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Teacher's Guide
Written especially for middle school teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the Teacher's Guide has 11 activities divided into three units-- force, electricity, and sound-- topics found in nearly every physical science curriculum.
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You may download the entire Design Squad Teacher's Guide PDF (3.2 MB) or in the following sections or jump to the unit you're doing:
Implementation Resources
Resources PDF (1.1MB)
Contents:
- Covers, including Inside Front (welcome letter) and inside back (credits)
- Table of Contents (page 1)
- Introducing the Design Process (pages 2-3)
- How to Use This Guide (page 4)
- Using Design Squad Media Resources (page 43)
- Materials List (page 44)
- Performance Rubric (page 45)
- More Design Squad Challenges (page 46)
- Related Resources (page 47)
- Education Standards (page 48)
The Design Process
Teach students the design process to help them think creatively about solving a problem.
- Introducing the Design Process PDF (456 K)
- Design Process poster PDF (English) (740K)
- Design Process poster PDF (Spanish) (268 K)
- Identify the Problem - QuickTime video clip (32 MB)
- Brainstorm - QuickTime video clip (30 MB)
- Design - QuickTime video clip (23 MB)
- Build, Test, & Redesign - QuickTime video clip (18 MB)
- Share Solutions- QuickTime video clip (36 MB)
STEM Education Content Standards
The challenges in this guide correspond to the National Science Education Standards, the ITEA National Study of Technology Content Standards, and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks Science and Technology/Engineering Standards.
UNIT 1: ELECTRIFYING GAMES
In these three challenges, students explore circuits by designing a pinball-style game with motors and buzzers.
Full Electrifying Games unit
Download PDF (716 K)
Unit overview
Download PDF (80 K)
Kick Stick challenge
Students build a battery-operated "kick stick" that sends a Ping Pong ball zipping across the floor.
- Teacher Notes PDF (108 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (English) (656 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (Spanish) (728 K)
- Just for Kicks Challenge - QuickTime video clip (24 MB)
- Series Circuits - QuickTime video clip (9 MB)
Electric Gamebox challenge
Students invent a pinball-like game where their kick sticks hit a Ping Pong ball into a target that buzzes.
- Teacher Notes PDF (108 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (English) (642 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (Spanish) (696 K)
- Switches - QuickTime video clip (23 MB)
- Design Process: Teamwork - QuickTime video clip (15 MB)
Making It Real: The Electrifying Games Unit
Students connect the unit's science and engineering to their own lives and recognize engineering as a creative profession centered on designing things that matter and improving people's lives.
- Teacher Notes PDF (124 K)
- Just for Kicks Judging - QuickTime video clip (77 MB)
- Design Process: Testing & Frustration - QuickTime video clip (20 MB)
- Judy Lee engineer profile - QuickTime video clip (21 MB)
UNIT 2: SOUNDS GOOD
In these four challenges, students explore sound by making stringed instruments with headphones and then rockin' out.
Full Sounds Good unit
Download PDF (916 K)
Unit overview
Download PDF (88 K)
String Thing online game challenge
Play String thing
Use String Thing to give students experience manipulating the variables they'll work with in Build a Band. You can also use String Thing at the end of the unit as a culminating activity, a review, or as an assessment of concepts and factors related to sound.
- Teacher Notes PDF (116 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (English) (124 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (Spanish) (668 K)
Build a Band challenge
Students build a four-stringed instrument and use it to play a tune.
- Teacher Notes PDF (112 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (English) (708 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (Spanish) (792 K)
- Sound Energy - QuickTime video clip (10 MB)
- Pitch - Download QuickTime video clip (18 MB)
Headphone Helper challenge
Students add headphones to their instruments to make them easier to hear.
- Teacher Notes PDF (112 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (English) (668 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (Spanish) (736 K)
- Rock On Challenge - QuickTime video clip (25 MB)
- Design Process: Teamwork Issues - QuickTime video clip (18 MB)
Making It Real: The Sounds Good Unit
Students connect the unit's science and engineering to their own lives and recognize engineering as a creative profession centered on designing things that matter and improving people's lives.
- Teacher Notes PDF (152 K)
- Rock On Judging - QuickTime video clip (47 MB)
- Design Process: Brainstorming About Pitch - QuickTime video clip (63 MB)
- Darrin Barber engineer ProFile - QuickTime video clip (3.3 MB)
UNIT 3: BREEZY BLIMPS
In these four challenges, students make blimps out of helium-filled balloons to explore Newton's Laws, force, air pressure, and buoyancy.
Full Breezy Blimps unit
Download PDF (784 K)
Unit overview
Download PDF (80 K)
Sky Floater challenge
Students make a helium-filled balloon hover and then, without touching it, move it around the room by varying air pressure.
- Teacher Notes PDF (116 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (English) (644 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (Spanish) (716 K)
- Band Cam Challenge - QuickTime video clip (17 MB)
- Buoyancy - QuickTime video clip (32 MB)
Sky Glider challenge
Using two helium-filled balloons, student teams build blimps that travel in a straight path across the room.
- Teacher Notes PDF (116 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (English) (596 K)
- Student Activity Sheet PDF (Spanish) (668 K)
- Air Resistance - QuickTime video clip (17 MB)
- Axis of Rotation - QuickTime video clip (20 MB)
- Design Process: Testing Axis of Rotation (27 MB)
Blimp Jet challenge
Students add a jet-propulsion system (i.e., a balloon) so their blimp flies under its own power.
- Teacher Notes PDF (112 K)
- Thrust & Newton's Laws - QuickTime video clip (19 MB)
- Newton's 3rd Law - QuickTime video clip (19 MB)
Making It Real: The Breezy Blimps Unit
Students connect the unit's science and engineering to their own lives and recognize engineering as a creative profession centered on designing things that matter and improving people's lives.