LU Title: Wacky Wheels and Marvelous Machines

Author(s): Terry Drake, Wallace Freeland

Grade Level: 3

School Address: 125 Bridge St., P.O. Box 620, Theresa, NY 13691

Subject Area: Science

School Phone/Fax: (315) 628-4432/628-5890

Declarative

Procedural

· 6-Basic Simple Machines

· Scientific Method

· Concepts of : force

· Problem Solving Steps

· work

· Graphing

· friction

· Making a HyperStudio stack

· gravity

· Compare/Contrast

· Principle: Machines make work easier

· Descriptive Paragraph

Declarative Knowledge:

Procedural Knowledge

Culminating Performance:

Vocabulary

lever

inclined plane

pulley

wheel and axle

wedge

screw

Concepts of:

force

work

friction

gravity

Principle: Machines make

work easier

Scientific Method

Problem Solving Steps

Graphing

Making a HyperStudio

Stack

Compare/Contrast

Descriptive Paragraph

In pairs, students will design and build a compound machine that will perform a simple classroom task. The pairs will do an oral presentation about their machine. Each student will write a descriptive paragraph explaining how their machine makes work easier and how it deals with gravity and/or friction.

Benchmarks:

• Use a variety of equipment and software packages to enter, process, display, and communicate information in different forms using text, tables, pictures, and sound.
• Access needed information from printed media, electronic data bases, and community resources.
• Demonstrate ability to evaluate information

Benchmarks:

• Describe the effects of common forces (pushes and pulls) on objects, such as those caused by gravity, magnetism, and mechanical forces.
• Describe how forces can operate across distances.

Standard: MST 2

Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Standard: MST 4

Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in Science.

Standard: MST 1

Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.

Standard: ELA 1

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

Benchmarks:

• Ask "why" questions in attempts to seek greater understanding concerning objects and events they have observed and heard about.
• Develop relationships among observations to construct descriptions of objects and events and to form their own tentative explanations of what they have observed.
• Organize observations and measurements of objects and events through classification and the preparation of simple charts and tables.
• Interpret organized observations and measurements, recognizing simple patterns, sequences, and relationships.
• Generate ideas for possible solutions, individually and through group activity; apply age-appropriate mathematics and science skills; evaluate the ideas and determine the best solution; and explain reasons for the choices
• Plan and build, under supervision, a model of the solution using familiar materials, processes, and hand tools.
• Discuss how best to test the solution; perform the test under teacher supervision; record and portray results through numerical and graphic means; discuss orally why things worked or didn’t work; and summarize results in writing, suggesting ways to make the solution better.

Benchmarks:

• Gather and interpret information from children’s reference books, magazines, textbooks, electronic bulletin boards, audio and media presentations, oral interviews, and from such forms as charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams.
• Select information appropriate to the purpose of their investigation and relate ideas from one text to another.
• Select and use strategies they have been taught for note taking, organizing, and categorizing information.
• Present information clearly in a variety of oral and written forms such as summaries, paraphrases, brief reports, stories, posters, and charts.
• Select a focus, organization, and point of view for oral and written presentations.
• Use details, examples, anecdotes, or personal experiences to explain or clarify information.
• Include relevant information and exclude extraneous material.
• Use the process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, and proofreading (the "writing process") to produce well-constructed informational texts.
• Observe basic writing convention, such as correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as sentence and paragraph structures appropriate to written forms.

Reading

Writing

• Reading for information from a variety of resources

• Journal Writing
• Computer Presentation

• Note Taking

UNIT THEME:

Machines Make Work Easier

Speaking

Mathematics

• Oral Presentation

• Graphing

• Measurement

What declarative knowledge should students

be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Concepts:

A force is a push or a pull.

Forces can affect the motion of objects or their shape.

