Building boats by Anika Chacko https://padlet.com/elizabethchacko21/55ixgkhtv57o Outdoor play, Montessori preschool, Casa 1 and Casa 2 students en-us 2017-06-02 03:22:17 UTC 2025-10-07 16:51:16 UTC hello@padlet.com Lesson Plan Summary elizabethchacko21 https://padlet.com/elizabethchacko21/55ixgkhtv57o/wish/174917577 When I watched Eric Muhs in his YouTube video on authentic assessment, I felt inspired by his passionate physics students and their authentic assessment. I have enjoyed working as an interdisciplinary preschool art teacher, and I wanted to do a final interdisciplinary project that would allow students to create and to learn about varied science terms.

So I recently decided that each preschooler will create three different types of boats for a boat race during the end-of-year celebration.  Students will draw a design for each type of boat and subsequently build each type of boat. The base of every boat will be made of one of the following materials: an empty juice box, a sponge, or popsicle sticks that are glued together.  Each student will choose from diverse pre-cut geometric shapes for the sails. Students will subsequently troubleshoot and determine which type of boat has the highest probability for buoyancy. Students can also choose to conference with me; I hope to internalize the many tips provided in ASCD's video entitled "Giving Effective Feedback to Your Students". I specifically would like to provide tailored and encouraging feedback that will help students to overtly grow. Lastly, students can collaborate with their peers to create different water courses for every boat. As students engage in this three-step process (design, build, troubleshoot), they will participate in discussions about buoyancy as they compare their building materials and analyze the factors that allow a boat to swiftly complete a course. ]]> 2017-06-02 03:23:28 UTC https://padlet.com/elizabethchacko21/55ixgkhtv57o/wish/174917577 Lesson Plan elizabethchacko21 https://padlet.com/elizabethchacko21/55ixgkhtv57o/wish/174917631
 Name: Elizabeth (Anika) Chacko                              Date: May 29, 2017
Lesson Title: Building Boats for a Regatta
Grade/Subject Area: Preschool (Casa 1 and 2), Outdoor Play Based Learning
Brief Lesson Summary: Each preschooler will create three different types of boats for a boat race during the end-of-year celebration.  Students will draw a design for each type of boat and subsequently build each type of boat. The base of every boat will be made of one of the following materials: an empty juice box, a sponge, or popsicle sticks that are glued together.  Each student will choose from diverse pre-cut geometric shapes for the sails. Students will subsequently troubleshoot and determine which type of boat has the highest probability for buoyancy. Students will also collaborate with their peers to create different water courses for every boat. As students engage in this three-step process (design, build, troubleshoot), they will participate in discussions about buoyancy as they compare their building materials and analyze the factors that allow a boat to swiftly complete a course.
Established Goals (State / Common Core Standards): 2016.  The Kindergarten Program. Ontario Education Curriculum. P. 315 https://files.ontario.ca/books/edu_the_kindergarten_program_english_aoda_web_oct7.pdf Students will:
-“build three-dimensional structures using a variety of materials and identify the three-dimensional figures their structure contains”
-“investigate and describe how objects can be collected, grouped, and organized according to similarities and differences (e.g., attributes like size, color)”
-“ use mathematical language (e.g., “always/sometimes/never”; “likely/unlikely”) in informal discussions to describe probability in familiar, everyday situations (e.g., “Sometimes Kindergarten children like pizza more than hot dogs”; “It is likely that January will be a snowy month”)” 
| Stage 1—Desired Results (What understandings are desired?)
| Transfer Goals Students will be able to independently use their learning to……. 
-Identify geometric shapes in the real world
-Build simple boats using everyday objects
-Build a course for boats out of everyday objects
-Compare materials for building boats based on their absorbency as well as their durability -Identify factors that increase the speed of a boat
-Identify factors that affect the flow of the water current 
 | Meaning
| Understandings: Students will understand that… 
-certain materials will be more buoyant due to their durability and absorbency
- some boats will have a greater chance of completing the regatta depending on the length and complexity of the course
-there is an inverse relationship between the weight of the boat and the speed of the boat; there is also an increased likelihood that lighter boats will capsize
