Animal Engineers & Designing For Survival Needs

Preparation: 

TEACHER NOTE: During this lesson, student groups will work together on engineering design challenges and station-based activities for about 75 minutes each day. Day 1 will focus on the developmentally appropriate design process: Think, Make, Try. This is expanded to the phrases: Think about the problem, Make a prototype, and Try and retry. Day 2 will focus on tool and material exploration. Day 3 will focus on combining knowledge of process and tools to complete a more open-ended design challenge. A full description can be found in the attached “Animal Engineers Program.”

A.    Opening Whole Group Time (20 min)

Essential Question: Engineering is…

TEACHER NOTE: Read the following quote:“Engineers find and solve problems through the engineering design process. Humans are engineers, but so are animals, and today we will learn from animal engineers.”

1. Introduce the engineering design process: Think, Make, Try (TMT)
2. Introduce hummingbirds as animal engineers
3. Show students real nest exhibit item for hummingbirds and book(s) about animal nests and use of natural and recycled materials
4. Show how birds build nests to protect their young from weather hazards and from predators

B.  Stations or Challenge Time in Small Groups (40 min)

TEACHER NOTE: Design Prompt: “Let’s take on the role of animal engineers as we build nests that will protect eggs from extreme rainy weather or predators”

1. THINK station – butcher paper down on the table, do one together at the carpet talking through ideas, materials, adding labels
2. MAKE station – natural materials, craft materials, some larger cardboard, recycled materials such as milk cartons, and pizza boxes. Upper grades, can only access 10 materials. The teacher may unlock more after the initial lesson.
3. TRY station – weather AND predators (chopsticks with decorations) for grades 3-5;
4. Use 3D-printed eggs that are hummingbird sized, or use polymer clay that is baked for eggs

C.  Closing Whole Group Time (15 min)

Essential Question: What was hard about being an engineer today?

1. Create chart of “material name/type”, “use”, “feedback” to start discussing physical properties
   • What materials did you use that worked really well for you?
   • What materials did you use that were tricky for you?
   • What was fun about being an engineer?

D.  Feedback/Evaluation

Pass out post-its to all students and ask them to place them on the material, activity area, or portion of the experience that they most enjoyed and want us to keep

A.    Opening Whole Group Time (20 min)

TEACHER NOTE: Tell students “Engineers find and solve problems using tools and materials, as well as the engineering design process. Engineers start by thinking about how to use a new tool safely and they experiment with it and try it out to see what it can do. They also test new materials to learn about their properties in order to determine what works best for solutions and designs. ”

1. Provide students with definition and use of “tool” in engineering.
2. Show examples of human-made objects for animals, for example, a 3D printed nest (3D printer).
3. Model how to make a Birdhouse (materials: hammer, nails, saw).
   • Use the example found at this link: https://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-Bird-Nesting-Box/
   • Use whatever materials and methods you judge best to use in your lab
4. Ask students to explore other tools and materials to see what they might use on Day 3

B.  Stations or Challenge Time in Small Groups (40 min)

TEACHER NOTE: Activity Prompt: “Today, we will explore both familiar tools and new tools as we learn about different ways in which engineers create solutions for problems. You will have a chance to experiment with new tools and to participate in building one classroom, collaborative project that you will get to keep!”

1. 3D printer tool station – 3D printer running print of 3D printed nest but at smaller scale; clay and wiki stix are available for students to create 3D sculpture as well.

TEACHER NOTE: Provide tablets so that students can modify existing designs/create new designs related to classroom collaborative birdhouse project. (Student may also want to 3D print a bird model to inhabit the nest or a symbol/sign for the birdhouse).

2. Hammer and nails station – For students who are not ready to use hammers and nails: Let older student practice hammering nails into a tree stump. For younger students, let them practice hammering golf tees into a

TEACHER NOTE: Provide explicit instruction around aligning wood pieces together and hammering at appropriate areas for birdhouse project. Suggestion: Sketch it out first.

3. Miter saw station – wood, foam, corkboard, sticks of different sizes available, practice sawing through different materials.

