Goal Research, Design and Construct a Protective Container for Shipping a Potato Chip

Grade Level 6th Grade Unit Length Unit Overview LEADERSHIP is a project-based unit that culminates in two projects, both of which require students to utilize standards-based skills from four academic areas: Science, Math, Reading Language Arts, and Social Studies. The unit can be adapted to pacing requirements: it can be completed as a whole or split into two parts.

The first project, which includes the last two days of the first week, and half a day the following week, is Ship the Chip. Ship the Chip is a standards- based project. The goal of the project is to have students apply skills they have learned in standards-based classroom instruction to research, design, and build a small shipping package capable of protecting fragile cargo. Career links include engineering, packaging, shipping, and public relations. The project requires students to use the Engineering Design Process, the Number System, writing to communicate learning, recognition of technologies used in antiquity, recognition of leadership skills, and to demonstrate an awareness of cultural perceptions.

The second project requires students to create an electronic poster using Glogster, which is an online digital poster creator. The project is standards- based and takes place on the last day-and-a-half of the second week of the project. This project will require students to use the following standards-based skills from the four curricular areas: reflect upon their leadership skills, solve real world problems with rational numbers, distinguish and communicate the unintended consequences of the Internet, recognize how any technological development can have a widespread influence, and appropriately present their findings. The project concludes with a classroom presentation by each group in which they describe their findings.

Unit Essential Question(s) What are the tools and procedures needed to test a prototype? What is the Engineering Design Process and how do you use it? What are evidences of successfully applying the Engineering Design Process? What are the intended benefits of your packaging design? What are the unintended consequences of your packaging design? What technologies or tools can you implement to meet your needs within this project? How does examining technologies Ancient Egyptians used to meet their needs help your thought process towards building a successful package? What is our cultural perception of the USPS? How might other cultures’ perceptions of their national postal service differ from ours? How do I calculate the total cost of creating a package to ship a chip? How can I make my package less expensive? What are the characteristics of a good digital leader? How can you digitally communicate with others? What skills are needed to give a successful presentation?

Culminating Events Project 1: Ship the Chip. This project will take place on the last two days of the first week of the unit and the third day of the second week. classroom days will precede the project. Standards-based instruction should be emphasized in preparation for this project. Students will be expected to utilize the following skills in completing the project:  Science skills: use of the engineering design process, selecting appropriate tools, model building and testing, distinguishing between intended and unintended consequences.  Math skills: use addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of multi-digit rational numbers to calculate the cost of producing the package to ship the chip.  ELA skills – Internet research techniques, determining the credibility of a source  Social Studies skills: recognizing technology as any tool developed to meet our needs, understanding that cultural perceptions can change based one’ s place in the world The project requires students to research, design, build, test and rebuild a small shipping package to protect a potato chip (or other fragile cargo) that will be sent through the mail. The project also requires students to research packaging and shipping, document their design process, present their final product and complete a reflective writing.

Grouping – Students will be assigned to groups of four at the beginning of the project. Since the project is trans-disciplinary, one student from each group will receive special instructions from each content area. This student is responsible for carrying the instructions back to the group and communicating the instructions.

Project 2: Glogster This will be a 1 ½ day project. One day will be spent planning and creating a digital poster, Glogster. The remaining half-day will be used for presenting the Glogsters to the class. Before students begin creating their presentation, they will watch “ Junk Sculpture Presentation ” (see resource folder) to demonstrate incorrect presentation skills, such as failing to make eye contact and using poor voice quality. The teacher will hold a class discussion to point out the mistakes that were made in the video. Teachers will reiterate the main three skills that students must remember during an oral presentation: maintain good eye contact, speak clearly, and speak loudly enough for everyone to hear. Students will be given time for practicing before the presentations.

