Collaborative Lesson

Understanding by Design Lesson Plan

Title of Unit Engineers of the Future Grade Level 2nd Grade
Curriculum Area ELA & Science Three lessons, 45 minutes each
Time Frame
Developed By Debbie Parker
Stage 1: Identify Desired Results
Content Standards
Georgia Standards of Excellence
2nd Grade ELA Standards

ELAGSE2RL3: Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
ELAGSE2RL5: Describe the overall structure of a story including describing how the beginning
introduces the story, the middle provides major events and challenges, and the ending concludes the action.

ELAGSE2RL7: Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to
demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
ELAGSE2W1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state
an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect
opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Georgia Performance Standards

2nd Grade Science Standards

S2CS1. Students will be aware of the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and
skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.
a. Raise questions about the world around them and be willing to seek answers to some of the questions by
making careful observations and measurements and trying to figure things out.
S2CS3. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating objects in
scientific activities.
b. Assemble, describe, take apart, and reassemble constructions using interlocking blocks, erector sets and
other things.
c. Make something that can actually be used to perform a task, using paper, cardboard, wood, plastic,
metal, or existing objects.
S2CS4. Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and
technological matters.
a. Identify the parts of things, such as toys or tools, and identify what things can do when put together that
they could not do otherwise.
S2CS5. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.
b. Draw pictures (grade level appropriate) that correctly portray features of the thing being described.
c. Use simple pictographs and bar graphs to communicate data.
S2CS7. Students will understand important features of the process of scientific inquiry.
Students will apply the following to inquiry learning practices:
b. In doing science, it is often helpful to work as a team. All team members should reach their own
individual conclusions and share their understandings with other members of the team in order to develop a
consensus.
 Understandings
Overarching Understanding Essential Questions

Overarching Questions:
There are many ways to construct or build
things. What kinds of things must I know to become an
engineer for a career?
An engineer is a person who designs and builds
complex products, machines, systems, or
structures. Topical Questions:

Engineers want to know how and why things Science:

work. They have scientific training that they use What kinds of things do engineers build?
to make practical things.
ELA:
Everyone can have their own opinion. How do I go about supporting my opinion?

Related Misconceptions
Engineers are only boys.

My way is the best way.

Knowledge Skills
Students will know Students will be able to

Form their own opinion.

How to construct an opinion in writing by Create a working product from the supplies provided.
introducing the topic, stating their opinion, giving Present a culminating project.
reasons to support their opinion, and providing a
conclusion to their writing.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Performance Task Description
Students will be able to assume the role of an engineer and use task cards to
construct a product from the supplies provided. Students will also construct a
Goal written opinion paragraph about their product.
Topic: In your opinion, is being an engineer a difficult or easy task? Use evidence
from your experience to support your opinion.
Under the guidance and instruction of the teacher and media specialist, students
will use the circuit systems, robotics centers, and Legos to design and construct a
Role
product. Students will then construct a written opinion piece related to their
structure.
Audience 2nd grade students
 Students will work in the Media Center for the production and note taking part.
Situation Students will work in their classroom using their iPads to construct the written
opinion piece.
Students will create a working or stable product from the engineering tools. Then
Product/
students will construct the opinion piece according to the GSE. The Wixie will be
Performance
the culminating assessment based on the grading rubric.
AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner

1.1.1 Follow an inquiry- based process in seeking knowledge in curricular

subjects, and make the real- world connection for using this process in own life.
1.1.3 Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new
understanding.
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual,
visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.
1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own
inquiry process.
Standards 2.3.1 Connect understanding to the real world.
2.4.3 Recognize new knowledge and understanding.
3.1.2 Participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network
of learners.
3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings
effectively.
3.1.6 Use information and technology ethically and responsibly.
3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others.
3.4.2 Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.
4.1.1 Read, view, and listen for pleasure and personal growth.
4.1.8 Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.

Stage 3: Learning Plan

Where are your students
headed? Where have they
been? How will you make
sure the students know where
they are going?
How will you hook students at
the beginning of the unit?
Students have been working on writing opinion pieces in their
classrooms. This has been a daunting task as many of the students have
a hard time forming an opinion. This lesson will have students building
kinetically and then forming an opinion about what they have done.
Students will be given guiding questions to assist with the written piece.
Guiding Questions:
1. Was it difficult or easy to build your product?
2. What challenges did you encounter or were you an expert?
3. What recommendations would you give to a future engineer?
An example will be provided for the students as a model.
This lesson will begin with a read aloud titled Violet the Pilot by Steve
Breen. Students will make connections to the main character who is a
young engineer in training.

What events will help students
experience and explore the big
idea and questions in the unit?
How will you equip them with
needed skills and knowledge?
How will you cause students
to reflect and rethink? How
will you guide them in
rehearsing, revising, and
refining their work?
How will you help students to
exhibit and self-evaluate their
growing skills, knowledge,
and understanding
throughout the unit?
How will you tailor and
otherwise personalize the
learning plan to optimize the
engagement and effectiveness
of ALL students, without
compromising the goals of the
unit?
How will you organize and
sequence the learning
activities to optimize the
After the teacher reads the story, students will be asked what other types
of things could engineers do.
During Lesson One, the media specialist will explain the different
engineering centers that are available to the students. The teacher will
touch on the opinion writing assignment, and students will be told that
they will be reflecting on their experiences of building when they are
done. The teacher and Media Specialist will explain the notes page and
how to take notes while they work. Students will choose their
engineering station and begin building. Students will take a picture of
their creation on the iPad when completed.
During Lesson Two, the teacher will lead a discussion on how to form
an opinion. Students will be reminded that everyone has their own
opinion.
During Lesson Three, the media specialist will lead the students
through the creation of a Wixie page about their engineering project.
The Wixie will consist of a title page, a picture page, the opinion
paragraph page, and a credits page.
During Lesson One, students will take notes on their progress through
the building during work time. The media specialist will make stops
periodically through the work time to allow students the focused time to
reflect on the note sheet.
During Lesson Two, the teacher will ask the guiding questions to assist
students in constructing their opinion paragraphs.
During Lesson Three, students will proof and revise their presentation
on Wixie. The teacher will remind students of the following: capital
letters, punctuation, and sentence structure.
While students are working on taking notes, the media specialist will
have small groups review the curated resources on the Symbaloo for
engineering and note taking.
Students will work on the Wixie project at their own pace. It will be due
a week after the conclusion of the lesson. Students will ask for
assistance from their teacher and/or the media specialist.
The culminating Wixie presentation will serve as the assessment.
Lesson One:
1. Explanation of the engineering centers. (Media Specialist)
2. Explanation of opinion writing piece. (Teacher)
engagement and achievement
of ALL students?
3. Notes sheet explained to students. (Teacher)
4. Explanation of how to take a picture on the iPad. (Media Specialist)
Lesson Two:
1. Discussion on how to form an opinion. (teacher)
2. Guided questions will be asked to assist students in constructing their
paragraph. (teacher)

Lesson Three:
1. Review of how to use Wixie. (Media Specialist)
2. Explanation of storyboard for Wixie production. (Media Specialist)
3. Reminders of how to proof their Wixie project. (Media Specialist)
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.