Unit Plan 8 (Grade 2 Science): Engineering with Materials
Students use material properties to design, test, compare, and improve simple tools, applying data and engineering thinking to solve real classroom problems.
Focus: Use material properties (strong, flexible, waterproof, transparent, etc.) to design and build a simple tool, then test, compare, and revise designs to make them work better.
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Science (Physical Science • Engineering Design • Science & Engineering Practices)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students become engineers who design a simple tool (such as a grabber, a shade, a raft, or a carrier) to solve a classroom problem. They first explore and test different materials to learn about their properties (strong/weak, flexible/stiff, absorbent/waterproof, rough/smooth). Then they plan and sketch a tool, choose materials based on properties, and build and test their design. Finally, students compare different designs and use test results to revise and improve their tools.
Essential Questions
- How do material properties (strong, flexible, waterproof, etc.) help a tool work well for its job?
- How can a sketch or model show how the shape of an object helps it do its job?
- How can testing and data help us compare two designs and decide which works better?
- Why do engineers change and improve their designs after testing them?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Describe and sort materials (paper, cardboard, plastic, fabric, foil, etc.) by simple properties such as strength, flexibility, absorbency, and texture.
- Plan and create a simple sketch or model of a tool that solves a given problem (e.g., carrying small objects, keeping something dry, shading a toy), showing how its shape helps it function (K-2-ETS1-2).
- Select materials for their tool based on properties best suited for the tool’s purpose and explain their choices (2-PS1-2).
- Build and test their tool, observing how well it works and recording data (e.g., how many objects it carries, how much water it keeps out, how long it stays together).
- Compare test results from at least two different designs or tools and identify strengths and weaknesses (K-2-ETS1-3).
- Use evidence from tests to revise or improve their design and describe what they changed and why.
Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (NGSS-Aligned)
- K-2-ETS1-2 — Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
- K-2-ETS1-3 — Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
- 2-PS1-2 — Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can describe materials (strong, flexible, waterproof, soft, rough) and sort them by their properties.
- I can sketch or build a simple tool and explain how its shape helps it do its job.
- I can choose materials for my tool and tell why they are the best match for my purpose.
- I can test my tool and record what happened using simple data (numbers or check marks).
- I can compare two designs and explain which worked better and why, using test results as evidence.