Arizona STEM

Acceleration Project

POWERFUL PAPER

POWERFUL PAPER

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A 6th Grade STEM Lesson

Jessica Pitts

1/15/2024

Notes for Teachers

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• Context: This lesson takes place in a classroom for an hour.
• Students may work in small groups of 3 or 4.
• An emphasis on the target product

( paper) learning about energy!

• Creative solutions should be encouraged with students.
• Facilitate student reflection on why and how energy impacts paper.

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List of Materials:

• Powerful Paper Materials:
• paper- lined or copy paper
• tape- scotch or masking
• heavy books
• scale
• scissors
• Internet connection
• Laptop ( student)
• Classroom / SMART board

Arizona Science Standards

Science Standards:

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6.P1U1.3 Develop and use models to represent that matter is made up of smaller particles called atoms.

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

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Science and Engineering Practices

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• Ask questions and define problems
• Develop and use models
• Plan and carry out investigations
• Analyze and interpret data
• Use mathematics and computational thinking
• Construct explanations and design solutions
• Engage in argument from evidence
• Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information

Arizona ELA Standards

6 .W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

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6.L.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style. b. Maintain consistent style and tone.

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6.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

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Objectives:

Today we will be able to test their designs, collect, and analyze data, and then revise their designs based on evidence.

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Today we will describe the type of energy used for the design from details from the reading.

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Today we will collaborate and communicate effectively with our peers to communicate.

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Today students will be able to design and engineer a paper structure to hold as much weight of books that generate gravity to a paper structure model.

Agenda (60 minutes)

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• What force does the book show? How does gravity affect your structure?
• Define gravity
• Engineering a paper structure designed to hold weight
• Share or present

What is Gravity?

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Gravity

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Gravity an invisible force that pulls objects toward each other.

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Words to Know :

• Weight
• Force
• Height

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Defining Gravity- Group Discussion

Gravity pulls everything down, then why don't things on the bottom of the Earth get pulled down into space? In this episode of “Crash Course Kids”, Sabrina talks about gravity and explains that when we talk about gravity pulling things down, what we really mean is gravity is pulling things TOWARD the Earth. Really, it's all about attraction.

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Instructions

In a group of 2, discuss the questions and write your answers down on a piece of paper, then turn-in after WE watch the video as a class.

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(6) STEM Challenge: How much Weight Can Paper Hold? - YouTube

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: -

• What were some of the challenges you discovered along the way?
• What worked well and what did not work well?
• What would you do differently next time?
• Why do you think cutting the paper in this way helps?

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• Example models of paper structure design- Paper Building & City making for school project work- Easy Craft (youtube.com)
• Search the internet for paper design that your group is interested in building together.

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Instructions

In a group of 3 or 4, engineer a paper structure that generates strength to hold heavy books.

Constraints:

• 20 minutes
• paper used
• tape used

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How do we assess our work?

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• We test our paper structure model
• We receive feedback
• We iterate and repeat

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We evaluate our final iteration by the ability to meet requirements and stay within constraints.

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Differentiation

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Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

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• As you are observing partners gathering ideas and working together, be sure to help those students struggling to find ideas and methods that will work.

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• You could choose the partners students work in, in order to purposefully pair students with more confidence in engineering with students who may need help.

• Encourage partners that finish their design early to create a completely different model and see if it can hold as much as their first design.

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• Make sure to really give students an opportunity to research and explore new ways of building they haven’t done previously. Encourage students to try something new!