Viewing a video

Reading from the Science

text

"Take-Home" assignment

Classroom demonstrations

Note taking with a graphic

organizer

Journal writing

Concept mapping

Reading non-fiction text Listing/categorizing

Participation in, and

observation of,

classroom

demonstrations

Scientific Method

While viewing the video, "Magic School Bus Plays Ball", students will use a graphic organizer to take notes. After viewing, they will use their notes to write a journal entry describing the forces needed to play baseball.

Two pages in the Science text will be read with the concepts recorded on a prepared concept map.

For homework, students will list forces they used at home and categorize them as pushes or pulls.

The next day, the homework assignment will be reviewed. This will be followed by a classroom activity showing the effect of forces on objects. Students will participate in part of this activity and observe other parts. They will complete an "experiment form", modeled after the "Scientific Method", during the activity.

What declarative knowledge should students

be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Concepts:

Gravity is a pulling

force between

one object and another.

Weight measures

the force of the earth’s

gravity on an object

Journal writing

K-W-L Chart

Viewing a video

Reading from the Science

text

"Take-Home" assignment

Read aloud

"Hands-On" activity

Activating prior knowledge

Family participation

Measuring and recording

Viewing for information

Reading non-fiction text

Small group work

To activate and assess prior knowledge, students will do a "quickwrite" in their journal telling what they know about gravity. A class compilation will be done using a "K-W-L" chart.

The video, "Magic School Bus Gains Weight" will be viewed. Afterwards, students will write in their journals about one thing they learned, or learned more about from the video.

One page in the Science text will be read and the word "gravity" will be added to students’ vocabulary pages in their journals. Additions to the "Learned" section of the "K-W-L" chart will be recorded.

Students will then be challenged to go home and weigh themselves, and weigh themselves holding different objects. They will also need to answer the question, "How did holding something heavy affect the force between you and the earth?"

The next day, parts of the book, Why Doesn’t the Earth Fall Up will be read aloud. The "K-W-L" chart will be reviewed.

In small groups, students will weigh and record the weights of several objects. As closure, the "K-W-L" chart will again be reviewed and added to.

What declarative knowledge should students

be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Concept:

Friction is a force that slows or stops moving objects.

Classroom demonstrations

Viewing a video

Reading the Science text

Assessment

Reading a poem

Motivation

Note taking with a graphic

organizer

Journal writing

Reading non-fiction text

Participation in, and observation of, classroom

demonstration

Scientific Method

Working in pairs

A quick classroom demonstration, using students, will set the stage for "friction". The video, "Bill Nye The Science Guy - Friction" will be shown with students taking notes (main idea/details) on a graphic organizer. They will then use their notes to write a journal entry. The Science Text will then be read and students’ understanding will be assessed by having them write their answers to the "How Are You Doing?" questions from the text.

The next day will start with the poem, "The Slide". A classroom activity which "measures" friction on different surfaces will be completed. Students will participate in part of this activity and observe other parts. They will complete an "experiment form", modeled after the "Scientific Method", during the activity. Students working in pairs will graph the results of this activity.

What declarative knowledge should students

be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Concept:

Work is done when an object moves in the direction of a force applied to the object.

Concept:

Force and work can be measured.

Journal writing

Reading the Science text

"Take-Home" assignment

"Hands-On" activity

Activating prior knowledge

Reading non-fiction text

Classifying

Family participation

Small group work

Graphic representation

Students will begin with a "quickwrite", "What is work?" The Science text will be read and comparisons made between the Science definition of work and what students have written. The homework assignment will have students observing and recording the preparation of a meal. They will need to identify those things, which are scientific work.

The homework assignment will be reviewed before proceeding with the activity. In small groups, students will measure and record the force needed to lift various weights. They will then calculate the work done when the weights are moved certain distances. Groups will share their results.

What declarative knowledge should students

be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Concepts:

Simple machines make

work easier.

Simple machines help

people use forces.

