1 of 10

The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Egg Drop Part 1

2 of 10

Egg Drop Challenge: Part 1

A 6th Grade STEM Lesson

Jenifer Henson

02/08/2023

3 of 10

Notes for Teachers

  • This lesson takes place in a classroom for 2-4 50-minute blocks.
  • Students can work in small groups of 3-4.
  • Students will design and test their egg drop capsules while staying within a budget.
  • Students will keep track of their testing data.
  • Students will analyze and evaluate their first design and create an improved design to test for the next lesson (Egg Drop Challenge Part 2).

List of Materials

​

  • toothpicks
  • string
  • paperclips
  • straws
  • cotton ball
  • pipe cleaner
  • rubber band
  • construction paper
  • plastic cup
  • coffee filter
  • cardstock
  • clear tape
  • masking tape
  • tissue paper
  • Kleenex
  • notecard
  • eggs
  • Ziploc bags
  • project planning sheet and directions for drop 1: Egg drop directions

4 of 10

Arizona Standards

6th Grade Physical Science:

​

6.P4U2.5 Analyze how humans use technology to store (potential) and/or use (kinetic) energy.

6.P2U1.4 Develop and use a model to predict how forces act on objects at a distance.

​

Science and Engineering Practices

​

  • ask questions and define problems
  • develop and use models
  • plan and carry out investigations
  • analyze and interpret data
  • use mathematical and computational thinking
  • construct explanations and design solutions
  • obtain, evaluate and communicate information
  • ​
  • ​

6th Grade Math:

​

6.M.NS.B.02 Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm.

​

5 of 10

Objective(s):

Today we will design and test capsules for our egg drop.

6 of 10

Agenda (2 to 4 50-minute lessons)

  1. Show opening video and have students discuss what they saw and what they wonder.
  2. Have students get into teams of 3-4.
  3. Discuss the challenge and walk through the different parts of the challenge packet.
  4. Have students build and test their designs while filling out the group packet.
  5. Remind students their egg will need to go in a plastic bag and that there needs to be a door that the egg can easily get in and out of the capsule.
  6. Remind them nothing can be attached to the egg or plastic bag.
  7. Students can share and present their designs and data to the class.

7 of 10

Intro/Driving Question/Opening

​

​

What do you notice and wonder about this video?

8 of 10

Hands-on Activity Instructions

  • Have students get in groups of 3-4.
  • Pass out an instruction packet to each group: Egg drop directions
  • Have students come up with a team name.
  • Have students decide who will be in charge of each of the following jobs (budgeter, recorder, materials monitor, substitute).
  • Walk through the steps of the challenge on the team packet.
  • Have students start working through the steps of the challenge.

9 of 10

Assessment

Listen to students’ discussions and class presentations about their designs.

Collect and assess each group’s packet.

​

10 of 10

Differentiation

Take away the budget sheet and give students an option of using 10 materials from a set material list.

​

Provide sentence stems for students to use to explain what they are learning and observing.

​

Strategically group students as needed.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Have students research the Pathfinder and other Nasa landers and create a presentation/video about their findings. Allow students to be creative on what they create to demonstrate what they learned.