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Help Save Our Summer!

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By Michelle Olivari

Subject: Science, Tech/Eng
Grade Level: 7
Standards:  MA STE, DLCS & ELA (Common Core)

The National Weather Service has issued a warning that it is going to be a hot, dry summer again this year. The community of Leominster needs your help!
Concern is already starting to spread about a possible city-wide watering ban that will prevent us from watering gardens, lawns, and making sure pools are filled after endless cannon-balls and belly flops!

Using your knowledge from the book, One Well: The Story of Water on Earth, as well as the significance of sunlight and gravity in driving the water cycle, develop a system to collect and store rainfall that the citizens of Leominster will be able to use to water their lawns, gardens and fill their pools and help save the summer!

 

STE & ELA Standards

7.MS-ESS2-4. Develop a model to explain how the energy of the Sun and Earth’s gravity drive the cycling of water, including changes of state, as it moves through multiple pathways in Earth’s hydrosphere.

7.MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing solutions to a given design problem using a decision matrix to determine how well each meets the criteria and constraints of the problem. Use a model of each solution to evaluate how variations in one or more design features, including size, shape, weight, or cost, may affect the function or effectiveness of the solution.*

7.MS-ETS1-7(MA). Construct a prototype of a solution to a given design problem.*

Grade 7 ELA Standards (SL-speaking and listening)

  • Comprehension and Collaboration SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and clearly expressing their own.
  • Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas SL.7.4&5 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate vocabulary, eye contact, volume, and pronunciation. Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points

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OutVentures

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Subject: Science, Math
Grade Level: 3
Standards:  MA STE, Math & ELA (Common Core)

By Sara Donovan

Canton Outventures is a new outdoor adventure company that is moving to the Blue Hills in Canton.  They want to provide various outdoor activities throughout the year, but they need to know the type of weather to expect each season.

Each group is being hired as consultants to :

  • Predict Canton’s weather (temperature, precipitation) during one season.   
  • Show weather data in a scaled bar graph
  • Create a plan to bring people to the top of Blue Hill in each season
  • Provide Canton OutVentures with the information they need to provide fun, smart, evidence-based decisions for the company and for Canton residents.

STE, Math & ELA Standards 

3-ESS2-1. Use graphs and tables of local weather data to describe and predict typical weather during a particular season in an area.

3.3-5-ETS1-1 – Define a simple design problem that reflects a need or a want.  Include criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost that a potential solution must meet.

3.MD.B 3  Represent and interpret data

Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and two-step “how many more” and “how many less” problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs.

Grade 3 Speaking and Listening: Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 

  1. Report on a topic, text, or solution to a mathematical problem, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace and using appropriate vocabulary. 

Science Practice:  Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Math Practice:  Model with Mathematics