Lesson Plan: Building Birds Nest

Grade Level: 3rd

NGSS Core Ideas/Science and Engineering Practices:
3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that
includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based
on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and
failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can
be improved.
Science and Engineering Practices:
-Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Asking questions and defining problems in grades 35 builds on grades K2
experiences and progresses to specifying qualitative relationships. Ask questions
that can be investigated based on patterns such as cause and effect relationships.
(3-PS2-3) Define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of
a new or improved object or tool. (3-PS2-4)
- Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test
solutions to problems in 35 builds on K2 experiences and progresses to include
investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations
or design solutions. Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to produce
data to serve as the basis for evidence, using fair tests in which variables are
controlled and the number of trials considered. (3-PS2-1) Make observations
and/or measurements to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an
explanation of a phenomenon or test a design solution. (3-PS2-2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------Connections to Nature of Science Science Knowledge is Based on Empirical
Evidence Science findings are based on recognizing patterns. (3-PS2-2) Scientific
Investigations Use a Variety of Methods Science investigations use a variety of
methods, tools, and techniques. (3-PS2-1)

Day #1 (description) Intro to birds and their nest and engineering design. Have
students discuss how to build a nest and draw a design of a nest and categorize
materials before starting the building process. Students should also be aware of
why it is important to build a sturdy nest / (title) What is your sturdy design?
Objective(s):
By the end of day one students should be engaged in building a birds nest. They
should have a general understanding of different birds, different birds nest, and
the different materials that birds use (from the book reading). Students will be
introduced into the engineering design process by having them draw ( plan/design)
a birds nest on a piece of paper before they get the material and make a list of the
materials they would want to build a bird nest with. They will sort out the material
with their group to determine how to best use the different objects (plan). At the
end of the last day students will beginning (and maybe finish) creating a sturdy
nest.

Materials:
Clay, real eggs or egg-sized stones or pebbles, materials for nest-building
(collected from schoolyard or home) large-size test cup for holding the nests.
Natures Scope (pg 22/25) birds nest activity and worksheet
Activities about Birds (bird nesting activity): Feathers, grass, hay, straw, mud,
cotton, string, cattails, paper, leaves, sticks (also: Twigs, sticks, mud, bark, vines,
cattails, grasses, strips of cloth, string, lined with fine grass, spider silk, feathers,
hair, corn husks, dried leaves, roots), paper for the top of desk, brown paper bags
for materials per group.

5E Plan for Lesson (might not use all 5Es)

Engage students by showing them a real life birds nest! And then reading a story
about birds and their nest. At the end of the story we will ask students why they
think it is important for birds to build sturdy nest.

The students will explore their own ideas of how to make a sturdy nest when they
draw their design for a nest. They will also explore the different materials they
are presented with to build their nest. The answers students give during the
introduction book reading will evaluate what information they already know about
birds and their nest. We will be able to evaluate how the students are retaining the
new information by looking at their drawings of how they want to build their nest,
their list of materials and how they organize the materials.

Day #2 (description) Day two is the big test day! We will recount what we learned
in lesson one and give time for the students to make any finishing touches on their
nests. Then we will test their test models.There are two different weather
hazards their nest should be able to withstand wind and water. Wind will be in the
form of a fan and water will be from a spray bottle. / Is your nest sturdy or
wobbly?

Objective(s):
By the end of the day students should have tested the bird's nest model and made
revisions to make sure it is as sturdy as they can make it. There will be two
different weather hazard test. One will be the wind test by placing the birds nest
in front of a fan and the other test will be the water test by squirting water on
the test. The birds nest will be deemed sturdy if they do not fall apart during the
testing. Students can make revisions on their nest and retry the test. Students
should have a clear understanding of how to combine materials to design a practical
model of a nest and why it is important to make a sturdy nest.

Materials:
Same as the first lesson (brown page kits)
Extra string, clay.. extra materials if we want too.
Floor fan
Tub for water test
spray bottle
5E Plan for Lesson (might not use all 5Es)
Students will evaluate how they made their nest from the first day and make any
renovations they think is necessary to a sturdy design. Students will explain what

worked with their designs to each other and a teacher after they test their model.
Student will also explain what needs to be improved for the second testing. If
there is time students can do the extension challenge and change their nest to
hang on strings from their desk or see if their nest can fit in branches in a bush
outside. This way students can extend what they already know about nest building
to a different scenario just like birds make nest in different places depending on
their environments (caves, walls, branches, ground).

Identify where in your lesson you find engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate