Science Curriculum

Grade 4

Engineering & Design

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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Course Description

In unit one, students engage in an engineering challenge to develop habits of mind and classroom practices that will be reinforced throughout the school

year. Unit two provides students with firsthand experiences with soils and rocks and modeling experiences using tools such as topographic maps and

stream tables to study changes to rocks and landforms at Earth’s surface. Students interpret data from diagrams and visual representations to build

explanations from evidence and make predictions of future events. In unit three, students engage in first-hand experiences in physical science dealing

with energy and change. Students investigate electricity and magnetism as related effects and engage in engineering design while learning useful

applications of electromagnetism in everyday life. They explore energy transfer through waves, repeating patterns of motion, that result in sound and

motion. In unit four, students will analyze ecosystems as they investigate food chains and food webs. Gradual ecosystem changes are compared and

contrasted with rapid ecosystem changes. Students are asked to assess human impact on ecosystems from positive and a negative standpoint. Students

will formulate solutions to real world environmental problems. Across all units, students gain experiences that will contribute to the understanding of

crosscutting concepts of patterns; cause and effect; scale, proportion, and quantity; systems and system models; structure and function; and stability

and change.

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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Teachers may choose from a variety of instructional approaches that are aligned with 3 dimensional learning to achieve this goal. These approaches

include:

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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Pacing Chart

This pacing chart is based upon 160 minutes of instruction per cycle.

Unit 1 Engineering & Design 10 days

Unit 2 FOSS Soils, Rocks & Landforms

40 days

Unit 3 FOSS Energy

30 days

Unit 4 FOSS Environments 40 days

Unit Summary

This unit introduces the engineering design process and supports practices that will build a strong collaborative learning community for the year. The teacher uses a read aloud to introduce the habits of mind of an engineer. Students identify the characteristics of each story’s characters that help them solve a problem. They attempt to solve a design challenge and use the engineering habits of mind and the engineering design process to refine their solutions. They are encouraged to think that there are many possible solutions to a problem and do not look for one “correct” answer. They engage in class discussions and partner shares to build on and refine their ideas. Students begin to develop the habit of using a scientific notebook during this time.

Students will participate in tasks that will require them to work with restrictions and limitations. Student’s notebooks should show evidence of brainstorming, group thinking and changes in their designs and thinking.

Student Learning Objectives

Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. (3-5-ETS1-1)

Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. (3-5-ETS1-2)

Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. (3-5-ETS1-3)

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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Unit Sequence

Storyline: Engineers are an essential part of our world. Many engineers are also inventors. Engineers and inventors fail many times before they achieve success.

Essential Question: How do engineers deal with failure?

Concepts Formative Assessment

Asking questions and defining problems in 3–5 builds on grades K–2 experiences and progresses to specifying qualitative relationships.

Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test solutions to problems in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to include investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions.

Students who understand the concepts are able to: • Ask questions and define problems based off of experiences • Be able to plan and design a test for solutions while staying

within the limits of restrictions that were given to them. • Brainstorm and develop ideas from individual and group think • Evaluated and identify faults in design that do successfully meet

criteria for the task at hand.

Learning Objective

and Standard

Essential Questions

Content Related to DCI’s Sample Activities Resources

Students will become familiar with the work of engineers and describe their role in society. Develop expository writing through notebooking.

What do engineers do? How do scientists and engineers record their thinking?

Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account.

Complete first entry in the Science notebook, including the setup of Table of Contents.

Complete What Do Engineers Do? probe. Discuss student answers to probe but do not correct any misconceptions at this time.

Design a cover to the science notebook based

Science Notebook - See Resource Folder

What Do Engineers Do? probe - See Resource Folder

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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Foundational to 3-5-ETS1-1

on prior knowledge about science and engineering.

Students will identify instances in the text where a character displays the characteristics of an engineer.

3-5-ETS1-1

How does Rosie behave like an engineer?

Read the book Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty.

Discuss evidence from the story regarding how Rosie behaves like an engineer, as well as when she did not act like an engineer. Create T chart. Record in Science Notebook.

