STEM - Book 2: Years 4 & 5

Title: STEM: BOOK 2

Ready-Ed Publications

© 2017 Ready-Ed Publications Printed in Australia Author: Leonie Westenberg Illustrator: Alison Mutton

Acknowledgements i. Clip art images have been obtained from Microsoft Design Gallery Live and are used under the terms of the End User License Agreement for Microsoft Word 2000. Please refer to www.microsoft.com/permission. ii. Corel Corporation collection, 1600 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Z 8R7.

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Published by: Ready-Ed Publications PO Box 276 Greenwood WA 6024 www.readyed.net info@readyed.com.au

ISBN: 978 192 561 114 4 2

Contents Teachers' Notes Section 1: House Construction Teachers' Notes Land Uses 1 Land Uses 2 Land Uses 3 Land Uses 4 Homes And Habitats Floor Plans Building A Floor Plan 1 Building A Floor Plan 2 My Brick House 1 My Brick House 2 Brick Template 1 Brick Template 2 Triangular Bricks 1 Triangular Bricks 2 Stability 1 Stability 2 Section 2: Bridges Teachers' Notes Bridges 1 Bridges 2 Bridge Building Challenge 1 Bridge Building Challenge 2 Marshmallow Challenge 1 Marshmallow Challenge 2 Marshmallow Challenge 3

4

6-8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Section 3: Domes Teachers' Notes Domes 1 Domes 2 Dome Template Domes 3

35-36 37 38 39 40

Section 4: Pyramids Teachers' Notes Pyramids 1 Pyramids 2 Pyramid Template Small Group Pyramid Challenge 1 Small Group Pyramid Challenge 2

42-43 44 45 46 47 48

Section 5: Coding Teachers' Notes 50-53 Coding Apps 54 Coding Design Journal 55 Coding Accomplishments 56 Coding: Feedback And Reflection 1 57 Coding: Feedback And Reflection 2 58 Coding: Helping Others Learn 59

3

Teachers’ Notes The Australian government’s initiative to foster STEM education in schools is aimed at ‘ensuring [that] Australia’s young adults are equipped with the necessary skills for the economy of the future’ (Aust. Govt, Dept of Education & Training, December 2015). Programmes targeted by the STEM initiative include inquiry-based learning and teaching in mathematics education and the introduction of coding activities in ICT across all year levels of Australian schools (DET, 2015).

This book provides classroom teachers with the means to approach both the targets of inquirybased mathematics learning and the introduction of coding, alongside science inquiry skills and content, use of engineering processes, and design and digital technologies. The activity sheets also emphasise literacy skills, given that the Australian Curriculum defines literacy as one of the General Capabilities across all curriculum areas, noting that ‘Success in any learning area depends on being able to use the significant, identifiable and distinctive literacy that is important for learning and representative of the content of that learning area’ (AC, v. 8.3, Literacy, Introduction).

This book is divided into 5 sections. Section 1: House Construction provides activities that encourage students to develop critical thinking skills and mathematical problem-solving abilities through practical worksheets to test brick construction, scale and map drawing, and geometric shape. Students explore concepts of stability and instability.

Section 2: Bridges fosters group and team participation through worksheets involving challenges in constructing bridges with a variety of different materials within design limitations. This section has a focus on design technologies while building mathematical and writing skills.

Section 3: Domes continues the focus on the exploration and understanding of engineering and spatial concepts within the science, mathematics and technologies areas of the Australian Curriculum. Students work in small groups to research geodesic domes and construct domes with practical uses, hypothesising and testing the domes for stability.

Section 4: Pyramids begins with historical inquiry and activities that represent the geometric and spatial awareness outcomes of the mathematics area in the Australian Curriculum. Students are also guided in planning, designing, implementing and evaluating scientific inquiries with engineering challenges and hypotheses.

Section 5: Coding introduces students to coding for practical purposes (such as making games and apps) using free online tools. The process of initiating, designing, testing and evaluating digital technologies is experienced in guided worksheets before, during and after use of online coding tools. Students are introduced to design journals as a tool used in design and digital technologies and undergo an evaluative process that informs further work in both formative and summative assessment. Individual activities suggest a choice of tools to allow for differentiation of students and multimodal learning styles within the classroom.

4

Section 1: House Construction

5

teachers' notes

Land Uses 1 - Page 9 Curriculum Focus

HASS The importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people (Year 4: ACHASSK088)

Land Uses 2 - Page 10 Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths, masses, capacities and temperatures (Year 4: ACMMG084)

Land Uses 3 & 4 - Page 11 and Page 12 Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths, masses, capacities and temperatures (Year 4: ACMMG084) Describe and interpret different data sets in context (Year 5: ACMSP120) • Elaboration: Using and comparing data representations for different data sets to help decision making HASS The environmental and human influences on the location and characteristics of a place and the management of spaces within them (Year 5: ACHASSK113)

Homes And Habitats - Page 13 Curriculum Focus

HASS The environmental and human influences on the location and characteristics of a place and the management of spaces within them (Year 5: ACHASSK113)

Floor Plans - Page 14 Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths, masses, capacities and temperatures (Year 4: ACMMG084) HASS The environmental and human influences on the location and characteristics of a place and the management of spaces within them (Year 5: ACHASSK113)

Building A Floor Plan 1 & 2 - Page 15 and Page 16 Curriculum Focus

SCIENCE Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (Year 5: ACSIS093) 6

teachers' notes

•

Elaboration: Discussing how models represent scientific ideas and constructing physical models to demonstrate an aspect of scientific understanding Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (Year 5: ACSIS218) • Elaboration: Sharing ideas as to whether observations match predictions, and discussing possible reasons for predictions being incorrect

My Brick House 1 & 2 - Page 17 and Page 18 Curriculum Focus

SCIENCE Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks (Year 5: ACSIS086) • Elaboration: Considering different ways to approach problem solving, including researching, using trial and error, experimental testing and creating models With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment (Year 4: ACSIS065) • Elaboration: Working in groups, with teacher guidance, to plan ways to investigate questions MATHEMATICS Connect three-dimensional objects with their nets and other two-dimensional representations (Year 5: ACMMG111) • Elaboration: Identifying the shape and relative position of each face of a solid to determine the net of the solid, including that of prisms and pyramids Compare and describe two dimensional shapes that result from combining and splitting common shapes, with and without the use of digital technologies (Year 4: ACMMG088) • Elaboration: Creating two-dimensional shapes from verbal or written instructions DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Generate, develop and communicate design ideas and processes for audiences using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (Year 5: ACTDEP025)

Suggested Answers - My Brick House 2

Similarities: both bend easily, both stack with ease, both make walls and corners Differences: cubes collapse and bend more readily, you need less rectangles to create a wall than you do with cubes, rectangle bricks can be built on in two different ways – long side or short side

Triangular Bricks 1 & 2 - Page 21 and 22 Suggested Extra Activity

Experiment with different structures using the triangular paper bricks.

