Young Innovator's Contest

Young Innovator’s Contest

Lesson Plan for Grade 5

Prepared by Mrs. Davis

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

Being in “gig city” and having an innovation district in Chattanooga, there is a big push for technology in our city. As part of that our city often looks for ways to recognized innovation in it’s inhabitants. The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce created a Young Innovator’s Award program as part of it’s upcoming Spirit Of Innovation event. The criteria were shared with our school and can be found here: http://www.chattanoogachamber.com/media/yifc.pdf

EDUCATION STANDARDS

ISTE Student Standard #4  - Innovative Designer- Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.

ISTE Student Standard #5 - Computational Thinker- Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.

ISTE Student Standard #6 - Creative Communicator- Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

OBJECTIVES

1. Students will learn what it means to be an innovator
2. Student will use mind mapping/graphic organizer to brainstorm ideas in their life that are problems that need to be solved
3. Students will creatively come up with a solution to a real world issue and process how to solve the issue
4. Students will “pitch” their innovation to their teachers “Shark Tank” style and grow their communication skills.
5. 2 Students from each fifth grade class will then pitch their innovation to school educators. One student will then be chosen to be nominated by our school for the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce’s Young Innovator Award program.

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Creative minds
• Materials to make prototype if they want to show something during their pitch
• Paper and pencil for graphic organizing or use Show Me app on iPad to map it.

VERIFICATION

Students are to understand that their innovation is being measured by the following criteria:

Stimulating:  Innovation offers measureable impact on the community

Tangible:  Innovation demonstrates discernable value

Exposure:  Innovation promotes STEM knowledge and related field growth

Awesome:  Innovation has a wow factor

Moving:  Innovation shows leadership, initiative and potential for further gains

ACTIVITY

Meeting 1: Instructor will share the following slideshow presentation with students: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FmnhRu7qx-K2stDyBigVa1-K3lugXLPOu4Yg0vwufwk/edit?usp=sharing and discuss some different innovations that we are all aware of like lint brushes, taco stand holders, and the device that makes all the toothpaste come out of the tube.

Students then start thinking about their days from the moment they wake up until they go to sleep and think of problems they see that need to be solved. Students then mind map that problem with possible solutions.

Meeting 2: Students run with these ideas and create a pitch for their innovation to their teachers. They may also create a simple prototype of the product to share as they pitch. They then pitch the idea to the teacher. The teachers then choose 2 students from each class to pitch to more administrative educators in your system.

Meeting 3: The representatives pitch their innovation “shark tank” style to a body of educators in a setting that seems formal. They leave and educators choose one person to move on.

Meeting 4: In front of whole grade level all 6 innovators are acknowledged for their ideas with a gift card and the grand winner from the school is then named.

Lesson recap written by Mrs. Davis:

This has by far has been my favorite lesson this year! It is partially because I like to think of myself as an innovator but also because I don't think we find enough ways in the day to day schooling for our students to show their creativity. I believe innovation happens when need intersects with passion in a creative mind. Innovative thinking doesn't come natural for all people. I explained it takes risks to thinking like an innovator because every new idea has the chance of not working.

I was blown away with these students's ideas. They were as varied as the day is long! It also made me excited to see it wasn't the "same old students" that always excel at things that necessarily did the best with this lesson plan. Any time I see that I get excited as an educator because I know we are tapping into the gifts and talents and the uniqueness of our students. We are showing them that we recognize that in education "one size does not fit all." I can't wait to do this year after year.

I am about to head to the fifth grade student body and let a boy named Blake know that his idea for a telescoping hydraulic system that makes watching your ipad in bed easier is the winner. His written pitch said  "Let’s say that you want to watch your pad in bed for Youtube or Netflix, well this will let you! It comes down from the ceiling from a hydraulic system that you control from the app,or a remote, your choice. But how does it stay? Well you use nails and it even adjusts to the smallest of ipads like the mini ipad. So what are you waiting for? Let’s see this invention!"

As the adults in the boardroom heard this we couldn't help but also think of ways this could be used for adaptive technology for individuals with special needs. What a great idea!

Path App Using Cardinal Directions

Designing a Path Using Cardinal Direction

Lesson Plan for 2nd Grade

Prepared by Mrs. Yandell

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

Continuing from last week's lesson… Students will learn the importance of cardinal direction, and explore means of navigation in the classroom by coding Dash to move N,S,E, & W by using the Path app.  This lesson will introduce the basics of coding, and creating algorithms.  

