Building and Testing Materials Lesson Plan (5) w/ 2 worksheets

Lesson
Title/Focus

Individual Arches

Date

November 25, 2014

Subject/Gra
de Level

Grade Three: Science

Time
Duratio
n

30 minutes

Unit

Unit B and C: Building with a Variety of

Materials and Testing Materials and Designs (5)

Teacher

Deanna Plested

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes:
Specific
Learning
Outcomes:

3-8 Evaluate the suitability of different materials and designs for their use in a building
task
3-8 Students will:
Apply procedures to test the strength of construction materials, in particular,
different stocks of papers, plastics or wood.
Apply procedures to test different designs

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Students will explore the strength of materials
2. Students will explore structure designs

ASSESSMENTS
Observations:

Key Questions:
Products/Performan
ces:

Ensure students are following directions

Ensure the students compare the shape designs when testing. (3-8)
Ensure the students understand the materials involved. (3-8)
Are the students able to create the required shapes?
Do the students understand the limitations in a specific design?
Worksheet #1
Design tests

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

http://misswilkie.wikispaces.com/Grade+3+Scie
nce
Program of Studies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJIknkN7_84
Instagram
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Index cards (2 per student)

Plasticine (1 block per student)
Weights (blocks etc.)
Worksheet #1
Penny Bridge Worksheet
Pennies, mass for pennies

PROCEDURE
Prior to lesson
Introduction
Attention Grabber
Assessment of
Prior Knowledge
Expectations for
Learning and
Behaviour

Advance
Organizer/Agenda

Transition to Body

Watch Video: Big, Bigger, Biggest - Bridge

Time
4.5
minutes

Do students know which shape will support more mass?

Students should be quiet and attentive while watching the
video and listening to instructions. Students should raise their
hands when they have a comment or question. During
construction time, students should work independently and
quietly to complete the task. If finished early, students should
go to the designated area for the extra activity.
1. Watch Video: Big, Bigger, Biggest Bridge
2. Youve got mail!
3. Worksheet
4. Testing designs
5. Conclusion
Read the Youve hot mail!

30
minutes

Introduction
Teacher Notes:
Assessments/
Differentiation

Learning Activity
#1
Teacher Notes:
Assessments/
Differentiation

Learning Activity
#2
Teacher Notes:
Assessments/
Differentiation

Learning Activity
#3
Teacher Notes:
Assessments/
Differentiation

Sponge Activity
Teacher Notes:
Assessments/
Differentiation

Learning Activity
#4
Teacher Notes:
Assessments/
Differentiation

Consolidation of
Learning:
Feedback From
Students:
Feedback To
Students
Transition To Next
Lesson
Sponge
Activity/Activities

Body
Watch Video: Big, Bigger, Biggest - Bridge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJIknkN7_84
Watch from beginning until about 4:40 (to the end of the arches
section)

Time
4.5
minutes

Youve got mail!

Read the letter about the steel hamburger and explain to the
students that our company will be helping the restaurant to
decide which shape is the safest and strongest for holding the
hamburger.

2-5
minutes

Worksheet
Go through the hypothesis and materials section of the
worksheet with the students, filling it out with them on the
Smartboard. Hypothesis would be: I think Because Fill
out the things I will change and things I will keep the same.
(The shape of the design will change, the materials and weights
will stay the same) Go through the procedure with the students,
outlining step by step. This is an individual activity.
Students are expected to work individually and quietly.

5 minutes

Testing designs
Hand out the materials to the students. Have them begin the
experiment and remind them to follow the steps on their
sheets. Students should fill out the observations portions while
they are conducting their experiment. When students are
finished, prior to beginning the sponge activity, they should
clean up their areas. Stack the cue cards in the middle of the
table with the plasticine on top.
Penny Bridges
If students finish testing their designs early, have them create a
bridge out of pennies. Using the worksheet provided, build a
bridge out of pennies and test the bridge with the mass
provided to see if it will hold any weight. Record the
observations on the worksheet provided.

15-20
minutes

Conclusion
If time permits, go through the conclusion portion as a class.
Have students tell you their observations and from that see if
they will tell you what they learned. Continue the conversation
next lesson at the start of the lesson.
Closure
The letter in learning activity #1
Introduction activity

10-20
minutes
Time

Penny Bridges: If students finish testing their designs early, have them
create a bridge out of pennies. Using the worksheet provided, build a
bridge out of pennies and test the bridge with the mass provided to see if it
will hold any weight. Record the observations on the worksheet provided.

Reflections from the

lesson

WORKSHEET #1

Name:______________

Date:______________
ARCHES AND SQUARES LAB
My testable question: Will a square shape support more mass than an arch
shape?
My hypothesis: (I thinkbecause)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Materials:
______________
________________
_______________
______________

________________

_______________

The thing I will change is: _________________________________

The things I will keep the same are:_______________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Procedure (for a fair test):
1. Make shape out of cards (Square shape or Arch shape)
3

2. Put plasticine on either side of the shape to stop it from moving on the
desk
3. Place the container on top of the shape
4. Place the masses, one at a time, into the container until the shape can no
longer hold the mass.
5. Record your observations on the worksheet.
6. Change the shape.
7. Repeat steps 2 to 5.
Observations:
Diagram:

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Conclusion: (What I learned)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

Penny Bridges
My testable question: Will a bridge made out of pennies support any weight?
My hypothesis: (I thinkbecause)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Procedure (for a fair test):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Draw your diagram of what your bridge will look like.

Create your bridge using the pennies provided.
Test your bridge using the mass provided.
Record your observations.
State your conclusion.

Observations:
Diagram:

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Conclusion: (What I learned)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________