Sledding with STEM!

™  
©Get  Caught  Engineering®  
 
Next  Genera2on  Science  Standards  (NGSS)  
 
Grades  K-­‐  2:  ENGINEERING  DESIGN  
 
K-­‐2-­‐ETS1-­‐1:  Ask  ques)ons,  make  observa)ons,  and  gather  informa)on  about  a  
situa)on  people  want  to  change  to  define  a  simple  problem  that  can  be  solved  
through  the  development  of  a  new  or  improved  object  or  tool  
K-­‐2-­‐ETS1-­‐2:  Develop  a  simple  sketch,  drawing,  or  physical  model  to  illustrate  how  
the  shape  of  an  object  helps  it  func)on  as  needed  to  solve  a  given  problem  
 
Grades  3-­‐5:  ENGINEERING  DESIGN  
 
3-­‐5-­‐-­‐ETS1-­‐1:  Define  a  simple  design  problem  reflec)ng  a  need  or  a  want  that  
included  specified  criteria  for  success  and  constraints  on  materials,  )me,  or  cost.  
3-­‐5-­‐-­‐ETS1-­‐2:  Generate  and  compare  mul)ple  possible  solu)ons  to  a  problem  based  
on  how  well  each  is  likely  to  meet  the  criteria  and  constraints  of  the  problem.  
3-­‐5-­‐-­‐ETS1-­‐3:  Plan  and  carry  out  fair  tests  in  which  variables  are  controlled  
 and  failure  points  are  considered  to  iden)fy  aspects  of  a  model  or  prototype  
 that  can  be  improved.  
 
 CREATED By
©Get Caught Engineering
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 CREATED By
©Get Caught Engineering
©CLUE Resources LLC

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Calling  all  P.I.s  …PROBLEM  INVESTIGATORS!      
 The  town  of  STEM-­‐a-­‐lot  has  just  had  a  big  snowstorm.  The  children  want  to  
hold  a  sledding  race,  but  the  stores  are  out  of  sleds.  The  main  materials  they  
have  are  cardboard  and  duct  tape.  They  know  that  as  an  engineer,  you  have  
the  skills  to  build  a  prototype  for  a  sled.  We  are  coun)ng  on  your  skills  with  
the  five  P’s:  problem  solving,  planning,  perseverance,  pa2ence,  and  
presenta2on  as  you  engineer  an  answer!    
 
©GetCaughtEngineering®  
  
Here’s  the  problem:  
We  need  you  to  develop  a  prototype  for  the  sled.  Use  what  you  know  about  
force,  mo2on,  gravity,  and  fric2on  to  build  a  sled.  Measure  how  far  your  
sled  will  travel  on  the  ramp.  If  the  sled  will  go  the  en2re  length  of  the  ramp,  
con2nue  to  revise  and  improve  your  sled  to  decrease  the  amount  of  2me  it  
takes  to  travel  the  en2re  ramp.  
 
 
 
 
 

  Your  materials:  
• Cardboard  from  a  cereal  box  
• 12  inches  of  duct  tape  
• Washers,  binder  clips  or  pennies  to  provide  weight  
• Pipe  cleaners  
• Scissors  
• Plas2c  Rain  guWer  (5  foot  length)  or  a  wood  plank  for  a  ramp  
• Wood  block  to  brace  the  rain  guWer  or  plank  
• Chair  to  lean  ramp  against  
 

©GetCaughtEngineering®  
  

Ask:  
What  do  you  know  about  force,  accelera2on,  and  gravity?  
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________  
 _______________________________________________________________________________  
 
 
Imagine:  
What  are  some  ideas  you  can  try  as  you  design  your  sled?  How  does  that  informa2on  help  you  
design  the  sled?  
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________  
   

©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 
Plan:  
Sketch  your  team’s  design  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Create:  
Build  the  prototype  following  your  design  
©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 
Test  
Test  your  sled  
Does  it  slide  down  the  en2re  track?                                                                      Yes                  No  
IF  yes,  how  long  does  it  take?                                                                                                  __________  
 
Improve  
If  your  sled  did  not  meet  your  criteria,  what  will  you  change?  
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________  
 
©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 
Pa2ence  (Keep  Trying)  
Test  your  sled  
Does  it  slide  down  the  en2re  track?                                                                      Yes                  No  
If  so,  how  long  does  it  take?                                                                                                  __________  
 
Improve  
If  your  sled  did  not  meet  your  criteria,  what  will  you  change?  
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________  
 Con2nue  to  revise  and  adapt  your  sled  un2l  you  meet  your  goals.  