TEACHER NOTE: Provide explicit instruction around sketching out a drawing of a birdhouse, measuring, cutting wood into those appropriate sized pieces.

4. Weaving station – cardboard/laser cut loom and pliers; demonstrate weaving with little looms and model how to weave with natural materials versus string.

TEACHER NOTE: Add a weaved, platform/hammock-like construction underneath birdhouse to catch baby birds if they fall.

5.Sandpaper station – foam, sponges, other materials that work for this, experimenting with sanding down different materials and seeing the impact.

6. Another material station – look at combination of natural and manmade materials and compare how to manipulate them into shapes; provide sorting and investigation activities like nature studio.

C.  Closing Whole Group Time (15 min)

TEACHER NOTE: On a whiteboard, invite students to give name, description and use of tools from the lesson (be sure they link tool and purpose). Provide images on laminated cards, descriptor words as scaffolds, if necessary.

1. Select a local animal, then plan and build shelter. Invite students to sketch out differ
2. As a group, choose one design and create something on a tablet that can be 3D printed overnight to be part of the collaborative solution
   • Use software already available on your tablet
   • If none is available, use software like TinkerCad, SpaceDraw or OnShape
3. Place large butcher paper strip in the class with a line drawn in the middle. Ask students to draw or write one thing they did from the lesson that was completely new for them. Then, ask them one thing they have done before and really enjoyed doing again during the lesson.

TEACHER NOTE: In preparation for the next day’s program: Provide one “thinking and planning sheet” per student. Ask students to sketch out what they might build using one of the new tools and materials, as well as items used on the previous day. Ask students to determine why they will engineer shelter for animals in our habitat: to protect them from weather; to protect them from predators; or to allow them to continuing living in an urban environment.

A.    Opening Whole Group Time (20 min)

TEACHER NOTE: Tell students: “Engineers can use tools and the engineering design process to solve problems for animals and the environment we all live in. Let’s see how we can do that at our own school and in our own neighborhood.”

1. TMT review using another type of animal as a model engineer (beyond birds) that makes shelter; maybe look at a beaver and dam OR other local animals.
   • Provide students with real exhibit items that show other ways in which humans design for animals or the environment: animal crossing bridge, bear lockers and trash can covers to prevent raccoons Plan to use different materials.
   • Guided discussion statement: Even if we don’t mean to, we have an impact upon the environment and animals/habitats around us.
   • Students will also discuss how human engineers can design solutions that help animals and the environment create shelters.

TEACHER NOTE: Look at examples of other types of animal that need shelters. Discuss how engineering can help each animal. Then, pick 3-4 local animals that live in distinct local habitats for focus.

B.  Stations or Challenge Time in Small Groups (40 min)

TEACHER NOTE: Design Prompt: “Let’s take on the role of human engineers who use tools and the engineering design process to create shelters for animals in their environments.”

1.) THINK station – butcher paper down on the table; do one together at the carpet talking through ideas, materials, adding labels. Provide explicit prompting around which tools or materials used on previous day make sense for that design.

TEACHER NOTE: Check in with a specific table and discuss similarities and differences in designs between students.

2.) MAKE station – natural materials, craft materials, some larger cardboard, recycled materials such as milk cartons, pizza boxes. Only some of tools from Day 2 will be available (not miter saw or 3D printer) — unless students really want to use them and have a stated reason in doing so.

3.)TRY station –Work with a partner to test out design based on the problem you decided to solve.

C.  Closing Whole Group Time (15 min)

Essential Question: What was hard about being an engineer today?

1. Create chart of “problem” and “solution” and invite students to explain their designs and how they incorporated tools. Specifically ask students what they learned about nests.
2. Ask students what tools or materials were used in their designs?
3. Guided question:
   • How does your design solve the problem we were solving?
   • What was the problem you were trying to solve?Formative Assessment: Leave chart behind with class after taking a photo of it for assessment/records
4. What was fun about being an engineer?
5. Ask students to draw a picture of an engineer and label what this engineer is doing/using

More documentation on Facilitation / Procedures: Animal Engineers Program