Designing Fun

Designing FunDesigning Fun

Sandra RobertsSandra Roberts

Kaleidoscope LearningKaleidoscope Learning

NSTA STEM EXPONSTA STEM EXPO

May 19, 2012May 19, 2012

The GoalsThe Goals

• To create science activities To create science activities that emphasizes design, that emphasizes design, innovation and creativity.innovation and creativity.

• To engage students with To engage students with activities that present activities that present interesting, challenging interesting, challenging problems to be explored.problems to be explored.

• To guide students in a way To guide students in a way that encourages them to that encourages them to lead with their ideas and lead with their ideas and develop critical thinking develop critical thinking skills. skills.

The BuzzThe Buzz

• Inquiry-Based EducationInquiry-Based Education

• Problem-Based LearningProblem-Based Learning

• 2121stst Century Skills Century Skills

• Child-centered or Child-centered or student-led learningstudent-led learning

• Differentiated InstructionDifferentiated Instruction

• Hands-on LearningHands-on Learning

The ProblemThe Problem

From Dan Meyer’s TED Talk “Math class needs a makeover,” March 2012 http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html

The ProblemThe Problem

• Many textbooks use “recipes” rather Many textbooks use “recipes” rather than experiments.than experiments.

• Procedures lead students to the Procedures lead students to the answers and provide only the data answers and provide only the data they need to some obvious problem.they need to some obvious problem.

• Supplies and variables are limited.Supplies and variables are limited.

An ExampleAn Example

From Glencoe Science, Chapter Resources, Force and Newton’s Laws, Hands-On Activities, Reproducible Student Pages

Scientific MethodScientific Method

Scientific MethodScientific Method

From Holt McDougal Online, Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science ©2007, my.hrw.com

Science vs. EngineeringScience vs. Engineering

From “21st Century Skills” by Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel, pgs. 92, 93.

The Heart of DesignThe Heart of Design

• Consider engineeringConsider engineering– Select a problem to Select a problem to

solve.solve.– Select an item, process Select an item, process

or system to modify, or system to modify, adapt or improve.adapt or improve.

– Set a challenge by Set a challenge by limiting materials, placing limiting materials, placing time constraints or time constraints or adjusting other variables.adjusting other variables.

Project CycleProject Cycle“At the heart of an effective learning project is the project cycle: define, plan, do, and review — the ‘wheels’ of the project for both students and teachers. ‘Steering’ the project is the real world question or problem that drives students to research and find appropriate answers or solutions. The gauges of project progress are the formative evaluations and assessments that guide the learning along the way, the ‘brakes’ determine the pace of the project, and the learning ‘gear’ is the sum of the learning resources, human and technological, available to support the project work.”

From “21st Century Skills” by Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel, pgs. 96-107.

Design ProcessDesign Process

From “Design Thinking for Educators” by Riverdale Country School and IDEO, April 2011

Engineering Design ProcessEngineering Design Process

From NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/plantgrowth/

reference/ Eng_Design_5-12.html

From PBS Design Squad Teacher’s Guide,

http://pbskids.org/designsquad/ pdf/parentseducators/DS_TG_full.

pdf

Design CycleDesign Cycle

From “Inquiry by Design Briefs” by Julia Gooding and Bill Metz in Science Scope, November 2007

“Our recommended approach for solving problems is the design loop. Learners can enter the loop at any point because ideas can originate from anywhere. It should also be noted that there are a myriad of miniloops within this model. The mini-loop of testing, modification, and retesting is common in most design projects.”

SuperDuperSuperDuper

Scientific Method vs. Design Scientific Method vs. Design CycleCycle

• What kinds of topics or What kinds of topics or projects are better suited to a projects are better suited to a design cycle, rather than the design cycle, rather than the scientific method?scientific method?

• Physics: forces & motion, friction, Physics: forces & motion, friction, gravity, simple machines, waves gravity, simple machines, waves and fluidsand fluids

• Chemistry: molecular structure, Chemistry: molecular structure, materialsmaterials

• Biology: geneticsBiology: genetics

• Earth Science: distillation, water Earth Science: distillation, water filtration, solar energy, telescopesfiltration, solar energy, telescopes

• Math: area and perimeter, Math: area and perimeter, geometrygeometry

Transforming an ActivityTransforming an Activity

• Dig out the problem; find Dig out the problem; find the challengethe challenge– What is your “ah ha” moment?What is your “ah ha” moment?– What do you want your students What do you want your students

to discover?to discover?– What concept do you want What concept do you want

students to explore deeply?students to explore deeply?– Where is there room for creativity?Where is there room for creativity?– What variables have a lot of What variables have a lot of

opportunity for modification?opportunity for modification?

• Make the challenge clear Make the challenge clear to everyone.to everyone.


• Give the students room Give the students room to innovate.to innovate.– Leave the activity open ended. Leave the activity open ended.

Don’t make the path too clear. Don’t make the path too clear. Model the activity with care.Model the activity with care.

– Provide a wide variety of Provide a wide variety of materials. Let students bring in materials. Let students bring in materials. materials.