Which structure is the most stable? Test by placing light objects on top.

Which structure is the most visually appealing (looks the most attractive)? Have a class display and vote.

Suggested Answers -Triangular Bricks 2

2. What makes it stable? Triangular shapes are the strongest structures because the angles in a triangle are fixed. There are three sides and three angles and the angles cannot be bent into different shapes.

Curriculum Focus

SCIENCE Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and 7

teachers' notes

solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks (Year 5: ACSIS086) • Elaboration: Considering different ways to approach problem solving, including researching, using trial and error, experimental testing and creating models With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment (Year 4: ACSIS065) • Elaboration: Working in groups, with teacher guidance, to plan ways to investigate questions MATHEMATICS Connect three-dimensional objects with their nets and other two-dimensional representations (Year 5: ACMMG111) • Elaboration: Identifying the shape and relative position of each face of a solid to determine the net of the solid, including that of prisms and pyramids Compare and describe two dimensional shapes that result from combining and splitting common shapes, with and without the use of digital technologies (Year 4: ACMMG088) • Elaboration: Creating two-dimensional shapes from verbal or written instructions DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Generate, develop and communicate design ideas and processes for audiences using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (Year 5: ACTDEP025)

Stability 1 & 2 - Page 23 and 24 Suggested Answers -Stability 1

1. When a structure is stable it has a definite size, a definite shape, and it can support other objects (called a load).

2. When a structure is unstable it changes size and/or shape and collapses when a load is placed on it (it cannot support other objects or a load).

Curriculum Focus

SCIENCE With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior knowledge (Year 4: ACSIS064) With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment (Year 4: ACSIS065) Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record observations accurately (Year 4: ACSIS066) Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (Year 4: ACSIS216) With guidance, pose clarifying questions and make predictions about scientific investigations (Year 5: ACSIS231) Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks (Year 5: ACSIS086) Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate (Year 5: ACSIS090)

8

Land Uses 1

activity

Nomads

Farmers

A long long time ago people would wander from place to place, searching for food and water from the land. As they travelled they would build and live in temporary dwellings such as caves, stick and skin shelters or tents. We call this a nomadic way of living.

When people began to farm their own food, they often built more permanent homes, as there was no need to travel. These people would often group together. These groups became known as villages and, later, as they grew larger, towns and cities were born.

1. Think about your own type of shelter and lifestyle. Answer the questions. a. Where do you live (suburb, town, city)? _ ______________________________ b. How do you get food or water?______________________________________

________________________________________________________________

c. How do you travel to school?________________________________________

2. Many towns and cities have parts, called components and land uses. This means how the land is used in cities and towns. Highlight the ones you know exist in your own city, suburb or town: road system: main roads, smaller secondary roads, freeways

industry: factories, warehouses, workshops, skyscrapers, offices

open public areas: parks, plazas, playgrounds

recreation: stadiums, arenas, sports centres, churches

shopping areas: shopping centres, main shopping streets, central city business areas

public buildings: council buildings, parliaments, libraries, museums, art galleries, police and fire stations

residential areas: apartments, houses, caravans, houseboats

transport: bus or train stations, airports, taxi ranks, boats, bridges, footpaths, car parks

education: schools, universities, preschools, day care centres

health: medical centres and hospitals

9

Land Uses 2

activity

Below is a simple map of the central business district (CBD). Take some time to study it.

1. Look at the list of land uses for a city on the previous page. What land uses can you see on the map of the CBD above? Fill in the table.

Land Use

Example

recreation

Paramount Swimming Pool

Extra Activity i. On the back of this sheet, draw a map of your street, using the map above as a guide. Label the land uses of your street. ii. Look at your city, town, suburb or street on Google maps - satellite and terrain.

Discuss what details you notice with a friend.

10

Land Uses 3

activity

Below is an aerial view of Tiny Town. Take some time to study it.

doctor

church

police

school

1. Look at the list of land uses for a place on page 9. What land uses can you identify on this aerial map? Fill in the table.

Land Use

Example

road system

smaller secondary roads

2. What do cities need to develop? Make a list.

11

Land Uses 4

activity

Imagine that you are looking for some land on which to settle. Look at the list below which outlines what would make a place liveable.

Location: near water (along a river) or on a trade route - where people will pass by with goods.

Security: protection against animals or other groups of people.

Geography: some flat land with soil that could grow food crops.

Resources: a variety of building materials are available: stone, trees for wood, rocks, etc.

Climate: mild weather, protected against strong winds and storms.

„„ Use the list above to sketch some ideal land on which to live. Label your sketch using the words above and other words that you know.

12

Homes And Habitats

activity

How much do you know about homes and habitats? Complete the activities and tasks on this page to find out.

1. What is a home?

Think by myself

Share in a pair

Share in a group

Share in a pair

Share in a group

2. Who needs homes?

Think by myself

3. Read more about homes. Highlight any information that you did not think about.

About Homes A home is not only a place where people live. Animals also live in homes. For many animals, a home is not inside, but is outside in places like the bush, underground, inside tree barks and under rocks. This is called a habitat.

An animal’s habitat must include all of the food, water, shelter, and space that the animal will need.

For people, homes are shelters. People build or buy houses, apartments, caravans, houseboats, and other kinds of places for them and their families to live in.

13

Floor Plans

activity

Below is a floor plan of a house. Take some time to study it. Does it look like your house? Use a highlighter to show if your house has any similar features to the one below.

„„ Draw a floor plan below of your house. Label the different rooms. Use the sketch above to help you. You will need a pencil, ruler and eraser.

14

Building A Floor Plan 1

EXPERIMENT

In small groups plan and construct a simple floor plan of a house using cardboard.

Each small group will need: 4 sheets of thin cardboard scissors craft glue masking tape How many rooms will it have? Don’t forget walls and spaces for doors.

Draw the design below then construct it. Look at the example to help you.

