This one was interesting to me! I would like to see it brought out of history and include current and future applications so the students have more of a reason to connect to the history. I did some extended research on linking science and technology and engineering to ancient Incan science and engineering and found some nice extensions for those areas that will also relate to social studies. I found a cool 3:45 min video that I added to your basic plan for an intro video you may want to consider. You could also add in a food component somewhere as well, I didn’t put in much, but when studying cultures, kids react well to eating meals that they would eat. There are some areas in red where I need more information and a good amount in green that are my suggestions. You certainly don’t have to take them all, but like I said, I had fun with this one and put in a good amount of extensions to make it richer. I hope some of them seem like good options for you too. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!
Title: Machu Picchu STEAM Lesson Brief
Educators on the team: (for certification max: 4/team)Grisell Abad, Susan Beckner,
Kelsey DeLoach, Rachel DeVito, Adam Ginsberg
Trained - August 15 & 16. 2014 Town/State Naples, FL
STEAMlessonBrief.MachuPicchu.5.AbadBecknerDeLoachDeVitoGinsberg.TheVillageSchoolNaples.11Nov14.docx
Students use knowledge from across the disciplines to strengthen their understanding of each subject’s content and its related careers through topic or theme oriented realistic problem-based activity-rich lessons.
Theme that this lesson would tie to: Development of Mesoamerican civilizations
Specific Topic Concept within that theme: Ancient Technologies
PROJECT IDEA + brief notes & supplies/ BASIC CONCEPTS
Essential Concept: -
Students will research (LA, & S, T & E) The ancient site of Machu Picchu including its size and geological classification. (S & M & PE). Students will research the history of Machu Picchu especially the advanced technique used to build the ruins(SS, S, T&E), then design, plan (T,E & M) & implement the making ( T, E & M) of a scale model of Machu Picchu and analyzing elements of everyone’s model (FA, S, T, E & M) and presentation/performance (S, T, E & M). Students will then create a team plan(S, T, E & M) with instructions on how to make (LA) a scale model of Machu Picchu and also perform an ancient Incan game. (PE).
Basic Plan:
Students will be introduced to a few video clips about the ancient Incans and the lost city of Machu Picchu.
http://www.history.com/topics/machu-picchu - great video - now I want to build terraces on my farm…
They will research different innovations made by the Incans regarding engineering and analyze the various building techniques. They will then create a plan for how to construct a scale model of Machu Picchu. They will test their drawings by creating a paper model (only using paper and tape). They will then design, make, build scale models as a group, with a required set of materials and specifications. Students will cross-analyze the attributes and realism with each groups model. They will create an instructional plan for creating the model which will then be analyzed by the teams.
In PE they will participate in an ancient Incan game called La Pelota that utilized natural resource for its supplies. They will then teach students in grades 1-4 this game, explaining its cultural significance. In music they will make songs based on the history and language of the culture. In Spanish they will design a play incorporating Spanish vocabulary. In LA they will collaborate with their group to create supportive text describing the S, T & E attributes of their scale model related to the M of the results. They will present and then display their models at the end of this project.
Skill level (Grade Range): 4-6 Paperwork written for upper elementary level. Some middle school standards included.
Timing of Lesson:
4-5 class periods – 45 minutes each. Min. for each subject.
Basic Supplies:
All subjects:
Card board
Hot Glue
Paper Mache
Aluminum foil
Rulers
Science:
Sample rocks of each classification
Box
PE:
equipment – variety of balls
IT Resources:
PowerPoint
Audio Software
Photo Software
Look Up:
See attached PPT Where is this?
Reading passage on the lost city
National Geographic-Machu Picchu
http://incas.mrdonn.org/machupicchu.html
Other Resources:
- Local Archaeologist/historian to discuss more in-depth the complex Incan history and its impact on the world today.
Misc: (Extensions & Variations)
http://www.machupicchu.org/machu_picchu_history.html
Jean Pierre Protzen, “Who Taught the Inca Stonemasons Their Skills? A Comparison of Tiahuanaco and Inca Cut-Stone Masonry,” The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 56, No. 2 (Jun., 1997), pp. 146-167.
Jean Pierre Protzen, “Inca Quarrying and Stone Cutting,” The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 44, No. 2 (May, 1985), pp. 161-182
Susan A. Niles, “Niched Walls in Inca Design,”The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Sep., 1987), pp. 277-285 / Science –
· Concepts –rocks and minerals
· Goal / Objectives -
· Standards – SC.4.E.6.1-Identify the 3 categories of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic; SC.4.N.1.1-Raise questions about the natural world, use appropriate reference materials that support understanding to obtain information.
· Careers – geologist, gemologist
· Project – Students will create their own personal rock classification box using at least ten rocks. They will label and classify rocks into the categories: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary.
· Good extensions to agriculture and terrace farming here too. The students could make a tiered garden model out of cartons and put dirt in them and each grow something different to trade with each other.
