 Dr. Diann C. JacksonFallon Blask Date: May 29, 2010

3.Read “City mouse, country mouse” by Jan Brett, write continuing sentences. Students will be asked to write 5 sentences to continue the story of City Mouse, Country Mouse. They will be asked to add their ideas of what the city mouse and what the country mouse might do next for their friendship and this story. Explain to the students this book has been made into many different versions as well as television episodes. It is their job to create their own version of what happens next!

SOCIAL STUDIES Discuss communities (rural, towns, city), different buildings found in each. Communities are all

around us and there are different types and sizes. In each community there are specifically different types of businesses and buildings. Students are to look at the different types of communities, discuss their differences, and observe the buildings or “towers” that are found within each.

Research NYC, Syracuse, and home town. View buildings in different areas. Students are to research their community, the Syracuse, and New York City community. Students are to recognize the differences and common elements found in each one. Students are to find 3 differences and 3 common elements.

Use BOCES Resources: City, suburb and rural communities (video). Students will watch a video on the different communities. At the end of the video we will discuss the video in whole group.

MUSIC/ARTS Draw and design tower to build with paper. Students are asked to use their creativity to draw

and design their tower before construction will occur. Students are able to create any type of design that they believe will be successful or unique.

Draw picture that corresponds with read aloud (City Mouse Country Mouse by Jan Brett). With student’s writing, students will draw a picture that goes along with their story.

Use other materials such as paper machete to create other towers. Once students have created their towers successfully. Ask the art teacher if she would participate in creating towers in her classroom. Students now know how to build a successful tower out of paper, now the new challenge is to build the tallest tower but out of different materials. Does this change or affect their outcome!? What material was most successful?

CAREER DEVELOPMENT & OCCUPATIONAL STUDIES Research Engineer types. Students will go online to look at the many different types of

engineers. They are to look at the descriptions of the engineers and what they do.

Give small presentation to class about a civil engineer and what you learned. Students are to look specifically at a civil engineer. Students are present 5 sentences to the class. These are all things they have learned about civil engineers. Hopefully students will give several different ideas.

Civil Engineer visit classroom to guest speak. From your community have a real life civil engineer come and speak to the class about what they do and why their job is so important and exciting!

EDU 505 MST PreK to 6 Dr. Diann C. JacksonFallon Blask Date: May 29, 2010

Topic: Tower ChallengeGrade: 2

NYS LEANRING STANDARDS KEY IDEAS

MST 1. Elementary Engineering Design MST 1.1 Engineering design is an iterative process involving modeling and optimization finding the best solution within given constraints which is used to develop technological solutions to problems within given constraints.

MST 2. Elementary Information System MST 2.1 Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

MST 3. Elementary Measurement MST 3.5 Students use measurement in both metric andEnglish measure to provide a major link between the abstractions of mathematics and the real world in order to describe and compare objects and data.

Elementary Uncertainty MST 3.6 Students use ideas of uncertainty to illustrate that mathematics involves more than exactness when dealing with everyday situations.

EDU 505 MST PreK to 6 Dr. Diann C. JacksonFallon Blask Date: May 29, 2010

Standards Justification:

MST 1: Elementary Engineering Design MST 1.1 Engineering design is an iterative process involving modeling and optimization finding the best solution within given constraints which is used to develop technological solutions to problems within given constraints.

I have chosen this standard because students through this activity are asked to design their tower models before construction. With this activity they are asked to find the “best solution” or find a way to build the tallest tower possible. Their constraints were their imagination and materials allowed to them.

MST 2: Elementary Information System MST 2.1 Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

This standard was chosen because through this process students are to use multiple types of equipment such as the computer for internet searches, word processing, and videos. All of these items used to retrieve information about elements related to tower building.

NYS LEANRING STANDARDS KEY IDEAS

MST 1. Elementary Engineering Design MST 1.1 Engineering design is an iterative process involving modeling and optimization finding the best solution within given constraints which is used to develop technological solutions to problems within given constraints.

MST 2. Elementary Information System MST 2.1 Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

MST 3. Elementary Measurement MST 3.5 Students use measurement in both metric andEnglish measure to provide a major link between the abstractions of mathematics and the real world in order to describe and compare objects and data.

Elementary Uncertainty MST 3.6 Students use ideas of uncertainty to illustrate that mathematics involves more than exactness when dealing with everyday situations.

EDU 505 MST PreK to 6 Dr. Diann C. JacksonFallon Blask Date: May 29, 2010MST 3: Elementary Measurement MST 3.5 Students use measurement in both metric andEnglish measure to provide a major link between the abstractions of mathematics and the real world in order to describe and compare objects and data.

Students will not only be measuring their towers but they will also be measuring different sized shadows created from their tower and when standing outside.

Elementary Uncertainty MST 3.6 Students use ideas of uncertainty to illustrate that mathematics involves more than exactness when dealing with everyday situations.

Students will estimate the height of their tower before they have a true measure. Estimation of their towers height will allow students to better understand the true size of the unit measurement.

MST4: Elementary Physical Setting MST 4.5 Energy and matter interact through forces thatresult in changes in motion.

Students will be introduced to the force of gravity and its ability pull on their tower. Paper towers and real buildings deal with the same problem of gravity and dealing with the forces of Earth pulling down on the structures.

MST 5: Elementary Computer Technology MST 5.3 Computers, as tools for design, modeling, information processing, communication, and system control, have greatly increased human productivity and knowledge.

Students are using the computer to write their explanations using word processing, exploring the internet for information about engineers and who they are and what they do, and students are also using the computer to view a video clip about gravity.

Elementary Management of Technology MST 5.7 Project management is essential to ensuring that technological endeavors are profitable and that products and systems are of high quality and built safely, on schedule, and within budget.

Students are to work in small groups to create the tallest free standing tower. This task includes predicting, planning, designing, and creating. All of these aspects must be done within the group and compromises must be made between students, jobs must be delegated to stay on task, and problem solving must occur the create the best product possible.

MST 6: Elementary Models MST 6.2 Models are simplified representations of objects, structures, or systems used in analysis, explanation, interpretation, or design.

Students will analyze and construct towers that will simulate large buildings. Students will also observe how others build smaller models of buildings and use tilt boards to simulate earthquakes. They discover that these models are different than the real thing, however they simulate real life. Students consider forces such as gravity and its affect on their paper towers as well as real buildings.

MST 6: Elementary Optimization MST 6.6 In order to arrive at the best solution that meets criteria within constraints, it is often necessary to make trade-offs.

Students must work with parameters such as amount of materials given, tower must be free standing, and height. The biggest trade off that students will deal with in constructing their towers is free standing and height. If a tower becomes too tall it may not be free standing, to trade off and make the tower small may allow the tower to then be free standing.

MST 7: Elementary Connections MST 7.1 The knowledge and skills of mathematics, science, and technology are used together to make informed decisions and solve problems, especially those relating to issues of science/technology/society, consumer decision making, design, and inquiry into phenomena.

Students are to use their skills of math, science, and technology to create and build the best free standing tower possible. Their knowledge of math is to estimate and better understand unit measurements. Science connections are gravity, and forces placed upon objects as they become taller. Technology connections are to design and problem solve the issue between height, gravity, and secure free standing structures.