CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 : Make Sense of Problems and Persevere in Solving Them

Run through the JungleV2
Connecticut Invention Convention

Recommended
Grade Levels / Average Time
to Complete / Prerequisite
Lessons
3-5 / Three 45-minute class periods / The Engineering Cycle
Content Standards / Content Objective(s)
Connecticut Core ELA Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners ongrade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners ongrade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners ongrade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Connecticut Core Math Standards:

CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):

NGSS.3-5-ETS1-1.: Define a simple design problemreflecting a need or a wantthat includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
NGSS.3-5-ETS1-2.: Generate and compare multiple possible solutionsto a problembased on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
NGSS.3-5-ETS1-3.: Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlledand failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

NGSS Practices:

NGSS.Practice.1: Asking questions and defining problems
NGSS.Practice.4: Analyzing and interpreting data
NGSS.Practice.6: Constructing explanations and designing solutions

All students will be able to construct a structure that provides shelter out of limited repurposed resources.

All students will be able to iteratively test and modify a structure based on observations and data to solve a problem.

All students will be able to relate the engineering cycle to the activities/task they are completing throughout the lesson.

Language Objective(s)

All students will be able to document their planning process prior to constructing the structure.

All students will communicate and collaborate with their peers when planning and constructing a structure.

Background
Learner Background / Enduring Understandings / Essential Question(s)

All students will have learned about the engineering cycle from a previous lesson. The scenario featured in the lesson requires no prerequisite knowledge that is not included in the oral instructions.

The invention process is iterative and cyclical.

Engineers use the engineering cycle in building, designing, and modifying solutions for problems.

Why do engineers use the engineering cycle?

How do inventors and engineers develop solutions to problems?

Modifications / Assessment / Materials/Resources/
Technology

You may allow as many groups as materials and time allow. However, you want to ensure that all of the designs remain unique in structure, without them converging to one idea.

You may alter the anchoring scenario based upon individual class preferences and needs.

The designed solutions can be evaluated using a rubric. The rubric includes criteria for the checklist, self-assessment statements, and collaboration with “allies” to ensure that all design specifications and protocol were followed.
Depending on whether or not this is for credit, could have students only be graded on the checklist and self-assessment, instead of entire rubric.

For each group:30 toothpicks, 5 rubber bands, 5 file labels (with adhesives), 3 pieces of cardstock, and a pair of scissors

50 marbles of equal size and shape

PowerPoint (handout and/or displayed), evaluation checklists, assignment sheet

Learning Activities
Day 1: Initiation/
Anticipatory Set /

Your students will be completing an engineering task in the role of a survivalist on a television reality show in Papua New Guinea with limited access to fresh water, food, and shelter.

Separate your students into groups of approximately 4-5 students each. Do not distribute any of the materials. After each round of instructions, allow some time for the groups to brainstorm solutions. Give them a simple orientation to their mission:

You have now been transported to Papua New Guinea, an island off the coast of Australia. On this island, there is little fresh water and access to food. The tropical climate is hot and humid, resulting in disease. You will be transported to the southern coast of the island. From there, you will be separated into groups. The groups will be competing for survival here on the island to win the reality show. (5 minutes)
Day 1: 1st Directions—Building shelter / Directions 1: Hello contestants, today is your first day on this island. You have already been separated into your groups. Our crew here will be checking on you every few days. Upon requiring food or medical attention from our crew, you will be eliminated from this competition. Once I finish speaking, you all will need to head into the jungle and start planning for darkness, which will come in about 90 minutes. Ask yourselves, “How will I sleep? Where can I get a supply of water and food?”
On this island there are deadly snakes that roam on the ground and most water has been contaminated. Any shelter must be hidden from the view of large animals and native peoples of the island. I will now leave you in the hands of my assistant, [insert teacher’s name here]. They will ensure your safety here on the island even when you are eliminated from the competition. Best of luck!

You will need to outline the specific task that the class needs to complete. They will have 90 minutes to build a shelter that is freestanding and can bear weight in the form of marbles. The shelter must stand at least an inch off the ground and must only use the materials that are provided (from the jungle, of course).

Directions 2: Alright contestants, you will now have the next 15 minutes to plan how you will be constructing your shelter. This is to ensure that you utilize all of the materials efficiently without wasting them. You will be limited to the following materials: 30 toothpicks, 5 rubber bands, 5 file labels, 3 pieces of cardstock, and a pair of scissors. You will not have access to these materials until the 15 minutes have passed.

Show each of the materials to the class but wait 15 minutes while each group generates ideas before giving them their allotments. The steps in this activity correspond to the steps in the engineering cycle. At first, they are presented with the problem; during this time allotment, they are imagining and planning their solutions. (20 minutes)

Directions 3: Send one representative from each group to the front of the room to claim your resources for building shelter. You have only 75 minutes until sunset, but please complete this task in 40 minutes as clouds are rolling in which will decrease the amount of light you have to work with. Good luck!
Students will work until the class period is over.
Day 2: Continue Building shelter /

This activity will continue about 15 minutes into the next class period. Allow each group the opportunity to create their solution for a total of 40 minutes over the two periods. Provide little assistance to the groups other than answering questions. They must follow the parameters that were outlined in the orientation above. (20 minutes)

Day 2: Does the shelter follow the directions? / Directions 4: Your 40 minutes have passed. Groups, stop your working. Before sunset comes in 35 minutes, we need to test each of your shelters to make sure they are safe. As your assigned show staff member, I will be going around to each of the groups and dropping a maximum of 5 marbles onto your shelter to ensure its stability. If it follows all protocols and holds the weight of marbles, your team will be allowed to continue in the competition. If not, your team will need to revise the structure tomorrow when you have daylight.

One by one, circulate to all of the groups making sure that their structures can hold at least 5 marbles and fit all of the other constraints. (10 minutes)

Day 2: Collaboration between groups / Directions 5: Have you had a pleasant sleep, contestants? Before the show’s staff leaves you here on the island, we want you improve your shelters. You will make changes to another group’s design.

Each group needs to select another group with which to align themselves. (If there are an odd number of groups, you may have a three-way alliance among three different groups.) Using the same resources as before, the groups have to make changes to the other group’s design. This is the “improve” portion of the engineering cycle. The groups should have approximately 15 minutes to modify the designs, which will end the period. (15 minutes)

Day 3: Test the ‘improved’ shelters / Period 3:

Students will measure how well their new shelters can hold 5 marbles (if not done so the period before).
Depending on time and teacher discretion, more than one round of modifications can be made in 15-minute increments. The goal should be improving the shelters such that they can hold the most weight possible. (15 minutes)

Directions 6: The producers of this show have decided to make this competition a bit more interesting. In order to increase the drama, we will be measuring the maximum amount of weight that each of your shelters can hold. The winning group will be granted exclusive access to a small body of fresh water on the eastern coast of the island, which will definitely give a survival advantage.
Day 3: Closure /

Go around to each of the groups, one at a time, to test the weight that they hold in marbles. Begin by placing one marble on the weight-bearing part of the shelter. Continue adding one marble at equivalent increments until the shelter begins to look unstable. Add marbles at a slower pace at this point until the shelter becomes unstable and collapses. Complete this measurement for each group. The group whose structure holds the most marbles will win the competition. Depending on teacher discretion, there may or may not be an award associated with the victory.(15 minutes)

Review the engineering cycle that your students learned in a previous lesson. Go through each of the five parts (ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve) and relate them to the tasks they had to complete in teams.

Notes/Reflection on the Lesson