· “ Incas experiment by planting different crops in different soils at different altitudes (which also affected the temperature) to find out which combinations worked best.” (howstuffworks.com)
· Can do a freeze-drying experiment – chuno
· http://perudelights.com/chuno-freeze-dried-potatoes/
· http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu%C3%B1o
· Assessment – Students will take teacher created assessment where they must identify rocks based on their qualities.
· Extension - there is a STEAM lesson plan from GA that includes a project for students making rocks from various candies…
Technology & Engineering –
· Concepts – Designing, Constructing and Testing a model
· Goal / Objectives -
· Standards – ETS1-1-Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost; 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.
· Careers – architect, engineer
· Project - Students will design and construct paper models of Machu Picchu. They will work in groups of three, will have one 45 minute class period to plan and construct, will be given only paper and tape. About how big, what are the parameters you are giving them? The technology is using tools - ?scissors, tape, paper and creating a replica design – the engineering is loose in the creativity of creating a model of a design – a more engineering based concept would be to have students identify architecture in time that was influenced by macho picchu and then make a design for using the concept in a new way or even just speculating how it would have been different if it was done now.
· Can also have students look up Incan inventions and see how they changed things
· Top 5: http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/inventions/5-ancient-incan-inventions.htm#page=1
· Road system, chasqui (message system), suspension bridges, khipus (recording language), terraces, chuno – freeze- drying
· http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_rope_bridge
· http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/last-handwoven-bridge
· Assessment – can the models be self-standing and demonstrate the use of terrace farming? – need E
· Extension -
Math –
· Concepts –scaling
· Goal / Objectives -
· Standards – Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems; build and draw geometric objects, create and describe mental images of objects, patterns, and paths, identify and build a three-dimensional object from two-dimensional representations of that object, identify and draw a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional object.
· Careers – architect, civil engineer
· Project – Students will draw a scale drawing of Machu Picchu on graph paper. Students must draw from three perspectives: top, front, and side.
· Assessment – Can the students explain how they scaled the model and does it represent the historical site accurately?
· Extension -
LA –
· Concepts –Summary and technical writing
· Goal / Objectives -
· Standards – CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.D-Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2-Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7-Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
· Careers – engineer, technical writer
· Project – Students will write an instructional manual for future 5th graders explaining how to create a scale model of Machu Picchu from a drawing on graph paper. Please elaborate more on the specifications the students will be given. What is the format? How long will it be? What things will be included (some of the things you have in assessment.)
· Assessment – Can students write an instruction manual that focuses on the topic, that presents relevant details and examples, that speaks appropriately to the intended audience, that uses a formal tone, that incorporates topic-specific vocabulary, and that uses standard English conventions of mechanics and usage?
· Extension -
SS –
· Concepts –History of Ancient Civilizations of Mesoamerica and their inventions/technologies.
· Goal / Objectives -
· Standards – SS.6.W.2-Describe the emergence of early civilizations (Nile, Tigris-Euphrates, Indus, and Yellow Rivers, Meso and South American); SS.5.G.2-Places and Regions
· Careers – Historian, sociologist, archaeologist
· Project - Students will build a scale model of Machu Picchu. What will the students be doing to learn about the history of Meso America? And the emergence of early civilizations? It is very important that the SS Component be reflective on history, understanding of the topics relevance to current times and the student and to also include an element of the student being asked how this project or concept could be relevant to or used in the future,
· Look at the extensions in T&E – some of them could be adapted for application and extensions for SS too.
· Assessment – Please assess something.
· Extension -
Spanish –
· Concepts –culture and language etymology
· Goal / Objectives -
· Standards – St.4.1-Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own; St.4.2-Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
· Careers – interpreter, anthropologist, actor
· Project – Students will write a play using Spanish vocabulary based on early Spanish explorer language.
· Assessment – Plays will be assessed using a script rubric.
· Extension -
PE –
· Concepts –La Pelota
· Goal / Objectives -
· Standards –PE.5.C.2.2-Design or modify a game incorporation skills, rules, and strategies; PE.5.M.1.2-Approach and strike a moving object with body parts so that the object travels in the intended direction at the desired height using correct technique.
· Careers – athlete, fitness professional, kinesiologist
· Project – Students will build a replica of the game pieces and will test the pieces. Please elaborate more on ‘game’. Give a link and/or some pictures or basic rules.
· Assessment – Students will teach students in grades 1-4 to play La Pelota..
· Extension -
Music –
· Concepts –traditional music
· Goal / Objectives -
· Standards – MU.5.H.1-Through study in the arts we learn and honor others and the world in which they lived; MU.5.H.3-Connections among the arts and other disciplines strengthen learning and the ability to transfer knowledge and skills to and from other fields; MU.5.0.3-Every art form uses its own unique language, verbal and non-verbal, to document and communicate with the world.
· Careers – composer, songwriter, producer, conductor
· Project – Students will write a song incorporating history and language. What language? What history? What are the specifications of this project as they relate to the theme?
· Assessment – Does the song incorporate the history topic with elements of traditional music?
· Extension -
CC. 2013STEAM EducationLesson Brief