Students explore forces in motion as they work to design a solution that balances various sized and weighted objects.
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NGSS Performance Expectations
Summary of Module Activities
Classroom Activity #1 - Science Investigation: Body Balance
Students make observations and inferences about the stability of teacher-led balanced body poses. They then investigate the stability of other body poses and discuss the characteristics of balanced body poses that feel more stable than wobbly.
Classroom Activity #2 - Engineering Design: Build a Balance
Students apply what they learned in the classroom science investigation to iteratively design and test a balance which they use to compare the mass of different objects.
MOXI Field Trip - Engineering Design Challenge: Mobiles
Students are challenged to use simple materials to design and build a mobile that will be safe (balanced) and relaxing for patients to look at while they are having their teeth cleaned.
Classroom Activity #3 - Reflection: Balance Sculpture
Students reflect on the classroom activities and field trip design challenge and discuss features of balanced objects. They then create a balanced three-dimensional sculpture that rests on a balance point and reflect on how they used the engineering design process to define and solve a problem.