15

Building A Floor Plan 2

activity

Answer the questions on the cardboard floor plan that you made.

1. How did you make the walls stay upright?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

2. Did you make the inside walls different to the outside walls?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

3. How does the foundation help make your floor plan sturdy?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

4. What problems did you face?

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

5. How could you make your floor plan stronger?

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Extra Activities i. Construct a single storey house using Lego. ii. Construct a double storey house using Lego. iii. Use an online tool to build a house - for example: Discovery Kids (http://discoverykids.com/games/room-maker/ ) My Dream House (http://kids.barbie.com/en-us/game/my-dreamhouse) IKEA Home Planner (http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_AU/customer_service/kitchen_planner_guide/?icid =au|iba|20140206|104)

16

My Brick House 1

EXPERIMENT

How much do you know about the materials used to make houses? Complete the activities and tasks to find out.

1. What materials can be used to make houses for people to live in?

Think by myself

Share in a pair

Share in a group

2. Read about bricks – a common material used to make modern day homes in Australia.

Many houses and apartment buildings are made from bricks. Bricks can be made from stone, clay, concrete, and a mineral called shale. Clay and shale are put into a furnace (named a kiln) which is then heated to approximately 100 degrees Celsius.

Very hot! A chemical process blends the materials together to form bricks.

3. Carry out the experiment in small groups below to examine how bricks can make a stable construction.

Experiment: Bricks Each small group will need: 10 - 20 copies of Brick Template 1 (P19) sticky tape or paper glue scissors

What to do: Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4:

Cut out each ‘brick’ and fold to form 3D shapes (bricks).

Hold each brick together with sticky tape or glue.

Plan a house to be built using your bricks - after talking about your ideas, draw your plan on the back of this sheet.

Try making the house with your bricks.

17

My Brick House 2

activity

Evaluate the brick house that you just made. i. How stable is it? (Hint - can it easily be knocked over?

Why or why not?)

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

ii. How could your house be made stronger?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Follow the steps above but this time use Brick Template 2 (a cube) to build the house (Page 20). iii. Plan the house that you will build by sketching on the back of this sheet. iv. What differences did you notice between the two 'brick' houses?

Brick House 1

Brick House 2

v. What similarities did you notice between the two 'brick' houses?

Brick House 1

18

Brick House 2

Brick Template 1

19

Brick Template 2

20

Triangular Bricks 1

EXPERIMENT

Think!

Would a structure, like a house or other building, be MORE or LESS stable if the bricks used in construction were a different 3D shape?

Experiment: Triangular Bricks „„ Today you will use triangular bricks to try to build a stable structure. Carry out the experiment below in a small group.

3cm

Each small group will need: 5-10 sheets of thick paper scissors sticky tape rulers and lead pencils

What to do: 1. Place one sheet of paper vertically on your desk.

2. Using your ruler and pencil, draw nine horizontal lines across the paper. Each line should be 3cm apart (see example above right).

3. Cut along each line - this will give you 'paper planks'.

4. Fold each 'paper plank' equally into three sections. Unfold.

5. Make a triangular shape with each 'plank'.

6. Tape each triangle together.

7. Using another piece of paper, cut out more 'paper planks' - this time 4cm wide.

8. Using the straight 'paper planks' and the triangular 'paper planks' form a structure.

Look at the example to help you.

21

Triangular Bricks 2

activity

Answer the questions below to evaluate the structure that you created on the previous page.

Results 1. What structure did you build? Draw a diagram.

2. What made it stable? Why? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Try placing a light object (a biscuit or cracker) on top of your structure. Does the structure remain stable or does the structure collapse? Why? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 4. How could you improve your structure? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

22

Stability 1

EXPERIMENT

Use your experience and results from pages 21 and 22 to complete the sentence stubs below. You can use an online dictionary if necessary.

1. When a structure is stable it _ _________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 2. When a structure is unstable it _ _______________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

Experiment: Stability „„ Carry out the experiment in small groups to explore stability.

Each small group will need: newspapers masking tape scissors large paper plates small coins or counters

What to do: 1. Open the newspaper out flat. Roll several sheets together to form a tube.

2. Tape the tube together with masking tape.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have 12 tubes of newspaper.

4. Construct a cube-shaped structure using your newspaper tubes and masking tape.

5. Balance a paper plate on top of your cube.

6. When it is well-balanced, add one coin or counter to the paper plate.

7. Is your structure still stable - is it still standing? If so, add more counters or coins.

8. Keep adding counters or coins to the paper plate until your cube begins to crumple, crumble or bend out of shape. In other words - until it becomes less stable!

23

Stability 2

activity

Record your observations of the test carried out on the previous page.

Results 1. How stable was your newspaper cube when it was first made? Did it bend or bow or crumble in any places? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 2. How many coins or counters could your paper plate hold, before your cube became less stable? Conduct a class survey to tally and compare results.

Group

How many coins/counters before it became less stable?

3. Describe how the cube represented the loss of its stability. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 4. How could you make your structure more stable? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

Extra Activity i. In your small groups, share your answers to the last question above. Vote on which structure you think will be the most stable. Make this structure, using newspaper rolls and masking tape. How many counters or coins will it support on a paper plate? ii. Think about the structures you have built so far. Which were the most stable? Which were the least stable?

24

Section 2: Bridges

25

teachers' notes

Bridges 1 and 2 - Page 27 and Page 28 Suggested Answers - Bridges 1 1. Design weakness; natural forces such as earthquakes or floods; fire; impact of train or boat crashes; accidents during construction; problems with the materials used; poor maintenance 2. Environmental: height; nearby trees; type of soil; type of rock; in an earthquake zone; flooding history; local weather; availability of materials.

Natural forces: wind; sun; rain; rapid temperature changes; storms; extremely high or low temperatures

Suggested Answers - Bridges 2

3. choice of materials; type of foundation; type of bridge; using triangular support; using natural materials; combining materials; adding extra support in sections or in the base; adding an arch or covering

Curriculum Focus

SCIENCE Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (Year 4: ACSHE061) Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (Year 4: ACSHE062) Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions (Year 5: ACSHE083)

Bridge Building Challenge 1 & 2 - Page 29 and 30 Curriculum Focus

SCIENCE Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance (Year 4: ACSSU076) Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record observations accurately (Year 4: ACSIS066) Reflect on investigations, including whether a test was fair or not (Year 4: ACSIS069) Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (Year 5: ACSIS218) Reflect on and suggest improvements to scientific investigations (Year 5: ACSIS091)

Marshmallow Challenge 1, 2 & 3 - Page 31, Page 32 and Page 33 Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Create symmetrical patterns, pictures and shapes with and without digital technologies (Year 4: ACMMG091) Describe and interpret different data sets in context (Year 5: ACMSP120) SCIENCE With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment (Year 4: ACSIS065) Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (Year 5: ACSIS093) DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (Year 4: ACTDEP015) Negotiate criteria for success that include sustainability to evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions (Year 5: ACTDEP027) 26

Bridges 1

activity

Today we are exploring STABILITY through bridges. Read the bridge facts below.

