Skip to content
PlayOwl

Science · Grade 3

Design and Defend a Solution

The class needs a package that keeps a fragile cracker from breaking when it is dropped. Learners define the problem with criteria and constraints, compare three designs in a decision table, run fair drop tests to find each design's failure points, improve the best one and defend their final choice with evidence, the way real engineering teams do.

  • 3 lessons
  • About 100 minutes
  • Engineering design check: 9 questions
  • Ways to answer: choose an answer, highlight a text, type a number, put in order, sort into groups and true or false
See plans Included with Family, Teacher and School plans. Open in PlayOwl

What learners will discover

  • Define a design problem, including the criteria for success and the constraints on materials, size and cost.
  • Compare several possible solutions by how well each meets the criteria and constraints.
  • Plan fair tests, find failure points, improve a design and defend the choice with evidence.

Lessons

  1. Define the problem 4 steps2 practiceabout 28 min
  2. Compare possible solutions 5 steps3 practiceabout 32 min
  3. Test, improve and defend 8 steps4 practiceabout 40 min
  4. Engineering design check 9 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

  • Marble MountainLay straights, curves, drops and splitters to roll marbles down the mountain.
  • Bridge LabBuild a bridge from beams, brace it with triangles, and stay on budget.
  • Circuit Workshop 3DWire up batteries, bulbs and switches on a 3D workbench.

More 3rd grade science

Guide for grown-ups