STEM Unit Introduction

Rebecca Tveten STEM Unit Module WSU-R Junior

STEM Unit Introduction

Energy and Engineering:

Artbots

This 2nd Grade STEM unit is designed using the Minnesota Academic Standards of Science and Math, grades K-12. In this Unit, the lessons include

engineering by design; a process of identifying a problem and devising a product or process to solve the problem, understanding length as a

measureable attribute (using tools to measure lengths) and coordinated writing extensions.

Grade 2

• Science:

o 1. Strand: The Nature of Science

▪ 2. Substrand: The Practicing of Engineering

▪ 2. Standard: Engineering design is the process of identifying a problem and devising a product or process to solve the

problem.

• Code: 2.1.2.2.1

o Benchmark: Identify a need or a problem and construct an object that helps to meet the need or solve

the problem. Example: Design and build a tool to show wind direction. OR Design a kite and identify the

material to use.

• Code 2.1.2.2.2

o Benchmark: Describe why some materials are better than others for making a particular object and how

materials that are better in some ways maybe worse in other ways. Example: Objects made of plastic or

glass.

• Code2.1.2.2.3

o Benchmark: Explain how engineered or design items from everyday life benefit people.

• Math

o 2. Strand: Geometry and Measurement

o Standard: Understand length as a measureable attribute; use tools to measure lengths.

▪ Code: 2.3.2.1


• Benchmark: Understand the relationship between size of the unit of measurement and the number of units

needed to measure the length of an object. Example: It will take more paperclips than whiteboard markers to

measure the length of a table.

▪ Code: 2.3.2.2

• Benchmark: Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between length and the numbers on a ruler by

using a ruler to measure lengths to the nearest centimeter or inch. Example: Draw a line segment that is 3

inches long.

Content Objectives

The content objectives for this Stem Unit include:

2nd Grade Science:

▪ 2.1.2.2.3:

o Students will be able to explain how designed items benefit people in everyday life.

▪ 2.1.2.2.1:

o Students will be able to discover different kinds of energy

o Students will be able to discover different ways people use energy

o Students will be able to build an artbot and investigate how changing the robots design affects how it draws.

▪ 2.1.2.2.2: Students will be able to describe why some materials work better than others in engineering.

2nd Grade Math:

▪ Students will be able to use paperclips and base-10 units to measure the images created by their artbot.

▪ Students will be able to measure their artbot images in centimeters and inches, using a ruler.


Table of Contents

STEM Unit: Artbots

Day 1

Lesson 1: Science Standard: 2.1.2.2.3

Pre-assessment

• Talk about the tools we use in our daily lives and how they make our lives easier. Let the students brainstorm and put a few ideas on the

board for them to see.

• Ask them to write, in a journal or on a separate sheet of paper, “What is a problem that you have that you wish you could do easier?

How would you build or construct an object to solve the problem or make life easier?”

• Give some examples, have the kids brainstorm again of real-life problems.

• Have the students journal their answer in a 3-5 sentence paragraph and draw a picture of the engineered item. Use labels on the

drawing.

• Have the students share their answers with a partner and a few with the whole class. This is a pre-assessment of engineering a solution

to a real-life problem.

• Do the heated water experiment on slide 3 of the smart board lesson.

o Put two cups with thermometers out in the classroom: one in the sun and one in the shade. Analyze and record the results after

2 hours. Discuss as a whole group the results of the experiment: sunlight as heat and energy.

Day 2

Lesson 2.1: Science Standards 2.1.2.2.1: Begin energy lesson

• Review the Smart Board slides 1-2


o Begin slides 3-15.

o Journal answers in a Science notebook

o Discuss as a class questions on slides

• Talk about yesterday’s journal entry regarding constructing a solution to a real-life problem. Talk about the ARTbot and how it can make

drawing easier.

• Go over instructions of the materials for engineering a robot that will draw on paper.

• Put the students in groups of 2 and have them begin to work together to use the materials to create the robot, anyway they chose.

• Set group work aside to continue the lesson on day 3.

Day 3

Lesson 2.2 Continue to construct robots

• Students continue to work to build the artbot and create a drawing of circles on the paper provided. Teacher will proceed to walk

around the room and ask essential questions to the groups and answer questions in a student-driven, learning manner. More open-

ended to those who need less direction and more direct for those students who need more direction to find the solution.

