Camping Trip Engineering Fun!

We are in the middle of a weather unit. We have made pinwheels, anemometers, wind vanes, wind gauges, and more! The words are hard and the kids like that, but it was definitely time to do an engineering activity. I took a look at the NGSS science standards based on weather and climate. Low and behold I found a great kindergarten NGSS standard based on asking a question to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to, severe weather.

We started off by setting up for our camping trip. We read an EPICs book about camping and discussed what you have to pack and do once you get to a campsite. I then send the campers to different tables to set up a site. I give them a little time to gather materials on my supply table and outside in our school garden.

As they are working I announce loudly, "Weather Alert! Weather Alert! Please view your television for further information!" I give them a picture of a television with their city and a severe weather condition. From heat wave to flood...hurricane to wind storm they needed to adjust their site to now deal with the new forecast of severe weather. I added water to the flood tray....a lamp for heat wave...a fan at the wind sites...snow (cotton balls) to add to the mood!

Here are the results...

Our students then presented to the group their campsite so that we could see how they would survive severe weather. This activity was a great success! Here is their sheet we used...Enjoy!

Here is the   Weather and Camping Engineering Sheet for you!!!

0

Lifeboat Engineering Challenge

This week, after learning about the Titanic...we did our FOSS lifeboat lesson. Why do we start it off with the Titanic? To make history connections with science and make it meaningful to why we are making lifeboats in science.

The book we read is from Epic books, but before the kiddos come in I meet them at the door and have them each pick a steering ticket. When they come in they go to a lifeboat that is numbered. The closest boats to me are first class, then second, and then finally third class.

We use the book to share the background. The students get an idea as to what happened and how the lifeboats were used or not used. Then, we use the video to continue the importance of why we are learning about lifeboats!

Now...time to build our lifeboats. We create a harbor for all of the boats that are created. Each table group is a Boat Company who has a company name. When their FOSS sheet is done, they can work on the engineering project!

I then prep them for the engineering part...I am a rich entrepenuer who has a business where we give boat tours. For every person that buys a ticket...I make MONEY! So, I want to comission each company to build me a boat that would fit the most passengers on it...capacity! The winning boat company will earn 100 Grand! (a candy bar!)

Here are some pictures of the events in class...

Using Tier 3 vocabulary words to get students more excited about making FOSS lifeboats helps them build experiences! Check out the boats in the harbor. We have a fleet of boats ready to go!

Students work as a team to finish their FOSS activity and graph...once done they get to engineer a boat for me (a rich business owner who wants to invest in a tourist cruise line. I would charge $100 dollars a ticket...so the more the tourists the more I will make!)

                             

Each group got only one piece of aluminum foil. The key to each getting paid $100,000 was that more tourists must fit in their boat compared to any other boat company! (100 Grand Candy Bar...FYI)

 Here is our Lifeboat Reflection Sheet Freebie that we used to wrap up our activity!

Happy Sailing!

1

Simple Machines...Rube Goldberg...and Simple Science

To make science simple...all you need is a bag of goodies per table.

**I added 8 Jenga blocks, a paper towel tube , a little car, a bull's eye, a plastic figure, and a marble.

I asked my students to see if they could use all of the supplies to make the plastic figure land on the bull's eye on the floor. This a simple, yet easy way for your students to work together to problem solve!

I love to show this video to get them thinking...

I share with them what a Rube is... a contraption, invention, device, or apparatus that is deliberately over-engineered or overdone to perform a very simple task in a very complicated way usually with a chain reaction.

There you have it...Simple science! Try it in your school yard! For more ideas, check out my Rube Goldberg Engineering Pack on TPT! Tons of great engineering ideas to make science easier!

0

Summer Learning at the UWMC

I love when summer slows down a tad... I am still waiting for that to happen though.  I have had some fun watching my oldest daughters teach STEM classes. I think that they appreciate their "teacher" parents a bit more after dealing with supplies, lessons, fillers, conflict, and time management to list just a few...I was able to teach Cardboard Arcade last week and the kids seemed to really like it. These kiddos come from a completely different background then my students...let's just say mine are 83% free and reduced lunch...these kiddos get to go to the university for classes. Wouldn't change it for the world...money isn't everything...

It sure gave me a greater appreciation for my own school, my own 430 sweeties, my own room with my own supplies, my students that know my rules and expectations...I finished up now with summer just starting for me! I am very excited, but I wanted to reflect on what we did this last week...each day a different B for no Boring Summer kids!

Day 1: Bull's Eyes...STEM parachutes, STEM catapults, and STEM cars...X marks the spot

Day 2: Boating Fun and Building Sky Scrapers

Day 3: Buddies Building Coasters

Day 4: Boxes and Arcade Games

Day 5: Bring On Summer Fun! What we can engineer when we are BORED...

Here are some of the activities we did along the way...

Pipe insulation tubes are the best cheap investment for roller coaster fun! They bend, curve, and loop!

Boat building with aluminum foil and clips...parents and kids...all a board!

It's our cardboard arcade in action! The kids love to make games out of boxes! Another summer fun activity!

Catapult olympics outside...the cure for the summer time boredoms! We had marshmallow catapult catch, homerun derby, bull's eye, and golf! All with a few spoons, Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, binder clips, and creativity!

Boat building challenge takes us to the one blow competition!

Would love to hear how you find STEM ways to beat the boredom! I am finally on vacation!

0

Rube Goldberg Visits Our Science Class

For the next two weeks we are finishing up our Simple Machines Unit...FOSS Levers and Pulleys have guided us...but now it is time to have some engineering fun with two weeks left to go we really need to step outside the box!

I created a pack for two reasons...I needed to find some fun Rube Goldberg projects easy enough to finish within our hour...as well as create a pack for my College For Kids Class. The majority of my kiddos are girls this year and I am excited to be teaching engineering classes for 4th - 6th graders at our local university! I used the following videos to guide me...

And...

These are two great examples of Rube Goldberg's for kids to get excited about! And...you got to get the game Mouse Trap to show the kids. It is a pain to set up...but this video is a great example to show if you want to have the kids make a mouse trap of their own!

I provided my kiddos with a bag of goodies. I told them they had to use everything in the bag in order to create a Rube to get a dinosaur onto an X marks the spot on the floor. Each team worked together to make it happen. Love it!

X marks the spot!

Rube In Action...Eyeing it up before it's in motion!

Teamwork to make it work!

Working backwards...helped this team with success!

Our second job was to work as a team to develop a picture that shows a pizza delivery using all 6 simple machines. The teams must work together to draw and explain it once they are done!

I love how this project shows a Rube like cartoon and they have to also work as a team!

Not sure if I would want my pizza to fly through an open window, but...gotta love the creativity!

Check out my Rube Goldberg Pack! What a great way to start or end your school year or anywhere in between!

0

Engineering Connections Towers and Coasters

This week, I used two great picture books to tie in science and engineering...and presto...bammo...
two new freebies for you! I read the book, set the mood and tone of the project...even went on a coaster ride with kiddos...both projects were FAB...U...LOUS! Check out my Science School Yard TPT Store for both sets today!

In the meantime...check them out in action!

They are on a roller coaster ride...once done they saw the ride as a bystander...one little asked..."Is that us on there?"

Roller coasters go up, down, fast, and change directions!

Our art teacher made these last week and we both read the story! What a cool connection!

The sheet in action.

Noodle Towers....

Paper Towers...

Teamwork...

Tall Towers!!!

0