FIRST 5 DAYS
Big Idea:
Knowledge of basic technology and engineering skills and classroom routines will be essential for student success in the Foundations of Technology course.
Overview
Big Idea: The 21st century skills of collaboration and problem solving are essential for engineering solutions of the future.
Teacher's Note: Big ideas should be made explicit to students by writing them on the board and/or reading them aloud.
Purpose of Lesson: The purpose of this lesson is to engage students in the Foundations of Technology course from day one, while enhancing their skills that are necessary for engineering.
Standards/Benchmarks
STL 11Q. Develop and produce a product or system using a design process.
Learning Objectives
Students will collaborate with others to effectively solve a problem.
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Engagement:
As students enter the room, the teacher will group students in pairs and hand them a set of materials for the problem solving activity. The Materials May Include:
The teacher may choose to supply a sheet of graph paper for sketching
Teacher's Note: This activity is used to actively engage the students from day one while setting the atmosphere for the rest of the course. It is recommended that the teacher offer some type of prize for the first group of students to solve the problem.
Exploration:
The teacher will present the day one problem solving activity (First5Days Presentation 1.1). Students, working in groups of two, construct a transportation vehicle. Each team needs to design a vehicle using the provided materials to transport a passenger safely from point A to Point B. The vehicle should transport a passenger safely from point A to Point B. The teacher will set up a course for the student vehicle to travel on while students are brainstorming solutions. The course will be constructed using a fishing line as the path for the vehicle to travel on. The fishing line will start at ground level at a distance of five feet from the wall and travel at an angle upwards to about six feet high on the wall. Refer to the presentations for further instructions. The vehicle must be self-propelled and travel from the ground to the wall.
Teacher's Note: There are three means of propulsion that the students can use for their vehicles: 1. Air released from the balloon, 2. The rubber band as a slingshot, or 3. The balloon as a slingshot.
Teacher's Note: Teacher’s Note: This activity can be easily substituted should a student have an allergy to latex or for any other reason. There are several very simple engineering challenges that can be found online at: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/. Teachers may find it useful to use the Parents & Educators button in the top right-hand corner.
Explanation:
The teacher will serve as a facilitator and keep students on task by offering cues and restating the problem statement. The teacher will explain that solutions can be tested as needed.
Extension:
Students will complete the problem solving activity with their partner. Students will test their solutions as needed.
Teacher's Note: If the students finish early, ask them to modify their designs in order to travel faster.
Evaluation:
The student's knowledge, skills and attitudes are assessed through formative teacher observations and questioning.
Resource Materials
First5Days Presentation 1.1 Problem Solving Activity