5th Grade Engineering Design Performance Task DRAFTZip Line
Science Standards:
5.2! Interaction and Change: Force, energy, matter, and organisms
interact within living and nonliving systems.
5.2P.1 ! Describe how friction, gravity, and magnetic forces affect
!
objects on or near Earth.
5.4! Engineering Design: Engineering design is a process of using
science principles to make modifications in the world to meet
human needs and aspirations.
5.4D.1! Using science principles describe a solution to a need or
problem given criteria and constraints.
5.4D.2 ! Design and build a prototype of a proposed engineering
solution and identify factors such as cost, safety,
appearance, environmental impact, and what will happen
if the solution fails.
Learning Targets:
๏I can create a designed carrier that will move down a zip line.
Language Target:
๏I can use cause and effect words to analyze why an event occurred.
Language Vocabulary:
Cause and Effect connection words: led, result, effect, since, resulted in, led to
Sentence Frames (examples):
Results:
_______ the carrier was designed with _______, it traveled down the zip line slowly.
Adding four washers ________ the carrier traveling too fast down the zip line.
Literature Connection:
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
Key Vocabulary:
Force – a push or pull
Motion - changing position
Friction - force that goes against the motion of an object; slows down objects
Air resistance - force of air that goes against the motion of an object; slows down objects
Gravity - force of attraction between Earth and other objects
Distance – the amount an object changes position
Mass - amount of matter in an object
Problem - situation that needs a solution
Criteria - outcomes that determine the success of a solution
Constraint - limitations to possible solutions
Solution - structure or process that solves a problem
Prototype - working model of a design solution
Model - object that represents (is like) a real thing
Materials:
fishing line (or string), card stock (index cards, thin cardboard), small paper cups (~
3 ounces), ping-pong ball, plastic straws, scissors, single-hole punch, steel washers
(≥ 1 inch), paper clips, wooden skewers (popsicle sticks), timer
Teacher Background:
Forces are acting on objects at all time. When there are unbalanced forces acting on
a object, the object will move. This motion is affected by the magnitude of those
unbalanced forces. Some forces such as gravity tend to increase an objectʼs motion.
Other forces such as friction tend to cause an objectʼs motion to decrease. Motion
can be quantified by measuring the distance an object travels or the time it takes for
an object to move. Isaac Newton explained the motion of objects. In his 1st Law of
Motion he explained that objects tend to stay at rest or in motion unless an
unbalanced force acts on it. In the case of zip lines, gravity, friction and mass will
have the biggest effects on the motion of the carrier.
Engineering Design Defined:
There are four components to the engineering design process.
1.!
2.!
3.!
4.!
Identifying and Defining a Problem to be Solved (I)
Generating Possible Solutions (G)
Testing Solutions and Collecting Data (T)
Analyzing and Interpreting Results (A)
During initial student experiences, the individual parts of the engineering design
process need to be explicitly taught and modeled by the teacher. As students gain
experience, teachers will gradually release control and move to a model of more
learner self-direction.
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
Identifying and Defining a Problem to be Solved
1.! Show students some pictures or videos of people traveling down a zip line or
show the Design Squad episode “Backyard Thrill Ride” from Season 2. Ask the
students what types of forces are acting on a person traveling down a zip line.
2. Tell students that they are going to behave like engineers. Engineers come up
with solutions to real problems in the world. They are going to come up with
some solutions to the problem of designing a carrier that will travel down a zip
line. Have students write the problem in their “Engineering Design Performance
Task” template: Design a carrier that will travel down a zip line. Have them
include a sentence or two about why this is an important problem to solve.
3.
Tell students that it is sometimes difficult to work with real objects. Instead, we
are going to work with models. Tell them that we create a smaller version of a
zip line. Also, instead of creating a life-size carrier, they are going to design
prototype that will travel down our zip line model. Create a pictorial input chart
that shows the zip line set-up and highlights the forces involved.
4.
Tell students to write down prior knowledge, observation, and science principles
that will help them come up with some possible solutions.
5. Tell students that engineers need to know what outcomes are expected from
their solutions. These are called criteria. There are three criteria for this
problem: the ping pong ball must stay in the carrier, move continuously, and
take 4-8 seconds to reach the bottom. In addition, engineers have limitations to
the solutions they design. These are called constraints. For this problem, the
constraints are the angle of the zip line and which materials can be used. You
can decide which materials students have access to. For example: 2 paper
cups, 2 wooden skewers, 4 metal washers, 2 plastic straws, 2 index cards.
Show students where this information is located on their “Engineering Design
Performance Task” template.
