EDTL525DesignBasedLearning

EmilyCrowell
GoranPetrovic

CatchingTheGreatJackalope

Secondary4ScienceClassroom

LearningObjectives(fromtheprogressionsoflearningintheQEP)
TechnologicalWorld:
Studentswillpracticedoingtechnicaldrawingsandtheirapplications.
Studentswillconstructamotiontransmissionsystembasedona2Dmodelbasedon
theirtechnicaldrawings.
Studentswillidentifymotiontransmissionsystemsintechnicalobjects
TheLivingWorld:
Studentswilldefineadisturbanceinacommunityandexplaintheeffectsofcertain
factorsthatcoulddisturbecologicalbalance.
Part1TheProblem
As a young scientist, you have been maintaining a very rare and valuable garden of herbs.
However, you notice that something has started to eat a particularly rare (and expensive) herb
which is quitepoisonoustomostanimals.Youdosomeresearchandcometotheconclusionthat
it must be a very rare species the jackalope who is not susceptible to this herb.Beingayoung
scientist, yougetexcitedatthisopportunity tostudythejackalopeandimmediatelydeviseaplan
to capture it. You findaoldcageoutbackofyourshedandrealizeitis perfectasabaseforyour
trap. Your job is to build a contraption/mechanism for the door to capture the jackalope.
Remember, your goal is study the jackalope and therefore you must not harm it. Keep in mind
thatwhateveryouchoosetobuild,thejackalopemustnotbeabletoescape.

Studentswillcreateatechnicaldrawingoftheirtrapthemechanismofthetrapdoor
Studentsmustusetwotransmission/transformationofmovementmechanisms
Studentswillbuilda2Dmodeloftheirtrap
Thebuiltmodelwillbetestedforfunctionality

Part2
You successfully catch the jackalope and study the creature. Afterwards, you wonder if you
should set it free even though it has been eating your rare herbs. You must write a short
expository essay explaining potential solutions to your jackalope problem andhowgettingrid
ofthejackalopecouldaffecttheecologicalbalance.
LearningOutcomes
Crosscurricularcompetencies
Competency2:Solvesproblems
Analyzesthecomponentsofasituationalproblem:
o Identifiesthecontextandperceivesthemainelementsandtheconnections
amongthem.

o Graspsthestructureoftheproblemtobesolved.
Testspossiblesolutions:
o Considerstheappropriatenessofeachsolutionanditsrequirementsand
consequences.
Competency3:Exercisescriticaljudgment
Formsanopinion:
o Looksatvariousoptionsandconsidersexistingorpossiblepointsofview.
o Adoptsaposition.
Expresseshis/heropinion:
o Articulatesandcommunicateshis/herviewpoint.
Competency4:Usescreativity
Becomesfamiliarwiththeelementsofasituation:
o Envisagesdifferentscenariosandprocedures.
Adoptsaflexibleapproach:
o Triesoutnewapproaches.
o Exploresnewstrategiesandtechniques.
Competency8:Cooperateswithothers(projectwillbeinpairs)
Interacts,showinganopenmind:
o Exchangespointsofview,listenstoothersandrespectsdifferentviews.
Contributestoteamefforts:
o Participatesactively.
o Plansandcarriesoutworkwithothers.
Evaluateshis/herparticipationincollaborativework:
o Assesseshis/herparticipationandthatofpeers.
o Identifiesdesirableimprovements.

Scienceandtechnologycompetencies
Competency1:Seekssolutionstotechnologicalproblems
Studentswillinventamechanismtocapturethejackalope.Indoingso,theywillexploremany
possibilitiesandevaluatetheireffectiveness.Studentswilldesignonetechnologicalobject.

Competency2:Makesthemostofhis/herknowledgeofscienceandtechnology
Inpart2oftheproblem,studentswillusetheirpriorknowledgeaboutecosystemstoconsider
thepossibleenvironmentalproblemsthatcouldariseineliminatingthejackalope.Indoingso,
theywillconsiderdifferentpointsofviewandforeseelongtermconsequences.
Materials
Draftingpaper
Pencils,rulers,erasers,draftingmaterials
Tomakethemechanismforthetrapdoor,studentswillbuilda2dimensionalmodelusingfoam
coreboard,cardboard,pushpins,bristolboard,string,straws,toothpicks,woodendowels,glue
guns,nutsandbolts,andotherassorted(whateverisavailable!)artsandcraftsitems.

