Light the Way

Date: April 27, 2016

Teaching Point/ Objective:

Lesson Goal:
Students will:
• Use the engineering design process to design and construct a working portable flashlight.
• Define, recognize and assemble series circuits.
• Explain the path of electrical charge through their circuit.

Overarching Goal:
Students will show their understand the engineering design process.

Essential Question:
How do engineers design and wire electrical devices that emit light?

Common Core Standards Met:

Science:
SC.4.6.2 Explain what is needed for electricity to flow in a circuit to create light and sound

Technology/Engineering:
CTE Standard 1: TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGN: Design, modify, and apply technology to effectively and efficiently solve
problems

NGSS
4-PS3-2 Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light,
heat, and electric currents.

4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.*

STEM Competencies
• Indicator 2:2: Collaborates with, helps and encourages others in group situations
• Indicator 3.3: Generates new and creative ideas and approaches to developing solutions 


Vocabulary: Prep Work/Materials:

Academic Language: • reflective material, such as • Includes technology

• Engineering Design Process aluminum foil, foil muffin cups

• Engineer • brass fasteners
• rubber bands
Text Vocabulary • masking tape/scotch tape
• Circuit • bulbs and build holders
• Load • paper towel rolls
• Pathway • copper wire (insulated with
• Power source stripped ends)
• Open circuit • paperclips
• Closed circuit • craft sticks
• Switch • scissors
• wire strippers/cutters(for teacher)
Prior Knowledge: Common Misconceptions:
• Students built basic closed circuits • Some students may not understand that a circuit has to be in a
• Students built parallel and series circuits loop flowing from one end (negative) to the other (positive).
• Students learned about the various parts and
• Some students might not understand what materials conduct
purpose of circuits.
electricity.
• Students learned about current and static
electricity
• Students learned how to build a basic switch
and connect it to a circuit.

Workshop Model

Introduction (20 minutes)

Engineering Design Process • Promotes higher-level thinking

• Distribute and explain Earthquake-Proof Towers Engineering Design Process Journal. 
 • Opportunities for students to
initiate higher-order questions &
Note: The class will go through each step of the process together. Stop after each step to
extend/enrich the discussion
discuss what the students did and the criteria needed. Teacher may refer to the Engineering
Design Process Rubric to help guide discussions. • Open-ended questions with
multiple correct answers
Your I Can statements are:
1. I can use the Engineering Design Process to help me solve a problem

• Read performance task to students. 


You are at home when suddenly a thunderstorm enters your neighborhood. A bolt of
lightning strikes down a major power line that connects to your house. Now you have
lost all electricity to your house! Luckily you s?ll have a few hours of daylight, but when
the sun goes down it will be pitch black in your house. What can you make so that you
will be able to safely get around your house at night? When the sun goes down you will
not be able to see! People are counting on you to help keep them safe!

Step 1: Ask

• Read the criteria/constraints to the students.

• Show students the materials available to create their electrical prototype. Consider keeping all of
the materials on a “materials table” for easy access.

• Have students identify and write in their journals: 


-the problem of the performance task 

- what they are creating

• Have students: 

-Write further questions they may have about constructing this Earthquake-Proof Tower
-Share questions with the class for teacher to answer 


Stop and go over the criteria for the “Ask” section of the process. The teacher monitors student
learning by recording observations of the questions that students are asking. (See Engineering
Design Process Rubric.)



Class Activity:
Step 2: Imagine • Fully aligned with instructional
outcomes
•Instruct students to independently brainstorm ideas for building an Earthquake-Proof Tower and
draw or write out ideas in their journal.
• Permits student choice

•After each student had the chance to express their own ideas, encourage them to discuss their • Appropriately paced to allow
ideas with the rest of the engineering team. Students should defend their reasons for using specific time needed to intellectually
ideas from their prototype. (Ex. I put the power source on the inside so it wouldn’t show.) engage with and reflect upon
learning

•Tell students that each engineering team may then decide on ONE person’s design to use, or create
ONE new hybrid idea incorporating all

Stop and go over the criteria for the “Imagine” section of the process. The teacher monitors student
learning by recording observations of the ideas that students are generating. (See Engineering Design
Process Rubric.)