Being a responsible Digital Leader is the main focus of the second project. In order to be successful, students will incorporate the following skills into completing and presenting their Glogsters:  Science skills: identifying benefits and unintended consequences of technology  Math skills-solving real-world problems with rational numbers  ELA skills – Presentation Skills  Social Studies skills: identify the effects of technology on a society

Grouping- Students will be paired with a student that was not in their previous group. Pairs will consist of a girl and a boy; otherwise, the pairs will be random and not based on ability. Students will work together to create a digital poster depicting the characteristics of a digital leader. A presentation of the Glogsters will be completed at the end of the project. Students will be expected to speak clearly, make eye-contact with the audience, and have correct information.

Common Assessment Project Title: Ship the Chip STEM Project Rubric Student Name: ______Date: ______

Advanced Proficient Needs Improvement

Math Components Total cost of the final Total cost of the final Total cost of the final product is product is calculated product is calculated with calculated with 4 or more Evaluating with no more than 1 no more than 2-3 mathematical errors. Expressions mathematical error. mathematical errors.

20% Science Components: Finishes project on time. Finishes project on time. Finishes the project on time. Provides Provides complete Provides complete complete documentation for 10/15 The Engineering documentation (15/15 documentation for 12/15 steps of three cycles of the EDP. Design Process steps) of three cycles of steps of three cycles of the Design has at least one door to allow the EDP. Design has at EDP. Design has at least one-time access to the chip. 30% least one functioning one functioning door to door to allow repeated allow access to chip. access to chip.

Social Studies Component Answer 5 Answer 4 contemplation questions contemplation questions contemplation questions displaying a Cultural Perception displaying a displaying a comprehensive understanding of our of the USPS comprehensive comprehensive cultural perception of the USPS in understanding of our understanding of our comparison to other countries’ 20% cultural perception of cultural perception of the cultural expectations in nations with the USPS in comparison USPS in comparison to less developed infrastructure, if to other countries’ other countries’ cultural the Chip is an adequate assessment of cultural expectations in expectations in nations the USPS, and recognition of nations with less with less developed alternative ways to send and receive developed infrastructure, if Ship the infrastructure, if Ship the Chip is an adequate Chip is an adequate assessment of the USPS, assessment of the USPS, and recognition of and recognition of alternative ways to send alternative ways to send and receive mail. and receive mail.

ELA Component

United State Postal 9-10 questions are 7-8 questions are <7 questions are answered correctly Service Research answered correctly with answered correctly with details details Using more than one internet source to answer a question

15% ELA Component Complete URL is listed Complete URL is listed for Complete URL is listed for <7 United State Postal for 9-10 questions. (If 7-8 questions. (If questions. (If someone types the URL Service Research someone types the URL someone types the URL into the address bar, it will take into the address bar, it into the address bar, it he/she directly to the answer that is CITING SOURCES will take he/she directly will take he/she directly written on the paper.) to the answer that is to the answer that is written on the paper.) written on the paper.) 15% Project Title: Glogster STEM Project Rubric Student Name: ______Date: ______

Advanced Proficient Needs Improvement Math Components Calculated technological Calculated technological Calculated technological growth growth correctly on 5 of growth correctly on 4 of correctly on 3 or less of the Evaluating the computers. the computers. Expressions

20% Science Components: Creates a list of at least 10 Creates a list of at least 8 Creates a list of at least 7 unintended consequences unintended consequences unintended consequences of the The Engineering of the internet and of the internet and puts 3 internet and puts 2 on Glogster Design Process represents 4 on Glogster on Glogster and discusses 2 and discusses 2 during and discusses 3 during during presentation. 30% presentation.

