The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Egg Drop Challenge

Egg Drop Challenge- Part 4(Final Drop and Reflection)

A 4th - 6th grade STEM lesson

Amanda Gowans

April 12

Notes for teachers

• Context: This is part 4 of a 4 part activity.

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• Students may work in small groups of 2-4.

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• Creative solutions should be encouraged

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• This project based module focuses on the understanding and implementation of the engineering design process. This module will highlight how engineering can benefit society, how engineers use data, and careers in science and engineering
• Egg Drop Part 1
• Egg Drop Part 2
• Egg Drop Part 3

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List of Materials

• Science Notebook
• Pencil/Pen
• Reflection Questions
• Container materials
• Eggs, uncooked – two eggs per team
• Straws
• Tape
• Scissors
• Balloons, styrofoam popcorn and/or other
• Construction and protection materials
• Painter’s plastic tarp
• Any other approved materials from the teacher

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Arizona Science Standards

5.P3U2.5 Define problems and design solutions pertaining to force and motion.

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5.P4U1.6 Analyze and interpret data to determine how and where energy is transferred when objects move.

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Supporting Standards

3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

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3-5-ETS1-2-Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

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3-5-ETS1-3 -Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

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Objective(s):

Today we will revise our designs and reconstruct our egg protectors.

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Today we will record our observations from the egg drop.

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Today we will complete our second egg drop trial.

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Today we will reflect on our trial 2 egg drop

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Today we will complete the reflection questions.

Agenda (120 Minutes)

Redesign their egg protector for egg drop trial 2

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Record their observations

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Answer reflection questions

Think about why your group is making the changes to your egg protector.

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Building time

• Using you materials and your groups ideas, you need to make the appropriate changes to your container to safely drop your egg.
• Remember to work together as a group and include everyone.
• Take turns and make sure everyone has a voice in the group.

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Drop time

Upon teacher approval, students will test their models multiple times from different heights.

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Record your Observations

• On a blank page in your science notebook, record your observations during the egg drop. Record any patterns that you find.
• You may draw or write your observations.

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• Guiding Questions to think about:

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• What does your egg protector look like now that you dropped it?
• What does your egg look like now that you dropped it?
• Is there a difference between trial 1 and trial 2?

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Assessment

• In your group, respond to the following reflection questions in your science notebook.
• What were the similarities and differences in their findings in other groups in your class?
• Think about what you noticed when you watched the other groups do their trials.
• What did your data tell you about the design solutions?
• Think about whether or not your group created a successful egg container that kept your egg safe during each trial.

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Differentiation

One way to differentiate this lesson is provide students with sentence stems when answering their reflection questions.

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Another way to differentiate is have students respond verbally to the discussion questions with their group instead of writing down the answers.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students can write a paragraph about what went well with their group members and what they would do differently if they got to do this activity again.

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What would students need to do to protect the egg if it was dropped off the Empire State Building?