Small Group/Independent Work & Learning Tasks: (30 minutes)

NEXT: • Students serve as resources for

one another
• Assign students to engineering teams and group roles (facilitator, recorder, time keeper and
material manager)
• Cooperative learning when
possible
Note: Although students are part of a team, each student is responsible for completing each part of
their own engineering design process journal. The team is there to help brainstorm, share ideas,
and create one product, but each student must participate and contribute their individual to help
the group.

Step 3: Plan

• Designate one person (the recorder) to sketch a diagram of the team’s Earthquake-Proof Tower
prototype onto a piece of paper. This sketch should include labels for each of the parts and possible
measurements. The sketcher must be sure to incorporate all the agreed upon ideas into the design.
Students then list all possible materials that will be needed to create the prototype.

• Inform students that when all team members are satisfied with the prototype design, each member
should copy this diagram of the tower onto their own journals. 


• Instruct team members to check with each other to see if all drawings and labels are completed
and everyone has the same plan to follow. 


• Stop and go over the criteria for the “Plan” section of the process. The teacher monitors students
learning by recording observations of the plan that students are creating. (See Engineering Design
Process Rubric.) 

Step 4: Create

Student groups build their electrical prototypes.

• Instruct students to follow their team plan as closely as possible when building their prototype. If 

students are modifying their original model to make it work, then each person should add these
modifications to their own journal diagram plans as well.

• Ask teams to share their prototype to the large group, stating what modifications were made to the
plan and why.

• Stop and go over the criteria for the “Create” section of the process. The teacher monitors student
learning by recording observations to see if students are following/modifying their plans (See
Engineering Design Process Rubric.)
Step 5: Experiment Test it out!

1. Put in the batteries and test out your prototype. Follow the instructions on the data chart.
2. Students log data onto EDP journals. 

Have teams share out their data and the reasons for their results to the class. Teacher may chart the
results on a class data table for all students to see and compare. (Students will be learning from each
other and using other people’s ideas, as well as their own, as they are improving upon their
prototype.)

Stop and go over the criteria for the “Experiment” section of the process. The teacher monitors
student learning by recording observations of how students collected and analyzed their data. (See
Engineering Design Process Rubric.)

Step 6: Improve

• Have each team review the results of their data.

• Repeat the EDP to optimize the product. Students continue to record the following in their
journal: 

o Ask: What worked? What didn’t work? Why?

Fill in “Things to consider” part of the journal. This helps the students to think about certain
aspects of their tower that they may not have thought of that they may want to change in
the redesign. Students write their ideas on how they are going to modify their towers.

Re-Imagine: Which variables will they change to make it better? What is the rationale for the
changes?

Re- Plan: Draw the diagram of the team’s 2nd prototype. Label the parts with measurement.

Re-Create: Build your second prototype following your team’s design. Keep to the plan.

Re-Experiment:
1. Put in the batteries and test out your prototype. Follow the instructions on the data chart.
2. Students log data onto EDP journals.
3. Write 3 facts comparing the data tables for prototypes 1 and 2.
4. Do a data analysis and explain the results that you find. 


Note: You may go through this EDP cycle many times to get an optimized product that is wanted. It
all depends on the amount of time you have available.

Differentiation:

Tier One Tier Two Tier Three

• use concrete examples • Using peers as tutors or instructional
guides
• have students restate
problem

• higher level academic

terms are defined in the
science journal
Reflect and Connect: (10 minutes)
• Opportunity for students to
Summary and Conclusions: consolidate understanding

• Have each team share their electrical prototype, how they modified their design, a
rationale for their changes, and the results. Students may also share what they learned
about circuits and electricity and why it is important in our lives.

• Discuss what students have learned about the Engineering Design Process. 


• Complete EDP Journal. 


• Have students complete EDP Summative Assessment (Use EDP Rubric).

Assessment: For observation notes/ checklist

Attached. • Integrated into instruction
Student self-assessment in science journal & teacher formative assessment (note taking during
each step of the EDP) • Students contribute to assessment
criteria

• Students self-assess & are aware

of characteristics of high-quality
work

• Specific & timely feedback