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Ashley Pasiciel

Building Devices & Vehicles that Move


Unit Rational:
Students are naturally curious about the world around them, and often have many questions
related to how things work. By teaching students about building and creating different objects
and vehicles, they learn about the world around them. This is a very hands on way of learning,
which is beneficial to children. Through creating these various objects, students apply previous
learnings and understandings from previous units, such as Wheels and Levers. Students also get
experience exploring and experimenting with wheels, rollers, gears, pulleys and a variety of
levers and connecters. This type of experimentation, relates to may professions within our
community and province. Students also learn that different forms of energy can be used to
propel their devices. Students will use trial and error to see what works and what does not
work in relation to getting their vehicle to move. These processes make this unit very hands on,
and will appeal to kinesthetic learners. By participating in this type of hands on learning,
students will better understand how various things in our school, houses, vehicles, etc. work.
Within this unit, students will learn about different forces and components, students will learn
to design and construct devices and vehicles. Students will
have to compare and evaluate different vehicles and device
models. By the end of the unit, students will have the
opportunity to apply their knowledge of forces and energy
to build their own device. This unit will take approximately
1.5 months, and as mentioned above students will explore
a variety of topics in relation to building devices and
vehicles that move.

Unit Organizer:
Inquiry Question: How can we create devices and vehicles that move using different materials
and designs?

Related Questions:
 What is an axle? What is its purpose?
 What are wheels? What are their purpose?
 What are linkages? What are its purpose?
 What does it mean to design something?
 What is a simple force?
 What is power?
 What does it mean to propel something?
 What are the different ways we can move a device?
 What does energy-storing mean?
 What does energy –consuming mean?

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 What is motion?
 What causes motion?
 What materials can we use to create motion?
 What are control mechanisms?
 How can we control something?
 Which designs work better? How could we improve our designs?
 What are the strengths of the various devices?
 What are the weaknesses of the various devices?
 How can we construct a device or vehicle?
 How can we work cooperatively with others? What does this look like?
 Which model of your device works best?
 What changes can you make, so your device or vehicle will work better?

General Learner Expectations:


 4.1: Investigate the nature of things, demonstrating purposeful action that leads to
inferences supported by observations.
 4.2: Identifying patterns and order in objects and events studied; and record
observations, using pictures, words and charts, with guidance in the construction of
charts; and make predictions and generalizations, based on observations.
 4.3: Investigate a practical problem, and develop a possible solution.
 4.4: Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the application of
science in responsible ways.
 4.7: Construct a mechanical device for a designated purpose, using materials and design
suggestions provided.
 4.8: Explore and evaluate variations to the design of a mechanical device, demonstrating
that control is an important element in the design and construction of that device.

Specific Learning Expectations:


1. Design and construct devices and vehicles that move or have moving parts – linkages,
wheels, and axles.
2. Use simple forces to power or propel a device; e.g., direct pushes, pulls, cranking
mechanisms, moving airs, moving water and downhill motion.
3. Design and construct devices and vehicles that employ energy-storing or energy-
consuming components that will cause motion. E.g., elastic bands, springs, gravity, wind,
moving water.
4. Recognize the need for control in mechanical devices, and apply control mechanisms
where necessary.
5. Compare two designs, identifying the relative strengths and weaknesses of each.
6. Identify steps to be used in constructing a device or vehicle, and work cooperatively
with other students to construct the device or vehicle.
7. Design and construct several different models of a device and evaluate each model,
working cooperatively with other students, Suggested evaluation criteria are identified
under the Specific Learner Expectations, Reflect and Interpret, page B. 18.

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Lesson Overview: 1 class = 30 minutes


Lesson 1: Introduction to Unit
1 hour
 YouTube Video: Intro to Building Devices & Vehicles that Move (10 mins).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZwu_KjmP5I&t=0s&list=PLPcGy7kI0RTpEAAm3
MpyC22gFt2ZmuaHS&index=6
 Brainstorming Activity: Write unit topic on the board. Give each student a sticky note
to write down what they think about the topic.
 Title Page: Create a title page for their duo tang.
Lesson 2: Review the Basics
1 hour
 YouTube Videos: What is a pulley? What is a screw? What is an inclined plane? What
is a wedge? What is an axel? What is a wheel (approx. 2 minutes each)
 Simple Machines Sort Activity: Students cut and paste examples and definitions of the
6 simple machines.
 Find the Simple Machines: Students task is to find and circle the six simple machines
in the picture.
 Survey Activity: Do we have any simple machines in our classroom? Discussion
Lesson 3: Building Paper Airplanes
1 hour
 YouTube Video: How to build a paper airplane?
 Students build their own paper airplane.
 Paper Airplane Competition: Students throw their paper airplanes.
 Paper Airplane Evaluation: Edmonton Public Worksheet. Does it work as it was
intended to? Does it work every time? Does it stand up to repeated use? Was it easy
to build? Was it easy to use? Are there any risks in building or using it? Can it be made
cheaply? Does it use recycled materials? Can the materials be used for another
project?
 Re-build paper airplanes & test.
Lesson 4: Building A Perfect Cube
1 hour
 Students will use measurement, to build a perfect cubed box. For, the box to fit
together, each piece must be measured perfectly. Teaches the precision and accuracy
that goes along with this unit.
Lesson 5: Building Leprechaun Traps
2 hours
 Students will be in pairs – they will come up with a draft for their trap.
 Building their trap.
 Testing their trap: Edmonton Public Worksheet.
 Re-Building their trap
Lesson 6: Experiment: Baking Soda-Powered Boat
1 hour
 Teacher lead experiment: To start students will predict what will happen.