Bridge Fact 4

Bridge Fact 1

The Sydney Harbour Bridge can rise or fall up to 18 cm because of temperature changes that affect the steel it is made from - the steel expands (moves higher) or contracts (moves lower) due to the weather.

The most common bridges are beam bridges, arch bridges, suspension bridges, and truss bridges.

Bridge Fact 2 Bridge designs vary to suit the intended use of the bridge (for walking, for cars, for trains, or for a combination of these activities).

Bridge Fact 5 The West Gate Bridge in Melbourne collapsed in 1970. The bridge engineers and architects made a simple mathematical error when constructing the bridge that caused the bridge's steel girders to become unstable.

When some of the steel expanded because of the heat, the bridge fell 40 metres to the ground. It has now been rebuilt.

Bridge Fact 3 Bridge designs vary depending on the environment, materials available and cost.

Beam Bridge

Arch Bridge

Truss Bridge

Suspension Bridge

Answer the questions below thinking about what you have just read.

1. What problems could cause a bridge to collapse? Make a list. 







2. What issues (factors) must be considered when building a bridge?

Environmental:_______________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Natural forces:________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

27

Bridges 2

activity

In pairs, think about what a bridge above a river might look like. Look at examples of bridges in books or online to help you.

Try the links below: Watch: 4www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yLZYETYlmM&feature=youtu.be Read: 4www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/build-bridge-p1.html Play: 4www.smart-kit.com/s3052/bridge-building-game/

„„ Complete the questions about bridges that cross rivers.

1. Where is your nearest river or a river that you know? _________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

2. If you had to build a bridge over this river what natural forces might affect it?

_____________________________________________________________________

3. How would an engineer design a bridge to prevent it from being adversely affected by the natural forces specified above? _____________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

4. The materials that would best make this type of bridge are: ____________________

_____________________________________________________________________

5. The bridge would be used by (cars/people/trains/buses/combination of these):

_____________________________________________________________________

6. The bridge would use triangles/rectangles/arches for support:_ ________________

____________________________________________________________________

7. This would make it stable because:________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

8. The type of bridge it would be (arch/truss/suspension/beam): _ ________________

____________________________________________________________________

Anji Bridge China, Wikimedia commons

28

Tyne Bridge

Example of a cantilever in the ForthBridgeEdinburgh.

Wikimedia commons

Bridge Building Challenge 1

EXPERIMENT

In small groups, you are going to build a bridge that can hold a weight of 1kg and that would go over a river. Read the specifications and complete the planning below before building.

You will need: popsticks scissors craft glue a 1 kg weight

Specifications: use no more than 100 popsticks the bridge must be no less than 30 cm long the bridge must stand no more than 30 cm high

Before you begin: 1. Talk about your bridge design. Brainstorm types (arch, truss, suspension or beam) and other ideas below.

2. Before you build your bridge, draw your design below. Use a pencil and ruler and eraser as needed.

3. Have your design approved by your teacher before you begin building. qApproved qRethink 29

Bridge Building Challenge 2

activity

Begin making your bridge based on the planning on the previous page. You may have to make changes to your design as you construct it. After its construction complete the steps and questions below.

Test: • Test your bridge for strength by placing a 1 kg weight on the bridge. Think about where on the bridge you will place the weight.

Questions: 1. Did your bridge pass or fail the strength test? Describe what happened to the bridge when you put the 1 kg weight on your model.

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. If you had to give your bridge marks out of 10 for stability what would you give it?

____________________________________________________________________

3. Did you make changes to your design as you worked on its construction to make it more sturdy? Describe these changes.

____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Reflect: 4. How do you think you could have made your bridge sturdier/stronger?

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

5. Do you think you would have made a better bridge on your own, instead of making a bridge in a group? Why?

30

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Marshmallow Challenge 1

experiment

This challenge allows you to test what you have learned so far about structures, shapes, stability and instability.

Goal: In small groups, build the tallest structure you can, using a desk as a base.

You will need: 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti (whole sticks or broken into smaller pieces) 25 mini marshmallows 1 roll of masking tape desk

Tips: • Be willing to make changes as you construct. • Remember what you have learned so far about shapes, structures, stable and unstable structures, and working together.

Steps: 1. Discuss design options with your group members. Draw diagrams of any good ideas that you have.

POSSIBILITIES

31

Marshmallow Challenge 2

activity

Look at your brainstorm on the previous page. Now you have to select one option from the brainstorm. Work together to choose. Hopefully you will agree.

2. Draw what you plan to build here.

3. Go! Make your structure in small groups. Take a photograph of your finished structure. Paste it here.

32

Marshmallow Challenge 3

activity

Evaluate the structure that you have just built by completing the questions below.

Results: Complete the paragraph below to describe your structure.

Our structure used ___________________________________ to make it tall. It used __________________________________ to make it stable.

We changed ________________________________ as we constructed.

We could improve it by _____________________________. Our structure is ________ cm high and used ________ sticks of spaghetti and ________ mini marshmallows. We did/did not use all our materials.

Compare! • Ask questions to record the results of four other structures built by your classmates. Fill in the table.

Group

  Members

Height of structure

1 2 3 4 Extra! i. Repeat the challenge but this time change or add one material.

For example, your teacher may provide 10 mini marshmallows instead of 25 but add a ball of string to the materials list. ii. After construction, discuss as a class how the changed materials affected the construction of the structures - was it easier or harder to construct? Were the structures more visually appealing or less visually appealing? Jot down your thoughts on the back of this page or in your workbooks.

33

Section 3: Domes

34

teachers' notes

Domes 1 - Page 37 Suggested Answers

1. Domes use less material to create the same amount of space as a box structure. They provide more usable space inside without walls and more usable space outside without outside additions such as verandahs.

