Training Guide for Elementary School

Engineering Design in Oregon Science Classrooms

Day 3

Interactive teacher workshop on using the Engineering Design Process to improve teachers’ effectiveness at teaching science

Copyright 2013, Oregon University System, All Rights Reserved

Table of Contents – Day 3

Objective: The Training Materials, based upon the Standards, will provide a manual to lead an interactive teacher workshop on using the Engineering Design Process to improve teachers’ effectiveness at teaching science.

Day 3, Unit 1 (8:00-9:50) ……………………………………………………………..………3

  • Hands-on exercise featuring the Engineering Design Process for learning Physical Science (Toad’s Car)
  • Reflection and discussion

Day 3, Unit 2 (10:05-12:00) …………………………………………….…………………....9

  • Engineering Design work samples and resources
  • Integration of engineering design into lesson plans

Workshop Structure

Agenda

8:00-8:10Overview and Welcome

8:10-9:50Hands-on exercise featuring the Engineering Design Process for Learning Physical Science (Toad’s Car)

9:50-10:05Break

10:05-12:00Teachers Incorporate the Engineering Design Process into their Lesson Plans

Day 3, Unit 1 (8:00-9:45)

Example hands-on exercise featuring the Engineering Design Process for Learning Physical Science

Toad’s Car – Grades 3-5

In this engineering lesson, students are asked to design and build a coaster car for the character Toad from the children’s literature classic The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. The ultimate goal is to build a car that travels as far and straight as possible.

Facilitator Timeline

8:00-8:10 – Welcome and Overview

8:10-9:50 – Toad’s Car Activity

8:10-9:00 – Presenting and Completing the Lesson

9:00-9:15 – Sharing and Cleanup

9:15-9:40 – Scientific Inquiry vs. the Engineering Design Process

9:40-9:50 – Small Group Discussion

Preparing to Present the Lesson

1. Make a copy of Toad’s Car storyarticle, Toad’s Car Design Worksheet and Toad’s Car Exploration Handoutforevery participant. Even though participants are working in groups, each participant should fill out this handout since this is how they will be assessed.

2. Make and setup a ramp for pairs of groups using the Car and Ramp Setup Instructions handout.

3. Make testing kits for each group and set out along a table or counter. Each kit should have sample cars (chassis and bearings only) made according to the Car and Ramp Setup Instructions handout. Each kit should also include 2 axels, 4 wheels, a straw, a ruler, and a meter stick. Have masking tape available.

See activity for full write-up.

Workshop Materials

Prepare to have participants work in groups of 3-4. For a workshop of 40 participants, you will need 10-13 sets of materials.

  • MDF Boards
  • Craft Sticks
  • Straws
  • Masking Tape
  • LEGO 20-tooth wheels
  • LEGO 12-tooth wheels
  • LEGO axels
  • White Glue
  • Optional: Markers, glitter, feathers and other items to decorate the cars.

Presenting the Lesson (8:10, 20 minutes)

Exploration Activity

  1. Organize your participants into groups of three or four. Ideally there should be an even number of groups so each ramp can be shared by two groups. Pass out the Toad’s Car Exploration Handout.
  2. Give each group a testing kit. Demonstrate how to build the first sample car (see Car and Ramp Setup Instructions). After they have attached the axel and wheels, have them sketch and label this car in the space provided on their handout.
  3. Participants should make a prediction about the motion of the car on their handout.
  4. Assign two groups to each ramp and let them explore the motion of the car down the ramp. They should write down their observations in the space provided on the handout.
  5. Demonstrate how to measure the distance the car travels once it leaves the ramp using a meter stick and a ruler.
  6. Participants should measure and record on their handouts the distance the first sample car travels once it leaves the ramp. Show participants how to find the average of their measurements.
  7. Ask participants how the design of the car affects its motion and the distance it travels. The short bearings allow the axels to shift from side to side which causes the car to curve as it travels. This limits the distance it travels.
  8. Give participants about 2 minutes to adjust their cars and see if they can make the car swerve less and travel further.
  9. Have participants take off the axels and wheels and attach them to the second sample car. They should sketch and label this second car in the space provided on their handout.
  10. Repeat steps 3 – 7 for the second and then the third sample car.

Engineering Activity (8:30, 30 minutes)

  1. Pass out Toad’s Car Design Handout.
  2. Read the scenario and show the materials they have available to make Toad’s car.
  3. Working with their groups, have participants identify the problems, criteria and constraints their car designs will need to address. Encourage them to be as specific as possible. For example, instead of just writing that they want their cars to go far, they should come up with a specific distance such as 100 cm.
  4. Working with their groups, participants should sketch and label two possible coaster car solutions as well as why they think their solutions will work.
  5. Have participants get the required materials to build their cars as well as a ramp set-up and a meter stick.
  6. Groups should build their first coaster car and then test it by making observations about its motion while traveling down a ramp and by measuring the distance the car travels off the ramp. They should record their observations and data on the table in the handout.
  7. Once they are done observing and testing, groups should break down their cars. They should keep the materials they need for their second car solution and return the materials they don’t need. While returning materials, they should pick-up any additional materials needed for their second car.
  8. Have participants build and test their second cars. They should then break them down, return materials, and gather the needed materials for their third cars.
  9. Once they build and test their third cars they are done and should break them down and return all the materials to the appropriate place including their ramps and meter sticks.
  10. Show the participants how to make bar graphs of their averages in the space provided on the worksheet.
  11. Participants should use their graphs and observations to answer the questions in the evaluation section of the handout.