Social Studies Component Identify 6 outcomes of the Identify 4 outcomes of the Identify 3 outcomes of the Ancient Egyptian’s Ancient Egyptian’s Outcomes of technologically advanced technologically advanced technologically advanced boats technological boats and agricultural boats and agricultural and agricultural proficiency. advancements in proficiency. These proficiency. These These outcomes should be Ancient Egypt outcomes should be outcomes should be related to Ancient Egypt’s related to Ancient Egypt’s related to Ancient Egypt’s culture of building astonishing 20% culture of building culture of building monuments, pyramids, temples, astonishing monuments, astonishing monuments, etc. and their economic pyramids, temples, etc. pyramids, temples, etc. and successes that allowed for such and their economic their economic successes building accomplishments. successes that allowed for that allowed for such such building building accomplishments. accomplishments. ELA Component

keeps eye contact with makes infrequent eye does not look at audience; Presentation Skills- audience most of contact; reads notes Eye Contact the time; only glances at or slides most of the time notes or slides 15%

ELA Component speaks clearly; not speaks clearly most Voice Quality too quickly or of the time; sometimes mumbles or speaks too slowly too quickly or quickly or slowly 15% slowly

I can use the engineering design process. Unit Objectives I can select tools and procedures for building and evaluating a prototype. I can identify the steps of the engineering design process. I can identify benefits and unintended consequences. I can identify design constraints. I can use the scientific method. I can identify the steps of the scientific method. I can use rational numbers to solve a real world problem. I can use good voice quality and make eye contact while giving a presentation. I can recognize a given leader’ s impact on world history. I can recognize a given technological advancement’ s impact on a particular society.

Strands (main ideas taught in unit)

ELA Reading Informational Text, Writing, Speaking and Listening

Math The Number System

Science Embedded Technology and Engineering

Social Studies Culture, Economics, Geography, Government, History

Vocabulary ELA  Credibility- being believable or worthy of trust  Source- the person, text, etc. that supplies information  Imagery- the use of words in order to form metal images in the mind of the reader  Cyberbully- a person who intentionally harms someone’ s character online  Climax- the turning point of the plot

Math STEM Math IA  Integer-the set of whole numbers and their opposites  Absolute Value -the distance a number is from zero on a number line.  Positive -numbers greater than zero.  Negative -numbers less than zero.  Additive Inverse- one of a pair of numbers whose sum is zero; the additive inverse of -5 is +5 STEM Math IB  Product -the answer to a multiplication problem  Quotient -the answer to a division problem  Greatest Common Divisor - the largest integer that divides without remainder into a set of integers  Greatest Common Factor - greatest common divisor: the largest integer that divides without remainder into a set of integers  Least Common Multiple - the lowest quantity that is a multiple of two or more given quantities (e.g., 12 is the lowest common multiple of 2, 3, and 4).

Science  criteria – a standard  design constraint – a design requirement  protocol – a detailed plan for doing something  prototype - a model that can be tested  bias – error caused by favoring one outcome over another

Social Studies  archeologist—a studier of prehistory based on artifacts, monuments, and inscriptions  hieroglyphics—pictographic scripts used particularly by Ancient Egyptians  ancient—very distant past or no longer in existence  polytheism—belief in multiple gods  caste — hierarchical system of dividing a given society Key Questions

ELA Math What are the steps of efficiently How do I calculate the cost of the final searching the Internet for product? information? How do the changes I make impact the How can you determine the amount of final cost? credibility a source provides? How can I use rational numbers to describe the growth of technology? What is the technique for citing an Internet source?

What are the characteristics of a Digital Leader?

Hook for Unit Watch this video, which is from the vantage point of a package traveling from point “ a ” to point “ b ” . There is a camera attached to the outside of a package so the students are able to see what the journey of a package is like. After the video, the class will openly discuss what their will require to be successful. This video will also serve as a gauge for their testing stage, as they will be prompted to put their package through more vigorous tests than what they see in the video.

Literature / Informative Text Informational Text: Component “Why STEM Education Important” “STEM” – Infographic – Edutopia Dr. Fancis Eberie, a STEM leader and author of “ Why STEM Education is Important ” , writes about the importance and need for quality STEM education reform. She speaks of the deficiencies in math and science that the US experiences on a global scale. The STEM infographic will give more statistics to support the need for STEM education. Since the “ T ” in STEM stands for technology, students will gain the understanding that it is extremely important to use technology wisely.