2. Domes are stable as they use the string triangular shapes to reinforce the outside structure.

Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Compare the areas of regular and irregular shapes by informal means (Year 4: ACMMG087) Compare and describe two dimensional shapes that result from combining and splitting common shapes, with and without the use of digital technologies (Year 4: ACMMG088) • Elaborations: Creating a two-dimensional shapes from verbal or written instructions; Identifying common two-dimensional shapes that are part of a composite shape by recreating it from these shapes DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES Recognise the role of people in design and technologies occupations and explore factors, including sustainability that impact on the design of products, services and environments to meet community needs (Year 4: ACTDEK010) • Elaborations: Exploring, playing with and testing materials for their appropriateness; Exploring and testing factors that impact on design decisions; Critiquing designed products, services and environments to establish the factors that influence the design and use of common technologies Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and use safe work practices to make designed solutions (Year 4: ACTDEP016) • Elaborations: Using appropriate technologies terms to confidently describe and share with others procedures and techniques for making, for example cutting and joining materials; Exploring ways of joining, connecting and assembling components that ensure success, and the impact digital technologies have had on these processes; Using tools and equipment accurately when measuring, marking and cutting; and explaining the importance of accuracy when designing and making, for example creating a template Plan a sequence of production steps when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively (Year 4: ACTDEP018) • Elaborations: Managing time and resource allocation throughout production, for example materials, tools, equipment and people; Sequencing steps to collaboratively produce a designed solution

Domes 2 & 3- Page 38 and Page 40 Suggested Answers - Domes 3

Conclusion: Domes have strength and stability because of the minimum number of walls and added structures and they use the strength of triangular prisms to spread weight and force evenly.

Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths (Year 4: ACMMG084) SCIENCE 35

teachers' notes

Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (Year 4: ACSHE061) • Elaboration: Exploring ways in which scientists gather evidence for their ideas and develop explanations With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior knowledge (Year 4: ACSIS064) • Elaboration: Reflecting on familiar situations to make predictions with teacher guidance With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment (Year 4: ACSIS065) • Elaboration: Exploring different ways to conduct investigations and connecting these to the types of questions asked with teacher guidance, working in groups, with teacher guidance, to plan ways to investigate questions Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (Year 4: ACSIS216) • Elaborations: Discussing how well predictions matched results from an investigation and proposing reasons for findings; Comparing, in small groups, proposed reasons for findings and explaining their reasoning DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES Investigate the suitability of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment for a range of purposes (year 4: ACTDEK013) • Elaborations: Conducting experiments and tests to understand the properties of materials, for example strength, durability, warmth, elasticity; Investigating the suitability of technologies − materials, systems, components, tools and equipment − when designing and making a product; Comparing how visualising and exploring innovative design ideas by producing thumbnail drawings, models and labelled drawings to explain features and modifications Critique needs or opportunities for designing and explore and test a variety of materials, components, tools and equipment and the techniques needed to produce designed solutions (Year 4: ACTDEP014) • Elaborations: Critiquing and selecting appropriate joining techniques for materials to produce working models; Examining the structure and production of everyday products, services and environments to enhance their own design ideas Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (Year 4: ACTDEP015) • Elaborations: Exploring ways of joining, connecting and assembling components that ensure success; Generating a range of design ideas for intended products, services, environments; Visualising and exploring innovative design ideas by producing thumbnail drawings, models and labelled drawings to explain features and modifications; Planning, sharing and documenting creative ideas and processes using digital tools such as a class blog or collaborative document

36

Domes 1

activity

A geodesic (gee-oh-dee-sick) dome is a half sphere or circular structure that is made up of triangular panels. An American inventor called Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) designed the first geodesic dome home. He believed that dome structures use space more efficiently. He claimed that a dome shape takes little outside (external) area but creates more inside (internal) space.

Discuss in pairs 1. Do you think a dome structure uses internal and external space efficiently?

Explain why you think this.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

2. Do you think a dome structure would be stable? Explain why you think this.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Use the library and the internet to find pictures of domes and dome structures or dome homes. Make a collage below. my dome collage

37

Domes 2

experiment

Your Task: A geodesic dome is formed by putting triangles together. Your goal is to build a geodesic dome using the template provided (P39) and investigate the structure. Follow the steps below to do this.

Steps: 1. Back the template (P39) on thick paper or thin cardboard.

2. With your partner, cut out the template.

3. Try to assemble (put together) the dome structure.

Hints: some lines will need to be folded; experiment with folding the template before you use glue or tape to hold it together; some sides will need to be glued or taped together.

When you have assembled your dome, write your own instructions on how to make a dome below.

Extra Activity Watch this PBS video on domes made from gum drops and toothpicks: http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/phy03.sci.phys.mfe. zgumdrop/triangles-testing-the-strength-of-a-gumdrop-dome/ Copy the activity and make the dome. How did you go? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

38

Dome Template

39

Domes 3

activity

Look at the dome structure that you and your partner have just made. How stable do you think your dome structure is? Engineers complete tests on model structures to understand their strength and stability. How could you test the strength and stability of your dome structure?

Complete the questions.

1. Tick items you could rest on your dome to test its strength. You could add your own.  pencils  crayons  textas  sheets of paper  index cards  toothpicks

 small notepads  erasers

2. Write out steps to test the strength of your dome.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Now, perform your test and record the results.

We tested the strength of our dome by_ ___________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ The dome was strong enough to hold_ ____________________________________ It collapsed when______________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Conclusion After completing this test, we hypothesise that domes have strength and stability because ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

40

Section 4: Pyramids

41

teachers' notes

Pyramids 1 - Page 44 Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Compare the areas of regular and irregular shapes by informal means (Year 4: ACMMG087) Compare and describe two dimensional shapes that result from combining and splitting common shapes, with and without the use of digital technologies (Year 4: ACMMG088) • Elaborations: Creating two-dimensional shapes from verbal or written instructions; Identifying common two-dimensional shapes that are part of a composite shape by re-creating it from these shapes DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES Recognise the role of people in design and technologies occupations and explore factors, including sustainability that impact on the design of products, services and environments to meet community needs (Year 4: ACTDEK010) • Elaborations: Exploring, playing with and testing materials for their appropriateness; Exploring and testing factors that impact on design decisions; Critiquing designed products, services and environments to establish the factors that influence the design and use of common technologies Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and use safe work practices to make designed solutions (Year 4: ACTDEP016) • Elaborations: Using appropriate technologies terms to confidently describe and share with others procedures and techniques for making, for example cutting and joining materials; Exploring ways of joining, connecting and assembling components that ensure success, and the impact digital technologies have had on these processes; Using tools and equipment accurately when measuring, marking and cutting; and explaining the importance of accuracy when designing and making, for example creating a template Plan a sequence of production steps when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively (Year 4: ACTDEP018) • Elaborations: Managing time and resource allocation throughout production, for example materials, tools, equipment and people; Sequencing steps to collaboratively produce a designed solution

Pyramids 2 - Page 45 Suggested Answers Pyramids are strong because: they use the strength of the triangle and each triangular face meets at the top to form a stable focus (vertex).

