STEM Unit of WorkBottle Rockets and Balsa Bridges

STEM Unit of Work

What we will cover today:• Introduction• Fitting a STEM unit into the curriculum• The design challenges – rockets and bridges• Assessment• Key lessons

STEM UNIT IDEAS

• Representational challenge

• Design based challenge

• 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 BuildBu

ild

Test

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3

Desig

n

Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Build

Test

Desig

n

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.

RocketDesign 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• 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• Glue gun• Masking tape

Cheap and accessible

“Dries” fast, not too expensive but

can burn

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 Was the challenge of building a water rocket described briefly

2 1 0

2. Controlled Variables Lists all relevant variables that were controlled in the design

2 1 0

3. Variables in your design Students list relevant variables that were investigated and state why they chose to use or not use them in their design

4 3 2 1 0

4. Apparatus List all items used to make the rocket and sketch a labelled diagram of their rocket

4 3 2 1 0

5. Method Students describe the method in dot points - how they made the rocket and conducted their investigation.

4 3 2 1 0

6. Observations Students record observations and results such as time for bottle to hit earth in seconds and how their rocket flew

2 1 0

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

Students describe the different energy changes and forces of rockets 4 3 2 1 0

9. Evaluation – discuss the following Strengths What worked well with your rocket? Weaknesses What did not work well or caused problems?

4 3 2 1 0

10. Conclusion 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.

4 3 2 1 0

11. Bibliography 2 1 0

Total: / 36 mks = %

Year 8 Science – STEM Challenge – Bottle Rocket – Assessment Rubric

Name: _____________________________________

Partner:___________________________________

Date: ____________

Criteria

Score

1.

Description

Was the challenge of building a water rocket described briefly

2

1

0

2.

Controlled Variables

Lists all relevant variables that were controlled in the design

2

1

0

3.

Variables in your design

Students list relevant variables that were investigated and state why they chose to use or not use them in their design

4

3

2

1

0

4.

Apparatus

List all items used to make the rocket and sketch a labelled diagram of their rocket

4

3

2

1

0

5.

Method

Students describe the method in dot points - how they made the rocket and conducted their investigation.

4

3

2

1

0

6.

Observations

Students record observations and results such as time for bottle to hit earth in seconds and how their rocket flew

2

1

0

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

Students describe the different energy changes and forces of rockets

4

3

2

1

0

9.

Evaluation – discuss the following

Strengths What worked well with your rocket?

Weaknesses What did not work well or caused problems?

4

3

2

1

0

10.

Conclusion

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.

4

3

2

1

0

11.

Bibliography

2

1

0

Total: / 36 mks = %

Year 8 Science – STEM Challenge – Bridge – Assessment Rubric Name: _____________________________________ Partner:___________________________________ Date: ____________

Criteria Score

1. Description Was the challenge of building a bridge described briefly

2 1 0

2. Design Brief Lists all design constraints such as rules and materials

2 1 0

3. Design process and features Students list the design features used in their bridge and the reason these design elements were used.

4 3 2 1 0

4. Materials List all items used to make the bridge and sketch a labelled diagram of their bridge

4 3 2 1 0

5. Method Students describe the method in dot points - how they made the bridge and refined their design.

4 3 2 1 0

6. Observations Students record observations and results such as weight the bridge supported, how much it weighed and the mode of failure

2 1 0

7. Effort in class and how students worked with students in their group 4 3 2 1 0 8. Forces in the bridge

Students describe the forces acting on and in the bridge 4 3 2 1 0

9. Evaluation – discuss the following Strengths What worked well with your bridge? Weaknesses What did not work well or caused problems?

4 3 2 1 0

10. Conclusion 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.

4 3 2 1 0

11. Bibliography 2 1 0 Total: / 36 mks = %

Year 8 Science – STEM Challenge – Bridge – Assessment Rubric

Name: _____________________________________

Partner:___________________________________

Date: ____________

Criteria

Score

1.

Description

Was the challenge of building a bridge described briefly

2

1

0

2.

Design Brief

Lists all design constraints such as rules and materials

2

1

0

3.

Design process and features

Students list the design features used in their bridge and the reason these design elements were used.

4

3

2

1

0

4.

Materials

List all items used to make the bridge and sketch a labelled diagram of their bridge

4

3

2

1

0

5.

Method

Students describe the method in dot points - how they made the bridge and refined their design.

4

3

2

1

0

6.

Observations

Students record observations and results such as weight the bridge supported, how much it weighed and the mode of failure

2

1

0

7.

Effort in class and how students worked with students in their group

4

3

2

1

0

8.

Forces in the bridge

Students describe the forces acting on and in the bridge

4

3

2

1

0

9.

Evaluation – discuss the following

Strengths What worked well with your bridge?

Weaknesses What did not work well or caused problems?

4

3

2

1

0

10.

Conclusion

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.

4

3

2

1

0

11.

Bibliography

2

1

0

Total: / 36 mks = %

5 E’s

• Competition• Hands on

• Internet research

• Discussion with team mates

• Forces and energy in rockets and bridges • Real world examples

solidify understanding

• Design evaluation during the building process

• Assessment

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

Appendix - Rocket• Rocket building videos• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWecRjBy67s• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2dzjhzb3mA• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83KA3ZgOi18• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iSo8u7WFFk• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X8abVd8GRM• Dark Shadow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r9gmLfpFTg• How much water?• https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_1392

606207&feature=iv&src_vid=89TR-SpS2LA&v=DrPt-AktIMs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWecRjBy67shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2dzjhzb3mAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83KA3ZgOi18https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iSo8u7WFFkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X8abVd8GRMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r9gmLfpFTghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_1392606207&feature=iv&src_vid=89TR-SpS2LA&v=DrPt-AktIMs

Appendix - Bridge Videos

• Basic bridge building video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJpHS6-iUrs

• Beam/Truss/Suspension: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVOnRPefcno&index=1&list=PLRnZTaGtkHr3G_rVN041M6MUF15QKTihR

• Buckminster Fuller’s story about the evolution of bridges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE2VchWrtLM&index=8&list=PLRnZTaGtkHr3G_rVN041M6MUF15QKTihR

• Bridge types and forces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYRYtTMcYZM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJpHS6-iUrshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVOnRPefcno&index=1&list=PLRnZTaGtkHr3G_rVN041M6MUF15QKTihRhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE2VchWrtLM&index=8&list=PLRnZTaGtkHr3G_rVN041M6MUF15QKTihRhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYRYtTMcYZM

STEM Unit of WorkSTEM Unit of WorkIntroduction5 E’s to stimlate unit designFitting a STEM unit into the curriculumRocketRocketRocketSlide Number 9Slide Number 10Slide Number 11Slide Number 12Slide Number 13Slide Number 14Slide Number 15Bridge BuildBridge BuildBridge BuildBridge BuildWinnersSlide Number 21Slide Number 22Slide Number 23Slide Number 24AssessmentSlide Number 26Slide Number 275 E’sLessons LearntAppendix - RocketAppendix - Bridge Videos