Lesson Plan Version 1.

0
Section 1: Framing the Lesson
I imagine this lesson fitting into a unit that might be called: Physics and Engineering in the World
(Towers)
Subject/Course: Science
Necessary time frame for this lesson: 75 minute lesson (total)
- 10 Minute Lecture
- 10 Minute Explore
- 30 Minute Create
- 20 Minute Test
- 5 Minute Reflection
Strand: Understanding Structures and Mechanisms Force acting on structures and
mechanisms
Grade(s): Created for grade 5 however can be adjusted for higher or lower grades

Section 2: Desired Results

Lesson Objective(s):
Learn about structural engineering
Learn engineering design and redesign
Learn how engineering can help solve societys challenges
Learn about teamwork and problem solving
By the end of this lesson, students will
Develop and understanding of engineering design, structural design and teamwork
Ontario Curricular Overall Expectation(s) with which this lesson aligns:
1. Analyse social and environmental impacts of force acting on structures and mechanisms
2. Investigate forces that act on structures and mechanisms
3. Identify forces that act on and within structures and mechanisms and describe the
effects of those forces of structures and mechanisms
Ontario Curricular Specific Expectation(s) with which this lesson aligns:
1.2 evaluate impact of society and the environment on structures and mechanisms
2.1 follow established safety procedures
2.2 measure and compare force required
2.3 use scientific inquiry
2.4 use technological problem-solving skills
2.5 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary
2.6 use a variety of forms to communicate with different audiences

3.1 identify internal forces

3.2 identify external forces
3.3 explain advantages and disadvantages of types of mechanical systems

Section 3: Gathering Acceptable Evidence

What Information will you collect during this lesson that will allow you to make claims about how
your students are progressing toward the curricular expectations?
Student diagrams and planning
Observing how students work in teams
Presentation/Testing of tower
Student reflection sheet

Section 4: Plan
Sequence of Learning and Instructional Activities [including assessments for learning]
Use the table below to list the ordered sequence of learning, teaching and assessment activities
that will take place [adjust/edit the table as necessary by adding/deleting rows]. The sequence
of activities should align with the stated objectives, and align with what you know about how
learning happens.
Teacher Will

Students Will

(Before Lesson) Show and provide reference

materials for students to overview

Overview the provided materials the night

before coming to class

Introduce the lesson Towers in the world

by discussing buildings in the
neighborhood/city, discussing the changes in
building heights in the last century and the
functions of certain buildings

Take notes and mental pictures of the towers

presented and how they are constructed

Introduce the tower building challenge

Students will create teams of 2-4 students

(depending on class size)

Hand out tower building design worksheet

Students will complete worksheet in groups

and begin to design their tower

Hand out tower building materials

Students will complete their towers according

to their designs and redesign if necessary

Testing phase of each student-constructed

tower

Students will present their towers (why the

designed it this way, their challenges and
questions) and test them

Hand out reflection worksheet

Students will complete a reflection worksheet

partly in class with their group and by

themselves at home
Logistics and Materials
Student Groupings:
Students will be working in teams of 2-4 depending on the classroom size, the number of
students in the class as well as how much time there is
Materials Required:
-Golf Balls
-Plastic Straws
-Piper Cleaners
-Paper Clips
-Uncooked spaghetti
-Student design worksheets
-Student reflection worksheets

Rationale for this Lesson Design

(a) Based on what you have learned in this class so far, how does the design of your lesson
plan address the official curriculum expectations that you have identified? Provide a
justification for your design using your understanding of learning and methods that support
student learning.
The lesson I designed meets many of the expectations specified by the Ontario Curriculum
Documents due to the fact that I worked with these documents to create the lesson rather than
designing a lesson and then afterwards trying to find what aspects of it fit in with the
expectations. With backwards design in mind, I started off with a general goal and lesson that I
wanted students to learn and have a grasp of then looked in the Ontario Curriculum to see what
specific expectations might align well within that goal. In the end, I had a list of certain objects
and expectations and crafted a lesson around those.
Using this type of planning may not be the most efficient in terms of time management however
it is the most reach in that it does not leave time for fluff in the classroom. Teachers are
expected to meet the specific expectation for every subject thus time management and effective
lessons are of the utmost concern.
With that in mind, I designed a lesson that is conducive with multiple ways of learning for every
student and have given them the resources and space to explore the topic in their own
individual ways.
(b) How does our lesson plan incorporate concepts from the backward design approach that
is advocated by school boards in Ontario and as represented in the course materials?

As stated above, the lesson I designed was crafted with the goal to teach students a specific
objective in mind and branched out to form the lesson. I worked from the final product and
moved my way backwards in the materials and resources then finally the approach I will use to
get the lesson across.