Pyramids are stable because: they are built on a triangular shape, with weight shared evenly on each side.

True; False.

Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths (Year 4: ACMMG084) • Elaboration: Reading and interpreting the graduated scales on a range of measuring instruments to the nearest graduation SCIENCE Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (Year 4: ACSHE061) • Elaboration: Exploring ways in which scientists gather evidence for their ideas and develop explanations

42

teachers' notes

With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior knowledge (Year 4: ACSIS064) • Elaboration: Reflecting on familiar situations to make predictions with teacher guidance With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment (Year 4: ACSIS065) • Elaborations: Exploring different ways to conduct investigations and connecting these to the types of questions asked with teacher guidance, working in groups, with teacher guidance, to plan ways to investigate questions Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (Year 4: ACSIS216) • Elaboration: Discussing how well predictions matched results from an investigation and proposing reasons for findings; Comparing, in small groups, proposed reasons for findings and explaining their reasoning DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES Investigate the suitability of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment for a range of purposes (Year 4: ACTDEK013) • Elaborations: Conducting experiments and tests to understand the properties of materials, for example strength, durability, warmth, elasticity; Investigating the suitability of technologies − materials, systems, components, tools and equipment − when designing and making a product; Comparing how visualising and exploring innovative design ideas by producing thumbnail drawings, models and labelled drawings to explain features and modifications Critique needs or opportunities for designing and explore and test a variety of materials, components, tools and equipment and the techniques needed to produce designed solutions (Year 4: ACTDEP014) • Elaborations: Critiquing and selecting appropriate joining techniques for materials to produce working models; Examining the structure and production of everyday products, services and environments to enhance their own design ideas Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (Year 4: ACTDEP015) • Elaborations: Exploring ways of joining, connecting and assembling components that ensure success; Generating a range of design ideas for intended products, services, environments; Visualising and exploring innovative design ideas by producing thumbnail drawings, models and labelled drawings to explain features and modifications; Planning, sharing and documenting creative ideas and processes using digital tools such as a class blog or collaborative document

Small Group Pyramid Challenge 1 & 2 - Page 47 and Page 48 Curriculum Focus

MATHEMATICS Construct suitable data displays, with and without the use of digital technologies, from given or collected data. Include tables, column graphs and picture graphs where one picture can represent many data values (Year 4: ACMSP096) Construct displays, including column graphs, dot plots and tables, appropriate for data type, with and without the use of digital technologies (Year 5: ACMSP119) DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES Investigate how forces and the properties of materials affect the behaviour of a product or system (Year 4: ACTDEK011) Investigate characteristics and properties of a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment and evaluate the impact of their use (Year 5: ACTDEK023) ENGLISH Understand how to move beyond making bare assertions and take account of differing perspectives and points of view (Year 5: ACELA1502) 43

Pyramids 1

experiment

A pyramid is a 3D shape that can have a square, a triangle, a rectangle, a hexagon or even an octagon for its base! It has triangular faced sides that reach up to a point.

In the ancient world, many civilisations made pyramids. Pyramids in Egypt are estimated to have begun being built 4,600 years ago.

Pyramids in Central America are thought to have been built 600 years ago. Some pyramids took over 50 years to build!

"Pyramids use materials most efficiently and are rigid structures that do not collapse easily.” Test this statement to see if it is true following the steps below.

Steps: 1. Cut out the square pyramid net (P46), and the cube net (P20) templates.

2. Working with a partner, back the nets on thick paper or thin cardboard.

3. Use glue or sticky tape to construct the shapes.

Test: 4. Now test for strength and stability: Place the cube on your table. Put one hand gently on the top of the cube. Push down. Move your hand slightly to one side as you push. Does the cube collapse?

What happens? Repeat this using the square pyramid. Record your observations below.

What happened? Did it collapse?

Cube

Pyramid

44

Which is stronger?

Tick

Pyramids 2

activity

Make a statement concerning the strength and stability of the square pyramid.

The pyramid__________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ It is a strong structure because_ __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ True or False?

A pyramid is stronger than a cube.

True / False

A cube is stronger than a pyramid.

True / False

1. Repeat the activity on page 44 using straws and blutac to construct the cube and pyramid. Look at the diagram below to help you.

2. Now test for strength and stability: Place the cube on your table. Put one hand gently on the top of the cube. Push down. Move your hand slightly to one side as you push. Does the cube collapse? What happens? Repeat this using the square pyramid. Record your observations below.

What happened? Did it collapse?

Which is stronger?

Tick

Cube Pyramid 3. Are the results of the test the same, nearly the same, or different? Explain.

_ _________________________________________________________________

_ _________________________________________________________________

_ _________________________________________________________________ Extra Activity Research the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. Complete a poster explaining the process of construction and the strength and durability of the pyramids on the back of this sheet.

45

Pyramid Template

46

Small Group Pyramid Challenge 1

activity

„„ Take the pyramid challenge in small groups by following the steps below.

Steps: 1. Spend some time looking at ancient pyramids - use the library, books, the internet and YouTube.

2. Choose ONE of the following materials (no combinations allowed): Legos, sugar cubes, wooden or plastic blocks, maths cubes, Plasticine or modelling clay. (Each group selects a different material.) Record choices below.

Group members

Materials

Group members

Materials

3. Create a pyramid out of your selected material.

4. The pyramid must stand firmly on a base (a board or desk) with no help from anyone or anything.

5. Talk together about your design before you begin.

6. Sketch your design below.

Predict: Which group do you think will create the most stable pyramid? Think about their selected materials. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 47

Small Group Pyramid Challenge 2

activity

After construction present your group’s pyramid to the whole class. Plan your presentation by completing the questions.