Vocabulary:

inclined plane

lever

pulley

screw

wedge

wheel and axle

"Imaginary Journey"

Viewing a video

Worksheet activities

Journal writing

"Hands-on" Activity

Reading for information from CD-ROM’s, the Internet, encyclopedias,

non-fiction books

"Hands-on" activities

Developing a HyperStudio stack

Visualizing

Predicting

Activating prior knowledge

Concept mapping

Small group work

Researching techniques

Framed responses

Small group work

Making a plan

Small group work

Utilization of Computer

Support Personnel

Students will participate in a visualization activity, which introduces simple machines. They will then view the video, "Bill Nye, The Science Guy - Simple Machines". Afterwards, students will complete 3-worksheets, which match simple machines with descriptions. A journal entry will have students describe how they have used simple machines at home to make work easier.

The next day, a small group activity will have students comparing the force needed to move a load using various simple machines.

For the next 3-days, working in small groups, students will complete a reading/writing activity (using CD-ROM’s, the Internet, encyclopedias, and non-fiction books) and a "hands-on" activity for each of the simple machines.

In small groups, students will plan a 4-page HyperStudio stack, which will include a "title page", definition, diagram, and example from everyday life. Students will then take these plans and complete the pages on HyperStudio.

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Utilize the steps of the Scientific Method

Solve problems using a problem solving

process.

Create a bar graph.

Complete a 4-page HyperStudio stack using a prepared template

Compare/Contrast results from several experimental groups.

Descriptive paragraph

All demonstrations and investigations will be presented with the same format (What do I want to find out? What do I think? How will I find out? What actually happened? What did I learn?)

Process will be consistent with the problem solving steps taught in Math.

Modeling

Visual examples

Modeling

Direct teaching and use of support

personnel

Consistent format

"Framed" experiment form

Graphic organizer

As appropriate, standardized formats will be used for all "hands-on" activities and classroom demonstrations.

As appropriate, the problem solving steps used in our math lessons will be utilized (Understand, Plan and Solve, Look Back)

Graphing results of classroom demonstrations and "hands-on" activities.

Working in small groups, students will plan and prepare a 4-page HyperStudio stack.

"Hands-on" activities and classroom demonstrations.

Descriptive paragraph will be taught utilizing a graphic organizer for the "prewriting". This paragraph will be a part of the culminating experience.

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

The concept of force

The concepts of friction and gravity

Comparing

Classifying

Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Error Analysis

Analyzing Perspectives

Constructing Support

Abstracting

Other:

Comparing

Classifying

Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Error Analysis

Analyzing Perspectives

Constructing Support

Abstracting

Other:

Students will observe and record forces used at home, classifying them as "pushes" or "pulls".

After reading the poem, "The Slide", students will draw conclusions about reducing friction and reducing the effect of gravity.

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

The concept of work

Comparing

Classifying

Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Error Analysis

Analyzing Perspectives

Constructing Support

Abstracting

Other:

After observing a person preparing a meal and recording everything the person does in 5-minutes, students will classify each item as "work" or "not work".

Title of task: Marvelous Machines

Recommended grade level(s): Three

Curriculum areas: Science/Language Arts

Approximate time frame: Three days

Developed by/Adapted from:

Terry Drake/Wallace Freeland

Resources/materials: Groups will make a list of needed "everyday" household/classroom materials. They will work within their group and with the teacher to collect these materials.

Students will demonstrate their understanding of how simple and compound machines make work easier.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of how to decrease the effects of friction and gravity by using a simple machine.

Students will present information in both written and oral format to demonstrate their knowledge of the concepts.

Description of the task using a prompt format (FAT –P-form, audience, topic, purpose)

You have completed a unit on Forces and Machines. You have learned how forces affect work and how machines make work easier. You and a partner will:

• design and build a compound machine
• write a descriptive paragraph explaining how your machine makes work easier and how it deals with gravity and/or friction
• present information in an oral presentation

Your project must include:

• a labeled diagram of your machine
• a model which is made up of 2 or more simple machines and makes a simple task easier.

