Shelter in a storm
View Sequence overviewStudents will:
- draw a plan for a shelter suitable for use during the rain/a storm.
- select materials that are appropriate for this stable, waterproof shelter.
- follow their plan to build a prototype of their shelter.
- test their shelters according to the required criteria (size, stability, waterproofness).
Students will represent their understanding as they:
- draw diagrams of their shelter.
- name the materials used and explain why they selected them.
- build and test their shelter.
In the Act phase, assessment is summative.
Students working at the achievement standard should:
- describe the observable properties (strength, hardness, flexibility) of the materials that make up objects.
- be able to communicate to a selected audience how the properties of materials affect how they are used and respond to questions.
Refer to the Australian Curriculum content links on the Our design decisions tab for further information.
Whole class
Class science journal (digital or hard-copy)
Each group
Materials to construct a shelter prototype. These materials may vary depending on students’ designs and are likely to include the same materials that students used throughout the sequence, including:
- wooden skewers
- pop-sticks
- pipe cleaners
- tape
- cling wrap
- foil
- paper towel
- paper
- plastic
Each student
Individual science journal (digital or hard-copy)
Lesson
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkEach student comes to the classroom with experiences made up from science-related knowledge, attitudes, experiences and resources in their life. The Connect routine is designed to tap into these experiences, and that of their wider community. It is also an opportunity to yarn with community leaders (where appropriate) to gain an understanding of the student’s lives, languages and interests. In the Act phase, this routine reconnects with the science capital of students so students can appreciate the relevance of their learning and the agency to make decisions and take action.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider the everyday occurrences, phenomena and experiences that might relate to the science that they have learned. How could students show agency in these areas?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkScience education consists of a series of key ideas and core concepts that can explain objects, events and phenomena and link them to the experiences encountered by students in their lives. The purpose of the Anchor routine is to identify and link students’ learning to these ideas and concepts in a way that builds and deepens their understanding.
When designing the Act phase of a teaching sequence, consider the core concepts and key ideas that are relevant. The Anchor routine provides an opportunity to collate and revise the key knowledge and skills students have learned, in a way that emphasises the importance of science as a human endeavour.
What have we learned?
Re-examine the data and ideas collected in the class science journal over the course of the teaching sequence. These might include:
- what shelters are and who uses them.
- why some of the shelters in The Three Little Pigs (or alternative story) did not stay standing and others did.
- the terms “stiff”, “bendy”, “waterproof”, “not waterproof” and their definitions.
- the shapes, sizes and materials that made strong frames.
- the materials that did not rip/tear easily.
- the materials that were waterproof.
Ask students to describe what they observed during testing that told them if a material was stiff, bendy, easy to tear, waterproof or absorbent. To promote creativity, accept all responses but challenge the students to share evidence, for example, using sentence starters We found out... or We know this because... Encourage students to refer to the class science journal if required.
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWhen students use their knowledge and skills in new ways, they also have an opportunity to develop and use their creative and critical thinking skills. With scaffolded support, they can become more confident to work in a team and develop a stronger sense of autonomy. This results in stronger student outcomes, attitudes and sense of empowerment.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider what activity would allow students to showcase their knowledge and skills. Consider the current abilities of your students. What are they capable of explaining? What props could they design or build that would support their explanations? How much information would they need in their design brief to support their thinking? How does this connect with their lives and interests?
Designing a shelter
Define
Outline the task in a simple manner, such as:
How can we design a shelter that will keep our toy character safe and dry during a storm?
Determine any criteria that might be appropriate to apply, for example:
- The shelter frame will be big enough for the toy to fit inside.
- The frame will stand up by itself.
- The frame won't blow away in the wind.
- The cover will fit over the frame.
- The cover will stay on the frame.
- The cover will keep the toy dry in the rain.
Ideate
Make a list of available equipment that students can easily access to design their activities.
Discuss any safety and accessibility considerations that might be required.
Brainstorm students’ suggestions for building a shelter. At this stage, to support creative thinking, every idea offered by students should be recorded in the class science journal. No idea is discounted, as the practicality of each idea will be considered after the brainstorming has finished.
Revisit the list of available equipment and discuss whether students could actually build their shelters with the available materials. Encourage students to classify their brainstormed ideas into three categories: classroom build, an outside build (if they had the materials and space) and a wild idea (difficult to do but fun to think about).
Prototype
In teams or pairs students discuss their ideas for a shelter and draw a labelled prototype diagram. An adult may scribe for students if required. Alternatively, students can film themselves explaining their designs.
At this age, students may have difficulty agreeing on the exact design of a shelter. It is fine if their individual designs differ, as students will be assessed individually on the shape and size of their proposed shelter and the materials they want to use to build it.
Teams build their shelters. If students have different designs, you might allow them to build more than one before deciding on a final version, or allow students to build each design separately if resources, space and time allow.
Teams or individual students test their designs according to the agreed criteria:
- The toy will fit inside the frame.
- The frame will stand up by itself.
- The frame will stay still in the wind.
- The cover will keep the toy dry.
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkA key part of Science Inquiry, the Communicate routine provides students with an opportunity to communicate their ideas effectively to others. It allows students a chance to show their learning to members of their community and provides a sense of belonging. It also encourages students to have a sense of responsibility to share their understanding of science and to use this to provide a positive influence in the community.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider who might be connected to the students that have an interest in science. Who in their lives could share their learning? What forum could be used to build an enthusiasm for science. Are there members of the community (parents, teachers, peers or wider community) who would provide a link to future science careers?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkSelling the design
If parents, another class or community members have been invited to view students learning/shelters, welcome them and give students a moment to introduce their shelter informally.
Provide students with time to share their thinking about the sequence and their shelter design. This could take several forms depending on the class context, including:
- a gallery walk where students stand beside their shelter and explain it to visitors, classmates or the teacher.
- a brief whole-class sharing time where each pair or group explains one thing that worked well and one thing they would improve.
- an individual or paired recording task using a final reflection template or journal page.
Encourage students to use the science language developed across the sequence as they communicate, including words such as “shelter”, “base”, “frame”, “cover”, “material”, “property”, “stiff”, “bendy”, “waterproof”, “not waterproof”, “self-supporting” and “stable”.
Reinforce the idea that being a scientist or designer means testing, noticing, improving and sharing.
- What questions did we ask at the start? Have we answered them?
- We found out which materials are stiff or bendy, which materials keep water out, which frame shapes stay up and which shelter designs work best.
- Can you explain what your shelter is made from?
- Our frame is made from [material]. Our cover is made from [material].
- What does the base do?
- It attaches the shelter to the ground and connects to the frame.
- What does the frame do?
- It holds up the cover and gives the shelter its shape.
- What does the cover do?
- It keeps wind and rain out and protects what is inside.
- What would you tell a friend about how to build a good shelter?
- Use a stiff material for the frame, a waterproof material for the cover, make the base wide and make sure there are no gaps.
- What worked well in your shelter?
- What would you change to make it better?
- How did you work like a scientist?
- We asked questions, predicted, tested, observed, recorded and shared.
Reflect on the sequence
You might:
- review the questions students posed in Lesson 1 and discuss which ones they have answered.
- revisit the key vocabulary on the word wall and invite students to use the words in sentences.
- share favourite moments or discoveries from the sequence.
- acknowledge the range of ways students showed their thinking: through talk, drawing, testing, predicting and recording.
- connect the sequence back to the big idea: objects are made from materials that have properties, and these properties help us choose which materials are most suitable for different purposes.