-the absorbency of a boat’s base material increases the weight of the boat, thereby increasing the durability and buoyancy but decreasing the speed of the boat -triangular shaped sails have the highest likelihood of increasing speed
-the steeper the incline of the water course, the faster the boat will travel; the more wind that is present, the greater the speed of the boat   
Essential Questions What essential questions will be considered? 
-Does the choice of geometric shape for a sail ((ex) triangle, rectangle, square, et cetera) impact the speed and/or durability of a boat?
- Does the choice of material that is utilized for the base of a ship impact its speed and/or its durability?
-What will help the boats to move forward in the water? For example, will they move faster if we use a battery powered fan to create a wind effect? Or will the boats get a head start if they go down an incline or if there is a water wheel?
-How did building three different types of boats teach me about absorbency, buoyancy, durability, and speed? 
| Acquisition of Knowledge and Skill
| Students will know…. 
-the 3 steps for building each type of boat (design the boat, construct the boat, trouble shoot)
-the meaning of absorbency, durability, buoyancy, and speed
-the name and characteristics of each geometric shape     
| Students will be able to …
-articulate their vision for each boat based on their paper and pencil designs
-utilize their fine motor skills to draw and build boats
-articulate their difficulties to peers and/or their teachers when they are trouble shooting problems with their respective boats
-collaborate with their peers to create a course for their boats ((ex) compromising by taking turns to build the course, listening to each other’s ideas)
-utilize their gross motor skills to build a course for the boats
| Stage Two – Assessment Evidence (Students will need to show their learning by….)
| Transfer Task (s):  “Both you and your classmates get to create a boat racing station for our end-of-the-year celebration! Over the next three weeks, you will get to create three types of boats; you will create one new boat each week. I will cut out different geometric shapes that you can use for the sails. Each boat will have a different material for the base-a sponge, popsicle sticks, or an empty juice box. After I show you this week’s building materials, you need to draw your design at your seat and explain your design to me. Once you have explained your design, you can build your boat. Once you have built your boat, you can trouble shoot and see if your boat can float across a tub of water! If your boat cannot float across the tub, then it probably will not float across our playground trough or the course that you will build with other friends.  When we go outside to the playground in the mornings, I will show you the building materials for our water course. If you want to, you can work with other friends to build different types of courses for our boats. Everyone needs to agree on a final design for the water course for the end-of-the-year. You need to use your words with your friends to compromise so that every boat has the best chance of making it to the finish line! I may be able to bring a battery powered fan so that the boats will have wind. However, you will have to decide if you want to build a course with water slides for the boats or if you want to build a flat course.  I think this will be a lot of fun! What do you think, friends? Does anyone have any questions?” 
| Evaluative  Criteria: Performance is judged in terms of….  The performance task listed above as well as the accompanying checklist (Appendix B). Students will need to utilize their reasoning and knowledge skills to produce three boats and to determine which boat has the highest probability of buoyancy and speed for their end of the year celebration. 
| Other Evidence (quizzes, tests, prompts, observations, dialogues, work samples, etc.) 
-Students’ paper and pencil designs of each type of boat
-Observations of students’ individual work process (building each type of boat, troubleshooting difficulties with each type of boat)
-Observations of students’ collaboration with peers on building a course for the boats
-Notes from student-teacher conferences about the building and troubleshooting process
-Notes from whole-class discussions about buoyancy, absorbency, durability, and speed (before, during, and after the end-of-the-year celebration)   
| Student Self-Assessment and Reflection  After they create each type of boat, students will engage in a whole group discussion or privately share their thoughts with me. They will discuss what they have learned in terms of the boat’s buoyancy, absorbency, durability, and speed. They will reflect on whether they would have done anything differently during the design and building process. They will analyze the benefits as well as the drawbacks of a water course for each type of boat.
| Stage 3—Learning Plan (Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction) The teaching and learning needed to achieve the unit goals.
