Title of lesson:



Technological Design Lessons Integrated with Ohio Science Standards

2nd Grade

Dinosaur Museum . . . . . . . p. 2

Sail Car . . . . . . . . . p. 3

Water Collector . . . . . . . . p. 6

Weather Station . . . . . . . . p. 7

Worm Farm Extension . . . . . . . p. 23

Title of lesson: Dinosaur Museum

Grade level: 3rd Grade

Science content statement addressed:

Life Sciences

Interactions with Habitats

Some kinds of individuals that once lived on Earth have completely disappeared, although they were something like others that are alive today

Overview:

Students research a dinosaur and set up a museum exhibition about the dinosaur, including a two-dimensional model with moving parts.

Duration: Five 60 minute sessions

Materials:

• Materials to make fossils (clay, impression tools)

• Cardstock

• Brad paper fasteners

• Posterboard

• Drawing materials

Procedure:

• Pairs of students will research a dinosaur. They will learn about what the dinosaur ate, looked like, special physical features of the dinosaur and their purposes, and what the environment was like.

• They will create a museum exhibit that will present this information to visitors in an interactive display.

• They must make 3 fossils that give clues about the size and behavior of their dinosaur (i.e., single footprint, footprint walkways, bone, body imprint, tooth, etc.)

• Included in the exhibit will be a scale 2-D model of their dinosaur complete with moving parts in a diorama representing the dinosaur’s environment.

• A classroom chart containing information on each dinosaur (time period, area of world found in, size) could be created.

Assessment:

Students will identify traits of their dinosaurs that are like and different from animals of today.

Title of lesson: Sail Car

Grade level: 2nd Grade

Science content statement addressed:

Earth and Space Science

The Atmosphere

The atmosphere is made up of air.

Physical Science

Changes in Motion

Forces change the motion of an object.

Overview:

Students investigate various sizes, shapes and materials for sails. They then design and test a sailboat or sailcar made from styrofoam tray bodies and craft stick masts to see which design goes the fastest.

Duration: Two 60 minute sessions

Materials:

• Styrofoam meat trays

• Scissors

• Craft sticks

• Index cards or cardstock

• Tape

• Rubber bands

• Wood skewers

• Clay

• Drawing compass or small glass to trace circles for wheels

Procedure:

Students investigate various sizes, shapes and materials for sails. They then design and test a sailboat or sail car made from styrofoam tray bodies and craft stick masts to see which design goes the fastest.

Assessment:

Students explain that air can be made to do work.

The following lesson came from:



Here’s a fun and simple way to test the effectiveness of different kinds of sails, using a sail car instead of a sailboat!

Guide your kids as they

1) Construct a basic sail car. Follow these steps. Begin by cutting out four wheels from the corrugated cardboard. The wheels can be 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) in diameter. After they are cut, you can place a rubber band around the edge of each wheel, to help the wheel grip.

2) Carefully poke two skewers through the bottom half of the Styrofoam container. (See Figure 1.) One skewer should be located toward the front of the container and the other one toward the back.

Side View Overhead View

Figure 1 Figure 2

3) Carefully poke holes in the center of the cardboard wheels. The holes should be just large enough so the wheel spins freely on the skewer. Slide the wheels onto the skewers. You may need to stagger the front and back wheels so they don’t touch. You can use small balls of clay to keep the wheels from sliding off the skewer. (See Figure 2.)

4) Cut a sail out of construction paper. See the diagram for sample sail shapes. Attach the sail to the last skewer, and poke it into the top of the sail car. Secure it with tape, if needed.

5) Begin the real experimentation. Set up the fan on a smooth hard floor, set the car in front of the fan, and watch the sail car take off! Record the time it takes the car to travel a distance of, say, 15 feet (or perhaps 5 meters). Conduct several trials, as race times will likely vary. Make adjustments to your sail car, such as adding weight, increasing the size of the sail, or pointing the sail in different directions. Develop the fastest sail car you can. Have a competition with some friends, and see whose sail car is the champion racer!

If you have a lot of kids building different sail cars, use the variety to look for trends. Find lightweight, medium-weight, and heavy-weight cars, that seem to be similar in all other respects. Race them, and make a plot of race time versus car weight, for example. Do a similar analysis for wheel size or any other characteristic of the sail cars that is sensible.

Now that your kids know the basics of making a sail car, have them experiment with using other objects for the car’s body. Try fashioning a sail car out of a 2-liter soda bottle or a milk carton.

