Body Systems Exam Thursday, 2/5 - Lessons 1-7

Lab Day 2:

Spaghetti / Marshmallow

Skyscraper

Learning Target

Students will be able to design,build, test and reflect on criteria, constraints and trade-offs for an Earthquake resistant skyscraper.

Success Criteria

I am successful when I can...

Apply my understanding of criteria, constraints, and trade-offs to identify them in a new design problem or solution.

Identify the criteria used to judge the success of a skyscraper design and explain why those criteria are important.

Describe the constraints that limited how the skyscraper could be built, including materials, time, or rules.

Explain at least one trade-off made during the design or building process, including both a positive and a negative outcome.

Use evidence from testing or construction to justify a design decision my group made.

Reflect on how the design could be improved while still working within the same constraints.

Standards

HS-ETS1-2.

Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.

Reminders

This new challenge will last 3-4 days

Remember, to clean up your workstation, materials and tools at the end of the period.

Part 1

Transfer of Learning to New Situations

I Do, We Do, You Do

for

Criteria, Constraints and Trade-Offs

(15 min)

Vignette 1: Wetland Restoration

A town restores a small wetland near a residential area to improve water quality and provide habitat for amphibians, birds, and aquatic insects. The design includes shallow pools and slow-moving water to support a wide range of organisms. After restoration, frog and bird populations increase, but residents also report a noticeable rise in mosquitoes during warmer months. Town officials must decide whether to modify the wetland design or add additional controls while still maintaining the ecological benefits of the habitat.

Answers:

Criteria:

Improve water quality through natural filtration and reduced runoff and support biodiversity, including amphibians, birds, and aquatic insects.

Constraint:

Budget, Public Approval, Spread of Disease from Mosquitos

Trade-off:

Positive: Creating shallow, slow-moving water increases biodiversity by supporting frogs, birds, and aquatic insects

Negative: The same conditions allow mosquito populations to increase, creating a nuisance and potential health concern for nearby residents

Vignette 2: Panther Crossing

In south Florida, a roadway cuts through habitat used by Florida panthers as they travel between hunting and breeding areas. To reduce panther deaths caused by vehicles, engineers construct an elevated wildlife crossing planted with native vegetation. The crossing is designed with reinforced supports and limited width, and fencing is installed along the road to guide animals toward the structure. While panther road fatalities decrease, some smaller animals are observed avoiding the crossing and continuing to attempt road crossings elsewhere.

Answers:

Criteria:

Reduce panther deaths from vehicle collisions

Allow panther movement between fragmented habitats for hunting and breeding

Constraint:

Construction of the bridge might cause traffic.

Community may have safety concerns about Panthers.

Expensive to build a bridge.

Trade-off:

Positive: The wildlife crossing is effective for Florida panthers, reducing vehicle collisions and allowing safe movement between habitats.

Negative: The wildlife crossing may scare away the prey of Panthers, causing them to risk crossing the road, instead of using the bridge.

Check for Understanding

Vignette 3: Fenced Turtle Eggs

Along a Florida beach where sea turtles lay their eggs, conservation workers install fencing around nesting areas to prevent people from stepping on the nests. The fencing is placed only in sections of the beach with the highest nesting activity so that tourists can still access most of the shoreline but there is less space for beach recreation and sports. While more turtle eggs successfully hatch, some hatchlings take longer routes to the ocean and are more exposed to predators.

Individually, answer the following in your notebook for the above vignette:

Criteria:

Constraints:

Trade-Offs:

Positive:

Negative:

Part 2

Earthquake Resistant Towers

Part 3

Check for Understanding

(5 min)

Post-Build Reflection: Earthquake-Resistant Skyscraper

Question 1: Criteria

Identify one criterion your group used to judge whether your skyscraper design was successful. Explain how your final structure met or failed to meet this criteria.

Question 2: Constraints

Describe one constraint that limited how your skyscraper could be built. Explain how this limitation affected a design decision your group made.

Question 3: Trade-Off

Explain one trade-off in your final design. In your response, describe:

one positive outcome of this design choice
one negative consequence that resulted from the same choice.

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