I.
OVERVIEW
Design Squad is a cycle class which offers students the opportunity to brainstorm, design, build, and test a different engineering activity each week. Students will explore engineering as problem-solving using science, math, and technology. This class will demonstrate that engineering is a creative career where workers engage with great people, solve interesting problems, and design things that matter.
This 18 week course is an 8 th grade elective course which meets twice a week.
II.
RATIONALE
In Design Squad , students are engaged in open-ended challenges while developing a working understanding of core science concepts. Students deepen their understanding of the design process through problem solving using science, technology, engineering, and math. Eighth grade students are engaged in hand-on engineering challenges relating to electricity, sound, force and other physical science topics. Students explore circuits by designing a pinball-style game with motors and buzzers. They also investigate Newton’s Laws, force, and air pressure by making blimps out of balloons.
III.
STUDENT OUTCOMES (Link to New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards)
STANDARD 5.1 Science Practices All students will understand that science is both a body of knowledge and an evidence-based, model-building enterprise that continually extends, refines, and revises knowledge. The four Science Practices strands encompass the knowledge and reasoning skills that students must acquire to be proficient in science.
A.
Understand Scientific Explanations: Students understand core concepts and principles of science and use measurement and observation tools to assist in categorizing, representing, and interpreting the natural and designed world.
B.
Generate Scientific Evidence Through Active Investigations: Students master the conceptual, mathematical, physical, and computational tools that need to be applied when constructing and evaluating claims
C.
Reflect on Scientific Knowledge: Scientific knowledge builds on itself over time.
D.
Participate Productively in Science: The growth of scientific knowledge involves critique and communication, which are social practices that are governed by a core set of values and norms.
STANDARD 5.2 Physical Science All students will understand that physical science principles, including fundamental ideas about matter, energy, and motion, are powerful conceptual tools for making sense of phenomena in physical, living, and Earth systems science.
C. Forms of Energy: Knowing the characteristics of familiar forms of energy
D. Energy Transfer and Conservation: The conservation of energy can be demonstrated by keeping track of familiar forms of energy as they are transferred from one object to another.
E. Forces and Motion: It takes energy to change the motion of objects. The energy change is understood in terms of forces.
STANDARD 8.2 (Technology) All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world, as they relate to the individual, global society, and the environment.
B. Design: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision-Making

STANDARD 4.5. Mathematical Processes All students will use mathematical processes of problem solving, communication, connections, reasoning, representations, and technology to solve problems and communicate mathematical ideas.
A. Problem Solving
B. Communication
C. Connections
D. Reasoning
STANDARD 9.1 21st-Century Life & Career Skills All students will demonstrate the creative, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to function successfully as both global citizens and workers in diverse ethnic and organizational cultures
C. Collaboration, Teamwork, and Leadership
IV.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS AND CONTENT
ELECTRIFING GAMES (Hidden Alarm, Kick Stick, and Electric Game Box )
▫ What is a circuit?
▫ How does a switch control whether a circuit is open and closed?
▫ How are these activities related to what engineers do?
EXPLORING FORCES (Watercraft and Paper Table)
▫ What is buoyancy and how does it influence the design of a boat?
▫ How are you able to support a heavy book on just pieces of newspaper?
BREEZY BLIMPS (Sky Floater, Sky Glider, and Blimp Jet)
▫ What do you know about forces when a balloon is neutrally buoyant?
▫ How can you reduce an object’s drag so it moves more efficiently through the air?
▫ What are examples of Newton’s 1 st and 3 rd laws?
▫ How might engineers be involved with blimps?
CHALLENGE ACTIVITIES (Zip Line, Power Paddle, Kicking Machine & Extreme Kicking Machine)
▫ What are some ways to reduce friction?
▫ How can you keep an object balanced?
▫ How can you use rubber bands as kinetic and potential energy?
EXPLORING SOUND (String Thing, Build a Band, and Headphone Helper)
▫ What are ways to lower a string’s pitch?
▫ What causes different pitches?
▫ In what ways did you think and work like an engineer as you made your instrument and headphone?
DESIGNING CARS (Rubber Band, Motorized, and Customized)
▫ How can you design a toy car?
▫ How can you improve the distance a toy car can travel?
V.
•
•
•
STRATEGIES
Teacher facilitation
Reading about science/math concepts
Collaborative projects
•
•
•
Video clips
Class discussion/critiques
Following and using the design process

