Core Skills Analysis
Science
- Vienna practiced the scientific process by building and testing something at home.
- Vienna explored how a designed object or system performs when tested.
- Vienna likely developed observation and evidence-gathering skills by examining the test results.
- Vienna gained experience connecting scientific ideas to a hands-on real-world investigation.
Engineering Design
- Vienna created a physical solution or model rather than only discussing an idea.
- Vienna tested the design to investigate whether it worked as intended.
- Vienna practiced problem-solving through an iterative build-and-test process.
- Vienna strengthened self-direction and persistence by completing an experiment independently at home.
Tips
Tips: Invite Vienna to record the design goal, materials, procedure, observations, and results in a simple lab journal. Have Vienna identify one variable to change during a second trial and compare the outcomes in a table or graph. Encourage a redesign based on the evidence, followed by another test. Finally, ask Vienna to explain the design, results, and next steps in a short presentation or labeled diagram.
Book Recommendations
- The Curious Kid's Science Book: 100+ Creative Hands-On Activities for Ages 4-8 by Asia Citro: A hands-on collection that encourages children to investigate, build, observe, and test scientific ideas.
- The Way Things Work Now by David Macaulay: An illustrated exploration of how machines and everyday systems function.
- Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty: A motivating story about designing, experimenting, learning from failure, and improving inventions.
Learning Standards
- MS-ETS1-1: Vienna developed a solution to a design problem using scientific principles.
- MS-ETS1-2: Vienna tested the design to determine whether it addressed the intended problem.
- MS-ETS1-4: Vienna created a model or prototype that could be tested and potentially modified.
- MS-ETS1-3: If Vienna recorded and compared test results, the evidence could be used to select the strongest design solution.
Try This Next
- Design-log worksheet: goal, sketch, materials, prediction, test results, and redesign.
- Create a results table comparing the first test with a modified version.
- Write a short claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph explaining whether the design worked.
- Draw and label the finished model, including one suggested improvement.