Day 4

Lesson 2.3: Finish robots, Discuss project

• Children finish up artbots. Have a discussion about difficulties and successes each group had.

• Talk about the steps to create a working robot. Put together the robot as the students tell you what to do.

• Discuss how students can inquire about how to fix or improve a real-life problem. What will they do?

Day 5

Lesson 2.4: Science Standard: 2.1.2.2.2: Writing Extension

• Answer Essential questions. What is a robot?

o If you can make an ARTbot out of these supplies, what other materials could we have used to make the robot better in some

ways? Would some materials be better in some ways but worse in others? Glass, metal vs plastic.

• Write an extension- if you were to identify a problem, how would you build something to meet the need or solve the problem? Draw a

new picture and label it- create a talking drawing. Share with the class.

Rebecca Tveten STEM Unit Module WSU-R Junior Day 6:

Lesson 3: Math Standards 2.3.2.1.

• Talk about the relationship between the size of a unit of measurement and the number of units needed to measure the length of an

object (use the circles drawn from the artbot).

• Students will be given a ruler and will use the given lines to measure them using paperclips and ones from the base ten blocks. Record

results. Work in groups of 2.

• Formative assessment: measure 3 premade lines with paperclips and ones from the base-ten blocks manipulative kit. Turn in to teacher

for assessment.

Day 7:

Lesson 4: Math Standards 2.3.2.2.

• Students will measure the diameter of circles using a ruler

o Measure in cm and inches

o Record results and share

o Formative assessment: give students a cup. Students will trace the rim of the cup and the bases of the cup to form two different

size circles. Draw a line through the middle of the circle- measure diameter in cm and inches and turn in to the teacher.

Day 8: Summative Assessment: Engineering, Geometry and Measurement

• Students will reconstruct their ARTbots and successfully create circles on their paper. Students will be able to create a circles with their

bots. Students will then measure the diameter of 2 different sized circles (instructions on how to draw the diameter will be given as that

skill is not a benchmark) using paperclips, base-10 units and in centimeters and inches using a ruler.

• Class discussion about the project.

Rebecca Tveten STEM Unit Module WSU-R Junior Day 9

Extension 1:

Read the book:

Talk about sequencing and the steps you went through when you created your Art robot. As a class, list all the steps that were needed to

construct the robot successfully.

Read the book to the class: Welcome to your Awesome Robot. http://100scopenotes.com/2013/03/18/review-welcome-to-your-awesome-

robot-by-viviane-schwarz/ If you were to get a mystery box in the mail, what would you do with it? What would you create? Begin the writing

project by brainstorming ideas. Share a few ideas with the class. Write a rough draft and have one friend and the teacher revise the work. Then

write the final draft.

Day 10

Extension 1.2

Students will present their final drafts to the class.

http://100scopenotes.com/2013/03/18/review-welcome-to-your-awesome-robot-by-viviane-schwarz/

http://100scopenotes.com/2013/03/18/review-welcome-to-your-awesome-robot-by-viviane-schwarz/


List of Assessments:

Pre-assessment:

• Have the students list items that use energy.

• Have the students journal their answer in a 3-5 sentence paragraph of what they would build to fix a need or problem in real-life and

draw a picture of the engineered item. Use labels on the drawing.

Formative:

• Essential questions and discussions in small and whole group

o What is energy?

o How do we use energy?

o What things give off light and heat?

o What has been designed to make our life easier?

o What would you change to make your life easier?

o How would you construct an object to make your life easier?

o What other tools can you use to measure with?

o Why do we measure things? Is measurement important? Why?

• Formative assessment: give students a cup. Students will trace the rim of the cup and the bases of the cup to form two different size

circles. Draw a line through the middle of the circle- measure diameter in cm and inches and turn in to the teacher.

• Partner and group discussions

• Students will be able to make their robot draw circles without touching it.

Summative:

• Students will reconstruct their artbots and successfully create circles on their paper. Students will be able to create a circles with their

bots. Students will then measure the diameter of 2 different sized circles (instructions on how to draw the diameter will be given as that

skill is not a benchmark) using paperclips, base-10 units and in centimeters and inches using a ruler.

• Class about the project.


Smart Board Presentation

Day 2: Energy


Slide 1

In this chapter we will discover... .

* that there are different kinds of energy.

* ways that people use energy.

