Final:Lesson Plan

TOWER OF TERROR: How effective is your fall?

Haley Cobb

ACCRS:

1. Plan and carry out an experiment to determine the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object using one variable at a time, including number, size, direction, speed, position, friction, or air resistance (e.g., balanced forces pushing from both sides on an object, such as a box, producing no motion; unbalanced force on one side of an object, such as a ball, producing motion), and communicate these findings graphically. (Science 2015, Grade 3)

TECHNOLOGY STANDARD:

2. Use various technology applications, including word processing and multimedia software.

•  Using navigational features commonly found in technology applications

•  Identifying digital file types (TE 2009, Grade 3-5)

8. Collect information from a variety of digital sources.

Examples: online libraries, multimedia dictionaries

•  Using technology tools to organize information

•  Demonstrating efficient Internet search strategies

Example: keyword search

•  Evaluating electronic resources for reliability based on publication date, bias, accuracy, and source credibility (TE 2009, 3-5)

OBJECTIVES:

1.)   Students will use the Scientific Method to conduct an experiment using specific materials provided to them, to measure the speed of their falling tower.

2.)   Students will record their outcomes and discussion of their tower falling on their Google Drive and Google Classroom for other groups to compare and contrast.

3.)   Students will use the Slow Motion Camera App to capture their tower falling in slow motion. This will allow the group to see if a mistake was made, where and why.

ESTIMATED TIME:       45 minutes

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Each group will have…

·       50 tooth picks

·       7 rubber bands

·       10 large marsh mellows

·       Elmer’s Glue and Scotch Tape

·       Each student will have their own iPad

·       5 pipe cleaners

·       1 paper plate

·       3 plastic spoons

·       Scissors

PREREQUISITE SKILLS:

Students will need prior knowledge of the Scientific Method.

Students will need basic team working skills

Students will need to be able to work under a time limit deadline.

LESSON PROCEDURES:

Motivator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydEQj7YYi4M

Show video of Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Tower of Terror. Ask students if any of them have ever been to Disney World and rode the tower of terror. If any have been and rode, how fast did you feel like you were going?

Introduce the project of building their own tower of terror. Discuss with the class on how we will use the Scientific Method: asking a question, do background research, construct a hypothesis, test your hypotheses by building your own tower of terror, analyze your data and draw a conclusion, and finally, communicate with your group and the other classmates your ending result.

How fast can your tower fall? Or, the class can answer, “Was your tower built strong enough to not fall?”

Break the class into groups of 4-5 at each workstation.

Allow the groups to have 15-20 minutes of collaborating ideas and assembling their tower.

Once each tower is assembled, let each group drop their tower from the stand they built it on.

A person from each team should use their iPad and monitor the drop with their slow motion camera to track the fall.

At the end of the lesson, the teacher will ask each student to get out a sheet of paper and pencil and write down this question… “If you can pick ONE more item to make your tower fall faster, what would you pick?”

Have each student bring in their one item for the next day to re-test their falling tower and re-group their results.

“If you used this material versus this material, would your tower fall faster?”

Some towers may fall side ways and get caught in their base. Let the students re-examine their structure and decide if they need to use on of their other materials for a more effective fall.

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION:

·       Ipad

·       App- Slow Motion Camera

·       Google Drive/Classroom

In Google Drive/Classroom, the students will be able to share their tower experience with other classmates and compare/contrast their building.

ASSESSMENT:

Formative: Students will be evaluated on how well they work with their groups. Each student must participate in evaluating their tower on their iPad in Google Drive/Classroom.

Summative: Each student will receive a 10/10 on their writing portion, which includes the question and answer of the one material they would pick to make their tower fall more effectively.

Lesson Extensions/Differentiations: This lesson is to not only help the students to learn more on how the Scientific Method works, but also to understand the importance of team work. Collaboration with everyone’s idea is a key factor in a group setting.