This week, 2nd Grade Scientists studied some basics of forces (“push or a pull”) and began to set up their year-long science notebooks to capture questions, observations and ideas. Their first design task will incorporate measurement, projectile motion, and all of the elements of a good challenge: material and time constraints, a goal with a high ceiling, and a compelling purpose or need. Students read Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey to learn about a town of mice who use creative machines to repel an invading Corgi (the mice succeed by building a dog-washing contraption – dogs hate baths – but the story ends foreshadowing the next threat: puppies).
Students’ challenge will be to work with tablemates to build a launcher to throw a dog bone as far away from Mousopolis as they can with their given materials. To measure their successes, students will use one inch cubed “mice” (which they will assemble using pieces lasercut in the Hub) to measure precisely and accurately their bone’s travel distance. Throughout the year, students will practice the habits and mindsets of scientists, building curiosity, ideation, prediction, communication and careful observation in order to set and meet new goals.
Students’ challenge will be to work with tablemates to build a launcher to throw a dog bone as far away from Mousopolis as they can with their given materials.
Their teacher is ready to support their ideas coming to life, offering challenges like the dog bone launcher, while taking opportunities throughout the challenge to introduce and reinforce key terms and content about gravity, force, simple machines and accurate measurement in standards units.