EDUCATION STANDARDS

1. SS:G:2.1 The student will identify and locate his/her city, county, state, nation, and continent on a simple map or a globe.
2. SS:G:2.6 The students will use legends, map keys, cardinal directions,intermediate directions, compass rose, and letter/number grids to determine locations on different types of maps.
3. SS:CH:2.1 The students will be able to locate Chattanooga on an US and Tennessee state map.
4. 21 Century Communication
5. 21 Century Collaboration skills
6. CSTA Computer Science Standards/ ISTE Standards

OBJECTIVES

1. Use standard cardinal points to design path for Dash to drive
2. Code Dash to follow the path
3. Map out correct sequence of direction using cardinal points
4. Write an algorithm using cardinal direction

MATERIALS NEEDED

Pencils
Paper
Dash
Ipad / Path app

VERIFICATION Steps to check for student understanding

Did your group work well together?
Were you able to design a path, Dash could follow, using cardinal direction?
Did your code work? Did Dash follow the path you designed properly?
What was the sequence of steps that Dash was supposed to follow

ACTIVITY

In this lesson, each student will be able to design & draw out a path for Dash to maneuver using cardinal direction.  Each student will draw on a piece of paper a path, and they will write out the correct sequence of the cardinal points used in their path.  Students will split into groups of three and take turns coding Dash through their path.  

Recap written by Mrs. Yandell:

Check out the awesome learning opportunities we have at Chattanooga Christian School!

Our second graders have been learning about the compass rose and cardinal direction, so last week during STEAM, students had the opportunity to create a map using cardinal direction and then program their robots to drive the path they designed.  The goal for this activity was to design a map that would take their robot to “lost treasure”.  

The first part of the activity, students worked individually to create a map.  On their papers, they were instructed to have drawn the compass rose, a path, and label each line in their path with the correct cardinal direction.  Once students completed this part, they were able to work in groups of four to program their robots.  
Groups were to take turns programming the robot.  For this activity, we used the Path app, which allows students to draw a program for the robot.  Students were able to transfer the path (map) they had drawn on their papers to the Path app, which programmed their robot to get the lost treasure!  

I am so glad our students have the opportunity to experience new methods of learning!

Five Senses: Herbs and Spice: Does That Smell Nice?

Herbs & Spice Playdough: Sense of Smell

Lesson Plan for 1st Grade

Prepared by Mrs. Yandell

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

Students will learn the how each of the five senses work together to help us explore the world around us.  This lesson will focus on the importance of smell.  

EDUCATION STANDARDS

Collaboration

1. The students will understand how God created us with the abilities to experience His creation.
2. The students will use their five senses to investigate, describe, and compare objects.
3. The students will use their five senses to enhance their writing abilities.
4. The students will use their five senses to describe an object.
5. The students will recognize how they interact with their environment through their senses

OBJECTIVES

1. Discovering the importance of our five senses
2. Discovering God’s desire for our senses
3. Learning to make observations using sense of touch
4. Learning the importance of observations to identify characteristics
5. Recognizing categories of living things vs non-living things

MATERIALS NEEDED

1. 7-8 Natural herbs and spices
2. Dough
1. 1 cup cornstarch or potato starch
2. 1 ¼ cup brown rice flour
3. ½ tsp guar gum or xanthan gum
4. 1 cup salt
5. ¾-1 cup water

VERIFICATION

Steps to check for student understanding

1. Were you able to choose your favorite herb/spice without smelling it?
2. After smelling the the herb/spice, do you still agree you chose your favorite?
3. By smelling the herb/spice, were you able to learn more about it?
4. How does your sense of smell help you to identify things in our environment?
5. Can your sense of smell help you learn more about your environment?

ACTIVITY

In this lesson, students will be using their sense of smell to help them identify things in their environment.  In groups of four, students will look and touch eight different herbs/spices at their table.  They will chose their favorite based solely on sight and touch.  They will then have the opportunity to smell the herb/spice they chose, along with the other seven herb/spices.  After smelling all of the spices, students will identify which one they like best, and compare it to their first choice.  As a class, we will go over the importance of our sense of smell, and how it can help us to identify and classify things in our environment.

Next, the students will have the opportunity to use their favorite herb/spice to make an aromatic gluten free playdough.  

