Total Duration: |
91 to 120 Minutes |
Materials and Resources: |
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Technology Resources Needed: |
Computer and projection system to show the following YouTube videos: This is a 5-6 minute video showing a massive oak tree being relocated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVRgwxuMBHU This video is a 3-4 minute slide show that shows construction of a house. |
Background/Preparation: |
Students should have prior knowledge about the basic parts of a plant. |
This lesson can be divided into 3-5 smaller chunks, depending on your schedule or the attention spans of your children; suggested stopping points are listed below. **Before the lesson, ensure that the YouTube video links are working properly. Also, you might take a walk around the school grounds and see if you can find trees that are large, or have many visible roots around the base—part of the lesson is to examine these with the students. Engage: Read a story, then pose introductory questions and create interest by examining a plant.
[***This might be a good place to stop the lesson and continue later, as the next part of the lesson will be a nature walk outside.***] Explore: Have students examine trees to discuss their stability, and experiment with a paper cup to propose variables that might make the cup more stable.
[***This might be another good place to stop the lesson and continue later, as the next parts of the lesson transition to the construction phase.***] 5. Tell students that they are going to test some ideas about stability on a cup, to give them ideas for the “houses” they will build later in the lesson. Distribute the cups and have students place them on their desks, pretending they are buildings. Have them blow gently on the side of the cup, and it will probably fall over or move around. Ask the students, “How can you make this cup more stable, so it won’t fall or move around?” Let them suggest and try ideas (perhaps manipulating the cup top or bottom side up, placing weight on or in it, etc.). Record these ideas on the chart paper. Explain: Review vocabulary, make connections from the tree roots to the cup experiment to the real construction process of a house, plan small group investigation.
[***This might be another good stopping point, before students will begin the construction process.***] Elaborate: Allow students to work in groups to create houses that are stable, include some kind of foundation element, and can stand up to wind blowing on them.
[***This might be another good place to stop the lesson and continue later, as students finish their buildings. Some students may need less time and transition to a different activity, some may need more time, some may have glue that needs to dry overnight, etc.***] Evaluate: Test the student models, compare results, and discuss findings and applications.
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Assessment Strategies |
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Acceleration: |
If students successfully build a structure that withstands wind force from a fan or hair dryer on the first attempt, pull them in a small group and discuss how scientists can change one thing (variable) about their experiment to test it in new ways. Let them propose new ways to test their experiment, such as changing the size or shape. Does the structure still stay stable? What if you tested the effects of an earthquake instead of wind by shaking the tray of soil? Allow students to test and recreate their experiment in new ways. |
Intervention: |
If students are not able to build a structure that withstands wind force on the first attempt, pull them in a small group to discuss possible solutions. Discuss the fact that scientists often have to "try, try again" or go "back to the drawing board." Let them examine and compare their structures, and recreate them. Encourage them to talk with students who were successful and get input, or observe the trees again, particularly if there are windy conditions. Allow students to repeat the experiment, using suggestions from the teacher and peers to adjust their structures, providing assistance as necessary. |
View the Special Education resources for
instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations
for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.
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