The entry event is an event that catches the interest of your students about a specific topic. This could be in the form of a video, a lively discussion, a guest speaker, a field trip, or a compelling scenario.
The driving question is a clear open ended and intriguing question that gives a sense of what the project is all about. It should be connected to an instructional goal and helps drive exploration.
Create Lesson Plan #1- Entry Event, that describes how are you going to
Grab their attention and make them want to learn about this topic area, and
Teach them basic subject matter content about the topic.
There are many type of 'hook' lessons. Examples include:
Messing About: With limited directions, give the students a limited kit of materials, and let them just mess about with them, and get familiar with their properties. See video example of this at the college with MIT 2.00b: Intro to Toy Design
Literature: Read the students a selection from children's literature or non-fiction that discusses a problem of the lead character. See Novel Engineering
Video: Show a short video about a child who has a problem that needs to be solved- see From Dream to Design https://youtu.be/c-mwXGqtoLQ
Real Client: Bring in a real client that has a technical issue that needs to be solved- see 'What is Human-Centered Design' https://youtu.be/musmgKEPY2o
The Hook- Part II: One-Period Project: As Part II of the Hook, walk students through a one-hour version of a design or research project that models the process for the 'real' project.
Create a Google Doc that contains your hook lesson plan, and save in in your STEM unit folder. Upload the document to Blackboard, (and submit as to Assignment #1 in Google Classroom)
The lesson plan should include:
* Lesson Title
* Learning Outcomes
* Materials/Technology/Software
* Content Links
* Vocabulary Words
* Time frame
* Steps for Whole Group Instruction and differentiation
* Assessment
* One Period Mini Design Project, such as: Create holiday-themed paper dolls.
If you need ideas, get some help from AI-- go to https://chatgpt.com/
and give it a prompt, such as:
"Acting as an expert [ Grade 4 teacher], describe [ five] possible entry event lesson plans for a project-based learning unit on [energy and motion ] . The driving questions should relate to the MA standards [ 4-PS3-4. Apply scientific principles of energy and motion to test and refine a device that converts kinetic energy to electrical energy or uses stored energy to cause motion or produce light or sound.*] and [4-PS3-2. Make observations to show that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.]. Questions should each be[ a single sentence]."
Lesson Plan Idea Prompt ( from https://www.aiforeducation.io/prompts/lesson-plans
)
You are an expert [GRADE AND SUBJECT] teacher, proficient in creating engaging, well-developed and effective lesson plans for your students. Your task is to come up with [NUMBER] ideas for lesson plans in our unit on [UNIT TOPIC]. The lesson plans should be [NUMBER] minutes each and should [BUILD ON EACH OTHER / STAND ALONE]. The lessons should focus on: [SPECIFIC UNIT TOPICS]. Each lesson should be engaging and appropriate for [GRADE LEVEL] students. Each lesson should be aligned to [STANDARDS] and should include: learning objectives; a list of key vocabulary; a lesson outline that includes direct instruction, an engaging activity, and a closure with a synthesis/summary of student learning; and an assessment of learning.
Example Prompt
You are an expert 6th grade science teacher, proficient in creating engaging, well-developed and effective lesson plans for your students. Your task is to come up with 3 ideas for lesson plans in our unit on earth science. The lesson plans should be 45 minutes each and should build on each other. The lessons should focus on: plate tectonics, the study of earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, and topography. Each lesson should be engaging and appropriate for 6th grade students. Each lesson should be aligned to NGSS standards for 6th grade and should include: learning objectives; a list of key vocabulary; a lesson outline that includes direct instruction, an engaging activity, and a closure with a synthesis/summary of student learning; and an assessment of learning.
The Hook- Part II: Discussion: Divide students into groups, challenge them to each post three questions about the topic to a collaborative document- Padlet, Google Doc, Jamboard, or sticky notes or blackboard for young children.
The Hook- Part III: One-Period Project: Especially if students have had little previous experience with project-based learning, As Part III of the Hook lesson plan, walk students through a one-hour version of a design or research project that models the PBL process for the 'real' project, such as:
Exploratorium- Science Snacks(by subject):https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/snacks-by-subject
Science Buddies: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-experiments
http://steamcurriculum.weebly.com/arthritic-pencil-holder.html
( make a pencil holder for someone with arthritis)
Cereal Box house model scaled for Lego Mini-figures
Paper Airplanes
Create a Word Document or pdf that describes your entry event lesson plan, and upload the document to Canvas.
The lesson plan should include:
Lesson Title
Brief Overview/Goal
Learning Outcomes
Materials/Technology/Software
Content Links
Vocabulary Words
Time frame
Instructional Activities including:
Entry event activity
Discussion/asking questions
Sprint mini-project
Assessment/Closure
Lesson Plan #1- Entry Event
Title of lesson: How do the people of Sudan get their water?
Brief Overview/Goal: I want students to understand the challenges of getting clean water in other parts of the world, particularly Sudan.
Estimated time for lesson (could be multiple periods): One class period
Massachusetts Frameworks that relate to the lesson: 7.SL.1 (MA). Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and clearly expressing their own.
7.G. 6 (MA). Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, volume, and surface area of two- and three-dimensional objects composed of triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, cubes, and right prisms."
7.RL.1 (MA). Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what a text states explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, quoting or paraphrasing as appropriate.
References: See Handouts
Materials and Resources: One gallon of clean water, one gallon of contaminated water, jerry can, article on the challenges of finding clean water in Sudan, fact sheet about water on planet earth
Instructional objectives/Learning Goals: Students should make a text to self and text to world connection. Gaining background knowledge on the setting of a story as well as gaining knowledge about real world conflicts that the characters in the book will encounter.
Language Objectives/Targeted Academic language: text to self, text to world
Anticipated student preconceptions/misconceptions: Students might have trouble contextualizing the challenges of transporting water long distances.
Instructional tips for teacher/possible problems to anticipate: Using water can be problematic, have extra towels on hand.
· Instructional activities: Hands on: Have students interact with materials depicted in the text.
o Two Jerry Cans; one empty, one filled with water. Have the students walk down the hallway with the empty can and then walk the hallway with the full can.
o Progressively dirtier water: Have a student go fill a bottle with Melrose water from a faucet. One by one bring out water that is dirtier and dirtier asking students to report on what they see, think and wonder for each of the water samples.
Closure:
o Assessment:
Exit ticket: Report on how much harder it was to travel with the full can of water.
Active reporting: see, think, wonder when reviewing water samples
Meeting Diverse Needs/ Differentiation: Deliberate groupings, optional activity (students can observe rather than participate)
Implementing 21st Century Skills: Collaboration/Communication/Critical Thinking:
Working in pairs, answer the question “How do the people of Sudan get their water?” Students will need to communicate ways they believe water can be transported long distances. There will be defined roles such as the person carrying the water, the person directing them where to go and the person assisting them in arranging a most comfortable way to transport water using only a jerry can and their body. Standard SL.7.1A: Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
Handouts/links: “Clean Water Runs Dry”: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1qsFUWnNCiPJuMeCgAG_jA1bNBZJusRzI