Rosie Revere, Engineer video by Andrea Beaty

Students will identify a problem that can be solved through engineering.

3-5-ETS1-1

How can we build a balloon car?

Students review the Balloon Car Design Challenge student page and discuss the criteria for the challenge.

The Inventor’s Secret Lesson Plan – See Resource Folder

Students will brainstorm a solution to their problem and develop a

How many solutions can we generate for the same problem? How can we plan to create a prototype of

At whatever stage, communicating with peers about proposed solutions is an important part of the design process, and shared

Students will brainstorm possible solutions and exchange ideas with their peers. Students must draw a plan for

The Inventor’s Secret Lesson Plan – See Resource Folder

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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plan to create their prototype.

3-5 ETS1-2

our chosen solution? ideas can lead to improved designs.

their car before they are given access to materials to create their prototype. Record in Science Notebook.

Teacher Note: The list of materials in the lesson plan is suggested. You may use other materials that you have at your disposal. You should also consider asking students to bring certain materials that they may have at home.

Students will create a prototype from their plan using design criteria and constraints.

3-5 ETS1-2

Can we create an exact replica of our planned prototype with the criteria and constraints in place? How did we have to modify our plans based upon building conditions?

Students create their

prototype from their

planned sketches.

Students should make

notes as to and changes

that they had to make

while building in their

Science Notebooks.

The Inventor’s Secret Lesson Plan – See Resource Folder

Students will identify instances where the engineering design

Do engineers have a specific way that they work to solve problems? What is the engineering design process, and

Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different

Read aloud The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford by Suzanne Slade and discuss Edison’s secret.

The Inventor’s Secret Lesson Plan – See Resource Folder

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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process was used by characters in the story.

3-5-ETS1-1

how can it help us improve our prototypes?

proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account.

Create the Engineering Design Process anchor chart.

Read aloud a second time, looking for evidence in the text of characters using this process to solve their problem. Create anchor chart and record in Science Notebook.

Students will

make

connections

between texts

to identify

common

themes that

apply to the

engineering

design

process.

3-5-ETS1-1

Can we find examples of the engineering & design process in Rosie Revere, Engineer?

How do engineers respond to failure?

Revisit Rosie Revere, Engineer with students to identify examples of her use of the engineering design process.

In small groups, students should read quotes from Thomas Edison (in resource folder) and discuss how he and other engineers approach failure.

Students evaluate whether they used the engineering design process to create their prototype. They should note that they did not

The Inventor’s Secret Lesson Plan – See Resource Folder

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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have an opportunity to redesign their prototype yet.

Students will

make

improvements

to their

prototype

using the

engineering

design

process.

3-5-ETS-1-3

How can we improve our design?

Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account.

At whatever stage, communicating with peers about proposed solutions is an important part of the design process, and shared ideas can lead to improved designs.

Tests are often designed to identify failure points or difficulties, which suggest the elements of the design that need to be improved.

Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints.

Students should have an opportunity to improve their prototypes and share them with the class. This can be done using a gallery walk or pair share.

Important teacher note: this is not a competitive exercise, so it is important to emphasize the best parts of each model: some may use less materials, others may be stronger, etc. DO NOT identify a model as “best” or “worst”.

Final reflection: Students should look back at their What DO Engineers Do probe at the beginning of the unit and create a new notebook entry that records their new thinking about what engineers do. They should also include a slogan about how failure

The Inventor’s Secret Lesson Plan – See Resource Folder

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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helps engineers succeed, such as:

“Fail early and often to success faster.”

“Lots of little failures can prevent great big ones.”

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

This unit introduces the engineering design process and supports practices that will build a strong collaborative learning community for the year. The teacher uses a read aloud to introduce the habits of mind of an engineer. Students identify the characteristics of each story’s characters that help them solve a problem. They attempt to solve a design challenge and use the engineering habits of mind and the engineering design process to refine their solutions. They are encouraged to think that there are many possible solutions to a problem and do not look for one “correct” answer. They engage in class discussions and partner shares to build on and refine their ideas. Students begin to develop the habit of using a scientific notebook during this time.

