EGGS, EGGS, EGGS, OOPS!

INTRODUCTION -
This lesson will provide teachers with student information and class experiences related to the impact of gravity upon raw eggs.   I hope you enjoy this activity with your students.   This Web page is a class assignment for the California Technology Assistance Project (CTAP).   

The subject of this lesson is gravity, its impact upon raw eggs as the eggs are dropped from predetermined heights, while encased in a variety of student chosen/designed protective wraps. 

The topic is the impact of gravity upon raw eggs, and the outcome of choice students make for their protective material around the eggs.

This lesson is designed for 5th grade students.

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Standards Addressed
5th Grade
Science: Focus on Earth Science
5. The solar system consists of planets and other bodies that orbit the Sun in predictable paths.    5.c. Students know the path of a planet around the Sun is due to the gravitational attraction between the Sun and the planet.

Investigation and Experimentation

6. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. 

Students will:

• Classify objects to be used in the experiment (e.g. egg size, egg weight, egg shell, egg makeup) in accordance with appropriate criteria.  
• Develop a testable question.  The question will include items such as the design of the egg wrap, material, thickness, weight; three standard heights for drop test, egg weight to wrap weight ratio, and landing zone surface material.
• Plan and conduct a simple investigation based on the student-developed question and write instructions others can follow to carry out the process.  The instructions will include  a list of needed materials, and restrictions to wrap materials.
• Identify the dependent and controlled variables in an investigation.
• Identify a single independent variable in a scientific investigation and explain how this variable can be used to collect information to answer a question about the results of the experiment. 
• Select appropriate tools (e.g., weight scale, measuring tape/ruler) and make quantitative observations.  
• Record data by using appropriate graphic representations (including charts, graphs, and labeled diagrams) and make inferences based on those data.
• Draw conclusions from scientific evidence and indicate whether further information is needed to support a specific conclusion.
• Write a report of an investigation that includes conducting tests, collecting data or examining evidence, and drawing conclusions.

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1. After viewing an animation of continental movement on a laser disk, students will be able to arrange the fit of the continents with continental puzzle pieces.
2. After analyzing information from an Encarta CD, students will be able to compare the distribution of fossils, rock types and ancient climatic zones on different continents as evidence for plate tectonics by fitting puzzle pieces marked by these special features.
3. Students will be able to draw a diagram of the earth’s layers.
4. After collecting information from The Earth CD, students will be able to locate earthquakes, volcanoes and mid ocean ridges as evidence for plate tectonics.
5. After viewing a laser disc geology chapter, students will be able to pass a true/false quiz on lithospheric plates and layers of the earth.
6. Students will be able to identify the major geologic events that result from plate motions in a Power Point multimedia presentation.
7. Students will be able to present their findings on the sixth grade plate tectonics and Earth’s structure standards in a Power Point multimedia presentation to an audience of peers and adults, including the World Geologic Society.
8. Students will be able to write, edit and revise their findings on the sixth grade plate tectonics and Earth’s structure standards using correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.

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Student Activities
Insert links to online resources in your text and insert links to activities on your student lesson web site.

Introductory Activity
Teacher discussion of egg drop activity, purpose, grading; teacher presentation of egg strength without protection and with protection (wraps), determine student team members, discuss allowable materials list.  Student discussion will include teacher directed questions to identify student's current knowledge related to lesson.  

Enabling Activity(ies)
Student discussions of egg strength, student suggestions for wrap materials, discussion of probable outcomes during experiment.  Class discussion of State standards, their purpose and application in this lesson.  (List and link the web resources for your learning activity(ies) here. Also link supplementary materials such as PDF files and /or document files).

Culminating Activity
Perform drop test at schoolsite.  Three points on the school building's ascending roof line will be measured and marked.  These points will be the drop zones for the egg drop.  Each student team will begin the drop test at the lowest zone, and will proceed to higher zones if their egg has not broken.  The teacher will perform the actual egg drop. (List and link the web resources for this activity here. Also link supplementary materials such as PDF files and /or document files).

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Assessment
Insert your grading rubric for the culminating activity or a link to your rubric or test document file.

1.  Pre-Test 

2.  Post-Test

3.  Reports - student team's printed report: to include team members and roles; decisions regarding egg wrap materials;  outcome of experiment design.

4.  Final grade will be based upon drop test success (final drop zone point ='s  20%), a report of student team's project (50%), and use of technology in the design of their project and/or final printed report (30%).

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Student choice worksheet

http://www-atdp.berkeley.edu/1997/courses/1639/egg.htm

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San Pasqual Valley Elementary School
Winterhaven, California
Steve Brown, sbrown@digitaldune.com, or sbrown@icoe.k12.ca.us
Last Revised: 7-26-2000 (insert and update last revision date every time you work on this page)