The+Great+Egg+Drop!


 * Lesson Plan: Problem Based Learning**


 * **GOALS** ||
 * Lesson Title:** The Egg Drop **Related Lessons:** Forces of Gravity
 * Grade Level:** 2nd Grade **Unit:** Space Exploration
 * Lesson By:** Matt Maier

[x] 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity [x] 2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments [x] 3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning [ ] 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility [x] 5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
 * Content Standards:**
 * ISTE NETS-S:**

Science as Inquiry K-7 Standard S.IP: Develop an understanding that scientific inquiry and reasoning involves observing, questioning, investigating, recording, and developing solutions to problems.
 * Instructional Objectives:**

S.IP.02.11 Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses. S.IP.02.12 Generate questions based on observations. S.IP.02.13 Plan and conduct simple investigations. S.IP.02.15 Make accurate measurements with appropriate units (meter, centimeter) for the measurement tool. S.IP.02.16 Construct simple charts and graphs from data and observations. Locate and prepare video of a shuttle reentry to earth’s atmosphere and car test crashes. Prepare a family letter explaining to parents the Egg Drop Project. Parents will play a large role in helping their child acquire the supplies and materials needed to complete their investigation. Reread the story, “Astronauts in Outerspace.” Pose questions to get children to think about the effects that gravity could have on the astronaut’s space shuttle. What measures were taken to assure the astronauts would return safely to the ground? Communicate to students that our world is bound by gravity all of the time. Measures are taken to help protect against gravity, or other forces of motion. Since the students will continue to be influenced by these forces it is up to them to become familiar with such forces and know what precautions and measures can be taken to protect against them. Explain to the students that we will be analyzing the effects gravity can have on an egg. It will be the students responsibility to work in groups and develop a plan to protect an egg from the ill-effects that gravity can have on it when released from a surmountable distance. Explain that the goal of the PBL will be for students to find a way to protect an egg from the highest fall possible. Demonstrate the process of dropping an egg from a low distance. Allow students to reflect on their observations. Why did the egg drop from such a short distance? Are there ways to alter this outcome? Put the students into groups for their investigation. Allow for the groups to have a planning session for coming up with a plan of action. Have groups record their plan and create a sketch of their anticipated prototype. Then have students delegate responsibilities among the group members. Writing down each members’ responsibilities in the plan will be part of the process. Each group member will then write down a list of the items they need to bring back the following day in order to carry out the plan. Have groups collect their materials somewhere in the classroom. Groups will be responsible for keeping track of which materials they have and which they are still waiting on. When all materials for their egg drop mechanism have arrived the groups will then get to go into the stage of design. Groups will work together to produce their egg drop mechanism. All members provide input and assistance in the construction of the mechanism. Upon completing the mechanisms students will accompany the teacher to the gym to test the mechanisms and record data of the trials. After data has been collected we will share all student data with the class in a table on the whiteboard. Groups will collect data from all the groups that will be used to graph using a computer-based graphing tool. Graphing will give groups points of comparison to determine which prototypes were most successful and which were not. Use a job assignment form to keep track of group member responsibilities throughout the investigation. Students record their data on data forms which will later be used to plot the class’ results. Students requiring more assistance and direction will receive support from their group members. The teacher will also be available to assist groups with questions or struggles through the steps of the PBL experience. For individuals that need more, it is possible to add another segment to the PBL. This segment would include a time to evaluate their own data and reflect on what improvements may be made to their design. The group could then build an improved prototype, test it, and see if it really does outperform the first version. Data from both prototypes would be graphed and compared. Students will discuss the similar effects that could be experienced by a similar force found in a moving vehicle. A discussion centered on the importance of seatbelts could take place. Is it safer to ride buckled or unbuckled, because both debates exist? Students could create posters to put up in the school urging school members to remember to buckle up for safety. Use rubrics to grade three components of the PBL activity. A rubric used to evaluate students group work time. A rubric to evaluate their constructed egg drop mechanism. A rubric used to evaluate the data collection and presentation of data provided by each group.
 * **ACTION** ||
 * Before Class Preparation:**
 * During Class:**
 * **MONITOR** ||
 * Ongoing Assessments:**
 * Accommodations and Extensions:**
 * Back-up Plan:**
 * **EVALUATION** ||
 * Lesson Reflections and Notes:**