STEM Lesson Plan for 2nd Class – A sustainable bird bath
Pupils will be tasked with designing a bird bath for the school garden from sustainable materials, which could be purchased in a local garden center or reclaimed equipment. Pupils will be encouraged to work in small groups.
Materials:
> Drawing materials – pencils, paper, rubber, ruler
> Construction materials – cardboard, tin foil, rubber bands, lollipop sticks, straws, pipe cleaners, cellotape, glue, colouring equipment
Lesson
1. Class brainstorm on the concept of ‘sustainable’ and identifying sustainable materials.
2. Explain task to pupils and divide students in small groups of between 3-4, making strategic groupings to ensure pupils worth to the best of their ability. Explain roles for within groups, such as drawing and design role, construction role and feedback/communication role. Alternatively, if students can assume their own roles without teacher assistance they may.
3. Allow time for pupils to firstly draw their design – labelling the sustainable items clearly.
4. Next, in the maker-station, the students will be encouraged to construct a model of their deisgn.
5. Lastly, they will present and explain their ideas to their peers after which the best design will be voted on and a letter of persuasion written as a shared activity by the class and sent to the Green School Committee.
Assessment
Observation of collaboration and need for teacher intervention and redirection. Success of both finish product in terms of design and construction as well as the sustainability of the bird bath. Questiong students on materials suggested during presentation of their deisgn – why did you select x, how will x balance on y, how will you join part x to y etc.
