In this STEM project, students of 4th grade (consist of 27 students and divided into 7 groups) explore more and apply their knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The context about this project is the students are invited to sympathize with the residents of Palestine and lead them to send aids through air route because land routes are not possible. This parachute is assumed as a way of sending goods such as food and medicine needed by the residents there. By designing, creating, and testing parachutes from recycled plastic bags, students will learn about the principles of gravitation, apply their problem-solving and engineering skills, and demonstrate creativity. The project culminates in a testing phase where students observe and analyze the performance of their parachutes, leading to further modifications and improvements until it landed successfully in the selected area. A more comprehensive explanation of the project (steps of the lesson and STEM habits of mind) can be seen on the lesson plan and implementation slides.
Lesson Plan
Implementation
Power Point Slides
Worksheet File
Parachute Worksheet (2).pdfPhotos and Video
The teacher introduced the context. Teacher asked the students to think the solution about the problem that leading in to parachute.
Every group tried to imagine the shape of the parachute and draw their plan in to the worksheet.
The students created the parachute based on what they draw or plan.
The students collaborated during the lesson and divided the role.
The students helped each other to create the ideal parachute.
The discussion in the group could enhance their critical thinking.
The representative of every group tried to fly the parachute.
The students tried to improve the parachute to make it ideal.
The improvement of the parachute.
VID20231127132014.mp4The video shows that the students were very excited to test their parachute. The representative flew it from the 2nd floor, and the other observed then wrote the result in the worksheet.
Presentation of the group. The students explained their experiment and how they improved their parachute so it could landed in the selected area.
Presentation of the group. The teacher gave the elaboration and confirmation about the gravitation.
Student's Work Sample
Assessment Result
From the result of students assessment, the creativity in parachute making is the highest point. Students showed their creativity in designing and creating a parachute by trial and error. They discussed with their group the shape of the parachute section, how to tie the string into the plastic, etc. They created many shapes of the parachute based on their creativity.
Meanwhile, the experiment result report is the lowest score because some of the groups did not fill the worksheet completely. They focused on their parachute and forgot to measure the height of the string or calculate the cross-sectional area.
Feedback From The Students
They were very happy when creating the parachute and flew it from the 2nd floor.
Lesson Reflection and Observations
The students engaged in the learning process. This lesson is accessible to all students because it showed that even students in a medium level of cognitive participated and successed fly their parachute. There was a boy in low level of cognitive was really excited and happy when his parachute could fly and landed successfully.
The students collaborated in the group and divided the role for every student, for example there was someone who cut the string, cut the plastic, draw the plan and the table, measure and calculate the area, etc.
There is one grup that created an irregular shape and they were confused to calculate the cross-sectional area. The teacher should guide the students to calculate it or emphasis the students to make two-dimentional figure.
There are 5 groups that successed land their parachute in the accurate area. The other 2 groups could fly their parachute but not landed in the accurate area even though they were already improve their parachute. 2 groups were disappointed but the teacher motivated them to create the parachute again in their home if they were still curious.
The observation also showed that students improve their creativity. This open ended exploration made the students invlove in multiple shape of the parachute. They tried many ways to create an ideal parachute and think critically about how long the string should be and how wide the cross-section of the parachute should be so the parachute will land accurately.
Based on the feedback, the students are excited to do the lesson and they are still curious to make an ideal parachute. Even in the next day, some of them bring a parachute and showed me the parachute that they made at home.
Future Improvements
The teacher should remind the students how to calculate the area of two-dimentional figure, for example remind the students the formula.Â
The teacher also could emphasis the students to calculate the area in the beginning, because I found 2 groups forgot to measure the area and directly create the parachute.
The teacher could make a well structured self assessment to gain a comprehensive feedback from the students.