Lesson/Topic Plan

Course: Science Grade 3 (2-45 min lessons)

Unit:Materials and Structures

Learning Outcomes:
Design Process 3-0-4c. Test an object or device with respect to pre-determined criteria. GLO:
C3, C5
3-2-02 Conduct experiments to compare the strength of
common materials.Examples: wooden toothpicks, plastic straws, paper, cardboard, polystyrene
foam...GLO: A1, A2, C2, D3
3-2-04 Explore to determine an appropriate method for joining two materials for a specific use.
GLO: C2, D3
3-2-08 Identify characteristics of materials that need to be considered when choosing materials
for building structures. Examples: strength, flexibility, durability, surface texture... GLO: D3
3-2-13 Identify various materials used in the construction of buildings in their community and
in communities around the world. GLO: A4, B1, D3, E1
General Outcome:
Grade 3, Cluster 0: Overall Skills and Attitudes
Grade 3, Cluster 2: Materials and Structures
Essential Question: How can we use various materials to create buildings in respect to a predetermined criteria? Which of the materials used are the strongest and why? How do our
buildings relate to the buildings in our own community?
Students will know: Characteristics of materials that make them stronger.
Students will be able to:Create 3 houses with different materials to compare strength, create a
building with a pre- determined criteria. Follow out a building plan and implement.
Assessment: Participation recorded in Observation sheet/Checklist for five learning
outcome/Design process recording sheets.
Activating Strategies: Sitting on the carpet, we would discuss as a class if anyone had read The
3 little Pigs. Ask the students if they knew what the 3 little Pigs story is about and if there were
different versions of the stories. Can we figure out the main Characters and themes in the book
that we can remember? Using past experiences.
Acquiring Strategies: Class reading of The Three Little Pigs, during the story I would tell the
students to make sure they pay attention to the supplies and tools they used in building the
houses. After the story I would have a discussion about what the story was about and what

different types of houses the pigs made and what kind of house the momma pig lived in. At this
time I want the children to acknowledge that there was stones, straw, sticks and bricks used to
make the houses. Also at this point I would introduce the supplies we were going to use to make
our own piggy houses. This would include; Sugar cubes for bricks, straws for straw, Popsicle
sticks for sticks, and pebbles for the stone house.
Applying Strategies: I will have 4 stations split up between the class of students, at each station
they will build a house and take a picture of their house with the IPAD or Camera. This way the
straws can be re-used. At the brick station the children will have to build a house using sugar
cubes and white glue to create a structure that is at least 5 inches tall that could fit a little pig
inside/ cotton ball. At the Stick station they will use the Popsicle sticks to make a house at least 5
inches tall using glue sticks and string if needed. Using straws and tape the students must make a
5 inch tall house just like the other ones. At the stones centre I will have playdough and pebbles
for them to make a 5 inch tall house for the piggy to fit in. After the children are done their
building at each station they get to test out the big bad wolf/ or the hair dryer who will blow their
house down. At each station they will need to update their 2 forms that need to be filed in
Connection/Cross Curricular: Our classroom observation station would have a brick, sticks,
straw and stones at it.
Extending Lesson: Reading other versions of the 3 little pigs for literature, we could weigh the
materials used and talk about the properties of our materials that make the building stronger. This
would incorporate Mathematics into the Science lesson.
Learning Resources: I Pad/Camera, the Three Little Pigs written by Robyn Bryant ISBN- 28949-821-8,
Different Ways of Learning:
Logical Mathematical- Having to create houses from materials, making 3D shapes.
Visual/Spatial- Creating the forms of the buildings, having freedom to create different shapes.
Bodily/ Kinesthetic- Using hands to create a form, having to physically build houses.
Verbal/linguistic- hearing the story, discussion on the story, writing in their science Journal
about their findings.
Musical- Find songs about building to play while they are building.
Naturalist- using natural materials such as sticks and pebbles.
Interpersonal- Working with the class in small table groups
Intrapersonal- Interacting and using body to complete activity. Building individual homes and

taking the pictures.

Reflections:

Source:
Manitoba Science Curriculum/ BLM
The Three Little Pigs: written by Robyn Bryant ISBN- 2-8949-821-8.