KNex Challenge

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Samantha Bolles

Title

Time Frame: 2,  50 minute class periods

Overview
Students are grouped into 3-4 and each given a K’Nex building challenge card. Students first attempt to persuade their “architecture firm” to build their project/challenge.  This is the “elevator pitch” of individuals. Each “architecture firm” votes on project/challenge to pursue and then collaboratively builds it.  This requires negotiation communication skills within collaboration to get individual ideas to converge into a single build. Then students work through the engineering design process to complete the structure.  At the end, students show off and explain their structures to the rest of the class. Lesson Plan is linked below

Stage 1 - Desired Results

Big Idea(s)
  1. Students first persuade their “architecture firm” to build their project/challenge (project card provided to each student).  This is the “pitch” of individuals.
  2. Architecture firm votes on project/challenge to pursue and then collaboratively builds it.  This requires negotiation skills within collaboration to get individual ideas to converge into a single build.


PA Core Standards / Next Generation Science Standards
T & E EducationScience EducationMathematics EducationComputer ScienceCEW
NGSS ETS 1-2,313.28E13.28A


Essential Questions
  • How can I persuade my group to build my project/challenge?
  • How can we collaboratively build a structure using K’Nex parts?


Students Will KnowStudents Will Be Doing
  • Elevator pitch
  • Collaboration
  • Negotiation
  • Steps of design process
  • Define the challenge
  • Brainstorm
  • Plan
  • Create
  • Iterate
  • Communicate
  • Individually persuading the group to build their project/challenge
  • Collaboratively the group negotiates on how to build the chosen structure/challenge out of K’Nex

Stage 2 - Evidence of Understanding

Assessments (Formative and Summative):Performance Task(s)
  • Informal Formative Assessments through observation of collaboration and communication
  • Students first are responsible for giving a “pitch” to convince the team to build their challenge
  • Teams collaborate to build the chosen structure out of K’nex pieces

Stage 3 - Lesson Learning Targets

Learning Activities: Learning targets are written from the students perspective.
  • Students learn how to give a quick persuasive “elevator pitch”
  • Students continue to learn how to collaborate together, but this time apply a real focus to the negotiation part of the communication that goes on during brainstorming
  • Students continue to become familiar with the steps of the engineering design process.

RESOURCES / LINKS

ActivitiesPresentationsAssessments
 


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