Lesson Plan: The Three Little Pig Engineers!

Materials Needed

• The storybook: The Three Little Pigs (or a visual retelling)
• Building Materials (Small, child-safe versions):
  • Straw/Hay Substitute: Small bundles of dried grass, drinking straws, or thin yellow pipe cleaners.
  • Stick Substitute: Small twigs, craft sticks, or toothpicks (use caution).
  • Brick Substitute: LEGOs, Duplo blocks, or small wooden blocks.
• A small toy pig or drawing of a pig for building protection.
• Masking tape or paper plates to define "House Areas" on the floor or table.
• A drawing or hand puppet of the Big Bad Wolf.
• Optional: Glue or playdough for advanced building stability (for the "bricks").

Learning Objectives (What We Will Learn)

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Identify the three materials the pigs used to build their houses (straw, sticks, bricks).
2. Explain why the brick house was the safest choice.
3. Use materials to build a simple, strong structure.

Lesson Duration

45–55 minutes (Modular: can be broken into two 25-minute sessions)

1. Introduction: Who is Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? (10 Minutes)

A. Hook & Engagement

Educator Script: (Use a dramatic, low voice) "Heeey Little Piggy! I'm the Big Bad Wolf! And I'm going to huff... and I'm going to puff... and I'm going to blow your house down!"

Q&A Check: "Has anyone heard this story before? Who are we trying to stay safe from today? Yes, the Big Bad Wolf! We need to help the pigs learn how to build a very strong house."

B. Stating Objectives

“Today, we are going to read the story, look at the three kinds of houses the pigs made, and then we are going to become engineers to build the strongest house ever so the wolf cannot get in!”

2. Building the Houses: Modeling and Storytelling (I Do) (15 Minutes)

A. I Do: Story Reading and Material Introduction

1. Read the Story: Read The Three Little Pigs aloud. Pause dramatically when the wolf appears and when he blows each house down.
2. Focus on Materials: After reading, specifically point out the three materials (straw, sticks, bricks).
   • Ask: "Look at the straw house. Does it look heavy or light? Is it easy to move?" (Light, weak)
   • Ask: "Look at the brick house. Does it look heavy or light? Is it easy to move?" (Heavy, strong)
3. Introduce the Real Materials: Present the actual sorting materials (straw substitute, stick substitute, block/brick substitute).

3. The Great House Test (We Do) (15 Minutes)

A. We Do: Material Sorting and Testing (Kinesthetic Practice)

1. Material Sort: Place the three types of materials on the table. Ask the learner(s) to sort them into three groups (Straw, Sticks, Bricks).
2. Defining the Areas: Use masking tape or paper plates to create three small "house spots" on the floor or table. Label them (optional, using simple drawings).
3. The Wolf Test Simulation:
   • Straw House Test: Place a very small pile of the straw substitute in the first spot. The educator makes a "Puff" sound and gently blows on the materials. (Success Criteria: The materials fly away easily.) "Oh no! The wolf blew the straw house away!"
   • Stick House Test: Place a small pile of the stick substitute in the second spot. The learner(s) can try to blow harder. (Success Criteria: The materials move, but not as easily.) "Uh oh! The wolf almost blew the stick house away!"
   • Brick House Test: Place the heavy blocks in the third spot. The educator/learner tries to blow as hard as they can. (Success Criteria: The blocks do not move.) "Wow! The brick house is too strong! The wolf cannot blow it down!"

B. Success Criteria Check

Ask: "Which material was the weakest? Which material was the strongest? Why do we want a strong house?"

4. Building the Safest Home (You Do) (10 Minutes)

A. You Do: Independent Application

Task: "Now it is your turn to be the little pig who builds the strongest house. We are only going to use the materials that passed the test—the bricks!"

1. Give the learner(s) a small toy pig (or a picture of a pig) to protect.
2. Challenge them to build a small wall or enclosed space around their pig using only the blocks/bricks.
3. Encourage them to stack the blocks carefully to make the walls tall and stable.

B. Final Wolf Attack (Formative Assessment)

The educator acts as the Big Bad Wolf and gently tries to knock down the final brick structure using only their breath or a very light push. If the structure remains standing, the learner was successful.

5. Closure and Recap (5 Minutes)

A. Summary and Reflection

Educator Script: "We did it! We are super engineers! Can you tell me the three things we learned about today?"

• Straw was light and easy to blow away (Weak).
• Sticks were a little better, but still shaky.
• Bricks were heavy and strong (Safe and Smart).

Takeaway Reinforcement: "Building carefully and choosing strong materials keeps us safe!"

B. Summative Assessment

Ask the learner to point to the blocks and say: "These are bricks, and they make a strong house!" (Check for correct material identification and understanding of 'strong' vs. 'weak'.)

Differentiation and Adaptability

Scaffolding (For Struggling Learners or Younger Contexts)

• Simplify Materials: Only focus on two materials: straw and bricks. Skip the sticks entirely to simplify the sorting task.
• Pre-Build: Pre-build the small "houses" out of the substitute materials and have the learner simply test them with their breath.
• Focus on Verb: Focus only on the verbs: "Blow," "Stay."

Extension (For Advanced Learners or Classroom Groups)

• Creative Problem Solving: Challenge the learner(s) to use the blocks to build a roof over their pig structure (not just walls). Introduce the concept of a foundation.
• Material Science: Discuss why the materials are different (straw is bendy, blocks are hard). Introduce other strong building materials found in the real world (metal, concrete).
• Role-Play Extension: Assign roles (Pig 1, Pig 2, Pig 3, Wolf) and have the children act out the story, emphasizing the differences in the effort it takes the "Wolf" to destroy each house.