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This activity builds on the previous fun and learning of ‘Building Bridges’ and challenges students to think about how engineers choose materials based on the forces acting on bridges.
After watching a presentation on how forces affect material choices, pairs of students will be presented with a set of materials out of which they will make bridges. Aspects of the Science curriculum will be covered in how they observe, predict and test their bridges using the attached worksheets.
While many of the concepts may be challenging for students in lower primary, it may be a fun activity to extend those students who enjoyed ‘Building Bridges’.
Examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations
Pose questions to explore observed patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations
Follow procedures to make and record observations, including making formal measurements using familiar scaled instruments and using digital tools as appropriate
Use provided scaffolds to plan and conduct investigations to answer questions or test predictions, including identifying the elements of fair tests, and considering the safe use of materials and equipment
Construct and use representations, including tables, simple column graphs and visual or physical models, to organise data and information, show simple relationships and identify patterns
Write and create texts to communicate findings and ideas for identified purposes and audiences, using scientific vocabulary and digital tools as appropriate
Examine design and technologies occupations and factors including sustainability that impact on the design of products, services and environments to meet community needs
Describe how forces and the properties of materials affect function in a product or system
Explore needs or opportunities for designing, and test materials, components, tools, equipment and processes needed to create designed solutions
Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions
Use given or co-developed design criteria including sustainability to evaluate design ideas and solutions
Examine the properties of natural and made materials including fibres, metals, glass and plastics and consider how these properties influence their use
Identify how forces can be exerted by one object on another and investigate the effect of frictional, gravitational and magnetic forces on the motion of objects
Examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations
Pose questions to explore observed patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations
Use provided scaffolds to plan and conduct investigations to answer questions or test predictions, including identifying the elements of fair tests, and considering the safe use of materials and equipment
Follow procedures to make and record observations, including making formal measurements using familiar scaled instruments and using digital tools as appropriate
Construct and use representations, including tables, simple column graphs and visual or physical models, to organise data and information, show simple relationships and identify patterns
Write and create texts to communicate findings and ideas for identified purposes and audiences, using scientific vocabulary and digital tools as appropriate
Examine why advances in science are often the result of collaboration or build on the work of others
Pose investigable questions to identify patterns and test relationships and make reasoned predictions
Construct and use appropriate representations, including tables, graphs and visual or physical models, to organise and process data and information and describe patterns, trends and relationships
Write and create texts to communicate ideas and findings for specific purposes and audiences, including selection of language features, using digital tools as appropriate
Explain how people in design and technologies occupations consider competing factors including sustainability in the design of products, services and environments
Explain how characteristics and properties of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment affect their use when producing designed solutions
Develop project plans that include consideration of resources to individually and collaboratively make designed solutions
Examine why advances in science are often the result of collaboration or build on the work of others
Pose investigable questions to identify patterns and test relationships and make reasoned predictions
Plan and conduct repeatable investigations to answer questions including, as appropriate, deciding the variables to be changed, measured and controlled in fair tests; describing potential risks; planning for the safe use of equipment and materials; and identifying required permissions to conduct investigations on Country/Place
Construct and use appropriate representations, including tables, graphs and visual or physical models, to organise and process data and information and describe patterns, trends and relationships
Write and create texts to communicate ideas and findings for specific purposes and audiences, including selection of language features, using digital tools as appropriate
Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships
With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior knowledge
With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment
Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record observations accurately
Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends
Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings
Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and informal representations
Recognise the role of people in design and technologies occupations and explore factors, including sustainability that impact on the design of products, services and environments to meet community needs
Investigate how forces and the properties of materials affect the behaviour of a product or system
Investigate the suitability of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment for a range of purposes
Critique needs or opportunities for designing and explore and test a variety of materials, components, tools and equipment and the techniques needed to produce designed solutions
Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and use safe work practices to make designed solutions
Evaluate design ideas, processes and solutions based on criteria for success developed with guidance and including care for the environment
Plan a sequence of production steps when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively
Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties that can influence their use
Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance
Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships
With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior knowledge
With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment
Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record observations accurately
Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings
Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and informal representations
Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and reflects historical and cultural contributions
With guidance, pose clarifying questions and make predictions about scientific investigations
Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate
Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
Examine how people in design and technologies occupations address competing considerations, including sustainability in the design of products, services, and environments for current and future use
Investigate characteristics and properties of a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment and evaluate the impact of their use
Develop project plans that include consideration of resources when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively
Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and reflects historical and cultural contributions
With guidance, pose clarifying questions and make predictions about scientific investigations
Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks
Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate
Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
Questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations
Selects and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity
Compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things
Describes how agricultural processes are used to grow plants and raise animals for food, clothing and shelter
Describes how adding or removing heat causes a change of state
Investigates the suitability of natural and processed materials for a range of purposes
Describes the characteristics and effects of common forms of energy, such as light and heat
Describes how contact and non-contact forces affect an object’s motion
Investigates regular changes caused by interactions between the Earth and the Sun, and changes to the Earth’s surface