NGSSLessonPlanningTemplate

th
Grade/GradeBand
:35
grade

Topic:
Touchdown

Lesson#

__4__
inaseriesof
_7___
lessons

BriefLessonDescription
:LandingonMarsisverycomplicatedandstudentswillbebrainstormingadesigntobuildasystemthatabsorbs
theshockoflandingonthesurface.Thepurposeofthissystemistoprotectthetwoastronautswhentheyland.
PerformanceExpectation(s):
MSETS12Definethecriteriaandconstraintsofadesignproblemwithsufficientprecisiontoensureasuccessfulsolution,takinginto
accountrelevantscientificprinciplesandprudentialimpactsonpeopleandthenaturalenvironmentthatmaylimitpossiblesolutions.
35ETS12Generateandcomparemultiplepossiblesolutionstoaproblembasedohowwelleachislikelytomeetthecriteriaand
constraintsoftheproblem.

SpecificLearningOutcomes:Toengageinthisengineeringchallenge,whichwillhavestudentsstudyingwhichdesignwillgetthemost
lift.Thetestingisiterative.Thestudentswillarticulatetheaspectsofthedesignallowedtherockettohavethegreatestdistance.
LessonLevelNarrative
LandingonthesurfaceofMarsisadauntingtasks.Themissioncrewhasbeeninspacefor300daysandarenowcloseenoughtoattempta
landing.Thenewproblemthatyouengineersneedtosolveishowtoenter,descendandlandonthesurfaceoftheplanet.Yourtasksisto
useengineeringdesignprocesstodesignandbuildashockabsorbingsystemoutofpaper,straws,andminimarshmallows;then,attach
yourshockabsorbertoacardboardplatform;andthenimprovetheinitialdesignbasedontestresults.
Science&EngineeringPractices:
DisciplinaryCoreIdeas:
CrosscuttingConcepts:
Askingquestionsanddefiningproblems
ETS1.A:DefiningandDelimitingEngineering Influenceofscience,engineering,and
Definesimpleproblemthatcanbe Problems
technologyonSocietyandtheNatural
solvedthroughthedevelopment
Themorepreciselyadesigntasks World.
ofaneworimprovedobjector
criteriaandconstraintscanbe
Theusesoftechnologiesandany
tool.
defined,themorelikelyitisthat
limitationsontheirusearedriven

thedesignedsolutionwillbe
byindividualorsocietalneeds,
DevelopingandUsingModelstounderstand
successful.Specificationof
desires,andvalues;bythe
whatittakestolandonthesurfaceofthe
constraintsincludesconsideration
findingsofscientificresearch;and
moon.
ofscientificprinciplesandother
bydifferencesinsuchactorsas

relevantknowledgethatislikely
climate,naturalresourcesand
Usingscientificandmathematicalreasoning
tolimitpossiblesolutions
economicconditions

ETS1.B:DevelopingPossibleSolutions
Analyzingdatafromsystemtrailsto
Researchonaproblemshouldbe
determinewhichdesignisbestlandingon
carriedoutbeforebeginningto
thesurfaceofMars
designthesystem.Testinga

solutioninvolvesinvestigating
ConstructingExplanationsanddesigning
howwellitperformsundera
solutions
rangeofconditions
Constructingexplanationsand
PS2.B:TypesofInteractions
designingsolutionsin35builds
Thegravitationalforceofthe
onK2experiencesandprogresses
planetactingonanobjectnear
totheuseofevidencein
thesurfacepullsthatobject
constructingexplanationsthat
towardtheplanetscenter
specifyvariablesthatdescribeand
predictphenomenaandin
designingmultiplesolutionsto
designproblems.
PossiblePreconceptions/Misconceptions:
Elementaryschoolstudentstypicallydonotunderstandinggravityasaforce.Theyseethephenomenonofafallingbodyasnaturalwith
noneedforfurtherexplanationortheyascribetoitaninternaleffortoftheobjectthatisfalling(Obgborn,J.(1985).Understanding
studentsunderstanding:Anexamplefromdynamics.
EuropeanJournalofScienceEducation,7,141150.)
Ifstudentsdonotviewweightas
aforce,theyusuallythinkitistheairthatexertsthisforce.Misconceptionsaboutthecausesofgravitypersisaftertraditionalhighschool
physicsinstruction.Misconceptionsaboutthecausesofgravitycanbeovercomebyspeciallydesignedinstruction.

LESSONPLAN5EModel

ENGAGE:OpeningActivityAccessPriorLearning/StimulateInterest/GenerateQuestions:

GrabthestudentsattentionbyshowingthemavideoaboutthelandingonMars.
Connecttothestorylinebyexplainingtostudentsthattheirrockethastakenoffandnowtheyhavetoland.Explainto
studentsthatlandinggentlyiscrucialtogettingourastronautstoMarssafely.Askstudents:Whatmighthelpusland
safelyinMars?

EXPLORE:LessonDescriptionWhatshouldtheteachersaskanddo?Whatwillthestudentsdo?

todaywewillbecreatinglandingpadsforthespaceship.
countingoffeachstudenttoputintogroups
brieflyshowthelesson

EXPLAIN:ConceptsExplainedandVocabularyDefined:

OurgoaltodayistohaveasafelandingonMars.Oncelandingpadismademeasurebyfeet
Vocabulary:
useconceptmapsforeachvocab

enablers:
peoplefromearthwhosendcommuicationtodrones
gravity:
theforcethatkeepsyoudown
Atmosphere:
theairthatsurrondsaplanet
shockabsorber:
thinkspringandcushions
landingdevices:
parachutes,rocketswithcrane,heatshield
ELABORATE:ApplicationsandExtensions:
Afterthestudentshavetestedouttheirmodel,askiftheywanttochangesomethingor
leaveitthesame.Ifthestudentsnowfeelconfidentwiththeirmodel,haveonestudentfromeachgroupcomeupandtestout
theirmodelfromcertianheights..ExplaintostudentsthatbeforesendingpeopletoMars,NASAusesEnablerstocrashlandinto
planets.AftertheysuccesfullymakeittoMarstheysendsurveyersthatsosoftlanding.

EVALUATE:

FormativeMonitoring(Questioning/Discussion):Whydoyouthinkthatwouldwork?
Isthereareasonbehindadding_____ontothe

model?
SummativeAssessment(Quiz/Project/Report):
Whatwasthemostchallengingpartoftryingtogetyourcraftasafelanding?

Howdidyourchangesimprove,orchangeyourtestingresults?Anyadviceyouwouldliketogivetoyourfellowengineers?
(classmates)

ElaborateFurther/Reflect:Enrichment:
NowthatwehavelandedontheMars,whatdoyouthinkwillhappennext?