Diagram

Model

Descriptive Paragraph

Oral Presentation

• appropriately labeled

• durability

• defines the task

• shared equally

• colored

• makes work easier

• explains how your machine makes work easier

• exhibits knowledge

• legible handwriting

• addresses friction/gravity

• adequately describes whole and parts of the machine

• preparedness

• must fill paper

• mobile

• explains the effect of friction/gravity

• visual aids

Elements

Scale

Durability

Function

Required

Components

Mobility

4

All parts stay together for the demonstration and beyond.

Addresses both friction and gravity and makes work easier.

Uses more than two simple machines.

Can be set up anywhere and needs no support.

3

All parts stay together for the demonstration.

Addresses friction or gravity and makes work easier.

Uses two simple machines that work together.

Needs little outside support or structure.

2

Some parts stay together for demonstration.

Does not address friction or gravity; makes work easier.

Uses two simple machines but they don’t work together.

Needs some support or structure.

1

Falls apart when demonstrated.

Does not address friction or gravity; does not make work easier.

Uses less than two simple machines.

Model is not mobile.

Elements

Scale

Labels

Neatness

Appearance

4

All parts are correctly labeled; functions are labeled.

Writing enhances the diagram; coloring is 100% within the lines.

Fills the entire paper; coloring highlights or enhances parts of the diagram.

3

All parts are correctly labeled.

Writing is legible; coloring is 75% within the lines.

Fills 75% of the paper ; all parts are colored.

2

Some parts are correctly labeled.

Handwriting interferes with comprehension; coloring is 50% within the lines.

Fills 50% of the paper; some parts are colored.

1

No labels, or incorrect labels.

Handwriting makes comprehension difficult; coloring is 25% within the lines.

Fills 25% of the paper; no coloring is used.

Scale

Elements

4

3

2

1

Organization

Writing is organized in an interesting, thoughtful, meaningful, or creative way.

Writing is well organized. Information is presented in a logical sequence.

There is some organization, but not apparent throughout.

There is no apparent organization.

Topic or Task

Stays on the topic very well using many, appropriate details to make the writing more interesting or informative.

Stays on the topic very well and uses enough appropriate details to make the writing interesting or informative.

Does write about the topic but doesn’t stay on the topic and uses few details.

Hardly writes about the topic and does not give enough detail to explain the topic/task.

Required
Components

Uses all the required components and adds others.

Uses all the required components.

Uses some of the required components, but not all.

Does not use any of the required components.

Sentences

Uses sentence variety in an interesting, thoughtful, meaningful or creative way.

Has some sentence variety (different kinds and lengths).

Writes in sentences but most of them are alike.

Does not write in sentences.

Mechanics

Makes very few grammar and punctuation errors.

Some grammar and punctuation errors but reader able to understand.

Grammar and punctuation errors make reading difficult.

Many grammar and punctuation errors; understanding difficult.

Spelling

Makes very few spelling errors.

Some spelling errors, but reader able to understand. Takes risks with more difficult words.

Spelling errors make reading difficult.

Many spelling errors; understanding difficult.

Elements

Scale

Organization

Topic or Task

Required Components

Sentences

4

Presentation is organized in an interesting, thoughtful, meaningful, or creative way.

Presenter stays on the topic very well using many, appropriate details to make the presentation more interesting or informative.

Uses all the required components and adds others.

Presenter speaks with correct grammar using a variety of sentences in an interesting way.

3

Presentation is well organized. Information is presented in a logicalsequence.

Presenter stays on the topic very well and uses enough details to make the presentation interesting or informative.

Uses all the required components.

Some grammar mistakes but does speak in an interesting way.

2

There is some organization, but not apparent throughout presentation.

Does speak about the topic but doesn’t stay on the topic and uses few details.

Uses some of the required components, but not all.

Speaks in sentences but grammar makes presenter difficult to understand.

1

There is no apparent organization.

Hardly speaks about the topic and does not give enough detail to explain the task.

Does not use any of the required components.

Does not speak in sentences; grammar makes presenter difficult to understand.