Sharing and Cleanup (9:00, 15 minutes)

1. After pollinating, have participants share what they have learned. Ask about things the participants will have noticed or had difficulty with such as:

  • How will your students identify the science involved?
  • What factors made your car swerve the most? How did you fix them?
  • What different designs did you see and which ones were the most effective? Why?
  • What design elements made your car travel the furthest?
  • What was the most difficult part of this activity? What could be done to improve it?

2. Encourage the participants to develop generalizations for which designs worked the best and why.

3. Summarize the main ideas and reinforce the science concepts learned while applying the Engineering Design Process.

4. To cleanup, have participants put-back any reusable parts. The rest should be thrown away or recycled if possible.

Scientific Inquiry vs. the Engineering Design Process (9:15, 25 minutes)

Using the Toad’s Car activity as an example, allow participants to reflect upon and discuss both the scientific inquiry process and the Engineering Design Process and connect them to teaching and learning science.

Although teachers will be eager to talk about their experiences, it’s also important for the facilitator to keep the discussion on track and ensure that each participant fully understands the differences between the two processes. Facilitators will have to judge if the conversation is going in the right direction and make adjustments to the direction if necessary.

This portion of the workshop is the most important as participants will use this to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences, how the Engineering Design Process applies to the lesson, and how they can use it to enhance their teaching. Using the flip-chart at each station, have the group at each table work together to answer one or more of the following questions. This portion of the workshop is designed to take 20 minutes. Give each group about 3 minutes per question if they are answering six questions, 6 minutes per question if they are answering three, etc. Keep the tables on schedule by letting them know the time remaining.

  1. Identify the characteristics of the Engineering Design Process.
  2. How does the Engineering Design Process differ from Science Inquiry?
  3. What are benefits to using the Engineering Design Process?
  4. What other activities have you done in class that you can modify to use the Engineering Design Process?
  5. What problems do you anticipate with your students and how can you resolve these issues?
  6. What is your biggest roadblock to using the Engineering Design Process?

When the 20 minutes is up, the facilitator should summarize the project, and reflect on the discussion questions as well as the overarching messages about using the Engineering Design Process to improve the teaching of science (5 minutes). Encourage your participants to exchange email addresses and continue the conversation all year in their districts.

If participants have completed the projects at their tables, have them clean their area before the break. To cleanup, have participants put-back any unused paper, scissors, and pencils. The rest should be thrown away or recycled if possible. While the participants are cleaning and at break, remove their flip chart notes and get ready for the next workshop unit.

Small group discussion (9:40, 10 minutes)

Encourage participants to discuss how they can implement the Engineering Design Process into their lesson plans. Keep them on time and dismiss for break at 9:50.

Day 3, Unit 2 (10:05-12:00)

Facilitator Timeline

10:05-10:15 – Teaching Students About the Engineering Design Process and Materials on the Web

10:15-11:30 - Integration of Work Samples and Engineering Design into Lesson Plans

11:30-11:50 – Participant Reflection and Feedback

11:50-12:00 – Wrap up

Teaching Students About the Engineering Design Process (10:05, 5 minutes)

See PowerPoint “Day 3 – Elementary School Training” Slides 9-15 (1-2 minutes/slide)

Materials on the web (10:10 – 5 minutes)

  • Posters, handouts, templates and instructions for work samples can be found on the web at
  • Assessment Resources
  • Standards Resources

Integration of Work Samples and Engineering Design into Lesson Plans (10:15, 75 minutes).

Have teachers work in teams, small groups or individually to:

  1. Design an Engineering work sample for a lesson or unit. Assert to participants that only one work sample is required per year but that the students would benefit from using handouts or templates throughout the year. Encourage teachers to think about how they might be simplified during the early part of the year, building up to more complete work samples during the year.

Remind them that the templates are meant for assessment and don’t by themselves say much about what processes teachers should use to develop their students’ skills in doing engineering design and learning to document their work.

  1. Create a lesson or unit based on content standards. Encourage teachers to discuss within their groups.

Have participants reflect on the workshop and provide feedback (11:30, 20 minutes).

Wrap-up 11:50 (10 minutes)

  • Review Workshop Goals from Day 1.
  • Bike Rack – State that Bike Rack Comments will be posted on the web shortly.
  • Plusses and Wishes – Have each participant write what was good about the day/workshop and what they wish for on a sticky note. Plusses are what they liked about the day and wishes are what they would like to see done differently. Ask if there are any questions.

Dismiss for the day at 12:00. Remove the flip chart notes and congratulate yourself.

Training Materials, Day 3 – Elementary School 1