Title of lesson: Water Collector

Grade level: 2nd Grade

Science content statement addressed:

Earth and Space Science

The Atmosphere

Water is present in the air

Overview:

Using ice and other simple materials, students must develop a system to collect water vapor out of the air.

Duration:

Materials:

Ice

Glasses or jars

Water

Bowls or other containers

Procedure:

Using ice and other simple materials, students must develop a system to collect water vapor out of the air.

Assessment:

Students should deduce that the condensated water came from the air.

Title: Weather Station

Grade Level: 2nd Grade

Overview

Students will design and use simple weather instruments to observe weather patterns over a period of time.

Title of lesson: Weather Station

Grade level: 2nd Grade

Science content statement addressed:

Earth and Space Science

The Atmosphere

Long- and short-term weather changes occur due to changes in energy

Materials

Suggested materials for building the weather instruments should include but are not limited to:

Straws

Small paper cups

Straight pins

Tape

Balloons

Clear plastic cups

Card stock

Scissors

Tape

Markers

Dowel rods

Rulers

Procedure

1. Discuss with students how different activities and events are dependent upon the weather (school closings, heating costs, food prices, floods, etc.)

2. Discuss with students why it is important to be able to predict the weather for tomorrow or the next few days?

3. Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4. Each group will be responsible for building a set of weather instruments and recording data using their instruments.

4. Introduce students to the design process. Include the following steps: introduce the problem, brainstorm possible solutions, decide on a final solution, build and test the solution, evaluate and redesign the solution.

5. Discuss instruments – rain gauge, wind direction, anemometer, and barometer. What is the purpose of each? Why is each important in predicting weather? How have others made these instruments?

6. Show students models of the four different types of weather instruments.

7. Each day, a different instrument will be examined, designed and built by each team. The team’s instruments cannot be an exact copy of the demonstration models.

8. Have the materials for designing and building each instrument (anemometer, wind direction indicator, barometer and rain gauge) in the room.

9. Have students follow the design process when studying and designing the instruments. The team must make a sketch of each of the instruments before building them.

10. After assembling the instruments, the groups are to use the models to record the wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, and precipitation every day for a week. Take the readings at the same time each day. Also have them write down the temperature. Have them collect and record data for two weeks.

11. Have them compare today's weather to yesterday's weather (warmer or colder, cloudy or sunny, windier or calmer, change in wind direction).

12. Introduce students to how to read a weather map. Have them recognize the symbols and meanings of cold and warm fronts, high and low pressure areas.

13. Examine a weather map for each day for two weeks, either from the newspaper, or download WeatherBug onto a computer in your room. . Have students record the wind speed, direction, barometric pressure and precipitation each day from the map. If you have a weather station in place in your school, you could get readings from it as well.

14. Have students compare their readings from their instruments and from the map readings. Is the data the same? How do they account for any differences between the two?

15. Help students recognize weather patterns using the maps and help them see the relationship between map readings and predictions for the next day.

16. Have students use the map to help predict what the weather will be like the next day.

17. If students are using the Weather Bug site, click “Radar and Maps” on the left of the screen. Then select “Doppler”, “Metro” or “National”, and “Animate” to see the weather changing in the area.

18. To get the barometer and changes in precipitation in the last 24 hours, go to

19. Have them look at collected data to see what the wind, precipitation, temperature, barometric pressure, and cloud cover were like before a change in the weather occurred. Did the wind change in strength or direction? Did the air pressure increase or decrease? Was it warmer or cooler? Did more clouds appear or change in type?

20. Have them notice patterns in how the weather measurements change when the weather changes from a sunny day to a cold or rainy day.

21. Have them see the relationship between things like a falling barometer indicating stormy weather, or a change in wind direction usually is followed by a change in the weather.

22. Encourage students to observe patterns between changes in their instrument readings and changes in the weather. Have students write down their predictions of what the weather will be like the next day based upon the patterns they find from their instruments.

23. A variety of generalizations are often used as weather predictors. It does not necessarily mean that the predictors are always right, but sometimes they serve as a useful first approximation. The chart below gives some examples:

The weather will remain fair if:

* the wind blows gently from the west or northwest.

* the barometer rises or remains steady.

* cumulus clouds are in the sky.

* clouds stay high in the sky and flow with the prevailing winds.

* smoke rises and disappears.

A storm may come when:

* the barometer begins dropping rapidly.

* cumulus clouds begin to develop vertically (or start “stacking up”).

* clouds are dark and threatening.

* birds are not as active as usual.

* the wind shifts in direction.

