STEAM TOPIC Engineering

(SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, MATH) AGE 5-12

KEY LEARNING(S) LESSON ESSENTIAL STEPS (SCIENTIFIC PROCESS) INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS

• Basics of Engineering 1. Ask question • PowerPoint
• Scientific Process a. What do you already know? • Computer
b. Do you need to research? • Projector
2. Form Hypothesis with reasons • Hypothesis / Results Worksheets
3. Test with experiment
a. Is it working? – if not troubleshoot and check all steps
4. Analyze Results – Draw conclusions and compare with hypothesis
a. Same? – communicate results
b. Partially or completely Different? -Ask new questions, form new
hypothesis + test again

1. CAN YOU STAND ON A PAPER CUP? 2. WHAT SHAPE IS STRONGEST? 3. BUILDING BRIDGES
Learn about a basic building technique of columns Determining how strong a single piece of paper is Take what you have learned from the columns and
(posts and lintels) to distribute weight from contact with different shaped columns to hold a stack of shapes and transfer it to making bridges
stress with heavy loads. books. Link 1 (straw bridges)
LINK (Link 2) LINK Link 2 (straw bridges)
**Tip: have the student hold on to two tables or Link 2 Link 3 (paper bridges)
people while stepping slowly onto the tray
LESSON QUESTIONS #1 LESSON QUESTIONS #1 LESSON QUESTIONS #2
Before: Before: Before:
• What is a column? How does it work to • What 2D shapes do you know? • What shapes do you usually see in bridges?
hold up a roof? • What 3D shapes do you know? • What shape do you think would work best
• What building structures do you know that • Which 3D shape do you think will be the for a bridge after doing the paper cup
use columns? strongest in a column form? column and seeing which paper shape was
• Do you think a paper cup is strong enough • Do you know any buildings or structures that the strongest?
to hold your weight? use these 3D shapes? • What do you think would be stronger a
• How about many paper cups together? During: paper bridge or a plastic straw bridge?
During: • How many books is the column supporting? During:
• Did one cup break when you stood on it? • Is the shape strong enough? • Are you working as a team? Is everyone
• When you put all the cups under the tray, • What do you see happening to the paper? helping?
did the cups break?
After: After: • What shapes are you using? Why did you
• Did the experiment work? What did you do • Did the experiment work? What did you do choose those shapes?
correct/wrong? correct/wrong? • How many (rocks, coins, books…heavy
• Why did one cup break, but not many? • Was your “strongest shape” guess correct? things) can your bridge hold or carry?
• Does the arrangement of the cups and trays • Why do you think this shape is the strongest? After:
matter? • What would you do different? How can we • Did the experiment work? What did you do
• Does the number of cups matter? make it work better? correct/wrong?
• Does how you step on the cups matter? • Which bridge was the strongest and why?
• What would you do different? How can we Challenge: try folding from the short side of the • Did the shape of the bridge make it
make it work better? paper, so the columns are wider. Which shape do stronger?
you think will be strongest now? • What would you do different? How can we
Challenge: can you make a tower of cups and make it work better?
trays (3-5 floors) that can hold you up?
VOCABULARY #1 VOCABULARY 2# VOCABULARY 3#
• Heavy, weight, column, cup, tray, distribute • 2D Shapes: circle, square, triangle, hexagon • Bridge, structure, strength, arch, truss,
(spread out), push down • 3D shapes: cuboid, hexagonal prism, beam, suspension, weight
(compress/pressure/stress) triangular prism, cylinder • Straw, tape, paper, cup, heavy, strong, weak
• Fractions: thirds, fourths, sixths
• Actions: to fold, to curve, to tape
Other: strength, weight, column, book, shape sides,
wide/narrow, corner, foundation

MATERIALS MATERIALS MATERIALS

• Paper cups (100 or more) • Construction Paper (thick colored paper) (at Paper bridges
• least 8 pieces – to do two times)
Rectangular Trays – plastic or metal or thick • Construction Paper (thick colored paper)
cardboard (or classbooks stacked at least 3 • Tape (clear small) • Tape (clear small)
together) • Many books
Straw bridges
• Plastic straws (one bag of straws for each team)
• Tape (clear small)
• Cup and string (to hang under the bridge)
Something heavy to put on or under the bridge (rocks,
coins, sand/dirt, books…)