| Experience (Lesson Plan) 1: Build three types of boats 
Focus Questions:  Does the choice of geometric shape for a sail ((ex) triangle, rectangle, square, etcetera) impact the speed and/or durability of a boat?  Does the choice of material that is utilized for the base of a ship impact its speed and/or its durability? 
Learning Target:  -I can choose different geometric shapes and see whether my choice of a specific shape resulted in faster movement of my boat across a tub of water when Ms. C turned on a fan.  -I can build a boat out of an empty juice box, Popsicle sticks, or a sponge. I can see which boat is the most absorbent and durable as well as which boat is the fastest in a tub of water. 
Performance Indicator:  -Students will choose different geometric shapes and see whether their choice of a specific shape resulted in faster movement of their respective boat across a tub of water when Ms. C turned on a fan.  -Students can build a boat out of an empty juice box, Popsicle sticks, or a sponge. Students can see which boat is the most absorbent and durable as well as which boat is the fastest.
Learning Activities/Strategies: Rally Robin (Kagan, 2009, 6.33) on which type of boat is the most absorbent, most durable, most buoyant, or the fastest
| Experience (Lesson Plan) 2:
Build the water course
Focus Questions:  What will help the boats to move forward in the water? For example, will they move faster if we use a battery powered fan to create a wind effect? Or will the boats get a head start if they go down an incline or if there is a water wheel? 
Learning Target:  -I can build different types of courses out of gutters.  -I can build a course with an incline and a course that is flat. I can see that a course with an incline will propel my boats to go faster. 
Performance Indicator:  -Students can build different types of courses out of gutters.  -Students can build a course with an incline and a course that is flat. I can see that a course with an incline will propel my boats to go faster. 
Learning Activities/Strategies: Three Step Interview (Kagan, 2009, 6.38) on ideas for building the water course
| Experience (Lesson Plan) 3: Race the boats and have a discussion
Focus Questions:  -How did building three different types of boats teach me about absorbency, buoyancy, durability, and speed? 
Learning Target:  -I can compare three different types of boats in terms of how well they performed during the end-of-the year celebration.  -I can explain the meaning of absorbency, buoyancy, durability, and speed; I can provide examples of each definition. 
Performance Indicator:  -Students can compare three different types of boats in terms of how well they performed during the end-of-the year celebration.  -Students can explain the meaning of absorbency, buoyancy, durability, and speed; students can provide examples of each definition. 
Learning Activities/Strategies: Timed Pair Share (Kagan, 2009, 6.38) during discussion
| Resources and Materials 
-battery powered fan
-gutters and trough for building different courses for the boats
-plastic tub for trouble shooting buoyancy of boats prior to the end of the year celebration
-waterproof tape
-parchment paper or construction paper for the sails
-skewers to fasten the sail onto the base of the boat (8 inch or 12 inch)
-empty juice boxes
-sponges (4.5″ x 3″ x 1/2″)
-Popsicle sticks
-markers or colored pencils for decorating sails
-garbage bags with cut out holes for water proof aprons
-a labeled bag for each student to hold their different boats
-example boats for students to use as test material as they are building a course outside  http://www.healthyhappythriftyfamily.com/2016/11/disney-moana-crafts.html http://www.easypeasyandfun.com/sponge-sailboat-craft-for-kids/ http://homeschooljournal-bergblog.blogspot.ca/2010/09/august-break-31-juice-box-boats.html            ]]> 2017-06-02 03:24:35 UTC https://padlet.com/elizabethchacko21/55ixgkhtv57o/wish/174917631 Checklist elizabethchacko21 https://padlet.com/elizabethchacko21/55ixgkhtv57o/wish/174918166
Did I….

*Fill in the blank with “y” for “yes” or “n” for “no”

_____   draw a design for a popsicle stick raft?

______ create a popsicle stick raft with a sail ?

______ draw a design for a juice box boat with a sail?

______ create a juice box boat with a sail?

______ draw a design for sponge boat with a sail?

______ create a sponge boat with a sail?

______ assist with the creation of a course for the boats?

______ utilize different types of sails?

______ test drive all three boats in a tub of water prior to testing them in the trough or on the course?

_____ determine which boat is the most durable?

_____ determine which boat is the most absorbent?

_____ determine which boat has the most buoyancy?

_____ determine which boat has the most speed?

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