24. After collecting weather data for a period of time, have the students examine the data to see if such generalizations are valid. Once they have made the generalizations, have them continue taking weather measurements, and using the generalizations to make weather predictions. If the predictions are not accurate, have them see if improvements can be made. Ask students to suggest how such generalizations might be helpful to people.

25. You might ask students if they could make generalizations of their own to help predict the weather.

26. Do a reverse prediction. Tell the students what the prediction is for the next day and have them predict what their instruments will show during that day.

27. Discuss: Why do people need accurate weather predictions?

Post- Activity Assessment

1. Why is it important to know and predict the weather?

2. What weather conditions do scientists measure to describe the weather?

3. How can we measure those conditions?

Additional Assessment: see Weather Instruments Checklist (below)

Extended Activity

1. Students may be interested in comparing old weather instruments with modern ones, or how meteorologists make their predictions. Here are some web sites that might be of interest.

Early Weather Instrument Inventions and Inventors

instruments





(click on the left side to see replicas of old weather instruments)

2. Teachers who are camera enthusiasts may want to take a weekly picture of the conditions at the same time every day to make a photo montage record of the changes observed. Students could also get involved in using photography as a means of data collection. Date the pictures and keep them over the years to make long-term comparisons.

3. How did the weather in Ohio influence its development (ideas to discuss might include change of seasons, good growing climate, temperate zone)

4. Here are some popular weather lore beliefs:

• If there is fog during the winter, it will rain 100 days later.

• Dark clouds in the west -- stay home and rest.

• If a ground hog sees its shadow on Ground Hog's Day (Feb. 2) there will be 40 more days of winter.

• According to the Farmers' Almanac, the width of the stripes on a particular type of caterpillar can be used to tell if winter is going to be good or bad.

• Fat stripes mean there will be a cold, rugged winter. The thinner the stripes the better the weather will be.

• If March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb, but if it comes in like a lamb it will go out like a lion.

• When bees stay close to the hive, rain is close by.

• When teeth and bones and bunions ache, expect the clouds to fill the lake.

• Trappers say that the thickness of fur pelts is a good indication if the weather is going to be cold.

• If deer stay in the swamp then rainy weather can be anticipated.

• If animals are constantly on the move or eating frequently, it could mean rain or cold weather is on the way.

• Animals and people have quick tempers when a low pressure area is moving in.

• The tilt of the crescent of the new moon will determine the amount of rainfall over the next month. If the crescent is more vertical in appearance it will be a rainy month, but if the crescent appears to be lying more horizontally it will be a dry month.

• If it is cloudy in the daytime but does not rain, it will get colder in four or five days.

• The higher the clouds the better the weather.

• Rainbow in the morning, shepherd take warning; Rainbow toward night, shepherd's delight.

• If birds begin to migrate earlier or if rabbits turn white sooner in the fall, it means that winter will come early.

• Some elderly people complain that their arthritis is more severe immediately before a major storm.

Have students ask parents and other people in the community if they know of any other such sayings about the weather. Invite an elder to explain how weather predictors are used. There are many popular weather sayings like these. They form an interesting aspect of local culture and folklore. Many of them may have originated as a result of long-term weather forecasting and prediction.

Have students undertake long-term weather studies in order to be able to test the validity of these or other weather sayings. They can keep a weather journal to record long-term results.

Weather Observations

Today’s Date:_______________ Time: _______________

Temperature: ___________________

Wind Speed: ____________________

Wind Direction: __________________

Barometric Pressure: ______________

Amount of Precipitation over last 24 hours: _______________

Types of Clouds: _______________________________________

Amount of Cloud Cover: __________________________

Prediction about yesterday’s weather:

Were you able to accurately predict today’s weather yesterday?

Prediction for tomorrow’s weather:

Temperature: higher, lower, or about the same as today? _____________

Wind Speed: __________________________

Wind Direction: _________________________

Barometric Pressure: higher, lower, or about the same as today? __________

Precipitation: Type: _________________ Amount: ________________

After 1 Week

1. How accurate were your weather predictions for each day?

2. What observations helped you in your predictions?

Weather Instruments Checklist

|Criteria |Yes | |

| | |No |

|1. Student used creativity when making the weather | | |

|instruments. | | |

|2. Student's weather instruments works properly. | | |

|3. Student recorded weather measurements accurately | | |

|using the wind instruments. | | |

|4. Student wrote an accurate short description of the | | |

|weather for each day. | | |

|5. Student recognized that changes in instrument | | |

|readings often means changes in weather. | | |

|6. Student recognized certain changes in instrument | | |

|readings often indicates a certain type of weather is | | |

|approaching. | | |

|7. Student is able to make fairly accurate weather | | |

|forecasts based on changes in instrument readings. | | |

Use of Weather Instruments:

The Thermometer:

Thermometers are used to measure exactly how hot or cold it is outside. Place the thermometer so it is protected from the direct rays of the sun. To get the extreme temperatures of the day, check the thermometer in the early morning hours and at mid-afternoon.

