Objective: 

Students will work in groups to generate multiple possible designs for building a birdhouse using different materials. They will evaluate and compare the designs based on criteria such as durability, cost, and environmental impact, and decide which design best meets the constraints of the project. This lesson integrates computational thinking by encouraging students to decompose the problem into smaller tasks and evaluate multiple solutions.

Materials Needed: 

• Paper

• Pencils 

• Rulers 

• A variety of materials for birdhouse models (e.g., cardboard, wood, plastic)

• Example birdhouse criteria (e.g., durability, cost, environmental impact)

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Begin by asking students, "What materials would be best for building a birdhouse?" 

  • Explain that they will work in groups to design and compare multiple solutions for building a birdhouse. 

  • Highlight the criteria and constraints they need to consider, such as durability and cost.

• Group Activity - Generating Solutions: 

  • In groups, students will brainstorm and sketch at least two different designs for their birdhouse using different materials (e.g., one made from cardboard, another from wood). 

  • They will list the pros and cons of each material based on the criteria provided (e.g., “Cardboard is cheaper, but wood is more durable”).

• Decomposing the Problem: 

  • Guide students to decompose the task by considering separate aspects of the birdhouse design, such as size, material type, and how it will withstand weather. 

  • This process helps them manage the complexity of comparing multiple designs.

• Comparing Solutions: 

  • Students will compare their different designs, discussing which material best meets the criteria and constraints. 

  • They will choose one solution and explain why it is the most practical choice, using evidence from their comparison.

• Reflection and Discussion: 

  • Each group will present their chosen birdhouse design, explaining the reasoning behind their decision and how they evaluated their options. 

  • Discuss how breaking the task into smaller parts helped them think through their designs more carefully.

Equity and Access: 

Provide visual aids or templates for students who need extra support in organizing their ideas. Pair students with different skill levels to encourage collaboration.

Real-World Application: 

Connect this activity to how engineers and designers must consider multiple factors when creating solutions, such as when designing buildings or products that need to meet specific criteria.

CS Practice(s):

• Collaborating Around Computing: Students work together in groups to brainstorm and compare different birdhouse designs, promoting teamwork and shared problem-solving just as teams of app developers work together to accomplish a task.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students break down the birdhouse-building task into smaller components, such as material type and size, to better analyze and solve the design challenge.

Standard(s):

• CA NGSS 3-5-ETS1-2

• CA CS 3-5.AP.13

Objective: 

Students will use a coding platform to design two different programs for collecting and displaying weekly rainfall data. They will compare their solutions based on criteria such as ease of use and accuracy, and choose which program best meets the requirements. This lesson incorporates computational thinking by having students decompose the problem, design different solutions, and test and refine their programs.

Materials Needed: 

• Computers or tablets

• Sample rainfall data for several weeks

• Graph paper for planning.

Steps:

• Introduction: 

  • Start by discussing how weather data, such as weekly rainfall, is collected and organized. 

  • Explain that students will create programs in a coding platform to collect and display rainfall data. 

  • Emphasize the importance of utilizing computational thinking to break the task into smaller steps, such as gathering data and displaying it.

• Group Activity - Designing Programs: 

  • In pairs, students will design two different programs in a coding platform to collect and display weekly rainfall data. 

  • One program may ask for user input for each week and display the data in a simple list, while the other may organize it into a bar graph. 

  • Encourage students to consider which program will be easier to use and provide clearer results.

• Decomposing the Problem: 

  • Guide students to break down the task of data collection into smaller parts, such as inputting the data, processing it, and displaying it visually. 

  • This process helps them manage the complexity of the task and identify areas for improvement in each program.

• Testing and Refining Programs: 

  • Students will test both of their programs, checking for accuracy and ease of use. 

  • They will refine their programs based on the criteria they identified, such as user interface clarity or visual presentation of the data.

• Comparing Solutions: 

  • After testing, students will compare their two solutions, discussing which program best meets the criteria of ease of use, clarity, and accuracy. 

  • They will choose one program to present and explain why it’s the most effective solution for collecting rainfall data.

• Reflection and Presentation: 

  • Each pair will present their chosen program to the class, demonstrating how it collects and displays rainfall data. 

  • They will explain why they selected this program and how they refined it to meet the criteria.

Equity and Access: 

Provide pre-made code snippets for students who need additional guidance. Pair students with different levels of experience in coding to foster peer collaboration and support.

Real-World Application: 

Connect the lesson to how meteorologists and data scientists design tools to collect and display weather data, helping the public understand weather patterns.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students design and test multiple coding programs that collect and display rainfall data.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students test and refine their programs based on criteria such as ease of use and accuracy, improving their solutions over time.

Standard(s): 

• CA NGSS 3-5-ETS1-2

• CA CS 3-5.AP.13