3rd Grade QUEST

Imagineering

The Imagineering Unit is an interdisciplinary unit where students will explore the six basic simple machines. The third graders will be given STEM Engineering Simple Machine Challenges that will allow the students to learn about the characteristics and functions of an inclined plane, lever, screw, pulley, wheel & axle, and wedge. STEM is a way of learning that focuses on the skills needed to learn Science, Technology, Mathematics, and how the Engineering Design Process is used to achieve the outcome. Students will get to explore, design, and test their simple machine challenges. Students will use their imagination and their knowledge of simple machines to design and build a theme park as their final project.

Selfie Sculpture

This “Selfie Sculptures” activity was designed to facilitate meaningful conversations with gifted and talented students about their social and emotional learning and needs. With guidance and support, students were able to recognize social and emotional characteristics and needs within themselves and represent them in a “Selfie Sculpture.” These final sculptures included color-coded shapes that represent each student as an individual while encouraging creativity and a sense of community in our gifted classroom.

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires is about creating amazing things and understanding that mistakes will be made along the way. It also shows how to regulate emotions to keep persevering through challenging situations. Third graders created their "most magnificent thing" out of makerspace materials.

stem and the engineering process

Engineering Challenge: Can you create a chair that can hold a person using only paper and tape?

Habit of mind- listening and understanding with empathy

Habit of mind- UNDERSTAND WITH EMPATHY

Students engaged in discussion about times that they have showed empathy or when they have experienced empathy from others. They also had an opportunity to engage about real world scenarios and discuss the feelings of others. This was a great way to have students understand the importance of empathy.

Study of Simple Machines

Students are learning about different types of simple machines. We are researching and experimenting with them. Students got to create their own inclined plane and test if the height of the inclined plane affected the force needed to pull the toy car to the top.

Wedge Research and Challenge

Students learned about a wedge through research and experiment. They had an engineering challenge at the end of the lesson.

Students had to plan and build.

They had to ensure each boat design had a wedge in the design of their boat.

Last, they got to test their puffer boats to see if they would float.

Learning More About Screws

Students learned about the various types of screws found all around us. They had the chance to experiment with screws and even use an Archimedes screw, which is used to lift water out.

MORE TO COME

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