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ALL GUIDES


  1. What is a Computer?
  2. Executing a Plan
  3. Practicing Flexibility
  4. Completing a System

  1. Buttons & Breadboards
  2. Basic Inputs & Outputs
  3. Polarity & Audio Output
  4. Parallel Circuits

  1. Intro to Computational Thinking
  2. Loops & Sequences
  3. Events
  4. Programming with Lights & Sounds
  5. Completing Additional PiperCode Projects

  1. Extend in Storymode
  2. Design a Bot & Make Music
  3. Redesign a Stoplight
  4. Engineering Design with Piper

  1. Take Apart and Reflection
  2. Computers in Everyday Life
  3. The Environmental Impact of Computers
  4. Final Design Challenge

  1. What is Color?
  2. How Do We See Color?
  3. How Does the Color Sensor Detect Color?
  4. RGB in Computing

  1. The Water Cycle
  2. What is Temperature?
  3. What Are the States of Matter?
  4. Phase Changes

  1. Motion Introduction
  2. How Do Waves Help Us Understand Patterns?
  3. Creating Devices That Use Data
  4. Graphing Motion

  1. What is Energy?
  2. The Energy Behind Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

PIPER COMPUTER

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Phase 5

Lesson 5.4

Phase 5: Lesson 5.4

Final Design Challenge


45 - 60 mins

Grades 3 - 8
INTRODUCTION
Students will apply the Engineering Design Process they learned about in Phase 4 to redesign the Piper Computer Kit based on user-experience, environmental impact, and design principles.


  Print Educator Guide   Lesson Slides    Assessments    Support
GETTING STARTED Lesson Materials Learning Objectives Lesson Preperation
5E INSTRUCTIONS Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate
Phase Resources Career Connections Graphic Organizer Term Glossary Standards Alignment
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GETTING STARTED

Lesson Materials


Piper Computer Kit

Learning Objectives

As a final summary of their learning, students will design their own computer. They will take what they learned about the many components that make up a computer, as well as the environmental costs for making one.
Students will:
  1. Students will be able to create a blueprint for a computer.
  2. Students will be able to use the Engineering Design Process to solve a problem.
  3. Students will be able to create and deliver a professional sales presentation.

Lesson Preperation

  • Suggested student-to-kit ratio is 2:1 up to 3:1. Assign students into groups of 2 or 3 and have them move to a place where they can use large paper.
  • Prepare enough medium or large format drawing paper (or other surfaces such as dry erase tables, posters, and panels) and sticky notes, colored pencils, or markers.
  • Prepare technology/materials for group presentations.
  • Prepare to show student presentations.
PIPER 5E INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

Engage

Introduction (10-20 minutes) Inform students that they will be creating the ideal computer. They must consider parts, environmental costs, and the Engineering Design Process. At the end of the lesson, students will present their prototype and pitch their idea as a group. Use the lesson slides to help guide the students.

Explore

Main Activity (30-40 minutes)
  1. Plan, design, and test new Piper blueprint instructions.
    • Have students develop their own blueprint for building the Piper computer.
    • Create a labeling system and a flow before drawing.
    • Design and draw the blueprint on poster board with markers.
    • Test their design with their classmates.
  2. The process includes:
    • Prototype
    • Estimate costs
    • Consider user experience
    • Estimate environmental impact
    • Consider potential business partners
  3. Prepare sales pitch presentation

Explain

Pitch Presentations (10-15 Minutes) Groups will pitch their ideas with presentations.

Elaborate

Engineering Design Process (5-7 Minutes) Draw the blueprint.

Evaluate

Closing/Reflection Activity (10-15 Minutes) Provide students an opportunity to reflect using the following questions. Students should write two paragraphs in response.
  • Explain to the best of your ability how computers work.
  • Which skills did you use while learning with Piper?
  • What can you create from this experience?
PHASE RESOURCES

Career Connections

Economist: Salary $115,730/yr
Pilot: Salary $219,140/yr
Healthcare Professional: Salary $224,640/yr
Database Architect: Salary $134,700/yr

Graphic Organizer

Phase 5 DOWNLOAD

Term Glossary


Engineering Design Process A step-by-step way to solve problems and create new things. It includes figuring out what the problem is, brainstorming ideas, planning and designing a solution, building and testing it, and then making improvements.

Iterate Repeating a process to improve and reach a desired goal or result.

LED (Light Emitting Diode) A diode is like a one-way valve that only allows electricity to flow in one direction. All diodes give off some light (visible or invisible) when electricity passes through them, but LEDs give off lots of visible light in specific wavelengths (colors).

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Standards Alignment


We are excited to be aligned with the following standards.


Concepts Standards

Computing Systems: Devices

CA 3-5.CS.1 Describe how computing devices connect to other components to form a system. (P7.2)

Computing Systems: Hardware & Software

CA 3-5.CS.2 Demonstrate how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. (P4.4)

6-8.CS.2 Design a project that combines hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. (P5.1)

Computing Systems: Troubleshooting

3-5.CS.3 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies. (P6.2)

6-8.CS.3 Systematically apply troubleshooting strategies to identify and resolve hardware and software problems in computing systems. (P6.2

Algorithms & Programming:

Program Development

3-5.AP.18 Perform different roles when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development.

6-8.AP.15 Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs. (P1.1, P2.3)

6-8.AP.18 Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline when collaboratively developing computational artifacts. (P2.2, P5.1)

6-8.AP.19 Document programs in order to make them easier to use, read, test, and debug. (P7.2)

Practices

P1. Fostering an Inclusive Computing Culture

P2. Collaborating Around Computing

P4. Developing and Using Abstractions

P5. Creating Computational Artifacts

P6. Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts


Concept Standard

Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.

(4-PS3-4)

Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information.

(4-PS4-3)

Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Connection to the Nature of Science: Science knowledge is based upon logical and conceptual connections between evidence and explanations.

(MS-PS4-1)

Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem (Performance Expectation).;

3–5-ETS1-2

Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. (P.E.3.4.7)

3–5-ETS1-3.

Optimizing the Design Solution; Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints.

MS-ETS1.C.



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