Students will participate in tasks that will require them to work with restrictions and limitations. Student’s notebooks should show evidence of brainstorming, group thinking and changes in their designs and thinking.

Modifications for differentiation at all levels

Teacher Note: Teachers identify the modifications that they will use in the unit.

Restructure lesson using UDL principals (http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.VXmoXcfD_UA)

● Structure lessons around questions that are authentic, relate to students’ interests, social/family background and knowledge of their community. ● Provide students with multiple choices for how they can represent their understandings (e.g. multisensory techniques-auditory/visual aids; pictures,

illustrations, graphs, charts, data tables, multimedia, modeling). ● Provide opportunities for students to connect with people of similar backgrounds (e.g. conversations via digital tool such as SKYPE, experts from the

community helping with a project, journal articles, and biographies). ● Provide multiple grouping opportunities for students to share their ideas and to encourage work among various backgrounds and cultures (e.g.

multiple representation and multimodal experiences). ● Engage students with a variety of Science and Engineering practices to provide students with multiple entry points and multiple ways to demonstrate

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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their understandings. ● Use project-based science learning to connect science with observable phenomena. ● Structure the learning around explaining or solving a social or community-based issue. ● Provide ELL students with multiple literacy strategies. ● Collaborate with after-school programs or clubs to extend learning opportunities.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Common Core State Standards Connections:

E.L.A

● RI.5.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. (3-5-ETS1-2) W.5.7 Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-3)

● W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-3)

● W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-3)

Mathematics –

● MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2),(3-5-ETS1-3) ● MP.4 Model with mathematics. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2),(3-5-ETS1-3) ● MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2)

APPENDIX F – Science and Engineering Practices in the NGSS

Science and Engineering Practiceshttp://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/Appendix F Science and Engineering Practices in the NGSS - FINAL

060513.pdfhttp://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/Appendix F Science and Engineering Practices in the NGSS - FINAL 060513.pdf

The performance expectations above were developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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Asking Questions and Defining Problems

Asking questions and defining problems in 3–5 builds on grades K–2 experiences and progresses to specifying qualitative relationships.

Define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system and includes several criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. (3-5-ETS1-1)

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test solutions to problems in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to include investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions.

Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, using fair tests in which variables are controlled and the number of trials considered. (3-5-ETS1-3)

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in

ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems

Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account. (3-5-ETS1-1)

ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions

Research on a problem should be carried out before beginning to design a solution. Testing a solution involves investigating how well it performs under a range of likely conditions. (3-5-ETS1-2)

At whatever stage, communicating with peers about proposed solutions is an important part of the design process, and shared ideas can lead to improved designs. (3-5-ETS1-2)

Tests are often designed to identify failure points or difficulties, which suggest the elements of the design that need to be improved. (3-5-ETS1-3)

ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution

Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best

Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World

People’s needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies. (3- 5-ETS1-1)

Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, decrease known risks, and meet societal demands. (3-5-ETS1-2

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems.

Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design problem. (3-5-ETS1-2)

solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints. (3-5-ETS1-3)

English Language Arts Mathematics

ELA/Literacy – RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. (3-5-ETS1-2)

RI.5.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently. (3-5- ETS1-2)

RI.5.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. (3-5-ETS1-2)

W.5.7 Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-3)

W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-3)

W.5.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-3)

Mathematics – MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2),(3-5-ETS1-3)

MP.4 Model with mathematics. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2),(3-5-ETS1-3) MP.5 Use appropriate tools strategically. (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2),(3-5-ETS1-3) 3-5.

OA Operations and Algebraic Thinking (3-5-ETS1-1),(3-5-ETS1-2)

Grade Four Unit One: Engineering & Design Instructional Days: 10

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Vocabulary

Design Brainstorm Engineering Engineering design process

Inventor Restrictions Cleverest Constraints

Prototype Evaluate Criteria

Suggested Field Trips

Thomas Edison Museum, New York Hall of Science, Liberty Science Center