Writing Closure Students will read an interview that was recorded on Twitter. Kevin Curwick, 18, is fighting back against cyberbullies with a Twitter account he uses to compliment his classmates. He is a good example of a digital leader. In this activity, students use an interview with Kevin, as an example, to write an article about a digital leader. Students will create the characters evolved along with the positive qualities of that leader. They will be expected to encompass the skills that have been taught throughout the unit, including the collaboration skills they have learned. The article will be assessed using the “ Digital Leadership Article Rubric. ” This will serve as a formative assessment. Materials Needed for Culminating “Junk Sculpture Presentation” - See Resource Folder Event “Why STEM Education Important” – See Resource Folder “STEM” – Infographic – Edutopia – See Resource Folder

Ship the Chip

One chip per group Paper Cardboard Glue Tape String Cotton balls Plastic wrap Toothpicks Popsicle sticks Foil Markers Ship the Chip and Math (See Resource Folder) How the USPS Works (See Resource Folder) Engineering Design Process (See Resource Folder) Ship the Chip Instructions (See Resource Folder)

Materials for Differentiated Instruction-Remediation: Calculator How the USPS Works Cube (See Resource Folder)

Materials for Differentiated Instruction-Enrichment: Students will design a shipping container to ship 20 chips. Students will compare and contrast their 1-chip container to their 20-chip container.

Glogster

MacBook Air for each group Glogster Account

Materials for Differentiated Instruction-Remediation: Calculators Glogster is adaptable to each student through choices Notes for presentation Cubing

Materials for Differentiated Instruction-Enrichment: Math Problem: Compare to fastest super computer Glogster is adaptable to each student through choices

Standards: Common Core Standards, Tennessee State Standards

ELA RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Common Core Standards. W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. W.6.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. W.6.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources. SL.6.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation SL.6.5 Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information. Math STEM Math IA Common Core Standards. 7.NS.1.d. Apply properties of operations as strategies to add and subtract rational numbers. 7.NS.2.c. Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and divide rational numbers. 7.NS.3. Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving the four operations with rational numbers.

STEM Math IB 6.NS.2 Fluently divide multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. 6.NS.3 Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation. 6.NS.4 Find the greatest common factor of two whole numbers less than or equal to 100 and the least common multiple of two whole numbers less than or equal to 12. Use the distributive property to express a sum of two whole numbers 1– 100 with a common factor as a multiple of a sum of two whole numbers with no common factor. For example, express 36 + 8 as 4 (9 + 2).

Science GLE 0607.T/E.1 Explore how technology responds to social, political, and economic needs. Tennessee State Standards. GLE 0607.T/E.2 Know that the engineering design process involves an ongoing series of events that incorporate design constraints, model building, testing, evaluating, modifying, and retesting. GLE 0607.T/E.3 Compare the intended benefits with the unintended consequences of a new technology. SPI 0607.T/E.1 Identify the tools and procedures needed to test the design features of a prototype. SPI 0607.T/E.2 Evaluate a protocol to determine if the engineering design process was successfully applied. SPI 0607.T/E.3 Distinguish between the intended benefits and the unintended consequences of a new technology. Social Studies 6.1.spi.1 Recognize the basic components of culture (i.e., language, common values, traditions, government, art, literature, lifestyles). Tennessee State Standards. 6.1.spi.7. Identify how early writing forms in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus Valley influenced life (i.e., legal, religious, and culture). 6.2.spi.1. Recognize an example of a barter economy. 6.2.spi.4. Recognize the importance of economic systems in the development of early civilizations around rivers (i.e., Tigris and Euphrates, Huang He, Nile, Indus). 6.3.spi.3. Identify the location of early civilizations on a map (i.e. Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Ancient Chinese, Indian.). 6.4.spi.4. Recognize the roles assigned to individuals in various societies (i.e., caste systems, feudal systems, city-state systems, class systems). 6.5.spi.3. Identify types of artifacts by pictorial representation (i.e., Egyptian, Roman, Greek, Chinese, Native American, Medieval, and Renaissance). 6.5.spi.4. Recognize the forms of early world writing (i.e., cuneiform and 6.5.spi.5. Identify major technological advances (i.e., tools, wheel, irrigation, river language, and printing.

