Warm-up Your Brain and Make Observations
Different playgrounds can be built using the same types of materials.
What do you see that is the same?
What do you see that is different?
Utah Student Science Experience format adapted from the work developed by Chris Zieminski and TJ McKenna for NGSSphenomena.com
What are you wondering?
How Can I Explore What is Happening?
Now it is your turn to build two different things with the same set of materials.
Find a set of blocks or legos. Build your own imaginary playground.
Draw a picture of your playground.
Now take it apart. Rearrange your blocks or legos. Make a small house using the same pieces.
Draw a picture of your house.
What Can I Learn to Help Me Make Sense?
Developed by Chris Zieminski and TJ McKenna for NGSSphenomena.com
Read the passage:
Different Objects with the Same Materials
Objects are made of parts and pieces. Bricks can be used to build a bridge, a house, and a fireplace. What is unique about the structure of bricks that allow engineers to use them to build many objects?
Each object that was built with bricks has a different function. The bridge makes it possible for cars to cross the river. The house provides shelter for a family. The fireplace is a place for people to cook and to get warm. Even though they are made of the same material each object has a different function.
The bricks in each object could be taken apart and used to make a new object. Many different objects can be constructed with the same set of pieces.
What is something new you learned?
How does this relate to building different playgrounds with the same set of materials?
What can I do next?
Where else have you seen different objects that are made from the same materials?
Share what you learned with another person. Make sure to tell them why you think we can make so many different things with the same materials. How did it go? Circle the emoji.