Lesson 1: Build your house ~1/2 to 1 class period
In this activity students will work in groups to plan and build the house for their group.
Materials: Each group will be given 1 cardboard box 6 in x 6 in x 6 in (Home Depot – 25 for $6.50), masking tape, scissors, stapler, paper clips, brads, markers, construction paper, plain white paper.
Prior to this lesson: build your own house so that you have an example to show the kids if needed.
The teacher will present the task to the students, clearly stating the expectations for all students as individuals as well as members in a group, minimum requirements for design, building materials available making sure that students are aware that they have 1 box only with no replacements, and the length of time for planning and building. Once all questions have been answered one student from each group will collect their team’s supply box and groups will get to work. As groups are working the teacher will circulate through the room monitoring the planning process of the groups, asking clarifying questions regarding the plan or helping students get their plan going, reminding groups of the time remaining, and guiding collaboration within groups as needed.
At the end of the time groups will clean up their area, return the team supply box to the pick up area and reset boxes for the next class period. (Last class period of the day – groups will help with putting away all materials that will not be used in the next day’s lesson)
Possible script:
Today’s group task will be to collaborate on the design of a house and build the house using a 6 in x 6 in x 6 in cardboard box. Tomorrow/next class meeting you will be reviewing parallel and series circuits so you can wire the house for 2-4 LED lights. At first the houses will be powered using batteries but in a few days you will design wind turbine blades that will need to generate enough voltage to light your house.
Pause for students to ask questions.
Requirements for the house: every house must have a “front” door, 4 walls with a minimum of 1 window cut out in 3 of the 4 walls, roof that can be removed to see inside, and a name. Students will be able to decorate the house after the class discussion.
Safety: Discuss with students the proper way to carry, pass, and use scissors.
Time management: 10 minutes to plan, 20 minutes to build, 5 minutes to clean up
Presentation of the houses
Each group will share their house with the class, the name of their house, and how they came up with their design, any challenges they had to come regarding the design of their house, and how they overcame those obstacles.
Wrap-up/Closure
Teacher facilitated discussion – Review of the day’s activities, procedures, and expectations.
This part of the lesson will be used to bring students together and for the teacher to unpack the day. Students still have not been informed of the bigger picture of the grid, that will be presented to the students connect to the grid. Students will be informed of the next step in the process, wiring the house for 2-4 LED lights, testing using batteries and/or solar panels. A class discussion regarding group work can take place at this time if doing this at that the very start of the new school year. Some questions to facilitate students participate are: (Record student responses. I use their responses to define/frame the expectations for how the class will operate for that year.)
1. What are some benefits of working in groups?
2. What are some negatives about working in groups?
(I tell my students that they don’t have to be friends with a person to work together and do a good job on a project. Employers are going to expect their staff to be able to work with all sorts of different types of people; it is becoming a job requirement. I will also pull up job postings that have this skill listed to show students that this goes beyond the classroom and earning a grade.)
3. What are some suggestions for “rules to follow when working in groups”?
Suggestions for homework
A possible homework assignment could be to give students some background information to review that night about circuits, voltage, current, and flow of electrons. If you are going to have students build wind turbine blades to power their house you could send home some background reading for them to review prior to the next lesson.