The Rain Gauge:

The rain gauge measures how much rain falls. Rainfall is measured by the depth of water that would lie on the ground if none of the rain escaped. Place your rain gauge out in the open. Measure the amount of liquid in the moisture which falls daily during your field study. Measure at the same time each day.

The Anemometer:

The anemometer is used to determine the wind speed in miles per hour. You may want to use the attached Weather Bureau Beaufort Scale.

The Wind Vane:

The wind vans is used to indicate the direction from which the wind in blowing, During your field study check the wind vane at about the same time each day

Reading the Weather

Long before men were able to forecast weather scientifically. they had discovered, by observation over the years, that certain conditions of sky or wind preceded certain types of weather. They made rhymes so they could recall the combinations more easily. Some weather verses can be traced back to biblical times. Of course, predictions of this type ace not 100% accurate, but they are reasonably good indicators of the kind of weather to anticipate. Scientific forecasting today is about 95% correct.

Many verses have some scientific basis. Others are superstition.

Sailors, farmers and gardeners

Red sky at night, Sailors delight.

Red sky in morning, Sailors take warning.

Note that while dew is an indicator of fine weather ahead, so is fog. Neither occurs under an overcast sky, or when it is windy.

Dew at dawn on the grass,

Rain will never come to pass.

In the fall, gardeners and farmers heed this warning and cover or harvest crops.

Clear moon, Frost soon.

Year of snow, Fruit will grow.

Old-timers relied on these sayings;

If moon rises with a halo round

Soon we'll tread on deluged ground.

Thunder in spring

Cold will bring.

Fishermen put some faith in this verse.

When wind is from the south,

It blows bait in fish's mouth.

Make a Barometer

Do you know what the air pressure is today? You can find out for yourself by measuring the air pressure on a barometer.

Materials

* small coffee can

* plastic wrap

* scissors

* straw

* index card

* rubber band

Instructions

1. COVER the top of the can with plastic wrap. USE a rubber band to hold the plastic wrap in place. The cover should be taut making the can airtight.

2. PLACE the straw horizontally on the plastic wrap so that two-thirds of the straw is on the can.

3. TAPE the straw to the middle of the plastic wrap.

4. TAPE the index card to the can behind the straw.

5. Carefully RECORD the location of the straw on the index card.

6. After 15 minutes, RECORD the new location of the straw on the index card.

7. Continue CHECKING and RECORDING the straw location as often as desired.

8. Be careful not to place your barometer near a window, as the barometer is sensitive to temperature as well as air pressure.

What's happening

High pressure will make the plastic wrap cave in, and the straw go up. Low pressure will make the plastic wrap puff up, and the straw go down. Check your measurements with a real barometer.

What happens to your barometer when a big storm comes? Can you use your barometer to predict a storm?

|You'll need these materials: |

|a glass or beaker with straight sides |

|a ruler (12 inch) |

|tape |

|one foot of clear plastic tubing |

|a stick of chewing gum |

|water |

|Begin by standing the ruler in the glass and holding it against the side. Tape the ruler to the inside of the glass. Make sure that the numbers on the ruler are|

|visible. |

|Stand the plastic tube against the ruler in the glass. Make sure that the tube is not touching the bottom of the glass by positioning the tube up a half inch on|

|the ruler. Secure the tube by taping it to the ruler. |

|Chew the stick of gum so that it is soft. While you're chewing, fill the glass about half way with water. Use the plastic tube like a straw and draw some water |

|half way up the tube. Use your tongue to trap the water in the tube. Quickly move the gum onto the top of the tube to seal it. |

|Make a mark on the ruler to record where the water level is in the tube. Each time you notice a change in the water level, make another mark. You'll notice, |

|over time, that the water level rises and falls. Pay attention to the change in weather as the water level changes. |

|The water in the tube rises and falls because of air pressure exerted on the water in the glass. As the air presses down (increased atmospheric pressure) on the|

|water in the glass, more water is pushed into the tube, causing the water level to rise. When the air pressure decreases on the water in the glass, some of the |

|water will move down out of the tube, causing the water level to fall. The change in barometric pressure will help you to forecast the weather. Decreasing air |

|pressure often indicates the approach of a low pressure area, which often brings clouds and precipitation. Increasing air pressure often means that a high |

|pressure area is approaching, bringing with it clearing or fair weather. |

Measure Rainfall

Rain clouds are made of droplets of water so small there are billions of them in a single cloud. How much rain falls during a shower, or during a day, week, or month? You can find out by measuring it with a rain gauge.

