Unit Plan 34 (Grade K Science): Engineering Improvement Day

Focus: Revise earlier design solutions (shade structures, shelters, motion tools) using test results to make improvements and compare performance.

Grade Level: K

Subject Area: Science (Engineering Design • Inquiry/Skills)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

This week is all about becoming real engineers: students revisit designs they built earlier (like a shade structure, a shelter, or a motion tool) and learn how to improve them using evidence. They run simple tests, record what happens, and make one change at a time to strengthen how well their design solves the problem. By the end of the week, students present a “Before vs. After” showcase explaining what they changed and why it worked better (or what they would try next).

Essential Questions

• How can we use test results to improve a design?
• What does it mean to compare two designs fairly?
• How do shape and materials help an object do its job?
• Why do engineers revise and retest instead of stopping after the first try?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Describe the problem their earlier design was trying to solve (cooling with shade, protection with shelter, changing motion with a tool).
2. Create a simple sketch or model showing an improvement to their design’s shape or structure (K-2-ETS1-2).
3. Test two versions of a design (original vs. improved) and record results using pictures, tallies, or simple ratings (K-2-ETS1-3).
4. Compare the two designs and explain which one worked better using evidence from the test (K-2-ETS1-3).
5. Share a short “engineer explanation” that includes what changed, what stayed the same, and what the results showed.

Standards Alignment — Kindergarten (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 problem.
  • Example: Redesign a shade structure so it blocks more sunlight or stays standing.
• K-2-ETS1-3 — Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare strengths and weaknesses.
  • Example: Compare an “original” and “improved” design using the same test conditions.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can say what problem my design is trying to solve.
• I can draw or build a change to my design that might help it work better.
• I can test my design and record what happens.
• I can compare two designs and say which one worked better using evidence.
• I can explain what I changed and why I think it helped.