Learning About Energy

Vocabulary

* heat

* energy

* shadow

* fuel * electricity

* battery


Slide 2


Slide 3

20 Energy Instrumental

19 Energy Vocal


Slide 4

What a hot day!

Heat comes from the light of the Sun.

Heat moves from warmer places to

cooler places.

Heat moves from warmer objects to

cooler objects.

Light from the Sun warms the land.

Light from the Sun warms the water.

Light from the Sun warms the air.

What gives off heat?


Slide 5

Heat

Look at the picture.

Heat comes from the fire.

The heat warms the food.

The heat warms the air.


Slide 6

Rub your hands together.

Rubbing things together makes heat.

The heat from rubbing your hands

together makes them warm.

Heat comes from other things too.

Heat comes from lamps, stoves,

and toasters.

What else can give off heat?


Slide 7

Light is a form of energy.

Energy can change things.

energy from the Sun can

change the temperature.

Things with lighter colors

feel cooler than things

with darker colors.

What can energy do?


Slide 8

Look at the light around you.

Is the light from the Sun?

Is the light from a fire?

Light comes from both of these things.

Light comes from stars and candles too.

Where else does light come from?

What makes light

and shadows?


Slide 9

Making Shadows

Light passes through some things.

Light will pass through a window.

Light will not pass through everything.

Light will not pass through you.

Shine the flashlight on the toy.

The toy blocks the light.

The toy makes a shadow.

A shadow is made when something blocks the light.


Changing Shadows

The tree blocks the Sun's light.

The tree makes a shadow.

Shadows are long when the

Sun seems low in the sky.

It is late in the day.

Slide 10


What uses energy around us?

Cars stop and go.

Most cars get energy

from fuel. Fuel is

anything that is burned

to make heat or power.

Cars use gasoline as a fuel.

The car's engine burns the fuel.

Now the car has the energy to move.

Electricity makes street lights work. Electricity makes the lights in the walk sign work too.

Slide 11


Slide 12

Using Energy

How does the fan get energy?

The fan gets energy from electricity.

Electricity moves through power

lines into a building.

Electricity moves from the outlet

through the cord.

Now the fan has energy.

Turn the fan on.

The fan blades move.


Slide 13

Yum! What foods do you see?

You get energy from food.

You need energy to move.

You need energy to grow

and change.

How do you get energy?

Energy helps your body

in many ways.


Slide 14

When You Use Energy

You use energy all day long.

You use energy when you

move.

You use energy when

you play.

You use energy when

you sit.

You use energy to turn

the pages of a book.

You even use energy when

you sleep.

You need energy for

everything you do.


Let's make an ARTbot!

A battery stores energy. A battery

changes the energy to electricity. The toy

uses the electricity to move.

Slide 15


Title Day 2: Energy and Artbots Grade Level 2nd Grade

Standards Addressed Science o Standard: Engineering design is the process of identifying a problem and devising a product or process to

solve the problem. Example: Design and build a tool to show wind direction. Example: Design a kite and

identify the material to use.

• Code: 2.1.2.2.1

o Benchmark: Identify a need or a problem and construct an object that helps to meet

the need or solve the problem. Example: Design and build a tool to show wind

direction. OR Design a kite and identify the material to use.

Central Focus Practice Engineering: building a robot

Content Objective/ Learning Target

2.1.2.2.1

• Discover different kinds of energy

• Discover different ways people use energy

• Students will be able to build an artbot and investigate how changing the robots design affects how it draws.

Academic Language • Heat

• Energy

• Shadow

• Fuel

• Electricity

• Battery

• Thermometer

• Motor The student will be able to give examples of energy and how people use energy. The student will also be able to build a

robot, in a small group.

Materials • Smart board presentation on Energy


• Solo cups • Rubber Bands • Batteries (Full and Dead) • Markers • Tape • Large Sheets of White Paper 2’x2’ • Wine corks • Motors one per student or per group: Model # P56046 Basic DC motor with lead wires and operates with 1.5 to

3.0 volts. Runs at speeds of 3500 +- 12% rpm. Dimensions are 40 mm Lx 21 mm D. Weight 23g (0.8 oz). Exposed shaft of 8mm or more with the option of strong magnets for more power.

