Egg Drop Invention. Egg Drop Invention. 1 of 14. Copyright 2007, Exemplars, Inc. All rights reserved.

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1 Your challenge is to design, construct and test a container that can keep an egg from breaking when dropped from a 12-foot high ladder. You and your partner will have a limited number of materials to work with. In your write-up, you should be sure to list the materials you actually used in your design, describe your design, state your prediction, include any revisions to your design and use the results of your test to state your conclusions. Think about how you might conduct a trial test before your actual test. Include a drawing with your report. 1 of 14

2 Suggested Grade Span 6 8 Task Your challenge is to design, construct and test a container that can keep an egg from breaking when dropped from a 12-foot high ladder. You and your partner will have a limited number of materials to work with. In your write-up, you should be sure to list the materials you actually used in your design, describe your design, state your prediction, include any revisions to your design and use the results of your test to state your conclusions. Think about how you might conduct a trial test before your actual test. Include a drawing with your report. Big Ideas and Unifying Concepts Cause and effect Models Design Physical Science Concepts Motion and forces Properties of matter Transfer and transformation of energy Design Technology Concepts Design constraints and advantages Invention Mathematics Concepts Data collection, organization and analysis Diagrams Graphs, tables and representations Time Required for the Task Two class sessions to develop and build designs, one class session for trials and actual tests, and one session to complete write up. 2 of 14

3 Context Throughout the year, I have put students into small groups to work on what I call design challenges. Before completing this challenge, they have also worked on activities with ramps, a marble drop, and making a moving vehicle with a motor. In these tasks, students are assessed on their conceptual understandings, their ability to design and test what they build, and how they work together as a team. What the Task Accomplishes This design technology challenge enables students to practice the design process, fair testing, and controlling simple variables. Students also practice a number of science skills, such as predicting, designing experiments, testing ideas, and drawing conclusions based on their observations and test results. Students communicate their ideas to the class and continue to build on prior knowledge as they expand their conceptual understanding of gravity, friction, kinetic and potential energy, inertia, acceleration, force, Newton s Laws, and the effects of weight and mass on motion. How the Student Will Investigate Students were paired and given the design challenge along with materials. They had two class sessions of about 50 minutes each to develop and build designs. During this time, many found that they had to modify designs due to limited materials or faulty designs. One class session was used for trials and actual tests. For this, I had a ladder from which to drop eggs in containers. A final class session was given for students to complete write-ups, though the writeups could have also been completed as homework. I also use a video camera so students can watch and assess themselves afterwards as to how effectively the group worked together and how well they followed the design process: applying scientific concepts, documenting each step along the way, and recording observations and changes to their designs. Interdisciplinary Links and Extensions Science/Mathematics/Design Technology There are numerous design challenges that students might engage in throughout the school year that integrate science, mathematics and design technology. I sometimes limit the materials available in order to force students to work within certain design constraints. Most materials I use are not elaborate or expensive. I have also had students build ski lifts and cars (applying concepts from our unit on electricity) as well as building towers and weight-bearing structures. Teaching Tips and Guiding Questions Students may need some help with planning how to build and test their designs. 3 of 14