Procedure
Day1
Introduction:

Studentsareplacedinteamsoftwo
Theproblemispresented
Studentsareaskedtobrainstorminpairs(15minutes)
Miniclassdiscussion(sharingofpotentialideas)

Scaffolding:Teachershouldsteerstudentstowardstheideaofmechanicaldevicesand
mechanismsthatcouldbeusedastriggerstoclose(andlock)thetrapdoor.Theseareconcepts
thatwouldbeapartofthestudentspreviousknowledge.Inparticularshouldbethe
transmissionandtransformationofmovementmechanisms.
Hard:

Teacherreviewsthedifferenttransmissionandtransformationofmovementmechanisms
thatshouldhavebeencoveredpreviously.Thismayincludehandoutswithinformation
andexercisesthatshowthesemechanisms.
Teacherreviewsdrawingtechniques,labeling,detailsetcthatisalsosupposedtohave
beenpartofthestudentspreviouslearning,alsowithhandouts,powerpointsetc...

Soft:

Teacherwillcirculateamongstpairstomakesurethatstudentsarefollowingintheright
direction.Ifnecessary,teacherwillsteerstudenttowardsrelevantinformationthatisnot
beingaccessedbystudent,eitherinlogic,processorinformation.

Activities:

Studentsresumetheirworkafterthebrainstormingandclassdiscussionandstartworking
ontheiridea(mostlikelyaroughdraftofwhattheyintendonbuilding).
Studentsstarttheirtechnicaldrawings.
Day2

Scaffolding:
Hard:

Teacherdemonstrateshomeexamplesoftransformationofmovementmechanisms
Teachershowsclassrealexamplesofmechanisms.Thiscanbeinvideoformatsuchas
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkQ2pXkYjRM.

Soft:

Teachercirculatesamongstgroupsdiscussesandhandsoutexamplesoftechnical
drawingsthatincludemechanismsthatwouldbeusefulintheproblem,ifnecessary.

Activities:

Studentscontinuetheirroughsketchesanddiscusspossiblemechanismsfortheirtrap.
Studentsfinishtheirtechnicaldrawings.
Studentsstartbuildingtheirmodels.
Day3

Scaffolding:
Hard:

Showvideoonbiodiversitywww.youtube.com/watch?v=z7Fc2KCYSNA(BillNye).
Handoutonhowtowriteanexpositoryessaysuchasfrom
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/02/orinconferringwiththeELA
teacher.

Soft:

Askstudentspossiblesolutionstotheirjackalopeproblem:Whatdowenormallydowith
pests?Howdoeseliminatingonespeciesaffectotherspeciesandisthisagoodidea?

Activities:

Studentsfinishbuildingtheirmodels.
Studentstesttheirmodelswithteachersupervision/evaluation.
Studentsstarttheirargumentativeessay(mayhavetocontinueinasubsequentclass).

Evaluation
Technologicaldrawing35%

Designpotential(isitplausible?doesitmakesense?Isittoocomplicatedfornothing?)
InclusionofTransmission/Transformationofmovementmechanisms
Clarityofdrawing
Creativity
Selfevaluation(teamwork,workethic,etc.)

Modelconstruction40%

Builttotechnologicaldrawingspecifications
Creativeuseofmaterials
Modifications,feedback,redesignifneeded,ornot
FunctionalityDoesitwork?Themodelwillbetestedtoseehowitworks
(optionalorbonusmarks)lockingmechanismfordoor?

EcologicalReflexion25%

Criticalthought
Exploresanddescribesdifferentecologicalscenariosinvolvingtheremovalofthe
Jackalopeandhowitwouldaffecttheenvironment,aswellasiftheJackalopeweretobe
notcaptured
Describestheprosandconsofeachscenario
Makesadecisionwithwhichscenariotofollow

