STEM Unit of Work Bottle Rockets and Balsa Bridges
STEM EM Unit of Work rk What we will cover today: • Introduction • Fitting a STEM unit into the curriculum STEM UNIT IDEAS • The design challenges – rockets and bridges Representational challenge • • Assessment Design based challenge • • Key lessons Problem solving • Directed inquiry • Tertiary or Industry links •
Introduction • Cohort • 2 year 8 classes of 23 and 24 students • A range of academic abilities from very strong to weak students • Some students with learning difficulties • Sustainability • Plan to repeat these two STEM challenges each year • Give STEM a life that is independent of the teachers working on it • Year 7 Rube Goldberg machine • Why STEM? • Engagement • Learning to build things – hands on, design process, working as a team • Integrating subjects • Lessons Learnt
5 E’s to stimlate unit design
Fitting a STEM unit into the curriculum Term 3 Rocket Bridge Build Design Design Build Build Test Test Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9
Rocket • Build a rocket that will fly for the longest flight time when fired from the AquaPod Bottle Launcher • Use a standard soft drink bottle • Use any materials to improve rocket’s flight time • Points based on flight time
Rocket Rules • Must use a standard soft drink bottle • The only propulsion source is the compressed air in the Aquapod • Any materials can be added to the outside of the bottle • Any quantity of water can be put in the bottle before launch • The air pressure is limited by the pressure limiting valve built into the AquaPod • Two attempts are allowed. The longest flight time of the two attempts counts Points • 100 points per second of flight time. Flight time is from launch to when the bottle lands on the ground.
Rocket Design Variables • Size of the bottle (1.25 or 2 litre) • Volume of water used • Design of the rocket – fins, nose cone, colour etc. Not Variable • Launch pad Cheap and accessible • 1.25 litre or 2 litre drink bottle • Propulsion method (compressed air/water) • Propulsion liquid (water) • Launch pressure (limited by pressure valve on the Aquapod) Materials Supplied by school – all other materials supplied by students • A4 paper “Dries” fast, not too expensive but • Glue gun can burn • Masking tape
Testing the Aquapod prior to commencing the STEM unit
Bridge Build • Build a bridge to span an 800mm gap and support a weight in the middle • Materials are limited • Tools are limited • Points awarded for the maximum weight supported before failure. • Points deducted for the weight of the bridge, so a lighter bridge will score better
Bridge Build Materials • 6 lengths of 5mm x 5mm balsa • 2 lengths of 50mm x 1.5m balsa • 1 sheet of A4 paper • 20 ice cream sticks • 20 coffee stirrers • 10 off x 1m x 36mm masking tape • Thumb tacks – unlimited • Paper clips - unlimited • Note that there is no glue allowed Tools • Ruler, coping saw, pencil and scissors
Bridge Build Rules • The bridge must sit between two tables that are 800mm apart • The bridge can only be supported by the tables • The bridge may not be attached to the tables in any way • The load weight will be placed equidistant from each table using a webbing strap from which weights are suspended. The team adds weights until the bridge breaks • Only team members or a teacher can touch or be near the bridge when it is being tested Points • 1 point per gram of weight supported by the bridge • Minus 4 points per gram of weight of the bridge
Bridge Build Design Variables • Bridge design Not Variable • Materials used • Bridge span • Testing method
Winners • Points are added up for the two challenges for each team • Winning team has the most points (across both year 8 classes) • Winning class has most points across all their teams • All teams, even those who score the lowest points are contributing to their class’s total score • Present prizes to winning teams and classes. Perhaps a perpetual trophy!
Assessment • Assessment is in the form of a short assignment for each of the three challenges. • Assignment headings (scaffold) • Description of the Challenge • Our Design Brief • Investigation and idea generation • Design (forces and properties of materials) • Building • Building process • Modifications to the design • Evaluation • Strengths • Weaknesses • Improvements • Energy in this challenge • Important that this is carried out DURING the project, not afterward
Year 8 Science – STEM Challenge – Bottle Rocket – Assessment Rubric Name : _____________________________________ Partner : ___________________________________ Date : ____________ Criteria Score 1. Description 2 1 0 Was the challenge of building a water rocket described briefly 2. Controlled Variables 2 1 0 Lists all relevant variables that were controlled in the design 3. Variables in your design 4 3 2 1 0 Students list relevant variables that were investigated and state why they chose to use or not use them in their design 4. Apparatus 4 3 2 1 0 List all items used to make the rocket and sketch a labelled diagram of their rocket 5. Method 4 3 2 1 0 Students describe the method in dot points - how they made the rocket and conducted their investigation. 6. Observations 2 1 0 Students record observations and results such as time for bottle to hit earth in seconds and how their rocket flew 7. Effort in class and how students worked with students in their group 4 3 2 1 0 8. Energy changes and Forces of Rockets 4 3 2 1 0 Students describe the different energy changes and forces of rockets 9. Evaluation – discuss the following 4 3 2 1 0 Strengths What worked well with your rocket? Weaknesses What did not work well or caused problems? 10. Conclusion 4 3 2 1 0 Students comment on how successful their rocket was. They describe difficulties encountered in the investigation and explain possibilities for improving their design or extending their activity. 11. Bibliography 2 1 0 Total: / 36 mks = %
Year 8 Science – STEM Challenge – Bridge – Assessment Rubric Name : _____________________________________ Partner : ___________________________________ Date : ____________ Criteria Score 1. Description 2 1 0 Was the challenge of building a bridge described briefly 2. Design Brief 2 1 0 Lists all design constraints such as rules and materials 3. Design process and features 4 3 2 1 0 Students list the design features used in their bridge and the reason these design elements were used. 4. Materials 4 3 2 1 0 List all items used to make the bridge and sketch a labelled diagram of their bridge 5. Method 4 3 2 1 0 Students describe the method in dot points - how they made the bridge and refined their design. 6. Observations 2 1 0 Students record observations and results such as weight the bridge supported, how much it weighed and the mode of failure 7. Effort in class and how students worked with students in their group 4 3 2 1 0 8. Forces in the bridge 4 3 2 1 0 Students describe the forces acting on and in the bridge 9. Evaluation – discuss the following 4 3 2 1 0 Strengths What worked well with your bridge? Weaknesses What did not work well or caused problems? 10. Conclusion 4 3 2 1 0 Students comment on how successful their bridge was. They describe difficulties encountered in the design/build and explain possibilities for improving their design or extending their activity. 11. Bibliography 2 1 0 Total: / 36 mks = %
5 E’s • Forces and • Competition energy in • Hands on rockets and • Internet • Real world • Design evaluation during bridges research examples the building process • Discussion with solidify • Assessment team mates understanding
Lessons Learnt • Rules be careful how you set the rules • be careful how you respond to questions about the rules • Liaise with other teachers to make sure rules and interpretations are consistent • • Scaffold Think about how you will scaffold – videos, real world examples, web sites, pre-built models • Think about how you will help during the building process • Compromise – giving ideas versus limiting thinking • • It will take longer than you think Don’t try to fit too much in (we cut back from 3 challenges) • It WILL cut into time to deliver the core curriculum – deliver core curriculum fast and incorporate core into STEM project • • Clear timeframe and constraints for the students Give students clear limitations on the time they have to complete this • Be clear on materials supplied, materials students can supply and tools available. • Clear rules • • Get the assessment piece started early Consider allocating time during the building lessons to writing their assessment piece •
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