Questions: 1. Was your pyramid a success - did it stand up by itself, was it a stable structure or did it collapse?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

2. What difficulties did your group face in constructing the pyramid? How could these difficulties be overcome?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3. Did your group use strategies to help you build the pyramid? List the most helpful strategies.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

4. Would you choose a different material to construct your pyramid if you repeated this challenge? Why or why not?

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

5. If you were allowed to have 2 extra items to help you construct your pyramid, what would you choose? How would they help?

48

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Section 5: Coding

49

teachers' notes

Coding Apps - Page 54 Suggested Answers

1. to play games; to watch movies; to research for information; to create text or illustrations or graphs; to deposit or withdraw money; to pay for items; to cook e.g a microwave; to drive e.g. computerised cars; to wash clothes; to phone or text message people and stay in touch 2. Sims – a house; Minecraft – a city; Word – a poster; InDesign – a project for school, iMovie – a film or animation

Curriculum Focus

DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (Year 4: ACTDEP015) • Elaborations: Generating a range of design ideas for intended products, services, environments; Visualising and exploring innovative design ideas by producing thumbnail drawings, models and labelled drawings to explain features and modifications; Planning, sharing and documenting creative ideas and processes using digital tools Identify and explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (Year 4: ACTDIK007) • Elaborations: Using different peripheral devices to display information to others, for example using a mobile device, interactive whiteboard or a data projector to present information; Experimenting with different types of digital system components and peripheral devices to perform input, output and storage functions Recognise different types of data and explore how the same data can be represented in different ways (Year 4: ACTDIK008) • Elaborations: Recognising that numbers, text, images, sounds, animations and videos are all forms of data when stored or viewed using a digital system; Recognising representations of different types of data; Exploring codes and symbols that are representations of data Collect, access and present different types of data using simple software to create information and solve problems (Year 4: ACTDIP009) • Elaborations: Selecting appropriate formats or layout styles to present data as information depending on the type of data and the audience; Recognising that all types of data are stored in digital systems and may be represented in different ways

Coding Design Journal - Page 55 Curriculum Focus

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES Plan, create and communicate ideas and information independently and with others, applying agreed ethical and social protocols (Year 4: ACTDIP013) • Elaborations: Using a range of online tools to share information and being aware that information may be received at different times; Organising and creating different types of information for sharing and collaborating online, managing a project that involves students working together to publish online Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (Year 4: ACTDEP015) • Elaborations: Generating a range of design ideas for intended products, services, environments; Visualising and exploring innovative design ideas by producing thumbnail drawings, models and labelled drawings to explain features and modifications; Planning, sharing and documenting creative ideas and processes using digital tools 50

teachers' notes

Identify and explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data (Year 4: ACTDIK007) • Elaborations: Using different peripheral devices to display information to others, for example using a mobile device, interactive whiteboard or a data projector to present information; Experimenting with different types of digital system components and peripheral devices to perform input, output and storage functions Recognise different types of data and explore how the same data can be represented in different ways (Year 4: ACTDIK008) • Elaborations: Recognising that numbers, text, images, sounds, animations and videos are all forms of data when stored or viewed using a digital system; Recognising representations of different types of data; Exploring codes and symbols that are representations of data Collect, access and present different types of data using simple software to create information and solve problems (Year 4: ACTDIP009) • Elaborations: Selecting appropriate formats or layout styles to present data as information depending on the type of data and the audience; Recognising that all types of data are stored in digital systems and may be represented in different ways

Coding Accomplishments - Page 56 NOTE TO TEACHER: After this session, plan several class sessions for students to continue using the app to create/interface and to learn coding by doing. This will help with the next worksheets.

Curriculum Focus

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them (Year 4: ACTDIP010) • Elaborations: Describing, using drawings, pictures and text, the sequence of steps and decisions in a solution, for example to show the order of events in a game and the decisions that a player must make; Experimenting with different ways of describing a set of instructions, for example writing two versions of the same simple set of instructions for a programmable robotic device; Explaining to others how to follow technical instructions, for example how to capture and download images from a mobile device; Defining and describing the sequence of steps needed to incorporate multiple types of data in a solution Implement simple digital solutions as visual programs with algorithms involving branching (decisions) and user input (Year 4: ACTDIP011) • Elaborations: Designing and implementing a simple interactive digital solution using a visual programming language; Using different design tools to record ways in which digital solutions will be developed, for example creating storyboards or flowcharts to record relationships or instructions about content or processes; Exploring common elements of standard user interfaces that are familiar and appeal to users, for example navigation links on the left and top of web pages to help users interact with the site; Implementing programs that make decisions on the basis of user input or choices such as through selecting a button, pushing a key or moving a mouse to ‘branch’ to a different segment of the solution; Creating options for users to make choices in solutions, for example a user input and branching mechanism

51

teachers' notes

Coding: Feedback And Reflection 1 & 2 - Page 57 - Page 58 Suggested Answers - Feedback and Reflection 2

I know that coding involves planning and making changes. It involves clear instructions. It involves numbers and words and passwords. Creating involves design and discussion and evaluation. You get new ideas as you work. You get ideas and inspiration from the work of others. Design and patterns and colours and sounds are important in creating.

Strategies involve watching videos and reading instructions to learn. They involve talking with others and comparing ideas and work. They involve planning and making a list of steps. They involve trial and error and making changes. They involve thinking about and evaluating final products and trying again.

Curriculum Focus

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES Explain how student solutions and existing information systems meet common personal, school or community needs (Year 4: ACTDIP012) • Elaborations: Investigating how information systems are used in communities and explaining what needs are being met; Imagining and considering alternative uses and opportunities for information systems used in the classroom; Exploring information systems that suit particular home or personal needs, testing the adequacy of student solutions, for example asking a classmate to review a digital solution and provide feedback Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them (Year 4: ACTDIP010) • Elaborations: Describing, using drawings, pictures and text, the sequence of steps and decisions in a solution, for example to show the order of events in a game and the decisions that a player must make; Experimenting with different ways of describing a set of instructions, for example writing two versions of the same simple set of instructions for a programmable robotic device; Explaining to others how to follow technical instructions, for example how to capture and download images from a mobile device; Defining and describing the sequence of steps needed to incorporate multiple types of data in a solution Implement simple digital solutions as visual programs with algorithms involving branching (decisions) and user input (Year 4: ACTDIP011) • Elaborations: Designing and implementing a simple interactive digital solution using a visual programming language, using different design tools to record ways in which digital solutions will be developed, for example creating storyboards or flowcharts to record relationships or instructions about content or processes; Exploring common elements of standard user interfaces that are familiar and appeal to users, for example navigation links on the left and top of web pages to help users interact with the site; Implementing programs that make decisions on the basis of user input or choices such as through selecting a button, pushing a key or moving a mouse to ‘branch’ to a different segment of the solution; Creating options for users to make choices in solutions, for example a user input and branching mechanism

Coding: Helping Others Learn - Page 59 Note for teachers: This worksheet should be undertaken after students have had several more sessions with the coding apps in the classroom, or at home in a flipped classroom. Alternatively, this worksheet can be given as homework after several sessions of using the app in the classroom.