Materials

* a printed copy of the "Rain Gauge Ruler", below

* a straight-sided glass container, such as a bottle for olives

* scissors

* clear cellophane or plastic sandwich bag

* tape

* rainy day

* rain graph

Instructions

1. CUT out the Rain Gauge Ruler.

2. COVER the ruler with clear cellophane, front and back. This will protect it from the rain, and make it sturdy so that the ruler can stand straight.

3. STAND the ruler inside the glass container so that the ruler rests on the bottom of the container.

4. TAPE it at the top, to the inside of the jar, so that the ruler does not fall.

5. PLACE your rain gauge outside.

6. MEASURE the amount of rainfall each day.

Anemometer (wind speed indicator)

MATERIALS:

• 5 three ounce paper Dixie Cups

• 2 soda straws

• pin

• paper punch

• scissors

• stapler

• sharp pencil with an eraser

PROCESS:

1. Take four of the Dixie Cups and use the paper punch to punch one hole in each, about a half inch below the rim.

2. Take the fifth cup and punch four equally spaced holes about a quarter inch below the rim. Then punch a hole in the center of the bottom of the cup.

3. Take one of the four cups and push a soda straw through the hole. Fold the end of the straw and staple it to the side of the cup across from the hole. Repeat this procedure for another one-hole cup and the second straw.

4. Slide one cup and straw assembly through two opposite holes in the cup with four holes. Push another one-hole cup onto the end of the straw just pushed through the four-hole cup.

5. Bend the straw and staple it to the one-hole cup, making certain that the cup faces the opposite direction from the first cup. Repeat this procedure using the other cup and straw assembly and the remaining one-hole cup.

6. Align the four cups so that their open ends face in the same direction either clockwise or counter-clockwise around the center cup.

7. Push the straight pin through the two straws where they intersect.

8. Push the eraser end of the pencil through the bottom hole in the center cup. Push the pin into the end of the pencil eraser as far as it will go

9. Now your anemometer is ready for use!

EXPLANATION:

An anemometer is useful because it rotates with the wind. To calculate the velocity at which your anemometer spins, determine the number of revolutions per minute (RPM). Next, calculate the circumference (in feet) of the circle made by the rotating paper cups. Multiply your RPM value by the circumference of the circle and you will have an approximation of the velocity of at which your anemometer spins (in feet per minute). Your anemometer doesn't need to be pointed in the wind for use.

Note: Some forces are being ignored including drag and friction for this elementary illustration, so the velocity at which your anemometer spins is not the same as wind speed.

Make a Wind Streamer

The wind streamer makes it possible to tell which direction the wind is blowing. It acts like a wind vane.

Materials

* paper plate

* permanent marker

* scissors

* crepe paper

* crayons

* paste or tape

* a printed copy of Windman, below

* windy day

Using your wind streamer

* Hold your wind streamer in front of you, with your thumb on top, near the letter "S". Make sure your arm is straight out and the plate is parallel to the ground.

* Turn so the "N" on your WINDSTREAMER is pointing to the North.

* Watch the wind go to work.

* The direction of the wind is determined by which way the crepe paper blows. If the crepe paper blows out to the south, the wind is blowing from the north. Use the same principle for all other directions.

Is today a windy day? Use your new wind streamer to determine in which direction the wind is blowing.

Title of lesson: Worm Farm Extension

Grade level: 3rd Grade

Science content statement addressed:

Life Science

Interactions within habitats

Living things cause changes on Earth.

Overview:

Students grow simple plants in soil from the worm composting bin (see the ODE lesson) and from soil that has not had earthworms. Students compare growth rates and size of plants to see effect of earthworms on soil quality.

Duration: 2 weeks – 10 minutes per day

Materials:

Worm farm from ODE lesson

Soil that has not had worms in it

Quick growing seeds (grass, radishes)

Ruler

Magnifying glass

Procedure:

Students grow simple plants in soil from the worm composting bin and from soil that has not had earthworms. Students compare growth rates and size of plants to see effect of earthworms on soil quality.

Assessment:

Students observe how living things affect soil conditions.

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Making a Barometer, example 2

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