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This project would also be excellent for creating a sense of community in the classroom as everyone would be working together toward a common goal (acceptance of their project by NASA_.   ELL differentiation:  I would probably find a different project to accommodate ELL's as this project is very intense, and requires a strong command of language (in order to follow instructions.)  It is possible to create a book of picture instructions for the project or give them a smaller, yet still important role in the class for this particular assignment.

The Design ProcessAs citizens of the constructed world, students will participate in the design process.  Students will learn to use materials and tools safely and employ the basic principles of the engineering design process in order to find solutions to problems.3.4.2

The Design Process: Identify a need or problem to be solved; brainstorm potential solutions; throughout the entire design process, document the design with drawings (including labels) in a portfolio or notebook so that the process can be replicated; select a solution to the need or problem; select the most appropriate materials to develop a solution that will meet the need; evaluate and test the design. This activity can be adapted for gifted students by allowing them to first draw a blueprint of their model. This will allow them to make predictions and hypothesis about their cube model and their tag board model. These students can then record their observations and their conclusions about their final product. This activity can also be adapted for younger grades by giving the students more materials to help them balance their models. Also, allowing the younger students to work in partners, rather than pairs, will allow them to more freely express their ideas. Working with a partner will give each student the opportunity to make sure their ideas are heard. For younger students, omitting the blueprint may also be helpful. Rather, having the students simply draw a picture of their model with labels may be more appropriate.

While this activity does not cover a specific standard it does meet the requirement of teaching the design process.  Make sure that students must design, test, and revise their design to make the activity authentic.  A race would be a great final activity.  Assessment could come from an oral presentation on what they did and why or a visual presentation, such as a poster.

SC.2.3.7 2000Investigate and observe that the way to change how something is moving is to give it a push or a pull.

The Design Process: Identify a need or problem to be solved; brainstorm potential solutions; document the design throughout the entire design process; select the most appropriate materials to develop a solution that will meet the need; create the solution through a prototype; test and evaluate how well the solution meets the goal; communicate how to improve the solution. This activity can be modified for gifted students by having them record their predictions, as well as measure how much weight each bridge held. The activity can be adjusted for younger grades by having them design only one bridge, rather than several. It can also be adjusted by providing specific materials for the younger students, rather than giving them a wide variety of choices for materials.

Extensions: This activity connects Natural Science with English (LA).   Students read books about recycling, reusing and reducing waste.   They also read about birdhouses. Finally, they write an essay on how the house is earth friendly. Adaptations: Gifted students can make their own birdhouse and document type of bird and habitat it is designed for.  ESL and Special Ed students can work in small groups or pairs to design birdhouse and do research/reading together. 

Sticky Note: Grades 2-5 all have portions of Life Sciences devoted to ecosystems and this project could be easily manipulated to focus on different aspects of an ecosystem. I would give specific guidelines in some cases, especially for younger grades, but it would be great to allow older students to have time to brainstorm the kind of ecosystem they wanted to complete and allow them to go through the research process to create a good replica of that ecosystem.

6.4.1 "Understand how to apply potential or kinetic energy to power a simple device"

This activity could be differentiated for gifted students by challenging them to use materials they can find around the classroom other than those provided once they have determined how to successfully build the wheel and axle devices out of the provided materials.

4.2.1 "Demonstrate and describe how smaller rocks come from the breakage and weathering of larger rocks in a process that occurs over a long period of time."

This would be a great language development activity for ELL students- they could be challenged to use adjectives to describe what they are seeing during the weathering process. 

Extensions: Connect Science & Tech with LA. Adaptations: Gifted students can write about their conclusions about natural vs. artificial sugar.  Which tastes better, and which is better for your health?  ESL and Special Ed students can draw pictures of their conclusions to indicate the same things.

The Challenger Center also offers Special Needs missions. Lessons are differentiated as students will be assigned to different roles.  This is a very "challenging" endeavor, and requires completion of lessons prior to the visit.

5.4.1 "Investigate technologies that mimic human or animal musculoskeletal systems in order to meet a need." This activity can be adapted for ELL students by allowing those students to draw pictures of their design, rather than write a paragraph or make a chart. If the students are able, they can label the parts of their picture, using the English words they know. This activity can also be adjusted for younger grades by allowing them more than one science class time to work on the project. This may be an activity that can span a few days. The activity can then be broken down into sections. The students could use one class time to ask their questions within their group, and plan what they want their product to look like. The actual design and implementation of their product can be put into place on a separate class day.

Sticky Note: This would be great to add for ELL students as a preview for a unit on weather so they have a good foundation of the vocabulary needed to understand the upcoming unit.

5.4.3

5.4.1 Investigate technologies that mimic human or animal musculoskeletal systems in order to meet a need.5.4.2 Investigate the purpose of prototypes and models when designing a solution to a problem and how limitations in cost and design features might affect their construction.5.4.3 Design solutions to problems in the context of musculoskeletal body systems. Using suitable tools, techniques and materials, draw or build a prototype or model of a proposed design. Differentiation: For ELL and special education students; Create the model hand with the class as they create it.  Go step by step and do the process with them so they can watch you and hear the directions you are giving.