Download If I Built A Car Lesson Plan

Second Grade
STEM Investigation – Part 3, Engineering Design Process
Area of Focus
Explanation
Overview
Students will consider reasons that cars are designed in specific ways (capacity for people,
capacity for stuff, smoothness of drive, other amenities, etc.) They will consider the Engineering
Problem-Solving/Design Process and make connections with a text If I Built A Car.
Standards
Science:
2-3 APPA Use a technological design process to solve a problem (define problem, gather information,
explore ideas, make a plan, test solutions, communicate results).
2-3 APP B Use science knowledge to help solve a problem.
2-3 APP D Explain why certain tools and materials were chosen to solve the problem.
2-3 APP E Evaluate how well tools and materials worked in solving the problem.
Literacy:
Learning Targets


I explain and describe two steps in the Engineering Problem-Solving/Design Process.
I describe examples of the Engineering Problem-Solving Design Process from a book.
Assessment

Exit Card (see wrap-up)
Materials
Cars (hot wheels or toy cars like pinewood derby cars from boy scouts)—one for every 3-4
students, chart paper, markers, If I Build A Car by Chris Van Dusen, index cards
Vocabulary
Problem, Solving, Design, Process
Area of Focus
Activate and
build students’
initial ideas about
Engineering
ProblemSolving/Design
Process
Explanation
Engage
(Create groups of 3-4 students.)
Place 5 or more cars, trucks, etc. on each table along with the questions
written on word strips or paper on the tables

Tell students that they have a number of cars on their tables for them to
look at and consider the questions about the cars.
 How can you decide which one is the best?
Compare cars
 Which design will be more attractive to people?
 How might you improve one of the cars?
 Ask each team:
1. “What do you need to learn in order to improve your car?”
2. “What observations can you make to help decide how well it worked
and how to improve your car?”
To design or redesign, you need to know the purpose of the vehicle. What
are you trying to have the vehicle do?
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Teacher
Notes
Create a public record with participants’ responses.
Explore




Give each group of 3-4 students a large piece of paper or chart paper.
Ask them to consider one of the cars at their table and/or design and
draw a car around a purpose. Example: Design a car that will travel
easily in mud.
Tell students to label the parts of their car.
Include a brief description about what the parts do.
Questions:


Is this a system? Why or why not?
How could you improve your car?
Allow time to share one or two ideas in each group’s design.
Present a formal
process for
Engineering
ProblemSolving/Design
Process
Explain
Create and share the following chart/poster
Engineering Problem-Solving/Design Process
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Ask a question or define the problem
Gather information
--research and learn
Imagine and Explore ideas
--brainstorm ideas
Make a plan
--draw a diagram
--develop one of your ideas
--consider the materials you will need
Create and Test
--Follow your plan and test the solution.
Improve your design
--Test it out!
 Ask students to consider which steps they were using during the car activity.
 Ask which steps they did not get to yet.
 Ask if students have questions about any of the steps.
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 We have a systematic process for designing a solution to a problem. This is
how engineers work. Is it a powerful way for you and me to approach problems?
Get ready to read If
I Build A Car
 What problems do you think the boy in the story will face if he builds his dream
car?
 Allow students to share, but don’t verify.
 Read the story. Consider using some of the questions. Encourage students to
predict what is coming next and their reasons for their predictions.

In the text & pictures…
A) Polymer gel material
[Why is this in his design? What problem does it solve? Do you think it will
work? Why / why not?]
B) Fireplace, fish tank, pool
[Do you think it will work? Why / why not?]
C) Odor of burnt gasoline
[What problem is solved on this page? Do you agree that this is a problem?
Why/why not?]
D) Is this still a car? Why/why not?
E) Do you think the boy’s ideas will work? Why/why not?
Another Question
Explain
 List the designs the boy comes up with in a t-chart, with problems on one side
and solutions on the other. Example: problem – safety, solution – polymer gel
Record responses on a chart as a public record.
WrapUp/Assessment
Evaluation
Evaluate
Formative Assessment
 On an exit card have students respond to the following prompt:
“Describe one part of the Engineering Problem-Solving/Design Process and explain
where this happens in the book.”
Additional Online
Resources—
Designing Cars
Extend
 Balloon Racecar Project
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M7PbyvKQKs&feature=related
 How to make a Balloon Powered Car....very simple!!!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A963BG3k_h4&feature=related
Gravity Racers by Dawn Renee Wilcox, Shannon Roberts, and David Wilcox,
March 2010 issue of Science and Children