Instructional Plan Activity Description/Teacher Does/Teacher Talk Students Do Reflection/Research

Part 1: Initiating Instruction

• Preview Instruction

• Review of pre-requisite knowledge/skills

“Good morning class. Who remembers what we did yesterday? What did we talk about in Science?” “That’s right. So today we are going to learn about engineering and energy. Let’s look at the slide on the Smart Board. Who can read our learning target for this unit?” “What is energy?” Continue with each of the terms on the slide. “Ok. Let’s look at our next slide. Can the sun’s light heat water? Let’s look at our results from our water experiment from yesterday. Did the sun heat the water? How?

“We wrote in our journals about something that we wanted to fix and drew a picture of how to fix it.” “In this chapter we will discover… that there are different kinds of energy and ways that people use energy.” Students generate responses. Yes because the sun is warm and the sun can heat up things and make them


Sing the song about Energy on slide 3. “So in the song it says “the light from the sun heats the beach sand.” Let’s learn why. Read slide 4. Ask, “Have you noticed things are warmer after sitting in the sun? Other than our experiment we did yesterday, what gets warm when it sits in the sun?” Continue with slides 4-15. Slide 16: “What is a battery? What does it do? A battery stores energy. What happens when you put a battery in your toy?” “A battery changes stored energy into electricity. So then, the toy uses electricity to move. How many have you heard of electricity?”

warm. The temperature went up in the glass sitting in the sun. It did not in the shade. Students sing the song after the teacher. May repeat. “Sandbox, sidewalk, maybe car in the summer.” “It makes it move and talk.” Student responses.

Check for Understanding Ask the class, “What are some different types of

energy?” “What energy does the sun have?”

“Heat, light, fuel, food. Sun” “Heat and light”


“What are some ways people use energy” What is a battery? What is electricity?” Journal answers in a Science notebook.

“Fire to keep warm, fuel for your car” “Stored Energy that changes to electricity.” “Energy that runs things.”

Part 2: Teacher Input/Inquiry

• Intro of learning target

• Explanation/procedures

• Teacher Demonstration

• Teacher think aloud

“Remember we talked about things that we can build to make life easier? What were some of those objects that we could build to make life easier? Today we are going to be engineers and build a robot that can draw for us. I will put you in groups and we will use the materials that I have here to create an artbot. Here are the rules. Are you ready?

• “You may only use the supplies that I have given you.”

• “I will put you in groups of 2 and BOTH of you need to figure out how to get it to work.”

• “This is the motor. What does a motor need to work?”

• “OK. Think about that when you are constructing your artbot.”

Student responses: “Something to do my homework for me, fly to school, get me dressed in the morning, something to brush my teeth for me, a robot to make my breakfast so my mom doesn’t have to…”


• “If your robot doesn’t work, do you give up?”

• “Your artbot will run on this piece of paper.”

• “Last Rule: You may not help your bot run. Your artbot needs to do its job all on its own. Build it so it works all by itself.”

• Remember, work with your partner, not other groups and make sure you each are doing the work. Make sure to talk to each other about your ideas. Your partner can’t see what you are thinking. Engineers communicate with one another to get better ideas- wonderful ideas.”

“Any Questions?” Answer questions as they arise. Separate students into groups and distribute the supplies. Once everyone has their supplies, move groups about the room to ensure they all have enough room to work and two groups are not working together.

NO! WE try again, or ask for help.

Check for Understanding Students will work together to build their robot (in groups). Ask, “What is you job right now?” What is the goal?”

To build a robot that can draw by itself.

Part 3: Guided Support/Practice

• Paired/collaborative work

• Indiv. work & partner check

• Teacher roam & assist

Students will work together to build the artbot. Teacher will walk around and assist student groups as necessary, allowing for student-driven learning. More or less specific answers will be given along with open-ended questions intended for the


students to figure out the problem on their own: Dead batteries, no working parts, no legs…

Check for Understanding See how the groups are working together and how they are putting the materials together to make the robot work.

Part 4: Closure

• Restate Learning Target

“OK, class. What did we talk about today?” “We learned about different kinds of energy like heat, light, food, fuel and electricity. People use energy to power fans and toys. We use energy in our bodies to move and play, sit or sleep.” “Our arbots will use energy to draw for us. We will work more on these over the next couple of days. Tonight, think about how you can give the artbot energy and make it move.” “Let’s pick up. Leave all of your supplies together so we can come back to it tomorrow.”

Types and uses of Energy and building/Engineering a robot

Assessment The formative assessment for day 2’s lesson would be journaling energy answers in a Science notebook and the discussion at the end of the day.