Project Days 1 - 4 SHIP THE CHIP Goal – Research, design and construct a protective container for shipping a potato chip. The scenario is: You are a team of manufacturing engineers given the challenge of designing the smallest, lightest package of all the engineering teams in your classroom that will protect a single potato chip shipped through the mail from a remote location to your school. Everyone will be given access to same materials, but have you have to track your production cost based on the materials you use. Sample Agenda for Ship the Chip Day 1 9:05 - 9:10 Group assignments and Room assignments are announced in homeroom 9:10 - 9:15 Members find their group and room 9:15 - 9:25 Teacher explains overall project Teachers explain process: Each member has a job as a representative for one academic subject. Students choose a job and move to ELA, Sci, Math or SS for instruction specific to that area. They will bring the information back to the group. 9:25 - 9:45 One group member from each group attends one academic session for instructions 9:45 - 11:10 Return to groups and do RESEARCH 11:10 - 11:40 Lunch 11:40 - 12:00 Brainstorm for solutions (document ideas) 12:00 - 1:00 Design (document designs) 1:00 - 1:50 ‘Buy ’ materials, build, test, redesign, rebuild, document all steps on the EDP sheet

Day 2 9:05 - 11:10 Test, rebuild, document on the EDP sheet 11:10 - 11:40 Lunch 11:40 - 12:00 Peer Review 12:00 - 12:20 Group Review (prep project and documentation for turn in) 12:20 - 1:50 Reflection

Day 3 (First half day is the conclusion of Ship the Chip) 9:05 – 10:00 Open packages and review results – record details about the condition of the package and the condition of the chip. Come up with three possible design improvements. 10:00 – 11:10 Choose one improvement and rebuild the prototype. Test it and record results. Write one paragraph describing how you used the engineering design process on this final day of Ship the Chip. This ends Ship the Chip. At 11:45 this same day Glogster begins. 11:10 – 11:40 Lunch (or other natural buffer between Ship the Chip and Glogster)

Project Days 3 (last half) and 4 Glogster Goal – research assigned topics, build a Glogster and present findings to your peers and teacher.

Assigned Topics Science – What were three original intended benefits of the Internet and what are ten unintended consequences. Make a list. Include only one benefit and two unintended consequences on the glogster. (Compare this to the social studies assignment.) Math – Compare the computing speeds of five modern devices to the speed of the original computer built by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. Compute a ratio, so that each result is expressed as a number: 4 times faster or 30 times faster. Use your iPad, an iPhone 5, a MacBook Air and two other devices of your choice. ELA – Practice your presentation skills to make sure you use good eye contact, a clear speaking voice, and that you speak loud enough for everyone to hear. Social Studies – Identify the intended benefits of cargo ship technology in ancient Egypt and the unintended consequences of this technology. (Compare this to the science assignment.) Set Up and Considerations The technology gap is rapidly growing between the digital natives and digital immigrants. Everyone can think a family member that is not comfortable with technology. What are some complications that have evolved and how can they be solved? What are the expectations of our behavior online? How does that relate to leadership skills? How can we grow to be responsible leaders on or offline? How do you know if online information is valid? The projects will facilitate students to recognize others’ and their own leadership skills and abilities.

Sample Agenda for Glogster

Day 1 (half day) 11:45 – 12:00 Show presentation video. Hold a class discussion on the proper ways of orally presenting information to a group. 12:00 - 1:50 Plan, research, and begin creating the Glogster

Day 2 (full day) 9:05 – 11:10 Finish creating Glogster, plan and produce presentation, practice presentation 11:10 – 11:40 Lunch 11:40 – 12:50 Presentations 12:50 - 1:50 Unit Writing Closure Appendix A-Ship the Chip Description