1. Building a Better Boat Setting the Tone for a Successful Inquiry-Based Classroom

2. Presenters Erica Posthuma-Adams, University H.S. Ryan Bruick, Noblesville H.S. Ben Buehler, Blue River Valley Jr/Sr H.S. Cathy Huss, Twin Lakes H.S. Bill Thornburgh, University H.S.

3. From Day One... Get kids excited. Engage your students. Introduce them to a collaborative learning environment in a discovery-based activity An embedded lesson in using the scientific process.

4. Sample Activity Presentation Slides 5-9 are a sample version of how some of us implement the activity. Sequencing (adjust to fit your needs): 1.Introduction5-min. 2.Production25-35-min. 3.Creating Whiteboards10-15-min. 4.Whiteboard Presentations20-30-min. 5.Post-Discussion Wrap-Up10-min. Notes: o Size constraints are mainly to limit material use. o May make more sense to score COST / PENNIES, giving you a ratio indicating the cost for each penny floated, lowest value wins. o Avoid answering most questions, like “How do I measure...?”, let the students ask these questions of each other during presentations.

5. Guidelines Build a boat capable of floating as many pennies as possible. Provided a list of materials and their "prices". Build your boat to meet the time and size regulations...

6. Regulations The Build a Boat Hope it Floats Boat Float-Off begins 30 minutes from the time I say "Build Your Boat". Boats cannot be larger than 4 x 6 x 10 centimeters. Calculate the total cost of your boat.

7. How to Win The winner of the Boat Float-off is the group earning the highest score based on the following equation: Score = Number of Pennies Floated Total Cost

8. Material Price List (Boat dimensions cannot exceed 4 cm x 6 cm x 10 cm) Paper$0.10 for each cm 2 Aluminum Foil$0.20 for each cm 2 Clear Plastic$0.30 for each cm 2 Cardboard$0.50 for each cm 2 Paper Clips$0.25 each Rubber Bands$0.50 each Plastic Straws $0.10 for each 1 cm length Clear Tape $0.15 for each 1 cm length Duct Tape $0.75 for each 1 cm length

9. Presenting Your Results Your whiteboard must include the following: A complete list of materials and the individual costs as well as your total cost. Your calculated score = number of pennies total cost A list of things you discussed when designing the boat. A list of any obstacles that kept you from building a better boat. What were your boat's best/worst features?

10. Whiteboard Session Discussion Gets students in front of the classroom presenting – taking ownership. Students, not the teacher, provide rationale for: o Precision and Accuracy in Measurement o Clear Presentation of Results o Showing Evidence for How they Arrive at an Answer o Need for a Set of Rules for Rounding their Answers Most-importantly...

11. The Big Question... Ask the students, “Why did we build a boat today? What was the purpose of this activity?” o Kids will offer a lot of good reasons for starting with this activity. If no one hits on it, ask them how many of them, by show of hands, if they were given the same set of rules could build a better boat right now? o In this class we learn through experimenting, discussing results, and revising our ideas based on our best information. o Everyday we will work toward building a better model of how matter behaves at the particle level.