 
©GetCaughtEngineering®  
Presenta2on  
 
Prepare  a  presenta2on  that:  
 
Explains  your  plan  and  why  you  chose  that  sled  design  
   
Shows  how  you  solved  problems  
   
Shares  how  you  persevered  
   
Gives  examples  of  your  team’s  pa2ence  
 
©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 
   
 ™  

©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 
 Reflections
   What  worked  best?                What  did  not  work?  
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________  

©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 
 Inquiry Questions
 
What are some different things you could try?

What would happen if you…?

What might you try instead?

What will you do next?

Tell me about your materials?

Tell me what happened?

What does this make you think of?

What will you do next after you finish this part?

 
  ©GetCAughtEngineering®  
 Rubric
    Some   Good   Excellent  
  No  Evidence   Understanding   Understanding   Understanding  
 
Brainstormed  
Ideas  
 
Created  a  
labeled  sketch  
 
Evaluated  how  
to  make  it  
be[er  
Completed    
presenta)on  
 

©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 Why Aren’t There Pictures???
The Get Caught Engineering Philosophy
We sometimes receive requests for pictures of final solutions to our engineering challenges. We find that
students who see pictures of solutions believe that is the one correct answer and end up just copying or
imitating the image. Similarly, when teachers see a picture, they often guide their students to that solution
whether they mean to or not. We carefully craft our lessons to ensure that the problems are clearly outlined,
 
have easily obtained materials and have multiple solutions to support all learners. Although we celebrate the
students’ successes, our focus is to provide the opportunity for children to collaborate, create solutions, and

 
finally test and improve their solutions using the Engineering Design Process.

We are always fascinated and impressed by the various solutions students achieve as they work through the

 
engineering process. This is why the lessons we write are not focused upon a specific “right” answer. Rather,
they are designed to allow students to apply what they know and investigate potential ideas and concepts. As
students revise and manipulate their ideas, you will find their group discussions to be rather amazing. We

 
have seen students absolutely bloom as their confidence grow. They understand that it is socially acceptable
to have differing ideas of how to solve a problem. They also learn the valuable skill of working cooperatively
towards a solution. They also quickly come to the realization that is acceptable to fail, revise and try again.
This is a new paradigm for many classrooms and well worth the extra time it takes. Perseverance becomes
the classroom motto. In our teacher notes accompanying each activity we have suggestions for leading
discussions and guiding the students in the engineering design process.

We hope you enjoy this process with your students and you all “Get Caught Engineering”!
Wendy and Cheryl
  ©Get  Caught  Engineering®  
  Teacher  Notes  
   
This  ac)vity  is  designed  to  allow  students  to  apply  what  they  know  about  force,  accelera)on,  gravity  and  
fric)on.  
   
Before  you  begin  the  ac)vity,  decide  on  how  many  groups  you  will  have  and  who  will  be  in  each  group.  We  
recommend  that  each  group  be  composed  of  3  or  4  students.  Consider  each  of  your  students’  strengths  and  
weaknesses  as  you  form  groups.  The  dynamic  within  each  group  can  dictate  whether  or  not  they  are  
successful.  This  lesson  has  been  wri[en  to  allow  the  students  to  choose  from  a  variety  of  materials  that  will  be  
offered.  Teachers  can  choose  to  make  the  problem  more  challenging  by  limi)ng  the  number  or  amount  of  
materials  available.  Students  can  also  be  provided  a  budget  with  a  corresponding  price  list  for  supplies.  Upper  
students  could  also  be  challenged  to  compute  the  cost  of  their  sled.  
   
Introduce  the  Design  Process  
Pass  out  a  copy  of  the  Get  Caught  Engineering  Design  Process  so  the  students  can  refer  to  them  throughout  the  
ac)vity.  Tell  the  students  that  the  Engineering  Design  Process  gives  engineers  a  framework  to  help  them  solve  
problems.  Although  the  process  looks  like  a  con)nuous  circle,  most  )mes,  engineers  do  not  make  it  all  the  way  
to  the  test  step  without  many  )mes  going  back  to  earlier  steps.  
   
It  is  suggested  that  this  is  a  good  )me  to  address  that  the  solu)on  will  not  come  easily  and  it  is  expected  that  
several  designs  will  have  to  be  created  in  order  to  be  successful.  Engineers  expect  to  fail  during  the  process  and  
perceive  failure  as  merely  a  step  that  leads  them  to  the  solu)on.  
“I  am  not  discouraged,  because  every  wrong  a6empt  discarded  is  another  step  forward”  Thomas  Edison  
   
   
 ©  GetCaughtEngineering®  
 
 
  
 
 
Ask  
Before  engineers  can  plan  and  design  a  solu)on  to  a  problem,  they  first  need    to  totally  understand  the  
problem  and  know  what  all  of  the  constraints  are.  
Define  the  word  constraint  and  have  the  students  compile  a  list  of  constraints  for  this  ac)vity.  Write  the  list  on  
a  large  piece  of  paper  or  on  the  Smart  Board.  This  list  should  be  kept  posted  in  an  area  that  the  students  can  
con)nually  refer  to  it.    
Encourage  the  students  to  ask  ques)ons  about  the  requirements  of  the  solu)on  to  the  problem.  In  some  cases,  
you  may  need  to  model  a  ques)on  that  might  be  asked.    
Ask  the  students  what  they  know  about  force,  mo)on,  gravity,  and  fric)on.  
Show  the  students  the  materials  that  will  be  available  for  their  use  during  this  ac)vity.  We  highly  recommend  
using  recycled  cereal  boxes  for  cardboard  as  it  is  easy  to  cut.  Plas8c  rain  gu9ers  can  be  obtained  from  
hardware  stores  and  they  will  cut  them  to  the  length  you  want.  (  We  use  also  rain  gu9ers  fi9ed  with  end  
pieces  for  our  STEM  sailboat  ac8vity).  The  duct  tape  allows  students  to  create  a  smooth  surface  on  the  
outside  of  the  sled.  
   
 Plan  
Have  individual  students  write  and  sketch  their  ideas  and  solu)ons.  Drawings  should  be  detailed  and  labeled.  
Once  every  student  has  several  ideas,  assign  students  to  their  groups.  Each  member  should  have  an  
opportunity  to  share  their  ideas  while  the  others  consider  the  pros  and  cons  of  each  idea.  It  is  important  for  
the  teacher  to  set  this  expecta)on  at  the  beginning  of  the  first  mee)ng  of  the  groups.  The  group  should  decide  
upon  a  design  and  create  a  detailed,  labeled  drawing.  
   
Create  
Once  the  group  has  produced  a  detailed  plan  and  drawing  they  can  gather  their  materials  and  proceed.    
As  the  students  create,  circulate  among  the  groups  to  evaluate  how  they  are  progressing.  
As  they  build,  the  students  will  face  and  need  to  overcome  many  problems.  It  can  be  frustra)ng  for  students  to  
have  repeated  failures;  therefore  it  is  recommended  to  end  the  first  “crea)ng”  session  with  a  discussion  of  
how  things  are  going.  Reiterate  to  the  students  that  engineers  fail  many  )mes  before  they  succeed  and  just  like  
real  engineers,  they  are  con)nually  learning  while  they  are  failing.  
 
   ©GetCaughtEngineering®  
  
 
 
As  you  walk  around  you  may  need  to  help  students  focus  on  what  specific  parts  of  their  design  are  working  and  
what  specifically  is  not  working.  In  our  experience  some  groups  con)nually  start  over  rather  than  pinpoint  the  
flaw  in  their  design.  
   
Encourage  group  members  that  are  having  great  difficulty  coming  up  with  a  plan  that  works.  Invite  them  to  
walk  around  the  room  and  look  at  others’  designs.  You  may  have  to  have  a  discussion  with  the  class  that  this  is  
not  chea)ng,  rather  a  communica)on  of  ideas.  
   
Test  
As  students  feel  that  they  are  ready,  they  can  test  their  sled  and  check  its  ability  to  travel  the  ramp  and  then  its  
speed.  
   
Redesign  or  Improve  
If  a  group  is  successful,  ask  them  to  discuss  and  plan  with  their  group  members  how  the  sled  can  be  improved.  
If  the  sled  is  unsuccessful,  encourage  the  team  to  focus  on  the  part  that  isn’t  working.  Ask  them  if  it  is  a  
problem  with  how  they  built  the  sled  or  is  the  problem  with  the  design?  Have  the  group  go  back  and  either  
work  on  the  sled  or  begin  to  redesign  their  sled.  
   
Reflec2on  
It  is  helpful  for  the  students  to  reflect  on  their  experience  once  the  ac)vity  is  over.  They  should  reflect  upon  
not  only  their  solu)on  but  also  to  the  workings  of  their  group.  Ques)ons  to  ask  are:  
What  went  well?  
What  didn’t  work?  Include  not  only  design  but  group  interac)on  
What  would  you  do  differently  next  )me?  
   
   ©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 
 
 
 Why Engineering?
 
Engineering for children? Really?

Exciting activities that combine math, science, reading and writing?

Lessons that promote planning and problem solving?

Strategies that develop perseverance and patience?

Teacher friendly instruction that easily integrates into one’s units?

Get Caught Engineering does all that and more, providing a unique application for the learning benchmarks.
Get Caught Engineering was created to inspire elementary students to explore the world of engineering and apply
the design process to problem solving. After investigating what is already available in this area, we found there are
some great materials but they are either dedicated to gifted and talented classes, for after school programs, or
are lengthy units that are too expensive or too time consuming. Get Caught Engineering has been developed to
introduce all children to engineering concepts in a teacher friendly approach that easily integrates into subject
areas. Simple low cost materials, lesson templates, and teacher tips all add up to user friendly activities that will
inspire children to consider engineering as a cool career choice, and a reason to pursue math and science classes
during their school years.
The engineering profession is concerned within ten years there will not be enough engineers to meet America’s
needs. Studies show that the time to inspire students’ interest in these fields is at the elementary level. Through
introductory engineering lessons, elementary level teachers can plant the seeds of inspiration for future engineers
for our country.
h[p://www.getcaughtengineering.com  
h[ps://www.facebook.com/GetCaughtEngineering  
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Questions? Need an engineering lesson to fit your curriculum? Want some ideas for engineering resources?
Please contact Wendy Goldfein and Cheryl Nelson at [email protected]

©GetCaughtEngineering®  
 More STEM Ideas For You
Would you like to try some other STEM lessons?
We have integrated engineering lessons into many different units. These are available as
discounted bundles and as individual lessons.
Nursery Rhymes
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Engineering-Mother-Goose-Nursery-Rhymes-
and-STEM-1452862
History
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/A-Bundle-of-Ancient-History-STEM-and-
Engineering-Projects-1171845
Super Heroes
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Engineer-Like-a-Superhero-Whats-Your-STEM-
Power-1287858
Amusement Parks
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-STEM-Carnival-A-Bundle-of-Amusement-
Park-Engineering-1313224
Pirates
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-AHOY-Engineering-with-
Pirates-1435625
Seasons
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Get-Caught-Engineering-in-December-with-
STEM-1586489

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