Katelynn+Hancock+Science+7+Structures

Editor**: Justin Harper**

Abstract How do structures stand up under pressure? What happens if structures cannot withstand the stresses they are put under? Students in Science 7 will explore the answers to these questions through an online research project; their findings will then be presented to the class.

Grade 7 Science Topic D: Structures and Forces
 * Class **

Computer/projector for demonstrations Access to computer lab Building/presentation materials (ie. poster paper) Project handout and rubric
 * Resources/Materials **

** Focusing Questions: ** How do structures stand up under load? What forces act on structures, and what materials and design characteristics contribute to structural strength and stability?

1. Describe and interpret different types of structures encountered in everyday objects, buildings, plants and animals; and identify materials from which they are made
 * General/Specific Learning Outcomes **
 * Identify points of failure and modes of failure in natural and built structures

4. Demonstrate and describe processes used in developing, evaluating and improving structures that will meet human needs with a margin of safety
 * Identify environmental factors that may affect the stability and safety of a structure and describe how these factors are taken into account
 * Analyze and evaluate a technological design or process on the basis of identified criteria, such as costs, benefits, safety and potential impact on the environment

**Skill Outcomes** Analyze qualitative and quantitative data, and develop and assess possible explanations
 * Identify and evaluate potential applications of findings

Work collaboratively on problems; and use appropriate language and formats to communicate ideas, procedures and results

C.1 -- Students will access, use and communicate information from a variety of technologies
 * ICT Outcomes **
 * plan and conduct a search, using a wide variety of electronic sources
 * refine searches to limit sources to a manageable number
 * access and retrieve information through the electronic network
 * analyze and synthesize information to create a product
 * communicate in a persuasive and engagin manner [...] applying information technologies for content, audience and purpose

C.2 -- Students will seek alternative viewpoints, using information technologies
 * assemble and organize different viewpoints in order to assess their validity

C.3 -- Students will critically assess information accessed through the use of a variety of technologies
 * evaluate the authority and reliability of electronic sources
 * evaluate the relevance of electronically accessed information to a particular topic

C.4 -- Students will use organizational processes and tools to manage inquiry
 * demonstrate the advanced search skills necessary to limit the number of hits desired for online and offline datatbases

P.1 -- Students will compose, revise and edit text

P.3 -- Students will communicate ideas through multimedia


 * Lesson Plan **


 * Day One**
 * = **Time Allotted** ||= **Procedure** ||
 * = 15 minutes || __Introduction/Anticipatory Set:__
 * Once class has settled, conduct brief review of materials in structures unit with emphasis on structure failure
 * Show video: [|Building Failure]
 * Ask class for feedback on video. Prompt for answers to questions such as: "Why did the building collapse?"; "What could have been done differently to prevent collapse?"; "Why should we be concerned about structure failure?" ||
 * = 10 minutes || __Focus:__ //Searching Tips//
 * Briefly introduce the premise of the final project (examining "real life" examples of structure failure)
 * Discuss the fact that research will be done online and address the need for developing skills for internet research
 * Example of researching airplane failure
 * Go to Google and type "airplane"
 * Note that 21 million pages are found!
 * Common results are about booking tickets on airlines or about the history of airplanes, not necessarily about structure failure
 * Ask for input for new search terms, discussing the benefits of using +, not and quotation marks
 * Transition to site credibility activity by bringing up the website [|SkyHigh Airplanes] as if it had come up in our example search ||
 * = 20 minutes || __Focus:__ //Site Credibility//
 * Ask class for suggestions as to why it's important to be critical of information found online. Prompt for ideas such as: "Who wrote the information on a site and how do we know it's true?"
 * Explore SkyHigh Airlines as a class and have students brainstorm in groups/pods as to why the site should be seen as credible or not (keep record of the input on the board).
 * It may be interesting to spend some time having the groups pair up and share their information and ideas about the sites credibility before briefly going over this as a class. It will allow the students to formalize their ideas a little more before reviewing the required concepts.
 * Explicitly discuss with students the importance of checking the following features of websites: copyright, ownership
 * Also discuss the importance of cross-referencing information from a variety of different websites or using print resources (such as encyclopaedias) to confirm the validity of online information. ||
 * = 5 minutes || __Focus:__ //Plagiarism and Referencing//
 * Remind students that if they want to use information from a website for their projects that they must reference all material.
 * State school policy on plagiarism to serve as a reminder as to why this is a serious issue.
 * (It is assumed that proper referencing skills have already been discussed with students in other lessons as the focus here was specificially on searching techniques and site credibility.) ||
 * = 5 minutes || __Closure:__
 * Ask students about the class. Have them write down two things that they learned during this class, have them write down one thing that they would like to know more about from this class.
 * Allow students to begin to think about groups for their projects and the types of structures they could research. ||


 * Day Two - Day Three**
 * = **Time Allotted** ||= **Procedure** ||
 * = 5 minutes || __Introduction/Anticipatory Set:__
 * Have project handout and rubric distributed on desks when students enter
 * Having gone over the students notes about what they learned and what they would like to know more about pick out two or three of the most relevant subjects to learn more about as a review of last class.
 * Allow class time to explore and read the assignment sheet and expectations briefly before formally starting class. ||
 * = 10-15 minutes || __Focus:__ //Project Expectations and Timeline//
 * Review handout with students as a class, taking questions as they arise.
 * Explain that students will be in groups of 2-4 (either teacher-chosen or student-chosen, depending on class dynamics) and they will be given two days in the computer lab to gather information about their structure and put it together into a presentation
 * Have students sign up with their groups (and topics if they already have one in mind)
 * Transition to computer lab ||
 * = ~90 minutes || __Focus:__ //Researching Period//* Allow students to research and create presentation, circulating often and answering questions as necessary.
 * (For second period, take brief questions in class before moving to computer lab again.)
 * (Near end of the second researching period, share the presentation schedule with the class.) ||
 * = 10 minutes || __Closure:__
 * Transition back to classroom
 * Have students meet in their groups and come up with one main thing that they learned from their research about why structures fail. Have a student from each group share with the class what topic their group researched and the main thing that they learned about why structures fail.
 * Check on group progress and remind students of expectations and deadlines. ||


 * Day Four - Day Five**
 * Presentations may take one or two days depending on the number of students in the class
 * Students will present in the order stated on the schedule and they will be marked according to the guidelines on the rubric.

The assignment handout that details the requirements of the project can be found by clicking the file below:
 * Handout and Assessment **

The rubric for assessing the final product of this assignment can be found by clicking the file below:

A great lesson Katelynn! I really think that students will get a lot out of this. It may be an idea to allow students to build a fascimile of their structure (including it's fatal flaw) as an extra activity for this class. I know that a visual presentation is an option for this lesson but I don't know many students who will choose it over powerpoint, it is a lot more work. I think that the part of the lesson on web searching and website credibility should be reviewed in depth the next day and then quickly reviewed the next couple classes. Students may not have this information fresh in their minds otherwise. I have always thought that students learn more from doing their own research and I think that doing this lesson in a classroom would definitely show that they do! Much more entertaining than having the teacher present this information.