EINSTEIN PROJECT CURRICULUM OPTIONS
fourth Grade
structure, function and Survival
life sciences
Design Challenge
How can we design an ideal habitat for an insect?
Anchoring Phenomenon
A person gets scared, moves around, and shouts when a bug flies around him.
UNIT DESCRIPTION
9 Lessons | 32 Days of Instruction
In this unit, students learn how organisms use their body’s structures to survive in their environment. Students will also explore the ways in which an organism interacts with and adapts to its habitat. This unit culminates with a research project in which students compare and contrast various organisms and their interactions within an environment.
Learn more in the Unit Overview.
MATERIALS FOR 1 CLASS | $250
THE POWER OF WATER
EARTH AND SPACE SYSTEMS
Anchoring Phenomenon
The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River is controversial because it impacts people, animals, and the environment in positive and negative ways.
Driving Question
Why is there a dam in Glen Canyon? Why do some people want to remove the dam? Why is the Glen Canyon Dam controversial?
UNIT DESCRIPTION
8 Lessons | 35 Days of Instruction
At the start of this unit, students view a slide deck of photos and listen to a podcast to make observations and ask questions about the Glen Canyon Dam. Throughout the unit, students will collect evidence about why the Glen Canyon Dam is controversial and how it impacts people, animals, and the environment. They will use this evidence to produce a public service announcement (video, slides, poster, or other form of media) to inform their peers/families about the different sides of the controversy.
Learn more in the Unit Overview.
MATERIALS FOR 1 CLASS | $250
Sensing tsunamis
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Anchoring Phenomenon
Tsunamis can be very dangerous for people.
Driving Questions
How do tsunamis happen?
How can we protect people from tsunamis?
UNIT DESCRIPTION
7 Lessons | 29-34 Days of Instruction
Students participate in a read aloud as an introduction to tsunamis. They view slides and videos of tsunamis in Japan and Indonesia and consider the cause of tsunamis, the structure of the waves, and ask questions about how to detect tsunamis in order to reduce the impact of tsunamis on people. Students will learn where tsunamis occur and how earthquakes often cause tsunami waves. They will develop a model to explain how these waves are formed and identify patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength. Then, they will explore ways people might detect tsunamis ahead of time and send messages to people across long distances. They use their understanding of science ideas to design a solution using sensors and computer programs to improve warnings about tsunamis.
Learn more in the Unit Overview.
WHAT ENERGY DOES
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Design Challenge
How can we design a machine to solve a problem?
Anchoring Phenomenon
A girl avoids taking out the trash by making an invention that does it for her.
UNIT DESCRIPTION
9 Lessons | 31 Days of Instruction
In this unit, students will explore the various forms of energy and determine how energy flows through a system. Students will also learn about simple machines and the benefits of using them. Through hands on experimentation and the application of engineering design principles, students design a machine to solve a problem.
Learn more in the Unit Overview.