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• How to use worksheets:
o Scientists keep data logs to observe changes over time / and use these to help develop explanations using their observations (evidence) along with what they already know
about the world.
o Use to illustrate what the students have discovered and reflect on their experiences to deepen their understanding.
▪ Give students time to draw or write their hypothesis, observations, results, and ideas.
o Use the results and observations during lesson to compare to answers that scientists already know about the world (maybe even have the older students do homework by
researching the topic more on the internet)
• Classroom management:
o There is no ‘I’ in STEAM, but there is a ‘TEAM.’ Encourage team work and communication throughout the lesson. But don’t make it a competition, everyone learns and
understands differently and at different paces.
o Again, students are different ages and each student works through processes at different paces, so to keep track of students use the worksheet during lesson, and then have
an “exit ticket” to show what the students learning progress was.
o Let students lead:
▪ (if older) Have them ask the questions about a topic,
▪ (everyone) imagine what will happen
▪ (if older) plan steps needed to find results
▪ (everyone) create/do experiment with observations (if older) encourage older students to ask younger questions
▪ (everyone) reflect (if older) ask how they would improve the activity
o Basic Classroom management:
▪ Set classroom rules at start of each lesson
• use POSTIVIE rules - instead of Don’t call out > use Raise your hand
• make them clear and specific (no grey areas for rules being broken)
• limit the number of rules when you have young students
• post rules or even send a copy home to parents
• have students help you make the class rules and take ownership and accountability
▪ Explain safety instructions before starting and have students repeat back
▪ Point out positive behavior first, then give simple warnings, if behavior continues then have logical consequence (saying sorry, cleaning up…etc) or have student
stand at wall or outside classroom for only 1 minute.
▪ Always keep your cool, don’t raise voice (if you set rules and consequences at the beginning of lesson, and follow through FAIRLY with carrying out discipline of rule
breaking…then students will be more likely to follow)
▪ Have a set way of getting attention that students know if they don’t listen they will have a consequence (example: “ Clap 3,2,1…Say: Quiet closed mouths, Hands on
knees, Eyes looking at teacher, everyone ready in 3,2,1”)
▪ Good seating / team arrangement is key (keeping trouble students out of same group, fairly dividing teams with either same level (better for challenging students) or
mixing evenly with lower/higher level students so they can help each other)
▪ Explain all worksheet directions before starting.
o Reward specific SKILLS not winning or general “good job” –
▪ instead say “Wow, you used lots of red paint/tape…etc.” “Thank you for helping with….” “you poured the water in without spilling it” “It seems like you figured out
that…can help you …” “Tell me about this drawing….” “ How did you do that?” “Why did you chose…?” “What made you think to use…?” “What do you think you
could differently next time….?” “How did you get that answer/ what steps did you take to get that answer?”
▪ Try to describe what you see, show gratitude, ask meaningful open-ended questions or statements that invite the students to respond and explain, celebrate the
PROCESS or EFFORT not the accomplishment
o EMBRACE FAILURE – not everything is going to be successful the first time, and students need to get used to that (it’s a real life experience for growing up) ask questions
“What went wrong?” “What could we do differently?” “What else can we try?” It’s okay that the student’s hypothesis ends up being proven wrong, because they’ve learned
from it. Learning what doesn’t work is a valuable lesson.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
o Have all materials ready for each group before lesson, lay out materials for each step of the way. Use the powerpoint and lesson plan to help with time-management and
ideas for questions…etc.
o BE ENERGETIC and excited for each step, ask questions with confidence, happiness, and energy – if you are enjoying the experiment your students will want to get in on the
fun.
• How to foster independent creative thinking and curiosity:
o Asking questions (Scientist don’t always find the answers to all of their questions, but they ask a lot of questions anyways)
▪ Keep the conversation going, no matter the answer: “What do you think?” “How” “Why” “What if” “Can you tell me about your…?” “What did you like/didn’t
about it?”
▪ See what they already know: (connect back to simple everyday experiences or even past class experiences) “Have you ever dropped a candy in water, what
happened?” “Have you ever stood/swam in the ocean and felt two different temperatures of water?” “Do you remember last time when….?”
▪ Let them describe what they see and observe (guide with help of vocabulary and questions “What color is it changing to?” “How does it feel?” “What’s the opposite
of hot?”
▪ If an explanation is scientifically incorrect but reasonable from your student’s age/experience, there is no need to correct him/her right away, change in thinking
takes place over time, after many experiences
▪ Encourage public display of results of student investigations (either through a center bulletin board or by encouraging parents to hang the student’s work on their
fridge or wall at home)