Structures

For the past 3 weeks the students have been learning about structures around the world. We learned about various structures but focused on tipis, igloos, adobe houses and Egyptian pyramids. 

To begin the unit we looked at basic shapes and buildings. Students were put into groups and had to use objects around the classroom to build a stable house. Some students used wood blocks, some used play-doh while others used lego. We discussed what objects worked the best to build a structure. We also looked at what materials we could have used instead. 

We then explored different continents/countries on google earth to find natural structures and man made structures. We found skyscrapers, Egyptian Pyramids, The London Bridge, Coliseum, Buckingham Palace, and The Grand Canyon. Some students also pointed out that we couldn't see some natural structures because they are under water (Coral Reef). We discussed the differences between a man made structure and a natural structure. We also discussed the differences between man made materials and natural materials. 

The first structure that we focused on was The Egyptian Pyramids. We found some interesting facts and we then looked at the characteristics of pyramids. Why were the made, what were they made from, are they a man made structure or natural structure?

We then made our own Egyptian Pyramids out of sugar cubes! The students learned that we can alter the appearance of a material by painting it. 

The second structure we explored were tipi's.Who made tipis, what materials were used to construct tipis and how can we alter the appearance of a tipi? 

We made our own tipi's out of tortillas! 

The third structure that we focused on were adobe houses. The students had many questions about adobe houses such as...Is an adobe house a natural structure or a man made structure? We also compared adobe houses to tipis...how does each structure stay warm? What type of insulation is used? 

We then made our own adobe houses out of clay! We learned that you can alter the appearance of a material by sanding it down. 

The last structure that we explored were Igloos! We created miniature marshmallow igloos. 

To end the unit the students were put into teams and we played Jeopardy! All the questions were based on things we learned throughout the unit. 

By the end of the unit the students were able to distinguish between objects and materials found in nature and those constructed by humans, they were able to compare properties of materials and they were able to predict characteristics of common materials.