This 3-week project-based learning (science-focused) research project is the perfect way to teach reading, writing, and science in one engaging, real-world unit. Your students will use key standards, such as research, reading comprehension, and engineering design in a real-life scenario. The best part about PBL is that student choice and differentiation are built in!
Driving Question: How can I design a solution that will protect animals experiencing environmental changes related to water distribution, temperature, or land characteristics?
NGSS Standards Covered:
- NGSS3-5-ETS1-1
Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. - NGSS3-5-ETS1-2
Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. - NGSS3-LS4-4
Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change. Examples of environmental changes could include changes in land characteristics, water distribution, temperature, food, and other organisms. Assessment is limited to a single environmental change. Assessment does not include the greenhouse effect or climate change.
Students are challenged to research wild animals and the changes that animal is experiencing in their environment. The students will then come up with a solution for one of their animal’s challenges and design a model of their solution.
Banish those boring worksheets and get your students excited about real life learning! This 3-week project covers the following skills:
- Research
- Reading Comprehension
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Explanatory Writing
- Design & Creativity
- Critical Thinking
- Animals & Ecosystems
- Environmental Changes
- Engineering Design Process
Included in this Resource:
- Lesson Outline
- Sample Pacing
- Teacher Guide with Lesson Plans
- Scaffolded Research Notes
- Engineering Design Process Overview
- Rubric & Sample Answers
Plus, a BONUS digital version is included as well!
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