Rubrics:
TechnologicalDrawingRubric

Characteristic

Excellent

Good

Design
potentialand
creativityof
design

10
Highly
creative,elegant
andworkable
design

8
Goodcreative
working
design.
Slightly
complicated

Movement
mechanisms

10
Includes2or
more
transformation
ofmovement
mechanisms

Clarityof
drawing

Self
evaluation

Adequate

Inadequate

Total
/35

6
Working
design
adequate,
perhapstoo
complicated

3
Poorly
designed,very
complicated

/10

5
Includesone
transformation
ofmovement
mechanism

0
No
transformation
ofmovement
mechanisms

/10

10
Drawingneat,
clear,well
labeled,shows
how
mechanisms
function

8
Drawing
clear,labeled,
mechanisms
shown

6
Drawing
somewhat
clearand
labeled.No
mechanism
detail

3
Drawing
messy,
inadequately
labeled,no
mechanism
detail

/10

5
Iworkedvery
hard.Igave
manyideasfor
thedesign

4
Iworked
prettyhard.I
gavesome
designideas

3
Icouldhave
worked
harder.I
contributeda
littlebit

1
Ididntwork
verymuch

/5

ModelConstructionRubric

Characteristic

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Total
/40

Builtto
technological
drawing
specifications

10
Completely
follows
drawing
specsin
detail.
Modifications
reflectedin
drawing

8
Basically
follows
drawing
specs.
Modified
slightly.Not
reflectedin
drawing

6
Mainparts
followspec
drawing
(mechanisms
)Highly
modified
from
drawing

4
Modelvery
different
fromdrawing
intermsof
mechanisms

/10

Modifications, 10
feedback,
No
redesign
modifications
orif
modified,
improves
functionality

8
Modifiedbut
withno
advantageto
functionality

6
Modifiedbut
othernew
problems
arisedueto
modification

4
Nottestedto
allowfor
modifications

/10

Functionality

10
Flawless
function.Has
beentested
morethan10
timeswithout
breakage

8
Workswell
butnot
rigorous.
Model
requires
repairafter
fiveuses

6
Doesnot
workwell.
Mechanism
failureor
cagedoor
doesntclose
well

4
Doesnot
workatall.
Doorfailsto
release,
Jackalope
escapes...

/10

Creativityin
material
use/inclusion
ofalocking
mechanism

10
Verycreative
useof
materials.
Locking
mechanism
included

8
Verycreative
useof
materials.No
locking
mechanism
included

7
Gooduseof
materials
Nolocking
mechanism
included

3
Limiteduse
ofmaterials
Nolocking
mechanism
included

/10

EcologicalReflectionRubric

Characteristic

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Total
/25

Critical
thought

5
Demonstrates
excellent
critical
thoughtwith
referenced
examples

4
Demonstrates
goodcritical
thought.Less
thoroughin
explanation.

3
Demonstrates
somecritical
thought.
Some
examplesor
explanations
given

Demonstrates
somecritical /5
thought.No
examplesor
explanations
given

Exploration
and
descriptionof
ecological
scenarios

5
Indepth
exploration
and
description.
Morethan2
scenarios
proposed

4
Good
exploration
and
description.
Upto2
scenarios
proposed

3
Incomplete
exploration
ordescription
of2scenarios

Incomplete

exploration
/5
and
description.
Maynothave
2scenarios

Describesthe
positiveand
negative
aspectsof
different
scenarios

10
Describes
excellently
bothpositive
andnegative
aspectsof
eachscenario
described

8
Describes
somewhat
bothpositive
andnegative
aspectsof
eachscenario
described

6
Maynot
describeboth
positiveand
negative
aspectsof
eachscenario

2
/10
Doesnot
describeany
aspectsof
positiveor
negative
aspectsof
eachscenario

Makesa
decisionwith
which
scenarioto
follow

5
Makesaclear
decisionwith
which
scenarioto
follow

3
Makesa
convoluted
decisionwith
which
scenarioto
follow

0
/5
Doesnot
makeaclear
decisionwith
whichaspect
tofollow

Completedexamplesoftechnicaldrawings


Imageofacrankandslidemadeoffoamcore,woodendowel,nut,washerandboltandglue.
Thisisanexampleofatransformationofmovementmechanismthatcouldbeusedasoneofthe
mechanismofthecagetrapdoor.Studentscanbuildtheentire2Dmodelofthecagetrapdoor
outofmaterialssuchasthese.(modelcourtesyofPlaceCartieradulteducationcentrein
Beaconsfield,Quebec)