Eco House Design & Build

A 9th grade STEM lesson

Lynette Clark

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5/13/2024

Notes for teachers

This lesson may be a quick (few days) to a lengthy (two weeks) plan/build.

Lesson worked well with students creating their plan first followed by teacher review/approval.

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List of Materials

• Cardboard
• Hot glue gun and sticks
• Coloring utensils (pencils, markers)
• Tempura paint
• Paint brushes
• Cutting tools (scissors, blades, etc.)
• Paper/cardstock
• Additional: fabric, fake props (animals, plants, fences, etc.), play doh

Arizona Science Standards

Earth & Space Science Standards:

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HS.E1U3.14

Engage in argument from evidence about the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, changes in climate, and human activity and how they influence each other.

HS+E.E1U3.9

Construct an explanation, based on evidence, for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

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HS+E.E1U3.10

Ask questions, define problems, and evaluate a solution to a complex problem, based on prioritized criteria and tradeoffs, that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

HS+E.E1U3.11

Develop and use a quantitative model to illustrate the relationship among Earth systems and the degree to which those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

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Objective(s):

Today and throughout the project, students will:

Design and communicate their ideas about incorporating eco friendly green ideas into a home build both inside and outside of the thome.

Understand the importance of incorporating eco friendly ideas into materials, home appliances/devices, and energy usage in order to minimize negative environmental impact.

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Agenda (2 days - 2 weeks)

Discussion - What does eco friendly mean?

What is an eco house model?

Table share - eco friendly ideas in a home

Eco Friendly Home - Plan

Eco Friendly Home - Build

Intro/Driving Question/Opening

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Have you ever thought of how you might create an eco friendly home?!

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Day 1 (and maybe Day 2) - Plan

• Discussion: What is eco friendly? Eco house model?
• Students share among tables their individual ideas of eco friendly ideas in a home.
• Students will complete the Eco-House Build: PLAN Worksheet. On this, they will draw and explain the outside of the house and include three eco friendly methods they will incorporate in their build.
• On the back of the worksheet they will draw the interior of their home and it will show at least one eco friendly device/product. After the design, students will have drawn and explained four total eco friendly methods.
• Depending on how much students know or has been reviewed, students may need time to research ideas of materials or methods they may use.
• All plans are finally reviewed by the teacher to get approval to begin build.

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Day 2 to day 6

• Students will use the list of materials to build their eco friendly home that is shown on their plan. Students will only build the exterior of their home and not the interior. The interior of the home will be graded from the floor plan. Class will review and discuss the Eco House Grading Rubric.
• When students are done with their build, they will use colored notecards to explain their location of the eco friendly home and explain why they chose that location. On a separate colored notecard, they will explain their eco friendly materials that were included in the build. These notecards will be glued somewhere to the base of the home.
• Students will self grade themselves on the rubric.
• When all projects are complete, students will get to review all the home builds and make comments.

Assessment

Students will review the Eco-House Grading Rubric and self grade themself in the student grade column. They will tally up their points and determine their grade.

Additional Review: Allow students to see other builds looking at quality of build and other eco friendly ideas (use comment sheets at each home so students may make comments).

Differentiation

• Instead of making this an individual plan and build, allow a student to work with another student on the entire project.
• Allow a student to create an Eco House Model Plan only (exterior and interior) and not build.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

• Students who plan and build fast may assist with providing other students ideas on their build,
• or create a presentation of some of the other eco friendly ideas that were least considered and share with the class at the end.