Building structures with jelly beans

Type of resource: website, guidelines, game

Web address https://thestemlaboratory.com/stem-jellybean-structures/

Language: English

Description

Experiment building structures with jelly beans and toothpicks. It can be either a free or guided activity. The challenge is to create stable structures which do not fall apart.

Scientific concept introduced

Three-dimensional space, geometrical figures, spatial stability

Creative and critical thinking

To take initiative
To create structures.

To explore which structures they can build.

Mathematical reasoning

To develop the three-dimensional vision, to understand the concepts of geometry and space, to recognize and differentiate the geometric figures.

Scientific thinking

To develop the ability to observe and discover.

To interpret.
Make anticipations and comparisons of the result of the experiment.
Elaborate explanations.

Drawing conclusions.

Testing a hypothesis.

Learning how to learn

Feeling self-efficacy in learning. Self-regulated learning.

Additional

Fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and precise movement.
Vocabulary.

To take common decisions. Sharing ideas, accepting management.

Building structures with jelly beans

Overall aims

– To develop the ability to observe and discover
– To make anticipations and comparisons
– To testing a hypothesis
– To drawing conclusions

Vocabulary – keywords should be understood

Three-dimensional space, geometrical figures, spatial stability

Expected learning outcomes (operational aims)

– To develop the three-dimensional vision
– To understand the concepts of geometry and space
– To recognize and differentiate the geometric figures
– To know what a side, a vertex or a face of a figure is

STEM skills – to which the learning unit is related to

CORE STEM SKILLS

– To take initiative
– To create structures
– To be creative
– To explore the elements and properties of the structures created

Teaching methodologies/activity outline

Experiment building structures with jellybeans and toothpicks. It can be either a free or guided activity. The challenge is to create stable structures which do not fall apart.

1- Lest go to see what we need to start the experiment:
Give them the following elements: jellybeans and toothpicks.

2- Prepare and develop the activity:
Children can build their own structures, from the simplest, to constructions as complex as they can think of. Let children to be as creative as they want to be.

3- Results of the activity:
Children will have built cubes, pyramids, towers … they can try to count sides and vertices as well as check the strength, elasticity and other properties of structures by stacking books or other objects on top of them.

4- Conclusion:
Kids can learn about geometric figures, three-dimensional structures, spatial stability, resistance of structures and materials, etc.

Assessment of learning

Initial evaluation
– Get to know the previous knowledge about geometric structures, three-dimensional constructions and spatial stability

Continued evaluation
– Listen, think, create and elaborate explanations of the activity procedures.

– Observe and explore the options of building that they have, with an attitude of curiosity.
– Use the oral language and gesture to express ideas and feelings.

Final evaluation
– To evaluate the learning objectives.