Unit Plan 26 (Grade 4 Science): Engineering Biological Models

Focus: Create models that simulate sensory systems or plant responses, and use testing data to improve designs.

Grade Level: 4

Subject Area: Science (Life Science • Engineering/Design)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this engineering-focused unit, students apply what they’ve learned about plants, animals, and sensory systems by designing simple biological models. Working in teams, they create devices that mimic sense receptors (e.g., detecting light, sound, or touch) or plant behaviors (e.g., growing toward light, bending with gravity). Students test their models with fair trials, record data, and refine their designs to better match the structures and responses found in living things.

Essential Questions

• How can a model help us represent how a sensory system or plant response works?
• What criteria and constraints matter when designing a model of a living system?
• How can tests and data help us improve our models so they behave more like real organisms?
• Why do engineers and scientists build models of biological structures and behaviors in the real world?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Describe how sensory receptors or plant structures help organisms respond to light, sound, touch, or gravity.
2. Plan and build a simple engineering model that simulates a sense receptor or plant response.
3. Identify criteria (what the model must do) and constraints (materials, time, size) for their design.
4. Conduct fair tests, collecting data on how well the model performs under different conditions.
5. Use test data to compare solutions and suggest improvements so the model better represents a biological structure or behavior.

Standards Alignment — 4th Grade (NGSS-Aligned)

• 4-LS1-2 — Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond.
  • Example: Build a model “ear” or “eye” device that detects sound or light and triggers a simple response.
• 3-5-ETS1-2 — Generate and compare multiple solutions based on how well they meet criteria and constraints.
  • Example: Compare two sensory or plant-response models based on accuracy, reliability, and ease of use.
• 3-5-ETS1-3 — Plan and carry out fair tests with controlled variables to identify improvements to designs.
  • Example: Test models under different light levels or angles, keeping distance and time the same, and revise based on results.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can explain how a sense receptor or plant structure helps an organism respond to its environment.
• I can design and build a model that shows a sensory response or plant behavior (like bending toward light).
• I can describe the criteria and constraints for my model and why they matter.
• I can run fair tests on my model, collect data, and use the results to suggest specific improvements.
• I can compare different models and explain which one better represents how living things sense and respond.