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Resources
Tangible Resources
Computers/tablets for costing materials, recycled and craft materials for modelling, craft knives, cutting mats, scissors, masking tape, cold-melt glue guns, pens & pencils, paper.
Human Resources
Students from another class, architect (as with LU4), parents and other school staff.
Preparation
Gather resources and equipment; arrange surveys with students from other classes; arrange for architects and other visitors to attend presentations.
Goals, messages & concepts
Specific goals
- To design and sketch-model an outdoor classroom.
- To calculate the cost of the design.
Specific messages
- Scientific knowledge can be used to make design decisions.
- There is a balance between using the materials with the best properties for the job, and using affordable materials to stay within a given budget.
Main terms
- design decisions
- material properties
- cost
- budget
- architect
Practices & skills
STEM practices
- Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Developing and using models
- Engaging in argument from evidence
- Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
- Using mathematics and computational thinking
- Asking questions and defining problems
Soft skills
- Dealing with uncertainty
- Learning failure is a part of learning
- Teamwork and collaboration
Management skills
- Planning
- Use of resources
Course of activity
step 1
Students will create a survey of their target audience to find out how students in other year groups hope to benefit by having an outdoor classroom, and what features they would like it to have.
step 2
Using all the ideas and knowledge that they have gained through this Learning Scenario, students will work in groups to design an outdoor classroom with real materials in mind. They may design through sketching or sketch-modelling (thinking straight away in 3D). They should consider the weather in all 4 seasons, the materials and structure, the function and interior elements, and the placement of the structure within the school site.
step 3
Once they have thought about the materials, they will calculate how much it would cost to build their classroom. They may use the internet to research, or use a predetermined price list for different materials per m2, and should calculate the size/quantity of the materials their design needs to work out the cost. N.B. The price list doesn't need to be realistic or in a real currency; it is for comparative purposes between designs.
step 4
Students will present their ideas and models, justifying their design decisions using scientific evidence from their experiments in LU3/4/5. This will be presented to a panel of judges including the architect, headteacher and school business manager, who will select the most suitable and cost effective design. Parents and staff will be invited to attend the presentation.
step 5
The students' views and opinions about the benefits and design features of an outdoor classroom developed during this project will be taken into account to build a real outdoor learning environment for the school in the near future.