52

teachers' notes

Curriculum Focus

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES Explain how student solutions and existing information systems meet common personal, school or community needs (Year 4: ACTDIP012) • Elaborations: Investigating how information systems are used in communities and explaining what needs are being met; Imagining and considering alternative uses and opportunities for information systems used in the classroom; Exploring information systems that suit particular home or personal needs; Testing the adequacy of student solutions, for example asking a classmate to review a digital solution and provide feedback Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them (Year 4: ACTDIP010) • Elaborations: Describing, using drawings, pictures and text, the sequence of steps and decisions in a solution, for example to show the order of events in a game and the decisions that a player must make; Experimenting with different ways of describing a set of instructions, for example writing two versions of the same simple set of instructions for a programmable robotic device; Explaining to others how to follow technical instructions, for example how to capture and download images from a mobile device; Defining and describing the sequence of steps needed to incorporate multiple types of data in a solution Implement simple digital solutions as visual programs with algorithms involving branching (decisions) and user input (Year 4: ACTDIP011) • Elaborations: Designing and implementing a simple interactive digital solution using a visual programming language, using different design tools to record ways in which digital solutions will be developed, for example creating storyboards or flowcharts to record relationships or instructions about content or processes; Exploring common elements of standard user interfaces that are familiar and appeal to users, for example navigation links on the left and top of web pages to help users interact with the site; Implementing programs that make decisions on the basis of user input or choices such as through selecting a button, pushing a key or moving a mouse to ‘branch’ to a different segment of the solution; Creating options for users to make choices in solutions, for example a user input and branching mechanism

53

Coding Apps

activity

With your partner, discuss the different ways you use computers and computer technology in your life.

1. List ten different uses of computers and computer technology in your life.

a.

f.

b.

g.

c.

h.

d.

i.

e.

j.

Discuss Do you use computers to create? For example, this page was created using Word and InDesign on a computer. And, some people create houses and worlds on SIMS or Minecraft games.

2. Complete the table to show how you use computers to create.

Type of computer program

What I create

Internet In your classroom, and with your teacher’s approval, visit these apps for iPads or go to the MIT website for the last program.

Free coding apps for an iPad: 4Hopscotch or4Kodable Free coding site for kids for a PC: 4Scratch: https://scratch.mit.edu/

54

Coding Design Journal

activity

Have you ever heard of design journals? Many coders keep a journal of their ideas and designs. This helps them to keep track of new things to try and create. It also helps them think about what they have created - what was good, what could be improved. This process is called reflection.

Now you have watched the tutorial for the coding app (P54) brainstorm with your partner the projects you could create (Scratch) or the games you could make (Hopscotch) or the Technomazes you can visit (Kodable). Write and draw your ideas below. This is the start of your design journal.

Scratch

Hopscotch

Kodable

Select one coding app above. How would you explain it to someone simply from another class?

The coding app is called_ _______________________________________________ In this app you_ _______________________________________________________ Then_ _______________________________________________________________ Finally,_______________________________________________________________ I think it will be________________________________________________________

55

Coding Accomplishments

activity

Your teacher will give you a password and permission to begin playing the coding game or complete the coding projects on the app. This is your first session playing with the app. „„ Take 20 minutes of the class period to begin the first level of the game (Kodable) or to begin creating a game (Hopscotch) or make something happen (Scratch). Experiment with a partner, trying different prompts.

1. Take a screenshot at the end of the time period. Print the screenshot and glue it on the back of this worksheet.

2. Write and draw a description of what you accomplished today.

3. Complete the table with your thoughts about today.

What did you learn about the app today?

56

What do you think you still need to learn?

Coding: Feedback And Reflection 1

activity

Programmers who use code often work in teams or with another programmer to create, test, discuss, and improve their products and processes. This is called feedback and reflection.

By now each group of two should have finished a project (Scratch), created a game (Hopscotch) or completed at least one level (Kodable). Complete the steps below.

1. Prepare a presentation of your work - using a poster format, or create an infograph, prezi or PowerPoint. Demonstrate what you have done, what you have achieved, how you coded the activity. Plan in the table below.

What I have done

What I have achieved

How I coded the activity

2. After all the presentations, choose another group’s presentations to reflect on by answering the questions below. i. Which app did the group use? _______________________________________ ii. If it was different to the app your group used, describe how it was different.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

iii. If it was the same app that your group used, describe how the group used it in a different way or similar way to your group____________________________

________________________________________________________________

iv. What was the most interesting point about the group’s work?

________________________________________________________________

v. One positive comment about the group’s work is________________________

________________________________________________________________

vi. One comment for the group to think about is___________________________

________________________________________________________________ 57

Coding: Feedback And Reflection 2

activity

Think about what you have learned about coding and creative computer projects using the coding app. Remember that learning requires reflection, evaluation and questioning.

Discuss the questions below with your partner. Then write and sketch your answers in the space provided.

What do you now know about coding and creative computing?

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

What strategies did you use to help you learn more about coding and creative computing?

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

What other things would you like to learn?

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Share your responses in small groups or with the whole class.

58

Coding: Helping Others Learn

activity

How could you help students in other classes learn about coding and creative projects with computers?

Design an activity to help others learn. This can be a non-computer activity or it can be a challenge or list of instructions to follow using a coding app.

Brainstorm in small groups, then have each member complete the planning process below.

1. Who is this activity for? What class, or what ages, will learn about coding using this activity?

2. What new things will the students learn? These are called learning goals, for example, the students will learn how to follow a maze.

3. What will the students need to learn in this activity? For example, paper, pencils, iPads, etc.

4. Write and draw the learning activity.

Now you have planned the activity, try it out on members of other small groups.

5. Comments from other students on what went well and what could be improved:

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________ 59