This unit allows students to encounter the idea of energy, even before they are introduced to the term. They learn that sunlight is needed to warm the ground, setting them up for the ideas in later units that an energy source is needed for something to happen, and that energy can be transferred. They also learn that more sunlight produces warmer and warmer temperatures, setting them up for the understanding that energy exists in measurable quantities.
Esta unidad permite a los estudiantes familiarizarse con el concepto de energía, incluso antes de que se les presente el término. Aprenden que la luz solar es necesaria para calentar la tierra, lo que les prepara para las ideas, que se presentarán en unidades posteriores, de que se necesita una fuente de energía para que algo ocurra y que la energía puede transferirse. También aprenden que una mayor cantidad de luz solar produce temperaturas cada vez más cálidas, lo que les permite comprender que la energía existe en cantidades mensurables.
In this unit, students take on the role of light and sound engineers as they are challenged with a design problem to design, build, and then project a scene for a puppet show. As light engineers, they tackle the question How do we make different parts of a surface brighter or darker? by investigating cause-and-effect relationships. Students apply their new knowledge to create a background scene for a puppet theater, using patterns of light to create the effects they want. After using light to create a scene, students learn that sound also travels from a source and that vibrations cause sound. Finally, students take on the role of sound engineers to create sound sources for their puppet-show scene. By the end of the unit, students will have engaged in several engineering design cycles in which they learn, plan, make, and test different solutions to a problem.
In their role as biomimicry engineers, students figure out how the traits of grove snails affect their survival in different environments. They apply that understanding as they explore other organisms, their traits, and the likelihood of survival in different environments. Students then design effective solutions to the problem of invasive plant removal using the structural traits of giraffes as inspiration.