4 As students begin working, consider asking these questions to guide their thinking: What is your prediction? Why do you think that will happen? What have you observed before that helped you make this prediction? What is it you want to find out? What materials will you need? What will you measure? What tools will you need? As you conduct your early trials, are you remembering your variables? Did you have to modify your design at any point? What are your conclusions? Can you support your conclusion using evidence from your results? What new ideas do you now have? Do you have a new question to test? Have you used any science or mathematics terms to describe what was observed or learned (gravity, friction, force, acceleration, kinetic and potential energy, inertia, weight, mass, etc.)? Concepts to be Assessed (Unifying concepts/big ideas and science concepts to be assessed using the Science Exemplars Rubric under the criterion: Science Concepts and Related Content) Physical Science Properties of Matter: Students observe and compare physical properties of matter. Students see that an unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed or path of motion or both. Design Technology Constraints and Advantages; Invention: Students observe that some materials are better than others, depending on the task and characteristics of the materials; that several steps are involved in making things; and that characteristics of materials need to be identified. Physical Science Motion and Forces: Students understand the concepts of kinetic energy, gravity, potential energy, mass and force and describe cause-effect relationships with some justification, using data and prior knowledge. Scientific Method: Students observe and explain reactions when variables are controlled. Students see that how a model works after changes are made to it may suggest how the real thing would work if the same thing were done to it and that choosing a useful model (not too simple, not too complex) to explore concepts encourages insightful and creative thinking in science, mathematics and engineering (models). Mathematics: Students understand how to use diagrams. Students understand how to collect, organize and analyze data and use graphs, tables and representations appropriately. 4 of 14

5 Skills to be Developed (Science process skills to be assessed using the Science Exemplars Rubric under the criteria: Scientific Procedures and Reasoning Strategies, and Scientific Communication Using Data) Scientific Method: Predicting, observing, controlling variables, testing ideas, collecting and representing data, drawing conclusions based upon results and communicating what was learned. Other Science Standards and Concepts Addressed Scientific Method: Students describe, predict, investigate and explain phenomena. Scientific Theory: Students look for evidence that explains why things happen and modify explanations when new observations are made. Physical Science Properties of Matter: Students describe and sort objects and materials according to observations of similarities and differences of physical properties. Physical Science Motion and Forces; Transfer and Transformation of Energy: Students observe and record the effects of materials and combinations of materials at rest and in motion. Students understand that forces (such as gravity) can act at a distance and can cause objects to be pushed or pulled and that energy is a property of many substances, including mechanical motion, and can be transferred in many ways. The Designed World: Students explain that tools extend the ability of people (to make things, to move things, to shape materials) and that manufacturing requires a series of steps and, depending on the task, careful choice of materials (based on their characteristics). Suggested Materials Students were provided with a limited amount of materials. Each group got: 12 inches of masking or duct tape 3 feet of string 2 small paper cups 1 styrofoam cup 1 raw egg 6 popsicle sticks 2 corks 3 straws 2 tissues 10 rubber bands 5 of 14

6 The bottom half of a single egg carton 1 plastic bag 6 paper clips Possible Solutions Predictions about how the egg will be protected should include a cause-effect relationship ( when we do this, this is what we think will happen ). Materials used, changes made to the design along the way, and a drawing should be included. Conclusions should be supported by data. There should be evidence of a trial and an actual test. Many students typed their reports. Task-Specific Assessment Notes Novice Although the task is completed, the student's solution is incomplete in that it does not include a drawing. There is evidence about how the student tested the design, and explanations demonstrate a strategy that shows some reasoning using scientific concepts. Note: This would have scored at a higher level with a labeled drawing included. Apprentice Although the task is completed, the student's solution is lacking in details and does not include a prediction. There is a labeled drawing, but there is no attempt to explain any scientific or design concepts used. There is evidence about how the student tested and modified the design, but a clear connection between the design and the rationale for it is not articulated. Practitioner The student's solution is complete and detailed. Materials are listed, and explanations include evidence of scientific reasoning and conceptual understanding. The complexity of the experimental design is shown in the labeled drawing. A trial and modifications to the design are also explained. Expert (Students diagrams were not available.) The student's solution is complete, detailed and includes changes made in the design. There is clear evidence of scientific reasoning in explanations for the design and the results. More than one trial is performed, the first one using an object of similar size and weight. Changes to the design are described, and two diagrams showing the changes are drawn (but not available). 6 of 14

7 Novice 7 of 14

8 Apprentice 8 of 14

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10 Practitioner 10 of 14

11 Practitioner 11 of 14

12 Practitioner 12 of 14

13 Expert 13 of 14

14 Expert 14 of 14