Questions for guiding students:
To help a student…
Stay focused on the activity
Answer his/her own question
Problem-solve or try another approach
Make connections to the real world
Ask…
“What do you need to do now?”
“How does your idea work?”
“That’s an interesting question, how can we find out?”
“Why do you think this happened?”
“Is there another way to look at this?”
“Why do you think this is happening?”
“What does this remind you of?”
“What are other examples where this happens?”
Improve his/her design
VI.
EVALUATION
Participation Rubric
Performance Rubric
“Could you change something to make it work better?”
“What else would you like to try?” http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/DS_TG_full.pdf
Performance Assessment Rubric p. 44
VII.
REQUIRED RESOURCES
Content Standards: http://www-tc.pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/ds_pe_ed_guide_standards.pdf
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/DS_Act_Guide_ContentStandards.pdf
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/DS_TG_EduStandards_p48.pdf
List of all Activities-Teacher’s Guide: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/activities.html
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/educators_guide.html
Educator’s Guide: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/educators_guide.html
Introducing the Design Process p. 2 p. 6 Sources for Materials
Activity Guide: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/activity_guide.html
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/DS_Act_Guide_complete.pdf
Download Video: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/download_video.html

Teacher’s Guide http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/DS_TG_full.pdf
Using Design Squad Media Resources
Performance Assessment Rubric p. 43 p. 44
Materials List
Printable Resources:
Related Science Resources p. 45 p. 47 http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/printable_resources.html
Materials: http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/ds_pe_ed_guide_materials.pdf
VIII.
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
Week One: 2 days
Introduction to the design process, program overview, rules and safety contract
Hidden Alarm. Build a circuit to power an alarm so small that you can hide it. ( Educator’s Guide p. 7)
Explore circuits by designing a pinball-style game with motors and buzzers.
Week Two:
Kick Stick
Unit 1 Electrifying Games)
2 days
(Teacher notes and student handout p. 6) ( Teacher’s Guide :
Week Three:
Electric Gamebox
Week Four:
Making It Real:
-Two short videos
-Reflect/discuss design process
2 days
(Teacher notes and student handout p.10)
2 days
(Driving Home the
-Possible guest speaker (Engineer)
Electrifying Games Unit p. 14)
Week Five:
Watercraft
2 days
( Activity Guide p.9)
Find out if you can build an unsinkable boat out of straws and plastic wrap.
Paper Table ( Activity Guide p.13)
See how strong a table you can build out of paper.
Explore Newton’s Laws, force, and air pressure by making blimps out of balloons.
Week Six:
Sky Floater
2 days
(Teacher notes and student handout p. 31)
( Teacher’s Guide : Unit 3 Breezy Blimps)

Week Seven:
Sky Glider
Week Eight:
Blimp Jet
2 days
(Teacher notes and student handout p.35)
2 days
(Teacher notes p. 39)
Week Nine:
Making It Real:
-Two short videos
2 days
(Driving Home the
-Present projects/reflect/discuss design process
Breezy Blimps Unit p.41)
-Possible guest speaker
Week Ten:
Zip Line
2 days
( Activity Guide p.17)
Test how quickly you can get a Ping Pong ball to the bottom of a zip line string.
Paddle Power ( Activity Guide p. 21)
Check out how fast a boat can paddle itself across a container of water.
Explore sound by making stringed instruments and rockin’ out.
**Week Eleven:
String Thing
( Teacher’s Guide : Unit 2 Sounds Good)
2 days
(Teacher notes and student handout p.17)
* Online interactive game- one period
*Computers or computer lab needed
Build a Band
-Plan, design and construct
(Teacher notes and student handout p.19)
Week Twelve:
Build a Band
-Test, redesign and share
2 days
(Teacher notes and student handout p.19)
Headphone Helper
-Introduction
-Video for ‘Rock on Challenge’
(Teacher notes and student handout p. 23)
-Brainstorm sound energy and uses
Week Thirteen:
Headphone Helper
2 days
(Teacher notes and student handout p. 23)
-Design, construct, test, and share
Making It Real (Driving Home the Sounds Good Unit p. 27)

present instruments; discuss how they demonstrate the unit’s science concepts,
explain how the design process encourages them to think creatively, and
discuss how engineering is a field centered on designing and building things that matter.
Kids build three cars, using the design process to turn their ideas into reality.
Week Fourteen:
Rubber Band Car
2 days
-Make a two-wheeled car powered by a rubber band. p.16
D1- Plan, design and build
D2- Test, redesign and rebuild
Week Fifteen:
Motorized Car.
-Add a motor to your rubber band car.
D1- Plan, design and build
D2- Test, redesign and rebuild
2 days p. 19
Week Sixteen:
Customized Car.
-Choose one of several ways to modify your car.
D1- Plan, design and build
D2- Test, redesign and rebuild p. 22
Kids design and build two machines that can reliably carry out some challenging tasks.
Week Seventeen:
Kicking Machine
Build a machine that kicks balls across the floor.
D1- Plan, design and build
D2- Test, redesign and rebuild
2 days
Week Eighteen:
Extreme Kicking Machine
Modify your kicking machine in one of two ways.
2 days
Present your best project that shows off what you have learned.
p. 31 p. 34
Notes/Tips: For differentiation (higher level learners), and if time permits, utilize the “Take It ToThe
Next Level” section (or”Redesign” section) at the end of each activity.