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 Test out the boat.


 Observations: What happened? How did the boat move? Why did it move?
Lesson 7: Building A Rubber Band Car
3 hours
 Students will build their own vehicle that moves.
 Go over the prototype. Make predictions, etc.
 Build their vehicle. Do this step by step as a class. All students will build the same
vehicle.
 Test vehicles.
 Summarize what happened, what they found, what they would change, etc.
 Edmonton Public Worksheet.
Lesson 8: Build Castles
3 hours
 Students will build castles using various materials. They will build parts that move
such as draw bridges, etc. Students will use cardboard, cardstock, string, etc.
 First, students will come up with a design.
 Build design.
 Test design.
 Make adjustments to castle.
 Re-build.
 Compare castles with other groups.

 Since this unit is based on building, re-evaluating, and then


re-building – a great deal of this unit will be formative and
based around participation in the various building activities.

Formative Assessments: Students will be assessed


formatively many times during this unit to check for
understanding. I will use multiple strategies for this.
 Group discussion: This will be used before, during and
after building activities. Through this technique, I will be
able to see if students understand the various outcomes and
tasks. I will also use this to get students to think deeper about the content of lessons.
This will give students new perspective from their classmates.
 Exit slips, sticky note activities, etc.: Will be used to see students finding, predictions,
observations, etc. This will show me students take aways, and what students have
learned from building.
 Daily Observations: Are also important in formatively assessing students. I will be
walking around the room while students are working individually and in groups to

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ensure they understand their assignments and the novel. Discussions are a great way to
engage students understanding of topics.
 Various Reflections: Students will reflect and evaluate how their various devices worked
through observations, testing, etc. These reflections will help student’s problem solve,
think deeply, make adaptations, etc. This is a great way for me to see students’ progress
and their thinking.

Summative Assessments:
 Students will build various devices and vehicles. Students will not be marked on their
devices or how it works because this unit is structured around trail/error and making
improvements from their observations. Rather, students will be marked on their final
reflections describing the problems they faced, what they changed, what they observed,
and what they conclude from each device. I think it is important for students to
experiment with building in this unit, therefore, most will be formative.
 Most this unit will be based on participation in the activities.
 Some project examples of what students will build and reflect on:
o Building a Leprechaun trap
o Building a rubber band car
o Building a castle
o Making a paper airplane

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Exit SlipAshley Pasiciel
Worksheets & Built Group Daily
Participation Activities,
Assignments Projects Discussions Observations
Learning Outcomes etc.
Summative Formative Summative Formative Formative Formative
25% / 75% / / /
1. Design and construct
devices and vehicles that
move or have moving
parts – linkages, wheels,
and axles.
2. Use simple forces to
power or propel a device;
e.g., direct pushes, pulls,
cranking mechanisms,
moving airs, moving
water and downhill
motion.
3. Design and construct
devices and vehicles that
employ energy-storing or
energy-consuming
components that will
cause motion. E.g., elastic
bands, springs, gravity,
wind, moving water.
4. Recognize the need for
control in mechanical
devices, and apply
control mechanisms
where necessary.
5. Compare two designs,
identifying the relative
strengths and
weaknesses of each.
6. Identify steps to be used
in constructing a device
or vehicle, and work
cooperatively with other
students to construct the
device or vehicle.
7. Design and construct
several different models
of a device and evaluate
each model, working
cooperatively with other
students, Suggested
evaluation criteria are
identified under the
Specific Learner
Expectations, Reflect and
Interpret, page B. 18.

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Ashley Pasiciel

Planning for Diversity:


 Accommodations:
o more one on one help for students who
need extra help.
o Allow for extra time for projects, if they
take longer than originally planned.
o Voice to text on Chromebooks – for 3
students who need extra help with
writing / spelling.
o Offer extra help during lunch, recess, etc.
o Incorporate different types of learners –
visual, tactile, auditory, group work,
linguistic, technology, etc. this will keep
all learners engaged.
o Ask different students to read aloud.
o Ask students to participate in discussion.
o Use advance organizers.
o Build projects gradually together.
o Various types of class instruction.

Resources:
 Edmonton Public
 YouTube
 PBS Kids
 Learn 360
 Discovery Education

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