Generating Possible Solutions
6. Tell students they are going to come up with possible solutions to this problem.
They will brainstorm one solution independently. Then, they will share their
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
ideas with a partner. They will collaborate with this partner to come up with a
collaborative solution. Both solutions should be drawn accurately and neatly
with appropriate labels.
7. Tell students that engineers pick one solution and build a prototype. A
prototype is a working model of a design solution. Have students work in with
their partner to build a prototype of a zip line carrier.
Testing Solutions and Collecting Data
8.! Once student groups have constructed their prototypes, tell students it is time
to test how well their designs solve the problem. Remind students how they will
know if the design prototype successfully solved the problem. Set up the zip
line where everyone can observe the testing. You will need to have at least two
people helping. Have the end of the fishing line looped and tied so it can be
hooked onto a pole or other sturdy structure. Have someone hold the other end
tightly across the back of a chair. The zip line should be 6-12 feet long at a fairly
gradual angle. You will also need someone to time the carrier as it travels down
the zip line. Have groups come up with their carrier. After placing the carrier on
the zip line, count down to let the timer know when it is time to start. Remind
students to observe their carrier as it travels down the zip line and record those
observations in their “Engineering Design Performance Task” template. Record
times on the class data table. Let students test their carriers for a second trial.
9. Have students take a photograph or draw a picture of their design in their
“Engineering Design Performance Task” template.
Analyzing and Interpreting Results
10. Have students write about how well their design solved the problem.
11. Tell students that engineers are always looking at ways to improve their
designs. Have students write about some improvements they could make to
their ramp. They should include a picture that shows those improvements.
12. If you want, let students make those modifications and allow them to test their
carriers to see if those improvements worked.
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
ZIP LINE CARRIERS
Design and build a
ping pong ball carrier that
will travel down a zip line.
criteria
๏The ping pong ball
must stay in the
carrier.
๏The carrier must
move continuously.
๏The carrier must
take 4-8 seconds to
reach the bottom.
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
constraints
✓zip line angle
✓materials:
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
March 2013
ZIP LINE CARRIERS
engineers
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
time (seconds)
trial 1
trial 2
March 2013
I
G
T
A
Name ____________________________________
SELF
Teacher __________________________________
TEACHER
Date _____________________________________
Engineering Design Task:
ZIP LINE
Identifying and Defining a Problem to be Solved (I)
•Write a detailed PROBLEM that can be solved through the process of
engineering design. Include the NEED that it addresses.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Design and build a ping pong ball carrier that will travel
down a zip line SAFELY. Zip lines can be dangerous, so it is
____________________________________________________________________________________
important that the carrier keeps the ping pong ball inside
____________________________________________________________________________________
and travels at a safe rate.
____________________________________________________________________________________
•Write down PRIOR KNOWLEDGE, OBSERVATIONS and SCIENCE PRINCIPLES
that will help you solve this problem problem.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
•Identify specific CRITERIA and CONSTRAINTS for solving this problem.
criteria
constraints
What are the OUTCOMES that determine if a
solution successfully solves the problem?
What are the LIMITATIONS
to a solution that solves this problem?
๏________________________
__________________________
๏________________________
__________________________
๏________________________
__________________________
✓__________________________
✓__________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
Generating Possible Solutions (G)
•Brainstorm and draw at least two DESIGN SOLUTIONS for this problem.
Make sure to label the materials that will be used in each solution.
collaboratively independently
possible solutions
•Build a PROTOTYPE to be tested.
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
Testing Solutions and Collecting Data (T)
•Record RESULTS from testing. Include the TIME it took each prototype to
travel down the zip line any any OBSERVATIONS you noticed.
prototype
trial 1
trial 2
time
seconds)
observations
•Draw a diagram of your PROTOTYPE. Make sure the drawing is neat,
accurate and labeled. Include measurements of the parts.
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING RESULTS (A)
•Summarize the RESULTS from testing. Describe how well your DESIGN met
the CRITERIA within CONSTRAINTS.
My
design
____________________________________________________________________________________
!____________________________________________________________________________________
!
!
____________________________________________________________________________________
because
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
•Describe what CHANGES you could make to your SOLUTION to improve
its success.
If I were to change my design,
_____________________________________________
I would
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
because
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
•If you made changes to your prototype and re-tested, describe the
results.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
force
friction
motion
air resistance
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
gravity
mass
distance
problem
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
criteria
constraint
solution
prototype
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
model
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013
NCSD K-5 Engineering Design Task DRAFT!
March 2013