1. For the Elementary Classroom
Easy Engineering
For the Elementary Classroom

2. Essential parts of the Engineering Design Process
A) Introduce the challenge and define the problem.
B) Research and explore the problem.
C) Brainstorm and design your solution to the problem.
D) Build, test, and analyze your solution.
E) Improve or redesign and retest your solution.
F) Present and share your solution.

3. 5 Step Process
Set the Scene: scenario, problem/challenge, criteria/constraints
Introduce materials
Require individual/teams to draw a picture of their first prototype
Build/Test - Timeout - Build/Test - Timeout -...
Celebrate failures

4. Animal Adaptations

6. What’s the Better Beak
Objective: Students will explore how birds’ adaptations help them survive.

7. Materials One per group of 4: One per person: One set per group:
Toothpick
Spoon
Tweezers
Clothespin
One per person:
Plastic “stomach” cup
One set per group:
Tray of marbles
Tray of raisins
Tray of packing foam in water
Tray of pieces of straws
Materials

8. Group Project
Each member will pretend to be a bird with a different kind of beak.
Each bird will attempt to eat four different types of food: snails, water bugs, worms, and grubs.

9. Beaks
Clothespin – hold the clothespin at the very end so it can be opened as wide as possible. Use only one hand to operate the clothespin.
Toothpick – use the toothpick only as a spear to capture food and not as a scoop. Use one hand to hold the toothpick and only one finger of the other hand to push food off the toothpick.

10. Beaks
Tweezers – use the tweezers to pinch the food. Do not use them as a spear or scoop. Use only one hand to operate the tweezers.
Spoon – Use only one hand to hold the spoon as a scoop for food.

11. Note
You can only use one hand at a time to operate beaks, unless otherwise told.
Do not become discouraged if you can not pick up food with your beak.
Goal: To see which beaks are best suited to pick up certain food sources.

12. Marble Snails Spread marble snails around.
You have one minute to pick up as many marbles as possible, using your beak.
As food is gathered, place it into your “stomach” cup.
When time is called, count the number of marbles in your cup & share data with the team.

13. Raisin Grubs Spread raisin grubs around.
You have one minute to pick up as many raisins as possible, using your beak.
As food is gathered, place it into your “stomach” cup.
When time is called, count the number of raisins in your cup & share data with the team.

14. Drinking Straw Worms
You have one minute to pick up as many pieces of drinking straws as possible, using your beak.
As food is gathered, place it into your “stomach” cup.
When time is called, count the number of drinking straw pieces in your cup & share data with the team.

15. Packing Foam Water bugs
You have one minute to pick up as many pieces of packing foam as possible, using your beak.
As food is gathered, place it into your “stomach” cup.
When time is called, count the number of packing foam in your cup & share data with the team.

16. Analyze Data Which beak was best for collecting grub?
Which beak was best for collecting water bugs?
Which beak was best for collecting worms?
Which beak was best for collecting snails?

17. Analyze Data
Which was the best beak for collecting a wide variety of foods?
Which beaks were unsuitable for certain foods? Why?

18. Connections Why might a specialized beak hurt a bird?
Why is it beneficial for a bird to have a more versatile beak?
How does a bird’s beak type and food preference help determine its habitat?

19. Tying It All Together Birds’ beaks serve a variety of purposes:
Obtain food and drink water
Build nests
Attack intruders
Groom feathers
Scratch their bodies
Feed their young

20. Tying It All Together
Each type of bird has a special type of beak, an ADAPTATION for eating a certain type of food.
Their beaks are vital to their survival.
Examples of birds and their beaks include…

21. Hummingbirds
Have long, narrow beaks that they use to probe flowers for nectar.
The beak protects the tongue that slurps up the nectar.

22. Eagles
Have strong, hooked beaks that tear food.

23. Curlews, Godwits, Kiwis & Snipes
Have very long beaks that they use to probe for worms and other small creatures in mud and water.

24. Cardinals, sparrows, grosbeaks & other finch like birds
Have short, conical beaks.
Beaks are very strong and can break open tough seeds.

25. Spoonbills and pelicans
Have long, flattened or pouch like beaks that they use to scoop up fish and other aquatic creatures.

26. Flamingos and some ducks
Have bills that act like strainers to filter tiny plants and animals from the water.

27. Nighthawks, whippoorwills, swifts & swallows
Have large, gaping mouths that act like nets to trap insects.
These birds catch insects on the wing.

28. Warblers
Have small, sharp, pointed beaks for picking insects from leaves, logs, and twigs.

29. Toucans
Have very long, thick beaks for reaching out and plucking fruit from trees.

30. Birds
Many birds, after millions of generations, have evolved very specialized beaks and can eat only one type of food
Other birds, like crows, have more versatile beaks and can eat a variety of food.

31. Introduce Engineering Activity: Build a Better Beak
Set the Scene: scenario, problem/challenge, criteria/constraints
Introduce materials
Require teams to draw a picture of their first prototype
Build/Test - Timeout - Build/Test - Timeout -...
Celebrate failures

32. Physical Science Engineering Activities

33. K-2: Marble Track Challenge
Challenge the teams to build a track that the marble can run through
On its own
Change directions at least once
End inside the cup

34. 3-5: Rube Goldberg Machine
Challenge
As a group of 4, build a Rube Goldberg machine that achieves a simple task at the end of a series of interacting simple machines.

35. 3-5: Rube Goldberg Machine
Criteria
must include a chain reaction with dominoes
must include at least 3 additional elements chosen from the following list:
pendulum
upward ramp
target to hit
cup
toy car
ball/marble
the machine must include a sound
must complete a simple task at the end

36. 3-5: Rube Goldberg Machine
Constraints
must be completed during the lab period
must stay within your assigned space
no element can count as two criteria (i.e. the target to hit cannot also count as the sound)