8 minute read
Design Technology
GRADE 6
Sixth grade students participate in Clark Lane’s Technology Education course as part of their Unified Arts experience. Students
attend lab sessions for one trimester of the school year on an alternating day basis for approximately thirty contact periods. The
course centers on S.T.E.M. activities which focus on “Energy and Motion.” Students gain an understanding of Bernoulli’s and
Archimedes’ Principles as well as Newton’s Laws of Motion and Energy Conservation while participating in hands‐on activities.
Students are also exposed to basic coding skills using Terrapin LOGO software to program PRO‐BOT vehicles. Additional projects
may include the construction, programming and testing of small devices and structures for load carrying efficiency and crash testing
of “Space Capsules”.
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
GRADE 6 UNIT 1: HEAVIER THAN AIR CRAFT ‐ “WHITE WING GLIDER”
Objectives
Students will explain Bernoulli’s and Archimedes’ Principles as they related to flight. Students will identify the four forces of flight (thrust, lift, weight and drag) and explain how each force impacts the duration of flight. Students will follow a sequential set of instruction to construct a completed airplane.
Essential Questions
Why do airplanes fly? What are the four forces of flight? How does Bernoulli’s Principle explain how the shape of an airplane wing generates lift? How has air flight impacted our lives? What careers are associated with the airline industry?
Knowledge and Skills
Lift is generated by a decrease in the density of the air which travels over the wing. The ability to fly has expanded the human experience. We now have the ability to transport people and material over great distances in short periods of time. The airplane has made the world a much more accessible place.
Instructional Strategies
Students will construct a balsa wood glider using supplied materials and teacher instructions. Test flights will take place on the CLMS athletic field and flight data will be collected and analyzed. Students will be given a reading assignment to summarize with focuses on the impact of air transportation upon our lives.
Evidence of Learning
Performance on student evaluation
Classroom performance
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
GRADE 6
UNIT 2: BUOYANCY ‐ “PENNY BOATS”
Objectives
Students will demonstrate the use of the “Scientific Method.” Students will describe the relationship between volume/weight and density. Students will describe how modifying variables can impact the outcome of their experiment.
Essential Questions
How does Archimedes Principle explain why boats float? Why to boats float? How does a change in volume or weight impact buoyancy? How can analyzing data from prior attempts improve future results?
Knowledge and Skills
A vessel will have positive buoyance when its density is less than the fluid in which it is placed. The manipulation of variables can impact the results of an experiment.
The ability to transport materials and people has expanded the human experience.
Instructional Strategies
The teacher will establish the procedures associated with the activity. Students will test their hypothesis as to the characteristics of a vessel which will carry the maximum load. Students will be provided with multiple opportunities to build and test their solutions. Data from each attempt will be maintained on a sheet. A summary report will be authored by each student which will include their final conclusion. Students will be given a reading assignment to summarize with focuses on the impact of water transportation upon our lives.
Evidence of Learning
Performance on student evaluation
Classroom performance
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
GRADE 6 UNIT 3: CONSTRUCTION AND TESTING ‐ “HOUSE OF CARDS”
Objectives
Students will explain the difference between the “Dead” and “Live” loads of a structure. Students will identify the major load bearing components of a structure. Students will accurately convert measurements in pounds to kilograms. Students will calculate load bearing efficiency relative to dead versus live load. Students will efficiently use allocated materials.
Essential Questions
What are the characteristics of a structure which can carry a heavy load? How do bracing, laminating or adding supports improve the load efficiency of a structure?
Knowledge and Skills
Relatively fragile structures can be made extremely strong by adding additional means of support. A solid level foundation is a critical construction characteristic.
Instructional Strategies
Working in groups of two, students will construct a specified structure using two 3” x 5” index cards, i.e. “House of Cards”. Given three additional cards and a limited amount of masking tape, students will reinforce the original structure to maximize the load carrying capability of their “house”. Finished structures will be destructive tested to determine maximum load. Load data will be collected and analyzed to determine the characteristics which will produce both the strongest and most load efficient structure. Students will be provided with five iterations of the build/destruct process. Students will be given a reading assignment to summarize with focuses on the impact of skyscrapers upon our lives.
Evidence of Learning
Performance on student evaluation
Classroom performance
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
GRADE 6 UNIT 4: CODING ‐ “PRO‐BOT Vehicle”
Objectives
Students will work in cooperative groups to write code to program PRO‐BOT vehicles. Students will demonstrate basic coding skills associated with Terrapin LOGO programming. Students will demonstrate the use the Systems Model to control their Bot.