– Allow time! Break the project Allow time! Break the project into several sessions if needed. into several sessions if needed.

– Provide support materials. Let Provide support materials. Let the students research.the students research.

– Encourage collaboration Encourage collaboration between students and between between students and between groups. This isn’t a competition.groups. This isn’t a competition.


• Let students ask Let students ask questions.questions.

• Use prompts.Use prompts.– How can we. . .How can we. . .– In what ways can we. . .In what ways can we. . .– Can we make a item that will. . .Can we make a item that will. . .

• Ask students questions.Ask students questions.– What does the item do? How What does the item do? How

does it act?does it act?– How can you change the How can you change the

materials to affect the action of materials to affect the action of the item?the item?

– How could we measure the How could we measure the change in the item or how the change in the item or how the item works as we change item works as we change materials? materials?

– What observations can we What observations can we collect?collect?


• Design the groups well.Design the groups well.– Encourage positive Encourage positive

interdependence.interdependence.– Support and guide Support and guide

interactions within groups.interactions within groups.– Make sure each students has Make sure each students has

a job.a job.

• Know when groups Know when groups aren’t needed.aren’t needed.– Consider partnerships or Consider partnerships or

individual design.individual design.

• Allow groups to merge Allow groups to merge or divide.or divide.


• Take breaks!Take breaks!– It’s important to evaluate It’s important to evaluate

results regularly.results regularly.– Encourage students to share Encourage students to share

their knowledge and growing their knowledge and growing understanding.understanding.

– Help students build the Help students build the vocabulary needed to express vocabulary needed to express their ideas.their ideas.

– Build new questions and Build new questions and challenges as you go! Be challenges as you go! Be flexible.flexible.


• Flip the classroom.Flip the classroom.– Give students resources to help Give students resources to help

them review and explore them review and explore concepts between classes.concepts between classes.

• Assess the results.Assess the results.– Construct a rubric. Consider Construct a rubric. Consider

“Novice, Apprentice, Master, “Novice, Apprentice, Master, Expert” rather than numerical Expert” rather than numerical values.values.

– Consider breaking from a Consider breaking from a traditional lab report.traditional lab report.

• Can they make a video, photo collage, Can they make a video, photo collage, poster or poster or power point presentation instead?power point presentation instead?

• Can they design questions for a game or Can they design questions for a game or quiz?quiz?

• Can the class create a website, blog or Can the class create a website, blog or wiki on the project?wiki on the project?

Warning!!!Warning!!!

• You will hear, “I can’t.”You will hear, “I can’t.”

• There will be There will be frustration.frustration.

• Some groups will “fail” Some groups will “fail” at the task.at the task.

• Some students will Some students will struggle to be creative.struggle to be creative.

•That’s ok!That’s ok!

A DemonstrationA Demonstration

• What can we What can we explore?explore?– Force and Force and

motionmotion– FrictionFriction– GravityGravity– Lift, weight, Lift, weight,

thrust and thrust and dragdrag

– Angular motionAngular motion

MaterialsMaterials

• Balloons, Balloons, tapes, tapes, strings, strings, straws, straws, paperclips, paperclips, binder clips, binder clips, cardstock, cardstock, etc.etc.

Challenge IdeasChallenge Ideas

• Student designed challengesStudent designed challenges– Who’s balloon can go fastest? Slowest?Who’s balloon can go fastest? Slowest?– Who can use the smallest or lightest balloon Who can use the smallest or lightest balloon

to travel the distance? to travel the distance? – Who can use the largest or heaviest balloon Who can use the largest or heaviest balloon

to travel the distance without hitting the wall?to travel the distance without hitting the wall?– Who can design a balloon that does “tricks?”Who can design a balloon that does “tricks?”

• Teacher designed challengeTeacher designed challenge– Who can make their balloon reliably stop over Who can make their balloon reliably stop over

an X placed under the line on the floor?an X placed under the line on the floor?

Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers

• What are some What are some “recipes” you’d “recipes” you’d like to like to transform?transform?

• What are some What are some successes you successes you can share?can share?

References and ResourcesReferences and Resources

• Meyer, D. 2012. Math class needs a makeover. TED Talks. http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_meyer_math_curriculum_makeover.html

• Fadel, C. and B. Trilling. 2009. 21st Century Skills. San Francisco: Wiley.

• Everlove, S., N. Frey, and D. Fisher. 2009. Productive Group Work. Alexandria: ASCD.

• Design Thinking for Educators. 2011. Riverdale Country School and IDEO.

• Gooding, J. and B. Metz. 2007. Inquiry by Design Briefs. Science Scope. 45(3), 35-39.

• Flannagan, J. and R. McMillan. 2009. From Cookbook to Experimental Design. Science and Children. 46(6), 46-50.

• Capobianco, B. and N. Tyrie. 2009. Problem Solving by Design. Science and Children. 47(2), 38-41.

Further questions?Further questions?

Please keep in touch!Please keep in touch!

Sandra RobertsSandra Roberts

Kaleidoscope LearningKaleidoscope Learning

908-854-9887908-854-9887

[email protected]@klcnj.com