Recap written by Jessica Yandell:

Our first-grade students had the opportunity to explore their sense of smell and use their favorite herb/spice to create an aromatic gluten free playdough! As an introduction to this lesson, we showed a video clip that talked about how our nose works http://viewpure.com/hzOSzX_HXE4?start=0&end=0 . The kids thought this video was hilarious…, but it was a great way to catch their attention as we learned about our sense of smell.

 

This activity was broken into three parts.  I placed eight cups on each group's desk, which were filled with different herbs and spices.  I asked the students to plug their nose, and breath through their mouths.  Then they were to use only their sense of sight and touch to explore the herbs and spices in front of them.  Each student was to choose their favorite without using their sense of smell.  After everyone in each group had the opportunity to touch and look at the different cups, I asked everyone to smell each cup and decide if the cup they initially chose was still their favorite.

Most everyone said no..! As a class, we smelled one cup at a time and talked about the herb or spice that was in the cup.  For this activity, we used: french lavender, lavender, rosemary, lemon pepper, cinnamon, basil, clove, & garlic.  This was a very aromatic experience that was truly a sensory experience for our students! The last part of the activity, each student was able to use as many herbs and spices to make their gluten free dough smell good!

Marble Run: Engineering a Rollercoaster

Engineering a Roller Coaster

Lesson Plan for 2nd Grade: Collaboration & Communication

Prepared by Ms. Yandell & Ms. Davis

Faith is like a roller coaster ride, strap in, hold on, and trust God.

Mark 11: 22-24 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

Introduce STEAM to second graders by way of engineering a roller coaster using foam pool noodles and marbles. The purpose of this lesson is to show students that they each have different ideas in their head and they have to work within teams to collaborate and communicate kindly and effectively to get the job done.

EDUCATION STANDARDS

1. 21st-century collaboration skills
2. 21st-century communication skills

OBJECTIVES

1. Introduce student contract ideas.
2. How to share responsibility in the engineering design process.
3. Being respectful of our words
4. Understanding the good of the team over their own viewpoint- how to compromise
5. How to encourage others
6. When you don’t do your part, it lets the whole team down
7. Learn basic understanding of the scientific method
8. Understanding of fundamental physics concepts and the basics of successful roller coaster construction

MATERIALS NEEDED

1. Foam Noodles ( 4-5 per group)
2. Marbles (1-2 per group)
3. Masking Tape
4. Conflict Resolution baggy
5. Student Contract

VERIFICATION

Steps to check for student understanding

1. After roller coasters are done recap with the following questions:
1. Did your team work well together today?
1. Why or why not?
2. Did you both work on the roller coaster?
3. Did you listen to each other?
4. Were your ideas listened to?
5. Did your team ask for help when you needed it?
6. Did you follow your student contract page?
7. Did your team finish the day’s assignment to your satisfaction?
1. Why? Why not?

ACTIVITY

Describe activity that will reinforce the lesson

1. Cut the foam tubes in half.

2. Tape the two halves together so you have a 12 foot long piece of tubing.

3. Now the fun part~ experiment with the track!

• Start by finding an area where you have quite a bit of room to stretch the tube out.
• Tape one side of the tube onto something somewhat high like a table.
• Find something to place under the tubing (desks, chairs, books etc.) to make a hill.
• Must have: Two Hills (one must be taller than the other), One Loop, One curve.  

4. Allow the kids to explore: allow the kids to figure out what did work and what didn’t work for their roller coasters.

What’s Going On?

You are exploring physics! Gravity pulls the marble down the first hill. At the top of the hill, the marble has potential energy (energy that’s stored up and ready to be released). As the marble rolls down the hills the potential energy turns into kinetic energy (energy of motion).

(This lesson was adapted from buggyandbuddy.com)

Lesson Recap written by Mrs. Yandell:

The marble run! This lesson was a great opportunity for our second graders to learn about good communication and collaboration.  In this lesson, students were asked to engineer a roller coaster using pool noodles and tape, and were given specific instructions such as the design must have one loop and two hills that are different sizes.  Students were split into groups of four and were given twenty minutes to complete their roller coasters.  

Before they started the activity, we discussed as a class the importance of teamwork and the qualities that define working together.  I wanted the students to start the year by working together to do an activity that is challenging, and also learn how to share ideas during the process!