Lesson Summary

Peter woke up on a snowy morning and explored the snowfall in his neighborhood. He made a large snowball and put it in his pocket before going back inside. He looked for the snowball before bed, but it was gone.

In this challenge, students will design and build a structure to reduce the warming effect of the sun on an ice cube. Students will use the Engineering Design Process to guide them as they plan, build, test, and improve their designs while using only the materials provided by the teacher.

ELA Standards:

Speaking and Listening:  Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 

4. Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.

STE or Math Standards:

Science

• K-PS1-1(MA). Investigate and communicate the idea that different kinds of materials can be solid or liquid depending on temperature. Clarification Statements: • Materials chosen must exhibit solid and liquid states in a reasonable temperature range for kindergarten students (e.g., 0–80°F), such as water, crayons, or glue sticks. • Only a qualitative description of temperature, such as hot, warm, and cool, is expected.
• K-PS3-1. Make observations to determine that sunlight warms materials on Earth’s surface. Clarification Statements: • Examples of materials on Earth’s surface could include sand, soil, rocks, and water. • Measures of temperature should be limited to relative measures such as warmer/cooler.
•  K-PS3-2. Use tools and materials to design and build a model of a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area.*

Video

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats