Prep Bulletin
A snapshot into STEM
Learning intention: We are learning to identify and plan ways to make my ship float.
Learning experience overview:
Students will follow the design process to design and build a pirate ship out of different materials that floats. As a class we watched the following video and watched an experiment to see which objects sunk and which objects floated.
The Process:
Students were asked to follow the Engineering Design Process to help them to complete this task.
1. Ask questions - What is the problem? Are there any challenges?
2. Imagine it - Brainstorm your ideas. Pick the best one!
3. Plan it - Make a list of materials. Draw a diagram with labels.
4. Create it - Follow your plan. Create a model.
5. Improve it - Did it work? Can you make it better? What could be done differently?
6. Share it - What changes need to be made? What do others think?
The Scenario:
Ahoy there! Pirate Pete is about to set sail once again, seeking adventure and riches on the high seas. There’s just one little, teeny-tiny problem… he doesn’t have a ship. That’s where you come in! The Task Pirate Pete has asked you to design and build him a ship using the materials he has provided. You can design it any way you like, but it has to be able to float. Aaaarrrrgh... you able to help?
Materials:
- Glue
- Sticky tape
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Foil
- Pipe cleaners
- Plastic cups
In this learning experience, students will work towards:
- Following the Engineering Design Process
- Use critical and creative thinking skills to design and improve their design
- Understand the concept of float and sink
- Use scientific reasoning for their design
Examples of students work:
What you can do now to continue the learning at home from this experience:
- Encourage problem solving challenges
- Experiment with items in your home and see whether they float or sink
- Read books that involve floating and/ or sinking such as ‘Who Sank The Boat’ by Pamela Allen
- Test out the boat your child made and see if it sinks or floats Alyssa, Ruby and Julian
Prep Team
Alyssa.Thermos@education.vic.gov.au