UBD Module

Backward Design Module Planning

The Practice of Engineering, Geometry and Measurement: Artbot

Established Goals (Standards):

• Science: 2.1.2.2.1- Identify a need or a problem and construct an object that helps to meet the

need or solve the problem. Example: Design and build a tool to show wind direction. OR Design

a kite and identify the material to use.

• Science: 2.1.2.2.2- Describe why some materials are better than others for making a particular

object and how materials that are better in some ways maybe worse in other ways. Example:

Objects made of plastic or glass.

• Science: 2.1.2.2.3- Explain how engineered or design items from everyday life benefit people.

• Math: 2.3.2.1- Understand the relationship between size of the unit of measurement and the

number of units needed to measure the length of an object. Example: It will take more

paperclips than whiteboard markers to measure the length of a table.

• Math: 2.3.2.2- Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between length and the

numbers on a ruler by using a ruler to measure lengths to the nearest centimeter or inch.

Example: Draw a line segment that is 3 inches long.

Enduring Understandings Essential Questions

• Discovers different types of energy

• Discovers different ways people use

energy

• Identifies how you can use materials to

create a solution to a problem.

• How to problem solve to find a solution

(constructing the robot)

• What tools do we use in our daily lives and

how do they make life easier?

• What is a robot? What makes up a robot?

• What are the different forms of energy in

our daily lives and how do the changes in

the forms of energy help us?


o Dead battery- robot won’t move

o Robot is jumpy- no smooth circles

o How do you make big circles?

o Little Circles?

o How do you use all the materials

such that it works without being

touched?

• Identify why some objects would work to

make this robot and others will not.

Identify why if one type of material will

solve one problem, it may create another

(using glass versus plastic).

• Identify how designed items make our

lives easier.

o Zipper on jeans vs buttons

o Car that runs on an electric motor

versus a crank

• Understand size relativity when

measuring.

• Understand how to use a ruler and when

measurements in different units come in

handier than others (inches vs miles).

• If you can make an artbot out of these

supplies, what other robots could you

make to make your life easier?

• What other supplies could you use next

time to make a similar robot? A different

one?

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Performance Task

Summative assessment:

Students will reconstruct their ARTbots and successfully create

circles on their paper. Students will be able to create a circles with

their bots. Students will then measure the diameter of 2 different

Other Evidence

Pre-assessment: Talking drawing

or a writing assignment- What is

something that you can create

to make your life easier? Write a


sized circles (instructions on how to draw the diameter will be given

as that skill is not a benchmark) using paperclips, base-10 units and

in centimeters using a ruler.

paragraph (3-5 sentences) that

tells about something you can

create or build to make your life

easier. Draw a picture of it.

Share with the class.

Formative assessment: Build an

art robot out of given supplies

that runs on stored energy

(battery operated) and can make

your life easier.

Formative assessment: give

students a cup. Students will

trace the rim of the cup and the

bases of the cup to form two

different size circles. Draw a line

through the middle of the circle-

measure diameter in cm and

inches and turn in to the teacher.

Write an extension- Identify a

problem. How would you build

something to meet the need or

solve the problem? Draw a new

picture and label it- create a

talking drawing. Share with the

class.

Presentations of final draft of

“mystery Box Creation.”


Class discussions of what makes

a robot.

Small group work.

Collaboration of ideas.

Stage 3: Learning Plan

What teaching and learning experiences will equip students to demonstrate the targeted

understandings?

• Smart Board slides of Energy to lead into constructing a robot.

• Construction of a robot self-directed through small group work

• Discussion of what worked and what did not.

• Measuring line segments

• Measuring circle diameters

• Using inches and cm

• Using paperclips and ones from the base-ten blocks

• Figuring out how to put the materials together to make the robot work.

• Collaborating ideas with their peers to create wonderful ideas which can make it easier to solve

problems.

• There are multiple ways to achieve a goal.

• Figure out what and how to fix the robot if it doesn’t work or won’t stay working.

• Give the students the tools to create or build something at home or outside of school to fix a

real-life problem.

• Find solutions to a problem by trial and error and through communication and teamwork

• Use dialogue

Lesson Themes


• Introduction to Energy

• Fix a need or a problem with a physical solution- Engineering

• Measuring with units: paperclips, base-ten blocks (ones unit), centimeters and inches

• Writing

STEM Unit Introduction

Documents

Transcript of STEM Unit Introduction