Essential Questions
How does computer code enable humans to control robots? How essential is proper syntax to the generation of code?
Knowledge and Skills
The knowledge of proper coding techniques will enable students to cause robots to perform complex tasks. The ability to accurately measure the required path of the robot using scale metric scale is essential to successful completion of the assignment. Teacher led lectures will introduce student to the process of writing code using Terrapin LOGO software to write code to control PRO‐BOT robots. Upon the establishment of basic coding skills students will be assigned a list of tasks which their robots are expected to perform. Using the Systems Model (input, process, output, and feedback) students will be expected to troubleshoot bot control issues. Students will be given a reading assignment to summarize with focuses on the impacts automation upon our lives. Performance on student evaluation
Classroom performance
Instructional Strategies Evidence of Learning
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
GRADE 6
Objectives
Students will explain Newton’s Laws of Motion and Energy Conservation Students will work in a cooperative group to complete a complex task. Students will gather data while field testing their safety devices. Students will calculate the maximum height to which their “space capsule” flew by using trigonometry or a stop watch and arithmetic formula.
Essential Questions
What are the characteristics of a structure which protects a passenger in the event of a high impact crash? How do restraint systems work to protect passengers in a vehicle? How do crush zones save passengers from injury?
Knowledge and Skills
Seatbelts have the capacity to save lives when used properly. Crush zones are used to dissipate energy during a crash.
Instructional Strategies
Working in groups of two, students will construct a capsule which will be launched on the top of a water rocket. Capsules will carry a payload of a raw egg. Students may be given multiple attempts to successfully launch and recover an intact payload. A minimum height of flight requirement will be established. Recycled materials will be used to restrain and reduce the effects of impact. Students will be given a reading assignment to summarize with focuses on the impacts space travel upon our lives.
Evidence of Learning
Performance on student evaluation
Classroom performance
CATEGORY
Plan
Function
Construction – Materials
Construction – Care Taken
Journal/Log – Content
Team Work
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
GRADE 6 PERFORMANCE RUBRIC
4
Plan is neat with clear measurements and labeling for all components. Plan is neat with clear measurements and labeling for most components. Plan provides clear measurements and labeling for most components.
Plan does not show measurements clearly or is otherwise inadequately labeled.
Project functions extraordinarily well, holding up under atypical stresses. Project functions well, holding up under typical stresses. Project functions pretty well, but deteriorates under typical stresses. Fatal flaws in function with complete failure under typical stresses.
Appropriate materials were selected and creatively modified in ways that made them even better.
Appropriate materials were selected and there was an attempt at creative modification to make them even better. Appropriate materials were selected. Inappropriate materials were selected and contributed to a product that performed poorly.
Great care taken in construction process so that the project is neat, attractive and follows plans accurately. Construction was careful and accurate for the most part, but 1‐2 details could have been refined for a more attractive product.
Construction accurately followed the plans, but 3‐4 details could have been refined for a more attractive product.
Construction appears careless or haphazard. Many details need refinement for a strong or attractive product.
Journal provides a complete record of planning, construction, testing, modifications, reasons for modifications, and some reflection about the strategies used and the results.
Journal provides a complete record of planning, construction, testing, modifications, and reasons for modifications.
Journal provides quite a bit of detail about planning, construction, testing, modifications, and reasons for modifications. Journal provides very little detail about several aspects of the planning, construction, and testing process.
The workload is divided and shared equally by all team members. The workload is divided and shared fairly by all team members, though workloads may vary from person to person. The workload was divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing his/her fair share of the work.
The workload was not divided OR several people in the group are viewed as not doing their fair share of the work.
3 2 1
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
GRADE 6 RESOURCES
Gram and pound scales Calculators White Wing Glider Competition Kits Stop watches DVD: Understanding Flight, Discovery Education, Inc. DVD: Buoyancy, Discovery Education, Inc. DVD: October Sky, Universal Pictures, Inc. (Edited for family viewing)
Unit 1: Heavier than Air Craft
Unit
Unit 2: Buoyancy Unit 3: Construction and Testing Unit 4: Coding Unit 5: Restraint Systems and Crush Zones
PACING GUIDE
Days 1‐10 Days 11‐20 Days 21‐30
XXXXXX
XXXX XXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXX
