STEM Aluminum Boats

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STEM Aluminum Boats

Transportation Lesson Plans

Lesson plan developed by Ms. Erika Geelhoed, BA Ed

Activity:

STEM Aluminum Boats

Age Group:

School-Age

* Lesson plan objectives and assessments can be adapted to use this activity with preschool student

STEM Aluminum Boats

Objectives:

Student will design a boat that can hold several pennies
Student will develop problem-solving skills

Washington State K-12 Science Learning Standards

EALR 3

EALR 3: Application
Big Idea: Application (APP)
Core Content: Solving Problems

2-3 APPB Scientific ideas and discoveries can be applied to solving problems.

Materials:

Aluminum foil
Coins
Large plastic bin
water

Procedure:

Lay out the materials in an appropriate area for creating
Invite students to make a boat. Challenge them to make it strong enough to hold several pennies.
When they are finished, test the boats in the water.
Allow them to reconstruct their boats to be stronger and test again.
When finished, you can have a conversation about what makes a boat able to withstand more weight.

Assessment:

Observe and record how the student created their design. Did they have any special/unique approaches?

**Do not assess students on how many coins their boat was able to hold.** The purpose of the lesson is to encourage creative thinking and engineering skills.